Richard the Third [Paperback]

Paul Murray Kendall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2002

"The best biography of Richard III that has been written."—A. L. Rowse, Chicago Tribune

Paul Murray Kendall's masterful account of the life of England's King Richard III has remained the standard biography of this controversial figure. 4 b/w illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The best biography of Richard III that has been written. -- A. L. Rowse, Chicago Tribune

[A] definitive biography of Richard III. It is a noteworthy performance. -- Geoffrey Bruun, Saturday Review

About the Author

Paul Murray Kendall (1911-1973) is the author of Warwick the Kingmaker, The Yorkist Age, Louis XI, and The Art of Biography.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (April 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393007855
• ISBN-13: 978-0393007855
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

92 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kendall's "Richard III", January 24, 2000

By 

M. J. Whitford (Adelaide, South Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Richard the Third (Paperback)

I have read every biography and reference source about Richard III, and Kendall's biography still stands as the best introduction to a study of this monarch and his times, and to the controversy which still, despite all the recent scholarship, surrounds him. Kendall is often criticised for his romanticised approach to his subject and for his slightly purple prose, but his book is intensely readable, clear, and scholarly. Later research ahs produced evidence which outdates some of Kendall's points, but his overview of the era and characters continues to be the best. If you're new to the period/subject, or want to get someone else interested, kendall's "Richard III" is the best starting point. I find it an invaluable research tool. Kendall's "The Yorkist Age" is also the best book I have ever found for an understanding of the era. Sources like the Richard III Society website will guide any interested reader to many other reputable sources, but Kendall stands out as the place to start. (And, unlike many writers who claim to be historians, Kendall uses historical sources, not prejudices and second-hand information.) Highly recommended.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The man and the statesman, November 13, 2005

By 

IVAN JIMENEZ CORREAL (MADRID Spain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Richard the Third (Paperback)

This book is one of the few that succeeds in revising the historical profile of king Richard by giving him the place he deserves. For centuries Tudor historians, particularly More and Vergil (using all the heavy artillery of political propaganda on behalf of their masters the Tudor kings) had drawn a caricature of king Richard, making him a monster, the incarnation of evil, not to speak of Shakespeare's play, as brilliant as false. This book proves that king Richard was a wise ruler, an excellent warrior (he decisively contributes to the final Yorkist victory over the Lancastrians in the battles of Barnet and Tewksbury in 1471), loyal to his brother king Edward IV, tender to his wife, loved by the people (specially by Northerners, by the people of York, where he was almost adored, while Henry VII and Henry VIII, the first Tudor kings, were much hated, which explains the constant rebellions of Yorkshire under Tudor rule) The tragedy of king Richard III has nothing to do with Shakespearean plot; it is very unlikely that he ordered the death of Edward IV's sons (the book provides an interesting appendix on the matter) and, of course, he had no body deformity. His tragedy was both personal and political: a man who saw the death of his beloved wife, son and brothers, a king who tried to rule for the people against the barons and paid a terrible price, the price of being betrayed at Bosworth field in 1485; a ruler who tried to take control of the political turmoil, hopelessly, as he found himself trapped in the turmoil, overwhelmed and finally swept away. However, he set the foundations of modern Britain, creating a strong State by undermining the territorial rebellious powers of the old feudal peerage, which were the cancer that had consumed the nation since the Beauforts had made a puppet of Henry VI, the last Lancastrian king, and which degenerated into the open enmity between the dukes of Somerset and York and the subsequent civil strife. Apart from reading a fascinating period of the History of England, this book made me seriously think of how easy it is to falsify History. Richard III is somebody who definitely deserved rehabilitation. Well done, Paul!

43 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The standard Ricardian biography of Richard III, October 10, 2001

By 

"julymorning" (Chapel Hill, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Richard the Third (Paperback)

Paul Murray Kendall's work on Richard III is considered by most historians as the standard for Ricardian scholarship. By "Ricardian" I mean pro-Richard, as opposed to "traditionalist," which characterizes those historians, such as Charles Ross, who support the theory that Richard III murdered his nephews, the princes in the Tower. Kendall's treatment of Richard III, in contrast to Ross's, is more like a historical novel than a work of dry historical prose. For those interested in the story of Richard III's life without all the minutiae, Kendall's biography is the place to being. Anyone wishing to research more deeply the reign and policies of Richard III should consult the biography by Charles Ross. And those who like Kendall's work but desire a more literary treatment should read Sharon Kay Penman's novel about Richard III, entitled 'The Sunne in Splendour,' which is loosely based on Kendall's biography.