gilda_elise | Entries tagged with richard iii

The Last Days of Richard III contains a new and uniquely detailed exploration of Richard’s last 150 days. By deliberately avoiding the hindsight knowledge that he will lose the Battle of Bosworth Field, we discover a new Richard: no passive victim, awaiting defeat and death, but a king actively pursuing his own agenda.

It also re-examines the aftermath of Bosworth: the treatment of Richard’s body; his burial; and the construction of his tomb. And there is the fascinating story of why, and how, Richard III’s family tree was traced until a relative was found, alive and well, in Canada.

Now, with the discovery of Richard’s skeleton at the Greyfrairs Priory in Leicester, England, John Ashdown-Hill explains how his book inspired the dig and completes Richard III’s fascinating story, giving details of how Richard died, and how the DNA link to a living relative of the king allowed the royal body to be identified.

The book is a deep dive into how Richard saw his place, and the rebellions against him. He’s seen here, not so much as a tragic figure, but of someone who believed in what he was doing, but who, unfortunately, suffered the fate of all disposed English kings. We get a second look at what happened right after the battle and in the days leading up to his burial and beyond.

There’s also the search for his family’s descendants and the find that would be the linchpin in proving that the bones found under the carpark were, indeed, those of Richard III. That a direct mtDNA existed was a truly lucky break.

It’s an interesting read, even for someone who has read extensively about the man. My only problem was with the small print, which made reading the book a bit of a chore.

Mount TBR 2025 Book Links

Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.

1. The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson
2. The Silence of the Girls (Women of Troy #1) by Pat Barker
3. Withered + Sere (Immemorial Year #1) by T.J. Klune
4. The Traitor's Son by Wendy Johnson
5. All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson by Mark Griffin
6. You Like It Darker by Stephen King, Thomas Hayman (Illustrations)
7. The Fireman by Joe Hill
8. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
9. Lark Ascending by Silas House
10. Memorials by Richard Chizmar
11. The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History by Serhii Plokhy
12. Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
13. The Border by Robert McCammon
14. The 2084 Report: An Oral History of the Great Warming by James Lawrence Powell
15. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
16. All Over the Town by R. F. Delderfield
17. The Last Days of Richard III and the Fate of His DNA: The Book That Inspired the Dig by John Ashdown-Hill

Goodreads 17

APR – Rest, Days, Upstairs, Sing, Shell, Starlight, Life, Couple

The Last Days of Richard III and the Fate of His DNA: The Book That Inspired the Dig by John Ashdown-Hill

Caught between a king and a kingmaker, young Richard Plantagenet knows he’ll have to choose...

1461: Richard Duke of York, King by Right, has been branded a traitor and slain by his Lancastrian foes. For his eight-year-old son—Richard Plantagenet—England has become a dangerous place.

As the boy grapples with grief and uncertainty, his elder brother, Edward, defeats the enemy and claims the throne. Dazzled by his glorious sibling, young Richard soon discovers that imperfections lurk beneath his brother's majestic façade. Enter Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick—cousin, tutor, luminary—whose life has given him everything but that which he truly craves: a son. A filial bond forms between man and boy as they fill the void in each other’s lives. Yet, when treachery tears their world asunder, Richard faces an agonizing dilemma: pledge allegiance to Edward—his blood brother and king—or to Warwick, the father figure who has shaped his life and affections.

Painfully trapped between duty and devotion, Richard faces a grim reality: whatever he decides will mean a fight to the death.

A meticulously written book, the reader is swept along as the future of England, and that of the House of York, is decided. With young Richard Plantagenet, the future Richard III, as the main focus, the story begins with the loss of his father and takes you to the Battle of Barnet, where, at least for awhile, the throne is secured. But it’s not a straight path, and the changes in fortune of those close to Richard, and to himself, are thoroughly charted.

That given, I did feel that Richard is portrayed as rather too broken, too undecided and unwilling to stand up against what he perceives as bad decisions. He vacillates too much between his affection for his cousin and his loyalty, not to his brother, oddly enough, but to his dead father and what he perceives the man stood for. I understand that he’s still basically a boy, yet I felt that the author focused too much on that part of his personality.

Still, in the long run it’s a fine book. The wiring is excellent, and I liked that, now that the information is out there, we see Richard’s reaction to the scoliosis which is beginning to affect him.

