Customer Reviews

Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I very much admire Mr. Starkey's purpose in writing this book. He makes the case in the beginning of the book that much ado is made of Elizabeth's Gloriana years- the near-stereotypic years of Elizabeth in white face and huge ruff, draped and dripping in pearls. However, not as much information has been provided concerning her early development as a child, and really, as a human being. This exploration of the psychological development and its influence on later life does seem to be the new popular wave in biographies- "The People You Thought You Knew," and all that. I was very excited by the prospect of the additional detail and attention paid to this more-neglected period in Elizabeth's life.

Did he succeed- Well, yes. Sort of. If you've never read anything about Elizabeth, I can't say I really recommend this book as a starter- I think I'd start with another book- perhaps the books by Alison Weir? Her book on the children of Henry VIII covers much the same ground and other detail as this one, and she has another book focusing on the totality of Elizabeth's life. These may be a better initial orientation.

However, if you are familiar with Elizabeth's life- there is some new and interesting discussion in here- learning more about when famous paintings were painted, the history of clothing in those paintings, dispelling myths (or at least making an argument for dispelling them), and the re-interpretation of communications (Eg: When Elizabethe complains of being ill-used by her family, she probably didn't mean "family" in the modern sense of biological family (i.e., the Queen Mary), but instead the 1500's meaning of family, which referred to the staff and help who lived with her.)

There is some frustration in the support of assertions in the book. For example, Starkey will be making a point about a speech, discussing how important it is, or that it really set the stage for X to happen- and then- nothing, or perhaps very little information about the text of this important speech. I'd flip back and forth thinking maybe I missed it, but, alas... Perhaps I'm too used to sound-bites- this is possible. But frequently I was left with an impression of the importance of an event, without a good feel for the content.

The biggest problem with this book is the writing. For starters, the editing could be better- for example, on p. 218 the word "enjoy" is used instead of "envoy," unless "enjoy" is some British word for "diplomat" that I'm not familiar with (as a side note- we all make mistakes, but that's what editors are FOR if you have one!). More disturbing- the sentences are SO choppy, and it does interrupt the flow of the read. (p. 279, "Elizabeth and Cecil found themselves in a mess. And they had only themselves to blame. For they had hopelessly underestimated the effectiveness of the lords' resistance.")

Bottom line: if you've never read a book on Elizabeth, there are better places to start. This work really focuses on the first 25 years or so of her life. If you have read books on Elizabeth, this is a relatively quick read and makes some interesting arguments. But get ready. To read somewhat choppy sentences. Assuming that doesn't bother you. It's worth reading. But I want to set your expectations.

Starkey brings his expertise on the Tudor era for a new look at the young Elizabeth I from her birth through her coronation and the religious settlement that set the tone of her reign.

Most intrigingly, Starkey convincingly argues that Elizabeth had a relatively secure childhood, adored her father(and had good reason to), was not a helpless princess-in-waiting, but a great magnate in her own right by adulthood, with a sizable affinity, and probably did plot or condone her servants plotting against her sister, Mary I. These are just a few of the conclusions Starkey draws about Elizabeth, using surviving contempory documents and evidence.

There are a few flaws to the book: most noticeably, Starkey uses some modern slang and comparisions that may well yank the absorbed reader from Elizabeth and her world that he otherwise so throughly draws. Tudor history amateurs, like myself, will spot Starkey's incorrectly stating Anne Boleyn had dark auburn hair and other small details as disturbing. Also when discussing Elizabeth's Protestanism under her brother Edward and paying especial attention to the simple, modest wardrobe, Elizabeth adapted as a Protestant symbol of proper womanhood, Starkey does not point out how revolutionary such simple and plain dress was for royalty, who were expected historically to pile on rich fabrics and jewels as their right, but how much it saved Elizabeth in costs. Starkey also fails to mention that in the early years of her reign, Elizabeth continued to dress herself fairly understatedly(again saving money in the years England was rebuilding itself from debt to solvency). But this is an altogether reccomended biography for those unfamiliar with the early years of Elizabeth I.

I couldn't wait to read this book. When I finally got a copy, I settled down and read for many hours. I was disappointed in what I found. The dust jacket praises the book as "meticulously researched." If it was, then why on page 12-13 does the author find it a quirk of history that Henry VIII's love letters to Anne Boleyn wound up in the Vatican Library? Scholars of Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon know that the letters got there during Henry's attempts at divorce - they were sent there by the Spanish faction to help persuade the Pope that Henry's real motives for a divorce were less than aboveboard. Reading further, I found more and more mistakes, such as the one about Anne Boleyn's hair color. In one instance he even confused two of Henry's wives (Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves, perhaps an editing mistake). I realize that it is a huge task to try and condense any history of Elizabeth into a short book (a little over 300 pages, my favorite book about Elizabeth is over 700 pages), but that does not excuse the mistakes.

