On the Spot: Paul Lay
‘No genre reveals as much about the human condition as military history.’
Why are you a historian of early modern Britain?
It’s the crucible in which modern Britain and subsequently much of the world was formed. It remains fascinating both on its own terms and for its contemporary resonances.
What’s the most important lesson history has taught you?
That living in Britain in the early 21st century is a pretty good deal.
Which history book has had greatest influence on you?
God’s Instruments: Political Conduct in the England of Oliver Cromwell by Blair Worden.
What book in your field should everyone read?
Britain in Revolution by Austin Woolrych.
Which moment would you most like to go back to?
The Fall of Tenochtitlan.
Which historian has had the greatest influence on you?
Vanessa Harding.
Which person in history would you most like to have met?
Paolo Sarpi.
How many languages do you have?
I struggle valiantly in both German and Italian.
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