This is supposed to be the first book in a trilogy. Given that it took the author ten years to write this one, readers could be in for a long wait.

Life is made up of choices and which road we choose to take may be a pivotal decision that affects our whole life and others' lives too. We often wonder 'What if...?' when we think about our past and about history. This collection of short stories from over twenty talented authors explores some of the 'What ifs' associated with the Wars of the Roses. How would history have changed if one of the roads not travelled had been chosen instead?

This anthology explores some of these roads and includes most of the famous figures of the Wars of the Roses - Edward IV, Elizabeth Woodville, Warwick the Kingmaker, Anne Neville, George of Clarence, Francis Lovell and, of course, Richard III to name just a few.

Twenty talented authors have donated their time and skill to contribute to this book which is sold in support of the Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK) and edited by Joanne R Larner.

I wish I could recommend this book, especially considering the worthy cause that it supports, but I can’t.

Many of the stories read like fan fiction. Not like the fan fiction that brings the characters to life, that explores those roads not traveled in a compelling way. No, the other kind, where the author doesn’t take the time to round out the characters or build on the plot. Yes, like fan fiction it’s understood that the reader is knowledgeable about those characters and their lives, but the story still needs a structure that holds it together. Too often, that structure isn’t there.

There was one bright spot in the book, the writing of Clare Anderson. Lady in Waiting, and especially The Apothecary’s Secret are well worth reading.

I know there are more books out there, written by Richard III fans who are not professional writers. I’m hoping that I’ll find them more to my liking.

( Mount TBR 2024 Book Links 1-15 )

16. Time Travelers Never Die by Jack McDevitt
17. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
18. The Plots Against the President: FDR, A Nation in Crisis, and the Rise of the American Right by Sally Denton
19. The North Woods by Douglass Hoover
20. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
21. Upon Dark Waters by Robert Radcliffe
22. Dread: 22 Tales of Terror by Kevin Bachar
23. Escape from Hell (Inferno #2) by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Jennifer Hanover (Illustrator)
24. Vicksburg: Grant's Campaign That Broke the Confederacy by Donald L. Miller
25. The Portent by Marilyn Harris
26. Just After Sunset by Stephen King
27. The Lighthouse Keeper Kindle Edition by Alan K. Baker
28. I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away by Bill Bryson
29. The Road Not Travelled : Alternative Tales of the Wars of the Roses by Joanne R. Larner

Road Not Travelled, The

JUN– Ink, Fragile, Road, Summer, Breath, Every, Push, Sorry⁠

The Road Not Travelled : Alternative Tales of the Wars of the Roses by Joanne R. Larner

In July 1484 Tudor agent William Collingbourne tacked up a lampoon to the walls of St Paul’s Cathedral:‘The Catte, the Ratte and Lovell our dogge rulyth all Englande under a hogge.’That cat was Sir William Catesby, one of Richard III’s principal councillors and Chancellor of the Exchequer, executed after the Battle of Bosworth. The rat was Sir William Ratcliffe, knighted by Richard during the Scottish campaigns. And the dog was Francis Lovell – not only an ally of Richard III but his closest friend – and one of the wealthiest barons in England.

Author Michèle Schindler returns to primary sources to reveal the man who was not only a boyhood friend of the king-to-be as a ward of Edward IV, but also linked to him by marriage: his wife, Anne FitzHugh, was first cousin to Richard’s wife, Anne Neville. Lovell served with The Lord Protector as Richard then was in Scotland in 1481. At Richard’s coronation, Lovell bore the third sword of state. In June 1485 he was tasked with guarding the south coast against the landing of Henry Tudor. His loyalty never wavered – even after Bosworth. He organised a revolt in Yorkshire and was behind an attempt to assassinate Henry VII. Having fled to Flanders, he played a prominent role in the Lambert Simnel enterprise. He fought at the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487 and was seen escaping, headed for Scotland. His final demise provides an intriguing puzzle that the author teases out.It is remarkable that no biography of such a central figure in the Wars of the Roses predates this one.

A meticulously researched yet highly readable book about the man whose main claim to fame was that of being Richard III’s closest friend. But when did that friendship begin? Schindler doesn’t make assumptions. The times when it could have happened are covered, but none can be verified. Personally, I have to think that it was fairly early in their lives, for their friendship to be so true.