A chatty, gossipy book -- but hard to accept as a serious history of the woman or the age. Starkey may be a decent historian but he's not much of a politician and Elizabeth was, above all, a consummate politician from her teen years onward. He either ignores (which would be sort of condescending to his audience) or fails to understand the deeper complexities of the political calculations that ruled her every action. More disconcerting, Starkey seems to impose modern sensibilities into the narrative.

Allison Plowden's "Young Elizabeth: The First Twenty-Five Years," first published in the 1970's(?) as the first of a four-volume history of the Queen, is not only vastly superior historically, but is much better written. And, much much more exciting in its descriptions of people and events. If you are looking for an exciting read and a good history, don't bother with this book.

**Contains minor spoilers**

I have been a Tudor England buff since I was a small child, therefore any time something about this great royal English family comes along, I have an interest. I was unfamiliar with David Starkey, but read a review of his Elizabeth biography when I was in England in 2000. I finally located the book in the States earlier this year. While the book is not exactly the most scholarly piece in my Tudor library, it is an easy read; did maintain my interest; and perhaps would also keep that of someone not completely familiar with Elizabeth's story. However -- and this is a big HOWEVER -- he does tend to write a number of sections as if believing the reader is already familiar with the topic in great detail. This is something a writer should never assume, and that tends to be the major flaw in the book. Mr. Starkey also takes a new look at some aspects of Elizabeth's life, almost to the point of gossip with some psychology thrown in. The one part he delves into a good deal is her possible romantic relationship with her stepfather Sir Thomas Seymour, husband of her stepmother Katherine Parr. He puts a new spin on this infamous episode in a manner I'd never considered before (suspected emotional or sexual abuse). There are also some other young Elizabeth legends he attempts to dispel, including the depth of her involvement in say the Wyatt Rebellion. I do not under any circumstances consider this the definitive Elizabeth biography. I fell in love with the now out of print Mary M. Luke bios a long time ago, and there are others I would also recommend: Jenkins, Plowden, Weir. However, if you're wanting an introduction to the life of this great woman, or simply an addition to your English history library, this book is one you should have.

Like many here, I am a huge Tudor buff, so I was eager to read Stakey's version of the truth. I was living in England while I read this book and Starkey had a few TV programmes and they were all quite interesting, and I knew his books would be just as captivating for a fan of the Tudors. I was not diappointed. The book was was good read. I really liked having the family tree in the front of the book, I referenced that on several occasions. What made it even more fun, was living in the country where she ruled as I had a real life vision of many things described in the book. After reading this book, I wanted to read even more about Elizabeth as well as her rival, Mary Queen of Scots. I recommend this book to fans of history or the Tudors.

Excellently written biography. What makes it more attractive is the fact that the author leaves lots of dates behind, a practice rather unusual for historic books. Instead he focuses on the causes that paved the way for her throne. David Starkey boosts the art of bio writing to a literature level. His sentences are so beautifully crafted that you reread some passages anew, e.g. " ...the Spanish King unleashed his ambassador". His descriptions of the old royal castle decors make you feel you're there. His descriptions of royal food make your mouth watering. His descriptions of Elizabeth make you wish you were born at those times. Having read this book I fell in love with the title hero to such an extent that I hung a big replica of her portrait in my room.
Miros / Poland

This biography by David Starkey tells a story of Elizabeth during her early years, as a princess and during the first several years as Queen of England. Some of the material have been retold already but the author writes with certain amount of clarity. Starkey made sure that the reader understand that Elizabeth had a relatively good childhood, a wealthy landowner even before she became a Queen and her powers were quite considerable, probably enough for her half-sister Mary to take into account. This proves to be a very readable book and gives us a good understanding of Elizabeth's early life and how it helped shape her as a Queen of England.

Starkey's enjoyable Elizabethan entry is neither biography nor traditional history, but rather a fast-moving narrative that turns Elizabeth's pre-coronation life into a suspenseful game of chess between the Tudor sisters and their respective faiths.

Elizabeth's bumpy journey from princess to traitor to Queen is covered in a series of short, punchy chapters providing just enough period detail not to slow things down. While this account won't be mistaken for a scholarly work, it is more than just a 'greatest hits' collection on Elizabeth's rise. Starkey provides concise sketches of many of the period's best and brightest, a thorough sense of historical context, and maintains a lively sense of humor throughout.

We'll forgive the author's fondness for awkward anachronism given his success in making complex events come alive, and returning some narrative to English history. While the book may give hives to the more knowledgable, it's great fun for Elizabethan beginners.

While this book is quite easy to read and moderatly entertaining, Mr. Starkey seems intent on bringing Elizabeth down a notch.

He is quite critical of what she achieved intellectually and of her choice of favorites.

This book also contradicted a lot of what else I have read about Elizabeth. Of course, everyone else could be incorrect, but it does make one think.