Book review: a fiery and furious people: a history of violence in England by James Sharpe

In A Fiery and Furious People: A History of Violence in England, James Sharpe draws on a wide range of primary source materials to give the reader a vivid insight into England’s criminals and criminal system from the medieval period to the present day. As Sharpe outlines how society’s attitudes towards different forms of violence have changed throughout the centuries, Katherine Williams focuses on the book’s particular treatment of sexual violence against women and the gendered perceptions of its victims in both the media and wider society.