There is little written about Lovell outside of certain points in his life, most of them dealing with the tasks given him by Richard III. He doesn’t seem to have been an ambitious man, keeping mostly to the shadows, but doing whatever his friend asked of him.

Even after Richard’s death, Lovell would continue to try to bring down Henry VII. It was never clear who Lovell wished to replace Tudor with; he may not of cared, his primary goal to kill the man responsible for his friend’s death.

His final fate is still a mystery, though Schindler does tear apart the ridiculous story of Lovell being locked into a hidden room at Minster Lovell Hall, but with no way out. Who builds a hiding place that only opens from the outside? And, as the author notes, the Hall had already been given to Henry VII’s uncle, Jasper Tudor, so it isn’t as if it would have been empty. Lastly, bones don’t disintegrate into dust when touched.

I’d like to think that Francis made it out of the country, and lived the remaining of life in obscurity. I think he would have liked that, too.

Mount TBR 2022 Book Links

Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.

( TBR Book Links 1-55 )

56. Biloxi by Mary Miller
57. Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System by Ian Angus
58. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel (Translator)
59. The Visitant by Kathleen O'Neal Gear, W. Michael Gear
60. Lovell our Dogge: The Life of Viscount Lovell, Closest Friend of Richard III and Failed Regicide by Michele Schindler

Goodreads 60

SEPTEMBER - Title Play. Read a book with a clever title that uses a play on words, a pun, a joke, or titles that have double meanings.

Lovell our Dogge: The Life of Viscount Lovell, Closest Friend of Richard III and Failed Regicide by Michele Schindler

"The Catte, the Ratte, and Lovell our dogge, Rule all England Under the Hogge."

1483: King Edward IV dies, leaving two innocent young princes in line to the throne. But when scandal and conspiracy explodes around their claim, Richard of Gloucester is proclaimed king. Shortly after, the princes vanish, and storm clouds begin to gather around the newly crowned King Richard III.

Fighter, philanderer and royal spy Henry Morane is tasked with investigating the princes' disappearance, the attempted kidnap of the exiled Lancastrian leader Henry Tudor and the hunting out of traitors amid Richard's supporters.

And at the bloody battle of Bosworth Field, King Richard and Henry Morane will face a fatal trial that will dictate the path of history.

The book wasn’t as bad as I feared it might be, but not as good as I had hoped. The plot is good, and Henry Morane is an interesting character. But the inclusion of Matilda (no last name, if you will) turned the story into too much of a farce. Matilda isn’t the brightest lightbulb in the box, and often does things to the detriment of Henry’s livelihood. When not jeopardizing Henry’s job, she’s flouncing off in a huff over some trivial (though not all trivial,) matter. It’s sort of insulting that the writer would write the dominant female character in such a way.

Though mostly about Henry’s adventures, Richard III does make a few appearances. So does Francis, Viscount Lovell, but as a decidedly unpleasant fellow. So, Richard will die, and Henry will live. Yet Farrington does manage to add a bit of tension to the story.

This is the first book in a trilogy. I’ll probably give the second a try, in hopes that things get a little better.

PS: I scanned through the second book. No way.

Mount TBR 2022 Book Links

Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.

( TBR Book Links 1-45 )

46. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
47. Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan
48. Mean Spirit (The Cold Calling #2) by Phil Rickman
49. The Killing of Richard the Third (Henry Morane #1) by Robert Farrington

Killing of Richard III, The

Richard III, the most notorious and most discussed of English kings, was also unusual among his contemporaries in regularly signing his books. This characteristic, among others, has enabled Anne Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs to reconstruct his library, and link it to the culture and reading habits of his generation.
The books of Richard III are typical of what was available to and popular with the medieval reader - religion, chivalry, history, genealogy, advice on how to govern, romance and prophecy - and allow us to draw an interesting overview of fifteenth-century opinions. Each type of book is examined on its own terms and then related to the known preoccupations of Richard himself, his associates and to the political practices of his time.
Containing valuable biographical material, insights into the history and politics of the later fifteenth century, and much detail on late medieval piety and other important aspects of contemporary culture, this fully illustrated survey has wide-ranging significance for all who study the history and literature of the medieval period.

