”Alfred lived and died in the ninth century, a time when nearly every known individual is as much fable as fact. It was a mysterious age, before dragons were confined to the pages of bestiaries, when saints walked the earth and when God proved his presence through almost daily miracles. But the God of the ninth century was as much a scourge as a comfort and his miracles were often set against a background of despair. For this was an era in which the established kingdoms of Europe faced a new and...

During the Anglo-Saxon period there existed an institution called the witan-- an assembly of elders who could remove an inept or unpopular king. Think about that for a minute.The Ninth Century in what is now England met the definition set by Hobbes. It was panicky and bad. Suddenly on the horizon, longships! Matters were now worse. Or were they, in terms of the longue duree Braudel asserts elsewhere that the marauding of the Vikings removed wealth from such intense concentration and helped dist...

With my degree being mostly in medieval literature, and that of the Saxon period, it's not surprising that I'm a little more well-informed than the author of this book expects you to be, on the subject of Alfred. For example, I didn't know of him only because of the myth of the burning cakes: I actually knew the story of his mother giving him his first book, and the fact that he then later prioritised learning and knowledge.Still, despite that assumption, it's a good book: it provides a clear co...

Interesting book. There are a lot of very readable "history for the layman" books available these days, which is a great thing. I'd put this book in that category - it's an easy read, and it doesn't delve too deeply into historical uncertainties or points of contention amongst historians. Nor does it provide footnotes, although there are endnotes providing references for the direct quotations, and there is an extensive bibliography.I'm no expert on Alfred - most of my knowledge of him comes from...

The case is made, and won, on the "Great".Literacy, shared responsibility, and investment in one's own backyard: these three ideas became reality under Alfred's leadership, and planted the seeds for many of the societal bedrock philosophies we embrace, demand, and enjoy today.The massive caveat to this, of course, is we're talking about the 9th century and all of the violence, superstition, and just as immovable prejudices that permeated. Most importantly, Alfred perpetrated, believed, and allow...

I love Alfred. “Very often it has come to my mind what men of learning there were formerly throughout England... and how there were happy times then.”

Out of the mirk and mists of the Somersaetan fen lands, across eleven hundred years, comes Justin Pollard's biography of 'Alfred the Great', published 2005. 'A delicious historical treat' is how Stephen Fry regards this work. It's not just penetrating biography but also eulogistic homily. Pollard's Alfred is a potent and clearly focused figure with original insight based on sound historical research. Even the clearly mythical elements of the legendary man are given rational and insightful interp...

Very well written book about Alfred the Great, a remarkable medieval king. The book evokes the time in which Alfred lived, and the roles that he played in shaping the future of what was to become England.

There is much to like in this history of Alfred the Great, and how much you like it depends on the expectations you carry into the book. To start, this is a narrative history written for the lay reader as an introduction to Alfred. Pollard attempts to write a memorable history that best represents Alfred, the shaping of his character, and the events that led him to become so influential in the history of Western civilization. That he is so influential is indisputable, what is disputable are the

Pollard's biography of Alfred is classic narrative history. There is just enough context to give meaning to the central character's actions but not so much as to upstage him. The focus is always on Alfred's personality, his mistakes, his insights, and the impact he had on the England that he helped bring into being. Alfred's story is, of course, also the story of the Vikings and Pollard is particularly good at depicting his attitude to the cunning and ruthless Norsemen whom Alfred must have beli...

A compelling read and instructive look at the period in history when the foundation stones of England were being laid.

Alfred the Great is a wonderful book about the late ninth century king who saved Wessex (the last standing Anglo-Saxon kingdom in Britain) from Viking rule. Although a history, it reads like a novel. It is spellbinding. The text carefully lays out what is actually known about Alfred from contemporary documents, what was once known but is now lost or survives only in copies of dubious faithfulness, and lore that is almost certainly untrue. But Alfred the Great is not a reference book and does not...

