Gunpowder Plot [Paperback]

Antonia Fraser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1997

In a narrative which reads like a gripping detective story, Antonia Faser untangles the intricacies of this conspiracy against the monarchy and the government to reveal the truth about the extraordinary events which led up to that fateful night of 5th November 1605.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Press release & copy of THE GUNPOWDER PLOT sent to usual paperback mailing list AND a special list created for this title. Mailing was sent in time to tie in with Bonfire Night. Special mailing list included history, catholic and specialist publications, as well as selected regional press including publications covering Lewes region etc. Press release was also sent to regional radio stations offering competition copies as author is not available for interview. The following regional radio stations will be holding competitions on/around 5th November 2002.BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (Book of the Week 3/11)BBCRadio EssexBBC Radio NewcastleBBC Radio WM Coventry & WarwickshireBBC Radio MerseysideBBC Radio SolentBBC Midlands Late ShowBBC Radio KentBBC Radio GM --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Since 1969, Antonia Fraser has written many acclaimed historical works which have been international bestsellers, including Marie Antoinette, Mary Queen of Scots (James Tait Black Memorial Prize), Cromwell: Our Chief of Men, The Six Wives of Henry VIII and The Gunpowder Plot: Terror and Faith in 1605 (St Louis Literary Award; CWA Non-Fiction Gold Dagger).Antonia Fraser was made CBE in 1999, and awarded the Norton Medlicott Medal by the Historical Association in 2000. She is married to the playwright Harold Pinter and lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 476 pages
• Publisher: Trafalgar Square (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0297840797
• ISBN-13: 978-0297840794
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical book....., October 28, 2007

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gunpowder Plot (Paperback)

For most Americans, Guy Fawkes is known to us more from that movie "V for Vendetta" then for anything else. Guy Fawkes Day on 5 November is weird sort of a holiday as any when people of Britain lit a bonfire and roast an effigy of this fellow over it. When I was staying in a small town of Franley, England, I was surprised to learned that Fawkes family still exists and control much of the land around. So I read this book and discovered it to be somewhat of a page-turner.

This book is about the plot to blow up both Houses of Parliament and King James I. Roman Catholics of Britain was getting desperate over increasingly restrictive measures taken by King and Parliament so a group of them decided to take matter in their own hands. Guy Fawkes was the leader of that plot and he had both religious and political motivations to do so. The book proves to be clearly written and highly informative on why, how and who was involved in this plot. This was supposed to take place on 5 November 1605 but the plotters were betrayed and although they came close, it was not good enough. The entire historical episode read like a detective story. It also had major importance in its aftermath as well for the Catholics of Britain who found themselves even more restricted. The author, Antonia Fraser who have already written several superb books on British history, scored again with this book.

I found the book to be informative and easy to understand the complex and slightly weird story behind this plot that easily could have been one of the greatest terrorist attacks in history. The author's style of writing is appealing to most casual and veteran readers of history. Book come highly recommended to anyone interested in this historical incident and its cultural significant.

I believed this is the new title and edition of Faith and Treason that was published back in 1996.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An 'Explosive' and Entertaining Account, September 9, 2006

By 

J. Chippindale (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gunpowder Plot (Paperback)

As the old saying goes Remember, Remember the Fifth of November, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot. In the present day come November 5th we all look forward to a firework display and a bonfire on which to burn the effigy of someone called Guy Fawkes while enjoying a roast potato, some of mum's parkin and cinder toffee. But who is the man called Guy Fawkes and what did he do that was so bad that we have to burn him every `Bonfire Night.'

Guy Fawkes was born in the city of York, less than 20 miles from where I live. He has always been attributed with the leadership of a group of men who plotted to blow up the Houses of parliament on November 5th 1605. Their motives were both political and religious. Even today many such similar deeds are carried out or attempted in the name of one religion or another. A damning indication that man very rarely learns from his mistakes.

Antonia Fraser is an accomplished and much read historical author with many awards for her writing skills and she has the consummate skill to be able to make the book read like a modern day detective novel, yet in no way prejudicing the factual historical content of the events that led up to the plot being foiled literally at the last moment.