There’s a lot of information here, but I found its interest to be somewhat uneven. Some chapters, such as those dealing with the history of his family, and his own life, were easier to read. But some, like “Mirrors for Princes,” I felt were a bit of a stretch. There’s a certain dryness to the book, and adding in such truly esoteric topics doesn’t help.

Still, as the writers state, you can learn a great deal about a person from the books they own. Here, you learn, not just about Richard, but about the learned class of his time in general.

This isn’t a book I would recommend for the casual reader. But for those interested in the times, or in Richard III, it makes for interesting reading.

Mount TBR 2022 Book Links

Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.

( TBR Book Links 1-30 )

31. Goblin by Josh Malerman
32. The Queen Who Never Was by Maureen Peters
33. The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984 by Dorian Lynskey
34. Richard III’s Books by Anne F. Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs

Goodreads 34

MAY- Book Lovers Unite. Read a book set in a library or bookstore; with a librarian, author, or book loving character; OR a book with the word ‘BOOK’ in the title.

Richard III’s Books by Anne F. Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs

This alternate history of Richard III and Henry VII opens during the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. Halfway through an all-out charge against Henry, Richard changes tactics and retreats. Wounded, Richard escapes with several loyal men and goes into hiding. These men protect Richard during his recovery whilst planning to raise an army to dethrone Henry.

Richard’s illegitimate children – Sir John of Gloucester and Lady Katherine, Countess of Huntingdon – disguise themselves as peasants to avoid Henry’s soldiers. They also face the more dangerous threat of Katherine’s husband who wants to sever all ties to the fallen king, which includes Katherine.

It’s not an awful book, but it’s not too much above that, either. The writing is sort of juvenile, with one character’s laugh written out as “hee, hee, hee.” The characterization was okay, thought more than once I wondered at some of their actions.

My biggest problem with the book is that Richard III is little more than a walk-on character. He shows up a few times, mostly as an invalid getting over his injuries, then disappears into the background. Henry VII has more lines, and is a more filled-out character. It’s as if the reader is supposed to know everything about Richard (which most probably do,) so the writer doesn’t have to create his story.

I love alternative history stories, and was expecting more from this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver.

( Mount TBR 2020 Book Links...Made it to the top of Mount Ararat! )

In early 1461, a seventeen-year-old boy won a battle on a freezing morning in the Welsh marches, and claimed the crown of England as Edward IV, first king of the usurping house of York. It was a time when old certainties had been shredded: by popular insurgency, economic crisis, feuding and a corrupt, bankrupt government presided over by the imbecilic, Lancastrian King Henry VI. The country was in need of a new hero. Magnetic, narcissistic, Edward found himself on the throne, and alongside him his two younger brothers: the unstable, petulant George, Duke of Clarence, and the boy who would emerge from his shadow, Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

Charismatic, able and ambitious, the brothers would become the figureheads of a spectacular ruling dynasty, one that laid the foundations for a renewal of English royal power. Yet a web of grudges and resentments grew between them, generating a destructive sequence of conspiracy, rebellion, deposition, fratricide, usurpation and regicide. The house of York's brutal end came on 22August 1485 at Bosworth Field, with the death of the youngest brother, now Richard III, at the hands of a new usurper, Henry Tudor.

Brothers York is the story of three remarkable brothers, two of whom were crowned kings of England and the other an heir presumptive, whose antagonism was fueled by the mistrust and vendettas of the age that brought their family to power. The house of York should have been the dynasty that the Tudors became. Its tragedy was that it devoured itself.

There’s a lot of information to digest in this book. Some I’d read about before, some not. I only wish I could be more sure of the new information, except there are three problems. One, a lot of what Penn claims has no footnotes, and many that do aren’t from original sources but from previous books written on the subject.

Two, the author’s bias is blatant.

Richard of York “believes his own rhetoric, convincing himself” of his destiny as a reforming hero. And how does the author know what Richard of York does or does not think? Yet he treats these unknowable thoughts as fact.

Penn condemns Richard III for purchasing an “inexhaustible supply of alcohol.” But Richard wouldn’t have been the only one drinking it.

People, such as Charles of Burgundy, who fights on the Lancastian side, do so, not out of any gain, but out of a “deep sense of affinity of shared Lancastrian blood.” Or, like Somerset, who had “rediscovered his Lancastrian loyalties.” If for Lancaster, it’s for a noble cause, if for York, it’s always for money and power.

