Burghley (Profiles in Power) [Hardcover]

Michael A. Graves (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0582302897 | ISBN-13: 978-0582302891 | Publication Date: November 1998

Burghley was, for 40 years, Elizabeth I's chief minister and much of what we celebrate or condemn her for was Burghley's work as well as hers. Their partnership was uniquely long, close and productive, and anyone interested in the reign of Elizabeth will be interested in Burghley as well. He was cautious, conservative, scholarly, fussily bureaucratic and persistent while she was theatrical, dramatic dishonest, vacillating, indecisive and autocratic they made a weird couple, but they worked.

Editorial Reviews

Review

As an introduction to the reign of Elizabeth and the work of her chief minister this work with its useful bibliography can safely be recommended. English Historical Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Longman Publishing Group (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0582302897
• ISBN-13: 978-0582302891
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,342,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Concise Regnum Cecilianum, April 17, 2000

By 

Andrea Jutson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burghley: William Cecil, Lord Burghley (Profiles in Power) (Textbook Binding)

Michael A. R. Graves is one of the leading authorities on Elizabethan parliaments, so one might expect his book on the leading Elizabethan statesman to be good. And in many ways it is. Wide-ranging and erudite, in easily-digested short segments concerning various modules of William Cecil's career, 'Burghley' offers an excellent if condensed overview of the achievements of Elizabeth I's chief adviser. Unlike earlier books on the subject, 'Burghley' does not pursue every minute (and often unnecessary) aspect of his career. However, during some sections of the book, Graves' love for the minutiae of politics and economics becomes apparent, although regrettably is not likewise communicated to the reader. The final chapter is therefore extremely welcome and useful, containing a subjective but learned analysis of Burghley the man. The sheer vastness of Burghley's surviving documentation makes the task of his biographer an incredibly daunting one, and in my opinion, Graves has done a commendable job. Although not recommended for the casual reader with a passing interest in Burghley's life, the book is excellently suited to students of Elizabethan politics, for whom it was clearly written. For the purpose of last-minute cramming or essay research, this slim volume is a welcome and detailed alternative to the considerably thicker, more in-depth tomes of Hume, Read, Beckingsale, et al.