20 h 25 minAudiobook2 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What does courage demand when a king has only a small band of followers and a country to fight for?
In John Barbour’s historical verse epic The Bruce, Scotland struggles to escape English rule. Robert Bruce must turn a contested claim into leadership, while nobles weigh resistance against submission and their own interests. Military setbacks leave him dependent on movement, concealment, and the loyalty of a small band.
Beside Bruce stands James Douglas, whose opposition to English power includes the loss of his family’s lands. Hard journeys, castle attacks, and carefully planned raids give the poem its adventure. At Bannockburn, preparation and leadership meet overwhelming pressure. Through these scenes, Barbour explores freedom, friendship, and the judgement that gives bravery purpose.
What you’ll discover
- A king under pressure Follow Robert Bruce as endurance and judgement become as vital as strength in battle.
- Douglas beside Bruce Meet a loyal ally whose daring draws power from careful planning and personal loss.
- Courage that knows patience Discover why these heroes conceal themselves, wait, and seek an enemy’s weakness before striking.
- The pressure of Bannockburn Enter a battle where Barbour brings preparation, leadership, and courage into sharp focus.
- Freedom worth the hardship Explore how scattered resistance becomes a shared cause through loyalty, sacrifice, and perseverance.
Is it for you?
Readers drawn to Scottish history, medieval warfare, and heroes who survive through patience and ingenuity as well as strength will enjoy this poem.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
Who’s who
- Robert BruceThe Scottish king must turn a contested claim into effective leadership through endurance, judgement, and war.
- James DouglasBruce’s loyal ally combines daring with careful planning in the struggle against English power.
- FreedomBarbour presents freedom as a good worth hardship, sacrifice, and sustained resistance.
- BannockburnThe great battle gives Barbour scope to show preparation, leadership, and courage under overwhelming pressure.
- PrudenceSuccessful courage depends on knowing when to fight, when to wait, and how to use an enemy’s weakness.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 20 h 25 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 2 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
eBooks and audiobooks open right away. Download EPUB or PDF, or send the book to your Kindle. Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout.
How it works · 60-day guarantee
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, for the whole household.
- We remind you first. We email you 7 days before your first payment. Then your first year is 50% off: 0,14 USD a day, then 0,27 USD a day, never raised. Or 0,66 USD a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
60-day money-back guarantee. If the library is not for you, ask within 60 days of your first payment and we refund it in full.
25 languages, side by side
Read and hear The Bruce in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Read it side by side
The Bruce
by John Barbour· 1375
Robert Bruce fights to secure Scotland’s independence from English rule.
Excellent
- Read or listen
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- The whole household
Starts right away, on any device
Read free60-day money-back guaranteeRenews every yearCancel anytimeHow it works
Language: Italiano
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 6
Scotland faces a struggle over who has the right to rule it. England’s king seeks to impose his authority, while Scottish nobles must decide whether to resist, submit, or protect their own interests. At the centre stands Robert Bruce, whose claim to kingship demands more than a crown. He must survive defeat, gather supporters, and make his authority hold across a divided country.
Renews every year · Cancel anytime
Free gifts
580 USD in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, for the whole household. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
170 USDFREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
120 USDFREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
60 USDFREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
60 USDFREE - The whole householdUp to 5 readers
170 USDFREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
More like this
Free
Free
Free
FreeOur mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
Questions about The Bruce
Can I read it free?
Yes. The beginning, from the first page to the end of chapter 1, and the first 5 minutes of the audiobook are free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 90 days, with the eBook to keep. After that, your first year is 50% off. You also get 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
Can my family read too?
Yes. The whole household reads and listens: up to 5 readers, each with their own shelf and their own place in every book.
What if it is not for me?
Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. If you have paid and the library is not for you, ask within 60 days of your first payment and we refund it in full.
What is The Bruce about?
The Bruce follows Robert Bruce and his allies during Scotland’s struggle against English rule. John Barbour makes military resistance into a story of endurance and leadership, giving particular attention to Bruce and James Douglas, their setbacks, and the tactics that sustain their cause.
Is The Bruce a true history of Robert the Bruce?
The poem draws on real people and events from the Scottish wars of independence, but it is also a heroic literary work. Barbour writes decades later and strongly admires his subjects. Its detailed episodes should not all be treated as independently verified historical facts.
When did John Barbour write The Bruce?
John Barbour composed The Bruce around 1375, several decades after Robert Bruce’s death. Barbour was a Scottish churchman and poet. The work is a major early surviving poem in Scots, preserving a powerful account of Scotland’s struggle for independence.
Popular in myths & legends
See all
Free
Free
Free
Free