Elizabeth Woodville wasn’t being a spendthrift, she was maintaining “the magnificence that her royal rank demanded.”

Richard “concealed his physical condition, except when it suited him.” Suited him? When would it suit him? Physical deformity was seen as a manifestation of an inner evil.

Richard presents his “shriveled” arm as proof of Elizabeth of Woodville’s witchcraft. But Penn changes the story so that is Richard holding both arms straight in front of him, one being shorter than the other because of his scoliosis. But the study of Richard’s remains show proof positive that there was nothing wrong with either arm. They were the same length.

The third problem is that he was dead wrong on some things.

“Loyalte Me Lie” wasn’t Richard’s “new royal motto.” He took it while still Duke of Gloucester.

We don’t know if Richard’s son was “in delicate health.” It’s often been supposed, but there’s no proof either way.

Henry Tudor wasn’t a descendant of Henry VI.

We don’t know what happened to Francis Lovell. He may have “spent the rest of his days in the obscurity of a Scottish exile.” But that’s just conjecture.

George, Duke of Clarence’s son, Edward, was not a “harmless, backward child” when Tudor “did what he had to do.” (!) He was twenty-four. And there is no proof that he was backward.

There’s probably more but I think I’ve made my case. All in all, the book is an interesting, though flawed narrative.

( Mount TBR 2020 Book Links )

BOOK BINGO 2020 - 48. Read a book at or near the bottom of your TBR list

2020 MONTHLY MOTIF - SEPTEMBER - "When Text just isn't enough"

A book that includes more than just text. A map, a family tree, illustrations, letters, etc.

King Richard III remains one of the most controversial figures in English history. Matthew Lewis’s new biography aims to become a definitive account of his life by exploring what is known of his childhood and the impacts it had on his personality and view of the world around him. From a childhood of privilege, he would be cast into insecurity and exile only to become a royal prince, all before his 10th birthday.

This book seeks out the man behind the myths, not look to create the monster of Shakespeare that has clung to the popular imagination for centuries, nor to become lost in admiration. Returning to primary sources and considering the issues of evidence available, this new life aims to present a real man living in difficult times.

Lewis is a Ricardian, something he doesn’t try to hide. But at the same time, he strives to be as evenhanded as he can when it comes to what we know and what we don’t know about Richard III. There’s no “this happened,” or “this didn’t happen,” when there’s no proof either way that it did, or didn’t. The facts are presented, and it’s up to the reader to decide for herself.

He takes into account Richard’s scoliosis, something not possible before. He wonders how it might have affected how Richard saw the world, if it might have had something to do with his inclination to stand up for those of lower social standing, as when he found for those not under his protection, but rather for those who were in the right. And did his going against social norms later cause those in power to turn against him?

Lewis also touches on the “Princes in the Tower,” but comes to no conclusion as there’s no proof either way as to their fate. Instead, he gives examples of Richard’s character, in things that we know he did, to question if killing his own nephews was something he was capable of.

Though all of Richard’s life is covered, and much information given, it’s still a highly readable book. This is the first of Lewis’s that I’ve read. It most assuredly won’t be the last.

( Mount TBR 2020 Book Links )

2020 MONTHLY MOTIF - MAY - "AUTHOR INTRODUCTION"

Author you've never read anything by

The Wars of the Roses - a colourful age, full of fury and passion.

Richard III - a shadowy, charismatic figure, portrayed by Shakespeare and by history as England's most malign, ruthless and infamous king...hacked to death on Bosworth Field in a just ending, unmourned.

But history is written by the victors. Other realities reveal a different Richard; one who was loved and remembered in the North as their best ruler; a man who, good or evil, can never be forgotten.

To Lady Katherine, he is a dark angel; to his faithful knight Raphael, a creature of light; to others, a complex and seductive mystery. Through their eyes we see Richard grow in a strange world - like ours yet unlike, where a Mother Goddess is still revered alongside a patriarchal God. As the struggle between old and new religions is mirrored in that between York and Lancaster, a chance meeting binds Katherine and Richard reluctantly together, and Raphael becomes haunted by nightmare visions of the future. From their youth, Freda Warrington traces their story along with that of England during one of the most fascinating times of its history.

