A Brief History of the Tudor Age (Brief History, The) [Paperback]

Jasper Ridley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 18, 2002 | Series: Brief History, The

Beginning with the arrival of Henry Tudor and his army at Milford in 1485 to depose Richard III, and ending with the death of the great Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, this incisive and informative brief history provides a vivid account of England’s most eventful and contradictory age. Its presentation of the life both in the burgeoning capital of London and in the countryside includes 16 pages of full-color and black-and-white photographs, as well as discussion of the costumes of the period, modes of travel, food and medicine, sports and pastimes, and the amazing explosion of English drama that would make the name of William Shakespeare a household word for all time. Nor does this volume overlook the stultifying narrowness of peasant life, the harsh treatment of heretics and traitors, the intrigues and machinations at the court, and the miseries of the plague. In all, A Brief History of the Tudor Age paints an astonishing panorama of an England of great beauty and violence, of splendor and squalor, of achievement and despair. “Bursting with factual evidence ... [a] bright and lively compendium.”—The Observer “Jasper Ridley is one of the most accomplished and successful historical biographers.”—Times Literary Supplement

Editorial Reviews

Review

"- 'Mr Ridley has written a meticulous, sane and lucid book.' (The Freemasons) The Economist Review Feb 2000 - 'Masterly, rich, comprehensive, and consistently fair, intelligent and readable.' (Lord Palmerston)- Michael Foot, Evening Standard, London - '...scholarly, lucid and judicious..."Definitive" is a foolish word to apply to history but it will be a long time before we read a biography of Louis Napoleon and Eugenie which better deserves the appellation.'(Napoleon III & Eugenie) - Philip Ziegler, The Times --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Jasper Ridley was a former barrister turned author and became one of England's leading biographers, recent works including lives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. His Lord Palmerstone was winner of the James Tait Black prize. His last work, The Freemasons, was highly acclaimed. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf (July 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786710349
• ISBN-13: 978-0786710348
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,482,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great facts, but in a pure accounting manner, January 3, 2003

By 

GNG (Toronto, Ontario) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Brief History of the Tudor Age (Brief History, The) (Paperback)

Great listing of facts and details about Tudor England, for example how many butchers worked in London and where their waste went. It is a very detail-oriented, accounting-like list of information ranging from everyday items used to road repairs and its implications for the time it took to deliver documents. Not very insightful as to Tudor history itself and a bit biased, as the author clearly states that Henry VIII was the greatest king England ever had, but Elizabeth I was basically a poor queen, indecisive and any decisions were done by her advisors. Interesting as to the details that one is not likely to find anywhere else.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Expansive study, well-written by a first-rank author, April 4, 2011

By 

E.J. Kaye (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Brief History of the Tudor Age (Paperback)

A really well done overview of the Tudors, concentrating on not only the history but 'life' during that time. From Sports to religion, law-enforcement and travel, I found the work to be engaging. The prose is sharp, and the use of first-person accounts makes this a treat. My only quibble is with the over-reliance on Shakespeare to reflect the times; many of his plays mirror Italian society of 50 years earlier, and thus the attitudes expressed are not necessarily those of Tudor-Age Englishmen. But it's only a small quibble -- overall I highly recommend

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Lacks focus, January 1, 2004

By 

webster (Virginia & Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Brief History of the Tudor Age (Brief History, The) (Paperback)

Mr. Ridley wanders about more than the Countess of Salisbury when she went to the block. Why he spent over a page on this in the Chapter on Houses I am not sure. The entire book is filled with historical information which is interesting, but in many cases is related only by a thin thread to the subject at hand. This book could only be used as a history of the Tudor age if it was used with another more complete history. It is too broad and the trivia he provides doesn't fill in the holes. On the other hand, it reads well so if you want some light history reading, its ok.