William the Conqueror
The British King Who Changed History Forever

I've read much about William the Conqueror, but it took Jacob Abbott to explain how the geography and weather patterns of the English Channel influenced 1066. The line of coast on the southern side of the Channel, which forms, of course, the northern border of Normandy, is a range of cliffs, which a......more

This book is the biography of man who lived in the 11th century, written by a man who lived in the 19th century. That perspective makes it an interesting read, IMO much more than the actual biography of a medieval warlord. For this I gave it a 4-star rating. Abbott, a very popular American writer in......more

For a history book, this is a highly entertaining read. Jacob Abbot has a way of keeping the take on this particular period in time interesting. The book starts by telling the reader a little bit about Rollo, and how the Vikings were able to capture such a prominent bit of land as Normandy. The succ......more

Good read... Being related to the Conqueror this was a must read... I was not disappointed. It was an excellent tale of his accomplishments and his wife and family.......more

Written in 1849, this is the Norman Conquest as told by your garrulous Grandfather. This is a 3 only because I don't take it seriously and it's an enjoyable read! Composed in an extremely engaging style, filled with every salacious rumor (including several actual falsehoods) and no documentation. (K......more