I truly enjoy reading about Richard III, but even more so when the ending has been changed, when, in some other reality, he perseveres. Such is the case here, with some magic thrown in for good measure. And even considering the magic, the differences in his life aren’t that different, so that the Richard of our universe is easily recognizable.

Katherine and Raphael are also both well drawn, so that you come to be emotional invested in their fate. During the length of the book you get to know them, along with Richard, from their early youth to Bosworth Field and beyond.

One glitch I felt was the inclusion of a fourth character, one that was hard not to see as the author inserting herself into the story. The part the character plays is minimal, and I think the information she imparts could have been addressed in a more satisfying way. Either that, or the character should have been given more depth, so that she was more than just an intrusion into the story.

Still, it’s a beautifully written novel which I recommend highly, especially to those who already have an interest in Richard III. For those who don’t, reading this book may just very well start one.

26. The Court of the Midnight King

( Mount TBR 2019 Book Links )

England, 1471.

In a kingdom rent by civil strife Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is determined to keep the Royal House of York on the throne and bring peace to England.

His unswerving support of his brother, Edward IV, against the conspiracies of both their turncoat brother George, Duke of Clarence, and the powerful Lancastrian claimants, wins him many enemies.

And when fate destines him to take the throne, he is forced to quell the rebellions of Lord Rivers and the Duke of Buckingham before marching to meet Henry Tudor on the battlefield.

I was unpleasantly surprised by this book, having read glowing reports over the years. Though published in 1938, the writing is almost archaic. Perhaps this was done on purpose, but it moves the reader too far away from the story. I felt no connection to any of the characters, and that includes Richard.

There are several areas where Carleton seems to be trying to be amusing, but it falls flat. A conversation between Elizabeth Woodville and Jane Shore comes across as almost a farce. And even if the author thought that Richard was a small man (there are accounts from contemporaries that he was slender,) that doesn’t excuse how many times he describes Richard as being tiny, practically child-size.

The book move along at a decent clip most of the time, though there are a few places where suddenly a year a two will pass, years where much is going on. Especially near the end, when the story jumps from Richard making a horrible confession to Anne to the battle at Bosworth. It’s almost as if Carleton got tired of writing the story.

And I’m not sure why this particular title was chosen, as most of the book takes place before Richard becomes king, so obviously England wasn’t being ruled “under the hog.”

Mount TBR 2017 Book Links

Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.

1. The Lost Girls
2. Hillbilly Elegy
3. Our Revolution
4. Requiem for Athens
5. Dark Angels
6. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
7. The Last Kingdom
8. The Lost Child of Philomena Lee: A Mother, Her Son and a 50 Year Search
9. And Then All Hell Broke Loose: Two Decades in the Middle East
10. Now Face to Face
11. Our Endless Numbered Days
12.Dean and Me: (A Love Story)
13. This Changes Everything
14. Richard III and the Murder in the Tower
15. The Apocalypse
16. The Old Neighborhood: What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration, 1966-1999
17. The Snow Child
18. Stonehenge
19. Royal Blood: King Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes
20. To the Bright Edge of the World
21. How the Dog Became the Dog: From Wolves to Our Best Friends
22. The Hollow Man
23. The Invaders: How Humans and Their Dogs Drove Neanderthals to Extinction
24. Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
25. In Line Behind a Billion People: How Scarcity Will Define China's Ascent in the Next Decade
26. The Glorious Cause
27. The Motion of Puppets
28. Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?
29. Dead Pool: Lake Powell, Global Warming, and the Future of Water in the West
30. The Lodestar
31. The Greatest Knight
32. Rightful Heritage: FDR and the Land of America
33. Pandora's Star
34. Days Without End
35. In Search of the Dark Ages
36. Under the Hog

Notoriously immortalized by Shakespeare and historians, Richard III is history's most infamous royal villain, King of England from 1483 to 1485. Shakespeare's portrait comes ultimately from an unfinished manuscript by the sainted Sir Thomas More, who's assessment has generally been supported by chroniclers of the period and down through our own time. Yet some revisionists have offered a far different portrait, of a man they describe as the victim of a deliberate campaign of slander devised by the Tudors, who took the throne on Richard's death. Revisionist historians present Richard as a brave and valiant soldier, a loyal brother and an intelligent, able king popular with his subjects who was defeated only through treachery.

