The World Turned Upside Down

I am so happy I ordered this book.  Not only did it present the English Civil War from the perspective of the lower classes, but it also introduced me to Christopher Hill.  I had never heard of him before I read this book, but I already have Milton and the English Revolution sitting on my bed stand, waiting for my perusal.

Hill discusses the ideas among the peasants while war raged around them.  And apparently there were a lot more going on that I had previously known.  I was familiar with the Diggers and the Levellers, but all the other factions were new to me, especially the Ranters (Hippies in the 1600s).  Hill frequently cites Milton and Bunyan throughout his book, making me enjoy the information all the more.  Hill is apparently a fairly famous Marxist historian, and was also a member of the British Communist Party, according to Wiki.  I find that believable after having read this book.  Definitely one of my better finds this summer.