Just finished a book, "The Wars of the Roses" by Alison Weir. I never really comprehended the history of the British monarchy; and as such, this book only covers the period between 1390's and 1471, the years of the battle for the crown between the house of Lancaster and the house of York. But it was a very enlightening and entertaining book, and satisfied my curiousity and thirst for knowledge. I found myself rooting for Edward IV in his efforts to depose Henry VI and his bitch of a wife Margaret of Anjou, only to find myself later on hurrah-ing the efforts of the Earl of Warwick to depose Edward and restore Henry VI back to the throne. It was comforting to know that, despite what many say to the contrary, things (especially human nature) haven't changed a whit in the six centuries since the Wars of the Roses. The political intrigue, the changing alliances, the acts of depravity as well as acts of heroism, the propaganda, the lust for power...all the trappings of 21st century politics are reflected in the struggle for control of the English throne in the 14th century. After finishing the book, I wanted more. Now it's up to me to find a book on the Tudors, so that I could find out what happened next!
1 comment:
Welcome newbie "anglophile", what spawned the interest? Have you forgotten that I have been fairly well read during the last 2 decades in the history of the monarchy, its intrigue, convuluted bloodlines, political machinations, and foremost a deep fascination with the players? I'll dig through the morass of my memory and try to direct you towards some interesting titles and better authors on the subject. Thanks for the review on this book, sadly I have not come across much during the last five years on the subject that burns brightly in memory, will have to pick this one up since I trust your judgement.
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