This is not very good. There's too much supposition and not all of the facts are even addressed. Richard III wasn't the heir after his brother Edward's This is not very good. There's too much supposition and not all of the facts are even addressed. Richard III wasn't the heir after his brother Edward's kids. The children of his older brother, George, Duke of Clarence would've been the inheritors of the throne if Edward's sons were deemed unfit. Also even if Edwars had a bigamous relationship with Elizabeth Woodville, that only impacted their eldest daughters. In the time period this is set, a bigamist marriage becomes valid once the other spouse has died. The suspected true wife of King Edward IV died before the birth of the boys so they'd have been legitimate. Richard stole the throne and killed those kids in the Tower. Historians don't have to agree with my conclusions but they can't just fudge facts to support this weird obsession about Richard III being wronged in history....more
Short but very readable and thoroughly researched. This is a complicated time period politically and this biography isn't long enough to give as much dShort but very readable and thoroughly researched. This is a complicated time period politically and this biography isn't long enough to give as much detail as I'd have liked....more
This is entertaining but has glaring inaccuracies, barely features the main characters and is of dubious accuracy given the mistakes I picked up on a This is entertaining but has glaring inaccuracies, barely features the main characters and is of dubious accuracy given the mistakes I picked up on a casual read. This gives an overview of the Hundred Years War during the lifetimes of these women....more
3.75 stars rounded up This was well done and flowed well. I don't agree with the author in a few areas. This is a much condensed version of this history.3.75 stars rounded up This was well done and flowed well. I don't agree with the author in a few areas. This is a much condensed version of this history. This is a fascinating period in both England and France and worthy of a deeper look if you like this kinda thing.
Either way I'll definitely read the next installment in this series. Even when I don't agree with the author I appreciate this view of English history....more
This was incredibly well researched, only a tinge sexist and extremely readable. This covers way way way more than just Edward The Black Prince and hisThis was incredibly well researched, only a tinge sexist and extremely readable. This covers way way way more than just Edward The Black Prince and his life. This covers his grandfather, father, the Monarchs of Castile, Navarre & France. This is information dense and I'll probably reread this in the future. I did not like the narrator of the audiobook that much, very droning college professor voice but it did not deter me from finishing....more
I didn't reread this but revisited this in December as part of my look at the books released about Harry & Meghan in the lead up to the release of HarI didn't reread this but revisited this in December as part of my look at the books released about Harry & Meghan in the lead up to the release of Harry's memoir, 'Spare'. I don't really have any new thoughts.
Original Review Spring 2022: This is actually over 55% about Charles, Diana and Camilla. The Fab 4 don't enter as major characters until much later. I did not learn or read anything new at all, not a new tidbit of gossip, not a new behind the scenes story, nothing. It pretends to treat Meghan's situation with new eyes but fails to deal realistically with her situation at all. The Royal Family was using Meghan to prove they weren't racist as well as for social relevance & clout. They also instigated and exaggerated hit pieces about her to cover for Wills affair and Andrew's pedophilia. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous. Worst of all the Palace took advantage of racism in the British public to keep this nonsense and bullshit going. Apparently older Brits, cause younger people love Meghan & Harry...more
Comprehensive, this is s biography of the age as much as of the man. Not sure I agree that Edward II survives past his commonly recorded death and thatComprehensive, this is s biography of the age as much as of the man. Not sure I agree that Edward II survives past his commonly recorded death and thats a significant player in this book. This is a bit wordy but so unbelievably detailed. The narrator is decent which helps. This is a complex and complicated time in history but this is very well handled....more
Interesting and moves along. I don't agree with many of the authors conclusions and suppositions. The low score is for the rabidly homphobic bias in thInteresting and moves along. I don't agree with many of the authors conclusions and suppositions. The low score is for the rabidly homphobic bias in the text. Not okay at all. Otherwise lots of info here presented in a problematic text....more
This was extremely readable and well paced. I was worried because I had seen reviews complaining about the level of detail throwing off the pacing. I This was extremely readable and well paced. I was worried because I had seen reviews complaining about the level of detail throwing off the pacing. I did not find that to be the case. That said this is a scholarly biography and not the fashionable biographies with questionable claims and few sources. Those can be fun to read but rarely offer real research and tend to continue popular misconceptions. My only disagreement would be that Edward II did not die when he was deposed. I don't know about that but I plan to read this author's scholarly work and perhaps I'll be convinced. Loved this!...more
Meh, this was information dense but maybe 50% of it, at most, related to Eleanor. The author supposes and romanticizes often about Eleanor feelings, moMeh, this was information dense but maybe 50% of it, at most, related to Eleanor. The author supposes and romanticizes often about Eleanor feelings, motivations, etc. The author also seems to dismiss Eleanor’s more unattractive behaviors as necessary or whatever. Her acquisition of property is brutal and there's no reason to believe that the worst of her henchmen were acting on other than her orders, since according to the author, Eleanor was a micromanager of her business affairs. I also am uncomfortable at the normalizing of clear antisemitism, such as Edward I having the English Jewish Community wear 'badges' to inform on their status. Yes, that's highly antisemitic. Even though other European leaders acted the same that doesn't lessen this as horribly antisemitic. The author feels to me too attached to the subject to make reasonable assumptions. If more records existed this wouldn't matter but as so few exist, this just reads as the authors well researched suppositions....more