In this comprehensive, meticulously researched new book, renowned litigator Bertram Fields goes back more than 500 years to offer a compelling look at the case of Richard III. Applying the same modern techniques he successfully uses in the courtroom, Fields outlines and evaluates the arguments on both sides, weighs the evidence, and offers the definitive truth about this extraordinary man. Breathtaking in its scope and depth, this brilliant, provocative volume, a complex melding of history, biography, and mystery, is a powerful argument that sheds new light on common belief, showing that virtually everything we know about Richard III is wrong.

I liked the way the information was presented, factual, but not dry. And Field’s arguments are convincing, though they probably would have been more so if there had been footnotes. Even though I know enough about the subject to have already been aware of the vast majority of his information, and its sources, that’s not going to be the case for everyone.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book, especially when he took down such Tudor fans as Weir and Hicks. Yet Fields never veers all the way to the other side. When it’s not possible to exonerate Richard of a particular crime, Fields doesn’t pretend that it is. Not quite “fair and balanced,” it’s more than obvious that Fields believes in Richard’s innocence, the book is probably one of those that comes the closest.

I learned yesterday that the book's footnotes are online. Here's the link:

http://web.archive.org/web/20111209141234/http://r3.org/basics/fields/endnotes.pdf

It's almost over and done now. The service of Reveal and Celebration is probably being held right now (I shall keep the invitation forever.) But it seemed to have been a lovely service.

I didn't realize Benedict Cumberbatch was related, no matter how distantly. I thought his reading of the poem was very moving.

Laid to rest

King Richard III's remains have arrived at Leicester Cathedral ahead of his reburial.
His funeral cortege entered the city at the historic Bow Bridge after touring landmarks in the county.
Cannons were fired in a salute to the king at Bosworth, where he died in 1485.
His coffin will be on public view at the cathedral from 09:00 GMT on Monday. He will finally be reinterred during a ceremony on Thursday.

There's too much going on for me to ignore, especially when there's so many clips and photos on view. An especially good article on BBC News.

Richard III: Leicester welcomes king's remains

Why the King's burial is so important.

I knew absolutely nothing about Richard III beyond what I’d seen on the stage by Shakespeare, who lived a hundred years later.

By JON SNOW, CHANNEL 4

Tomb

I wish I could have been there. I received an invitation to one of the services, but wasn't able to make it happen. I'm going to try to not post too much about what's going on in Leicester this week, but we'll see. *g*

( The rest of the article. )

And if anyone could possibly figure out how to save this so I can watch it, I'd be eternally grateful.

With just a little over a month to go before I leave for England, it's all starting to get real as I make up lists of what to do and what to take. And I've already started my Ricardian buying spree with the purchase of Graham Turner's latest piece. Now all I have to do is find some wall space. *g*

Richard III at Bosworth

Graham Turner's latest painting of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth is the result of many years of research and consideration, and incorporates the latest knowledge about the king's appearance made possible by the dramatic discovery of his remains in Leicester last year.
King Richard is shown dressed in gilded armour, befitting a monarch demonstrating his right to wear the crown of England as God's anointed ruler, his surcoat and horse caparison bearing the Royal Arms and his Standard fluttering above him. His trusted companion, Sir Robert Percy, points out Henry Tudor amongst the enemy host, prompting the King to make the decision to lead his household knights and retainers in their thundering charge towards the challenger to his throne.

It's him. Of course, it's him. Given what we were originally told, it was hard to imagine that it wouldn't be. Still, I don't know exactly how I feel right now—excited, overwhelmed, overcome. Silly to be so moved by knowing that someone who died over five hundred years ago will be finally laid to rest in the manner he deserves.

August can't get here soon enough. Leicester, York, Middleham, seeing them again will be a new and exciting experience.

( What we knew and what we now know )

It's far too early to tell, and I'm trying not to be too hopeful. The next 4-6 weeks are going to be a killer.

BBC News

The White Queen: Rebecca Ferguson scoops lead role in BBC adaptation of Philippa Gregory's The Cousins' War novels.

Well, sort of. The books aren't anywhere near the Sharon Kay Penman class, but at least they're about the Plantagenets... and Richard won't be portrayed as a hunchback.