Ireland in the Age of the Tudors 1447-1603: English Expansion and the End of Gaelic Rule (Longman History of Ireland) [Hardcover]

Steven G. Ellis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0582019028 | ISBN-13: 978-0582019027 | Publication Date: March 1999 | Edition: 2nd

Steven Ellis explores Ireland as a frontier society divided between the English and Gaelic worlds, considers the nature of the transition from medieval Ireland's two nations to the centralized Tudor kingdom and examines Ireland as a problem within the wider Tudor state. Not just a survey, but also a critique of traditional perspectives on the making of modern Ireland, in which Ellis puts forth that Irish nationalism and Irish alienation from English rule were chiefly a consequence, rather than a cause, of the Tudor conquest.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...authoritative, accessible and elegantly structured and written book. It is not wild to claim to say that he has given us two books on the period - a readable text, and (because of the range of scholarly apparatus, in good old-fashioned footnotes, in a chronological framework, and in a an updated guide to further reading, together with a bibliography, seta of excellent maps, tables, a glossary and a serviceable index) a veritable reference book as well."Irish studies review", 2000

Product Details

• Hardcover: 437 pages
• Publisher: Longman Pub Group; 2nd edition (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0582019028
• ISBN-13: 978-0582019027
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,391,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars re. your review from a reader in Ireland, November 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Ireland in the Age of the Tudors 1447-1603: English Expansion and the End of Gaelic Rule (Longman History of Ireland) (Hardcover)

Has your reviewer actually seen the book? It has a colour picture of Cahir castle, Co. Tipperary on the dust jacket. It includes seven maps, three tables, a glossary of terms, and a guide to further reading. It is a revised version of the standard work on the subject used in universities in Ireland and Britain since the publication of the original work, TUDOR IRELAND, in 1985. The reason for this new edition was precisely the popularity and continuing sales of the original. Perhaps your reader wanted a more romantic, simplistic view of Ireland's past.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Difficult but useful, July 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Ireland in the Age of the Tudors 1447-1603: English Expansion and the End of Gaelic Rule (Longman History of Ireland) (Hardcover)

I've been using Ellis' book in some recent research into the fiscal history of the Irish Lordship. I'm afraid I agree more with the first reviewer -- remember, the popularity of a book often varies inversely with its quality. Yes, the book contains a great deal of useful information, but it is confusingly arranged. Dr. Ellis gets a few facts wrong, although it doesn't seem too critical except when he attributes certain actions of Richard III to Henry VII. Overall, however, the reader had better already have a working knowledge of the subject before using this book. A large number of assumptions are made concerning the identity of individuals; Ellis seems to take for granted the reader already knows who they are. For a foreigner such as myself reading this book, these lacunae make for irritating diversions from the flow of the narrative. No, it is not a book for beginners, nor an adequate introduction. What the second reviewer hints, however, is correct also -- there isn't much else in the way of material from which to choose, and this book does a better job than most.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Tudor Ireland., November 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Ireland in the Age of the Tudors 1447-1603: English Expansion and the End of Gaelic Rule (Longman History of Ireland) (Hardcover)

Ellis' book is too complex and extremely difficult to read. It certainly is not a good starting point for reading up on the Tudor History of Ireland. It contains absolutely no pictures or illustrations of any kind re-emphasing its difficulty.