A History of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland

By: William Cobbett

Narrated by: Stephen Planalp

William Cobbett (1763-1835) had an interesting life as a soldier, fugitive, political prisoner, journalist, farmer, and in the end a member of Parliament. He began his political career in America and ended up becoming a Radical supporter in the UK. He advocated against the injustices he saw, saying he held "the politics of every normal person".

He had a number of radical ideas and set-up a newspaper to publish his articles.

This history book was published in installments in that newspaper between 1824 to 1826, when Catholic Emancipation was being ferociously debated. At the time it was a crime to say or hear Mass, or build a Catholic Church. Catholic Emancipation was finally achieved in 1829.

This book is composed in a lively and strong style and is highly entertaining. Although not quite exact in some details, it makes for a fun and edifying listen.

Public Domain (P)2020 Patristic Publishing

Intellectually dishonest catholic apologia

interesting from a historical perspective, but is intellectually dishonest and more interesting in being catholic apologia than being actual history

A Catholic apologia from a Protestant?

Cobbett says numerous times that he and all his family are Anglican. Yet he condemns the Protestant Reformation in England, and does so providing good reasons and citations to evidence. The reader is top notch and makes the whole thing enjoyable. This is artful language and persuasion colorfully read.