Unashamedly got this book after watching the Last Kingdom. I was pleased to see various parallels between the historical Alfred and the portrayed Alfred. I am sure I projected a lot of the on screen Alfred onto his real history. I really enjoyed his political maneuvering, his negotiation of the Danes, his commitment to literacy, bureaucracy and also formalizing the buhr system throughout the land. However I was most captured by his lifelong commitment to his faith. Similar to the young Alfred I

Thoroughly interesting account of Alfred's rise to kingship in Wessex and the powerful intricacies of surrounding kingdoms of Mercia, Northumbria, Welsh kingdoms and the eastern areas of the Danelaw. The ravages of large numbers of Vikings almost forces Alfred to spend weeks in the Somerset levels or to consider fleeing abroad. His subsequent pact with the Viking King Guthrum ushers in a new era; he cleverly allows Guthrum to set up in East Anglia as an Anglo Saxon king under the name Aethelstan...

Overall a very good book which certainly made great strides in bringing Alfred the Great to life, which is quite a challenge given that his times were so different from ours, and the written records aren't always that helpful or complete. If I had one criticism it would be that at times I did get the impression that the author was spinning it out a bit; some points were made, and then repeated, and for good measure, repeated again, sometimes on the same page. I did wonder whether he or the edito...

Bernard Cornwell wrote a wonderful 10-novel series fleshing out the creation of England in the Alfred years and later. Cornwell praises Pollard's biography in his afterword to book six: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Great overview of Alfred the Great in a new lens. The book reads almost as a novel, while still retaining its credibility as a biography. Pollard offers some interesting alternate views of events, while also providing evidence for such theories. Overall a great book to begin an intro into pre Norman Conquest England.

Very interesting and an entertaining read. A lot of stuff about the Vikings and general anglo Saxon live in here too

A readable and entertaining biography by popular historian and television producer Justin Pollard.Recommended.

As the author readily points out empirical historical data is extremely scant for the Saxon period so the authors approach is to take whatever sources are available often the Saxon Chronicles and build his narrative around those filling in missing details by assumption as best he can, however where important assumptions have been made Pollard does explain how he arrived at his conclusions. So as well as giving an insight into this distant Saxon period the reader also gets an appreciation as to h...

Readable and interesting, this biography does an excellent job of providing the context for Alfred the Great's rule, especially the political environment and constant Danish threat. The map in the beginning was helpful, but I'd have liked to see updated ones, spread throughout, as the rulers of the various English territories changed hands. The author has done his research, though, and goes to great lengths to make sure you know it. He makes some weird assumptions about the reader, though. Like

This book is astonishing. Alfred was an amazing man on so many levels but the amount of research that the author put into the book never stopped amazing me. Honestly I couldn't quiet finish the book, it was so much information, but made it 3/4 of the way before I gave up. I didn't stop reading the book because it was dull or dry but because it had so very many facts that it was too much for my brain to take it in. I have new respect for Alfred ( whom I had previously known nothing about) and for...

Learned about Alfred the Great in a college class about Old and Middle English Literature. The idea of a king who had a passion for literature and learning is cool and I always held on to that tidbit without knowing much more than that (including the story about the burnt loaves which seems to be the only thing some people know).This was pretty well written. The intro that kept using different mentions of the smoke that hid the real historical Alfred was a fun artistic flourish, and I liked how

The first King of England... in fact... the was no England before Aelfred. King of the Angles who united the Southern Kingdoms of Britain into what would one day become the home of McDonalds, late night curries, and teenage stabby stabby gangs. To give you a bit of perspective... this is Britain a few hundred years after the Romans slithered back home and right around the times the Vikings have established a colonial foothold on British shores...Long before William the Conqueror (aka the Bastard...

Absolutely brilliant, just what the doctor ordered. That is of course if you wanted to read all about Alfred the Great in one easy to read volume, that on the other hand doesn't treat the reader as a child. If that's you, then this is the book you should reach for.

Definitely one of my favorite historical time periods to read about. Simply written, but a fascinating portrait of a regularly forgotten historical figure (in America at least). I read this one a little at a time during my lunch breaks, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Good overview of Alfred, starting with a brief run through his father and grandfather's reigns and conflicts with the Vikings that would come to define Alfred's own. Perhaps not as comprehensive as some other books, but there's plenty in here and it reads well, so a good intro or revision book.

This book was a great. It truly immerses you into the time period and the storytelling grips you throughout.

Justin Pollard brings Alfred the Great to fascinating, reverent life. This book has earned a place high on my list of favorites.

Informative for those who know little of the period.