Description
A riveting biography of Richard III, one of England's most enigmatic and elusive kings
About the Author
David Horspool is History Editor of the Times Literary Supplement. He is the author of The English Rebel (Viking/Penguin), King Alfred the Great (Amberley) and, with Colin Firth and Anthony Arnove, The People Speak (Canongate).
Reviews
David Horspool's measured and fluent account of Richard's life sets a new standard among biographies of medieval rulers aimed at a wide readership. * Times Literary Supplement *
David Horspool, the history editor of the Times Literary Supplement, has written a new life of a monarch whose character and deeds have attracted extremes of loathing and admiration. He is the master of his often sparse sources and has woven them into a refreshing, incisive and fluent biography that is laced with that scepticism demanded by his subject. This is an intelligent person's life of Richard, strong in ascertainable fact. * The Times *
Richard III's villainy owes much to Shakespeare. Modern histories are more understanding, and this includes this thoughtful biography by Times Literary Supplement history editor Horspool, who stresses that Richard (1452-1485) was a man of his times, although they were nasty times ... "The Richard effect may simply be a version of the British love affair with royalty," writes the author. "He was king once, and that is all that counts." Among the better histories on this subject, this book ... deliver[s] a densely detailed account of a man who was no more villainous than the average 15th-century baron. * Kirkus Reviews *
Readers have a great guide to the issues [surrounding Richard III] in historian Horspool. Steeped in the sources, he handicaps hostile ones, such as Shakespeare's theatrical vilification, and circumspectly weighs the knowable evidence about Richard to shape a plausible portrait of his character ... [an] intelligent, judicious examination of Richard III. * Booklist *
Absorbing and authoritative -- Sinclair McKay * Daily Telegraph *
At once a fine work of scholarship while remaining an engaging and illuminating read ... Anyone with an interest in the period would do well to have this in their library. * Armchair General *
[A] careful analysis of Richard ... well worth waiting for ... impeccably objective, its conclusions are all the more damning * Spectator *
David Horspool's book is a model of balanced judgement, with a commendable facility of style ... An intelligent person's guide to the enigma that is Richard, duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III ... Horspool has produced an important addition to any Ricardian's shelves. * Ricardian Bulletin *
Book Information
ISBN 9781472902993
Author David Horspool
Format Hardback
Page Count 336
Imprint Bloomsbury Continuum
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 630g