The Glorious Stereo Reading Experiment: The End Of The Line

It has taken a while but I have finally finished The Glorious Stereo Reading Experiment.  To remind you, as you may well have nodded off, I wanted to learn more about the Glorious Revolution after reading Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson.  The subject wasn't even touched upon during my schooling and there was a royal-sized gap in my knowledge. 

I had built up quite a stash of free books during my retail years and upon browsing the piles I found not one but two volumes tackling the subject.  I then decided to read them both in tandem to make absolutely sure I took it all in.  If you want to catch up on the previous instalments of the experiment you can do so here.

Over the past five months I have made stately progress with both books, teasing the authors about their photos, critiquing the covers, complaining about long chapters or picking them up when they go off on tangents but, overall, I have really enjoyed the experience.  I have certainly learned a great deal more by reading both accounts than if I had read just the one.

A successful experiment then.  But which one was the best?

The Last Revolution by Patrick Dillon is an accessible and informative history.  The author breaks the detail into bite-sized chunks which makes it all easier to digest.  But he also wanders off on tangents and follows the stories of a supporting cast when the mood takes him.  Sometimes this works well, an aside covering the property boom was fascinating and in context, but as the book progressed I found myself wishing he'd get on with the story, at times he seemed more interested in John Locke (a 17th century philosopher) than he did with either Kings William or James.

All that being said the book certainly did the job and I feel suitably enlightened regarding the subjects he covered.  It is, however, a book which starts much better than it ends.  In fact, the end was a real disappointment.  It just sort of fizzles out.  There is no real epilogue and there are loose ends flying all over the place.  You aren't told what happens to William or his immediate successor.  I felt cheated.

Edward Vallance's The Glorious Revolution presents the events in a very different style.  Vallance is a storyteller and, I am guessing, a frustrated (or budding) novelist.  His chapters are longer and have more narrative drive.  At times this got on my nerves as there was a lot to take in without the chance for a breather but, as the book went on, I got used to it and his vibrant and engaging style began to win me round.

Where he really wins though is that he actually bothers to write an ending.  Once Mary dies he looks at the rest of William's reign right up to his death by molehill and even then gives the reader a decent summary of Anne's years on the throne to ensure things are rounded off nicely.  It is the more complete book.

Both are good books and either would fulfil your Glorious Revolution needs but my preference is for the Vallance.

(Cue much celebration over at Vallance's blog).