The surprising thing about Ian Friel's book is how far back into the annals of our history it travels. The Viking invaders pre-1297 also had sailing boats, of course, and the British eventually copied their design and build, but this is a comprehensive and brilliantly conceived memoir of a seafaring nation from its earliest times to when it was time to use steam power for our naval craft. Absolutely fascinating!
Books Monthly
The surprising thing about Ian Friel's book is how far back into the annals of our history it travels. The Viking invaders pre-1297 also had sailing boats, of course, and the British eventually copied their design and build, but this is a comprehensive and brilliantly conceived memoir of a seafaring nation from its earliest times to when it was time to use steam power for our naval craft. Absolutely fascinating!
Books Monthly
I really enjoyed this book I have often wanted to know more about the black prince and I found this very well written.
NetGalley, Shelly Myers
I really enjoyed this book I have often wanted to know more about the black prince and I found this very well written.
NetGalley, Shelly Myers
For me,this is a winner on several levels, I live in Lincolnshire and have always had an interest in the history of the county, particularly the medieval period.
Unusually Ms. Julian-Jones isn't playing the role of a modern day Sherlock Holmes, this isn't a miscarriage of justice story necessarily, it just there are other interpretations of the extant evidence than that evinced by most historians writing about the case.
What you get is an absorbing use of the murder of William Cantilupe to examine all sorts of dark crannies of medieval society from domestic violence and sexual assault of servants through to the treatment of intersex individuals in the late medieval period.
Excellent.
NetGalley, Tony Stacey
For me,this is a winner on several levels, I live in Lincolnshire and have always had an interest in the history of the county, particularly the medieval period.
Unusually Ms. Julian-Jones isn't playing the role of a modern day Sherlock Holmes, this isn't a miscarriage of justice story necessarily, it just there are other interpretations of the extant evidence than that evinced by most historians writing about the case.
What you get is an absorbing use of the murder of William Cantilupe to examine all sorts of dark crannies of medieval society from domestic violence and sexual assault of servants through to the treatment of intersex individuals in the late medieval period.
Excellent.
NetGalley, Tony Stacey
[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars
As someone who has been interested in the history of Scotland for quite awhile I was always disappointed that we didn't have much to go on. (If I had a time machine I would go back and yell at every civilization to write things down!), especially in regards to the highland clans and the battles that shaped them and Scotland as a nation.
I'm sure there is information in here even the most well read of History fans are unaware of and I highly suggest this book for anyone interested in Scottish history. There are some battles in here I wasn't even previously aware of and it's fascinating reading about them and tactics used by the war chiefs of the time.
NetGalley, Paula Cwikla
[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars
As someone who has been interested in the history of Scotland for quite awhile I was always disappointed that we didn't have much to go on. (If I had a time machine I would go back and yell at every civilization to write things down!), especially in regards to the highland clans and the battles that shaped them and Scotland as a nation.
I'm sure there is information in here even the most well read of History fans are unaware of and I highly suggest this book for anyone interested in Scottish history. There are some battles in here I wasn't even previously aware of and it's fascinating reading about them and tactics used by the war chiefs of the time.
NetGalley, Paula Cwikla
I don't know nearly enough about these medieval monarchs and the women who shaped and moulded them. This is a time that Bernard Cornwell's Dark Ages saga pre-dates by about three hundred years, and follows the invasion of William of Normandy, of course. Fascinating, fills in lots of gap in my measly knowledge of this era of British and European history!
Books Monthly
I don't know nearly enough about these medieval monarchs and the women who shaped and moulded them. This is a time that Bernard Cornwell's Dark Ages saga pre-dates by about three hundred years, and follows the invasion of William of Normandy, of course. Fascinating, fills in lots of gap in my measly knowledge of this era of British and European history!
Books Monthly