The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III

This book is well-written, well-researched, and interesting in many respects. New light is shed on many important issues.For much of the book, I did have some trouble accepting the revisionist theory that George III was an honorable, moral, talented, intelligent, and, ultimately, a great king, and that his madness was the result of manic-depression rather than porphyria. But when I finally got to the lengthy, and brilliantly argued conclusion, I was persuaded on both points.My main problem, and it is not a small one, Is that the book is much, much too long. The length gets in the way of the argument. The author feels obliged to get into the most minute details of 18th century parliamentary politics which, frankly, are just not that interesting. They are also very confusing and often lead to very little that is significant to the author’s thesis. Because so much time is spent on so many not very memorable personages (many of whom confusingly go by the same or similar titles), not enough time is spent developing the main characters. I did not feel the need to know so much about the various Grenvilles, Grevilles, Portlands, Pelhams, Shelburnes, Halifaxes, Graftons, etc.,etc., whose names, let alone characters, are frankly very hard to keep straight.Still, overall, this book is well worth the slog.

As an American, there are some things that you simply take for granted and one of them was that King George III was a tyrant and an early prototype for Hitler. Even for someone like me who has read a lot of early American history and knew before even buying this book (albeit only vaguely) that there was more to George III than what was common knowledge, it's not an easy prejudice to overcome.This book is incredibly well researched and highly detailed. It is a massive book as a result but does such a good job of explaining its subject matter that to have it any shorter would be a disservice. While I do have a few nitpicks, I'd like to start by saying that this book really changed the way I look the man who was George III. It's so interesting to see how this great boogeyman of American history/culture had nearly nothing in common with how he is described in any of our founding texts or throughout most of our history. Once his malady starts to become more prominent, you even start to feel genuinely sorry for him and that's not something I expected at all.The handful of nitpicks I mentioned earlier are these. Before I start, I want to clarify that none of these are significant and don't detract enough to merit removing a star.1. The terminology. This story takes place almost exclusively in England which has about 1500+ years of hoity toity pomp attached to it so when the book throws out a title such as "First Lord of the Back Closet to the Minister of Finances", it can be a bit difficult to even guess what such a person's duties might be. Though I can't complain much because stopping to explain all of them would probably add another 100 pages to the book's length.2. I feel the book sometimes goes too far in justifying the King. There are many moments that go like this, "George III was actually a really smart and enlightened monarch you guys, no really he was!" It happens maybe just a bit too often if I'm being honest. Granted, this book's mission is to try to revive the King's historical reputation so I get why they're there but a few of them could probably have been omitted and the message wouldn't have been affected.TLDR; This book is really good and I highly recommend it! It's a big book but this is a big subject so it's fair. READ IT!

Roberts solidly explores a remarkable life of duty, honor and determination and brings the times and the man alive. This king was mistreated by US history and this was needed to right that. And it digs down on how leaders and their key decisions are easily misjudged. Roberts helps us deeply understand George III, his times and his remarkable people, and must humble we patriots all..

This is the whole story of King George III from the beginning to the end. It is also a review of British and world history during his reign. The book reviews the causes and the history of the American Revolution. It is an interesting book about a British king who had to deal with the loss of the American colonies. It offers a different perspective about King George III. I think you will enjoy this book if you like the learn about history.

Truly fascinating account Of a much maligned monarch. Contrary to popular belief, King George III was an erudite intellectual, a deeply committed family man and a monarch who thought carefully and benevolently about his subjects.

Well researched and written. A lot of people complain about the extreme detail but I love it. The theories on the actual cause of the American Revolution and the reason for its ultimate success were very interesting. I give it four stars because there are points (mostly the introduction and conclusion) where he is over idealizes King George. Still, I would recommend this book to any fan of American Revolution history. It definitely provides an interesting side of the story that Americans generally aren’t provided.

I've been reading books for over 70 years, with many of them concerning the history of America, and I really believe that anyone seriously interested in our history would find The last King of America an essential part of their library. Yes, its focus is on King George III, but it necessarily informs the reader about events in both the American colonies and Great Britain that clarify the roles of players in both dominions. It is also an eye-opener about King George in terms of what role he truly played concerning the American Revolution, as opposed to commonly held views that cast him a very negative light. The same goes for portrayals of him as being the 'Mad' king, as this book discloses more modern considerations of his illness that make the case for him being inflicted with a bipolar disorder, and yet still performing kingly duties despite several severe bipolar episodes. Well-written, well-researched, and a fascinating read.

The figure of King George III always interested me, I read some articles about how misunderstood he was and with this book I was able to learn so much. I devoured every page and couldn't take my eyes off the book, beautifully written and mesmerizing.