Whistlestop Book Review: "Elizabeth I" by Margaret George

Be awed by the presence of Elizabeth Tudor, the woman behind the sovereign, as you explore the humanity of the indomitable Virgin Queen of England through the pages of Elizabeth I.  Margaret George’s meticulously researched first person account of the last thirty years of the queen’s life is an enthralling breath of fresh air.

Written with a consistently regal tone, the book gives us a mirror image of Elizabeth, the woman. Glimpses into the brilliance and machinations of Shakespeare, Francis Bacon and Sir Walter Raleigh abound. Skillfully woven into the book are both the human and regal facets of the queen who “ruled as much from the heart as from the head.”

We see Elizabeth’s success and love for her people. Her ability to stand for long periods of time seems a metaphor for her triumph as regent. She manages uprisings in Ireland and continued assaults from Spain. She masterfully chooses advisors for her privy council perfectly suited to their jobs. In a nation beset with famine, the queen imbues calm. In an attempt to keep the plague under control, Elizabeth closes theaters and concerts and sends provisions to survivors. We view her humbly conduct an intimate ceremony of kissing and washing the feet of her subjects on Maundy Thursday (as Jesus did with his disciples) while giving each gifts of food.

No sovereign rules without frustrations. Queen Elizabeth’s include controlling the sulking, deceitful Earl of Essex, stepson of her beloved Leicester. She juggles insufficient resources to provide food for the needy after three years of failed harvests. To provide her kingdom with funds, she must decide which jewels to pawn. She persists in dodging the matter of her successor as she nears the age of seventy, not out of a lack of responsibility but because she wants to settle it in her own way. She watches her most trusted advisors in the Privy Council die off one by one.

The novel brilliantly sheds light on the queen’s humanity without losing any reverence for her scepter. She spends hours in prayer. Called a stingy penny-pincher, Elizabeth I wore elaborate gowns and owned the finest collection of jewels in Europe.  Her brave show encouraged the nation she pulled out of poverty. Particularly touching scenes depict her feeding broth and reading the Bible to beloved advisors Walsingham and Burghley on their deathbeds. She gallops on horseback across the fields to be alone and endures hot flashes. Her favorite pastime—translating philosophy from the Latin.

George, a premier historical novelist, is known for her intense and impeccable research. Most interesting is her humble thanks to the queen in her Acknowledgements. “…the spirit of Elizabeth…hovered over the book as it was taking shape and whispered her guidance.”

Penguin Group provided the advance review copy.

Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont

Whistlestop Book Review: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire recounts the last days of the Empire that was established under Maximilian von Hapsburg. It is a historical novel based on fact, though embellished with the author's interpretation of events. Author C. M. Mayo shifts perspective through a whole cast of characters.

This book opens toa different view of what was happening in Mexico just after America's civil war. Even in Mexico, the empire appeared in different lights. Some people welcomed the French and others resented their occupation. I recommend The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C. M. Mayo to anyone curious about the history of Mexico. It is full of wonderful information about a vanished or little known culture that we don't hear a lot about.

© 2010 Robin Armijo

* A copy of this book was provided to me for review by the publisher.

Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: Medieval Sieges & Siegecraft

Geoffrey Hindley covers the mechanations, psychology, rules, art and finally -- the horror -- of medieval siege warfare in MEDIEVAL SIEGES & SIEGECRAFT. The writing, although sometimes cumbersome, is not dry. Geoffrey's passion for his subject comes through and the text is enlivened with examples and quotes taken straight out of history. Even those who dislike reading about war may find interest in the story of an earl's son forced to swim across a lake in his nightshirt, the woman whose husband refused to take her back after her captives released her, and the invaders who dressed in female garb and followed the town's women from a well located at the edge of town back through the gates.

A chapter covers the various tools of war and provided interesting information. For instance, siege towers were huge and might reach a height of 60 feet. One gigantuan siege tower even capsized the boat meant to transport it. Of interest, too, were the various incindiary weapons, especially Greek fire, which I'll use as an example of the detail in this book. A secret formula of combustibles perfected by the Byzantines ignited upon contact with water. It was used primarily in naval warfare (although it did show up in castle sieges). It burned with ferocity, even as one account claims, beneath the water. One eyewitness account of a lighted barrel catapulted toward a besieging army describes it as a fireball with a long tail that lit up the night as if it were day and roared like a dragon. Not surprisingly, its deployment ended more than one siege. The formula for Greek fire has been lost in the mists of time. While some believe it contained naphtha or petroleum in some form, and also oils and resins, no one today knows for certain what was in it.

The book covers both the strengths and vulnerabilities of castles and names the measures taken by miners and masonry sappers to topple towers and bring down walls. We learn of the formalities, the trickery employed and, yes, even the chivalry found in medieval warfare. Sadly, too, we learn of man's inhumanity to man. A chapter discusses the surprising role of women in medieval warfare. Another chapter deals with the problem of logistics.

Illustrations scatter throughout the book, and a more-organized section of photographs enliven the center pages. Color illustrations and photographs would be preferable than black-and-white, however the scope and execution of this amazing resource redeems this flaw.

I recommend this book for adults who enjoy reading nonfiction historicals written in a personable style.