Zealous: A Darker Side of the Early Quakers (Hardback)

From Darkness comes Light. Erica Canela, in a model combination of scholarship and readability, explains how Quakerism emerged from the traumas of a world turned upside down in the British Isles in the 1640s and 1650s.

Thomas Hamm, Emeritus Professor of History, Earlham College. Author of The Quakers in America

Zealous is a fascinating examination of early Quakers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Canela’s highly readable and engaging account reveals the critical role of regional politics and circumstances in shaping local expressions and experiences of Quakerism.

Robynne Rogers Healey, Professor of History, Trinity Western University

Erica Canela has written the best account we have of the emerging Quaker movement and its social context in two midlands counties: a book at once both lively and authoritative.

Stephen K. Roberts, History of Parliament Trust, London

Ambitious in its intent, and masterful in its execution. In Zealous, Canela has unearthed a hidden story in the most engaging and informative of ways!

Jackson van Uden, History with Jackson & BBC History Extra '30 under 30'

A vivid and groundbreaking account of how the early Quakers defied seventeenth century norms to forge a lasting spiritual revolution.

Estelle Paranque, Author of Thorns, Lust and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn

In Zealous, Dr. Erica Canela vividly unpacks the origins of the Quaker movement, which emerged from the ashes of a brutal civil war. In a shattered nation where crown and church had been pulled down, the Quakers forged a new spiritual path to fill the resulting void. Far from being peace-seeking souls, this radical group tapped into widespread unrest and anxiety to incite followers. Their mission was to make sense of the chaos they had endured, take control, and create a viable religious belief system for those coping with the trauma of war. With clarity and energy, Zealous traces the rise of the Quakers through key figures like George Fox, Margaret Fell, and James Nayler, while also shining a light on the everyday men and women who shaped the movement - particularly in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Insightful and engaging, this balanced account brings their convictions and struggles to life, while revealing the bold, disruptive strategies these spiritual revolutionaries employed to achieve their ends.

Mark Turnbull, Author of Prince Rupert of the Rhine: King Charles I's Cavalier Commander

This is a good local study to fill out our existing national history of early Quakerism, with some additional and moving perspectives not found in previous scholarship.

Professor Ronald Hutton CBE, Author of Oliver Cromwell: Commander in Chief