this post was submitted on 22 May 2026
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Comedian Al Murray has written numerous books about WWII (usually with a co-author). Is there a sense amongst you of how legitimate his work is as a historian? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 day ago by 58008@lemmy.world to c/askhistorians@lemmy.world
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It'd take 10 lifetimes to read every book on this topic, so I'm not sure if I should use up my limited single lifespan on Al's output, as much as I love him as a comic. But if his work is actually solid, maybe his unique POV would make for a worthwhile read.

Cheers!

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[โ€“] PugJesus@piefed.social 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Looks like he got a Master's in Modern History from Oxford before he became a comedian, so I would presume it's pretty solid.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11410511.pub-landlord-al-murray-shows-serious-side/

Murray graduated from St Edmund Hall with the degree of MA in Modern History. At Oxford he performed in the comedy group, the Oxford Revue in a show directed by Stewart Lee, before launching himself onto the comedy circuit.

[โ€“] DrBob@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Fun fact - you can get your Master of Arts seven years after you are awarded your bachelor's degree. You just have to pay your dining fee. But it's an internal status at the university, not an awarded degree.

So his degree might be Master of Studies which is the equivalent of an MA everywhere else, or if it's an MA it just means he paid his fee. Oxford and Cambridge are quirky places.