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Lacey Baldwin Smith

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The Elizabethan World Paperback – January 1, 1972

by Lacey Baldwin SMITH (Author)

4.2 275 ratings

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In a varied series of short pieces, the book looks at England and Europe in the Elizabethan Age of the 16th century, from the monarchs themselves to the artwork of the times. Illustrated with more than 400 illustrations throughout in black and white and color. 416 pages, including index.

Print length

0 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Houghton
Publication date

January 1, 1972
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000JI5DE6
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Houghton; sentry edition (January 1, 1972)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 0 pages
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds

Customer Reviews:
4.2 275 ratings

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Lacey Baldwin Smith

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4.2 out of 5

275 global ratings

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M. L. Cockerill

Zard review of The Elizabethan World

Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2016

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I really liked this book. A nice tight, concise painting, if you will, of Europe in the 17th century with eventual focus onto England and the reign of the Tudors. It was a good page turner, you always wanted to know what was coming next. Not bad for a history book. I like these kind of history books where the author focuses on a particular time and paints a picture not in detail but with broad strokes and gives you a taste for the times. A description you can feel, smell and taste. If you want to know what was going on in Europe in general during the 17th century and then get an interesting portrait of the Tudor dynasty then this is your book.

16 people found this helpful

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Jude

Very good, except ...

Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2017

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This book gets off to a slow start but once you get past the first chapter it becomes very interesting and readable. The penultimate chapter is also slow reading, as the story departs from the characters we've been following to the Elizabethan's beliefs in the stars, astrology, etc, and personalities are no longer present. In my opinion, that chapter is totally unnecessary to the book, slows it down incredibly, and sad to say, is just impossibly dull. It brings nothing to the book as a whole... one just has to slog through it. Luckily, the final chapter wraps up the Elizabethan age nicely. I definitely recommend this book ... just without the first and penultimate chapters. Editing those out would leave you with an interesting, informative and historically accurate picture of this dramatic age and the personalities who lived in it.

6 people found this helpful

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edward tomlinson

A good read

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2017

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If you don't really know very much about the era, this book is a darn good intro. and not just a dry listing of dates or battles or such. The author pays a good deal of attention to France and Spain, too, along with some asides about other Powers (including the Ottomans) & writes with clarity and keeps the story moving along---all in all, a good use of your book buying funds.

4 people found this helpful

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Brian Fenocchio

Good read on Queen Elizabeth and the political world of the time

Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2016

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This is a well written book or not just England but also France and Spain.

The author provides an excellent overview of the political and religious world in Western Europe. The author is primarily concerned with how the schism between Catholicism and Protestantism affected the political world during the times of Elizabeth.

While the author covers the important political and religious figures of the age, the boom only goes into detail on the most important ones and only gives interesting details and anecdotes on a few.

The author spends almost no time going into the economics of th period of talking about the major literary figures of the age with the exception of a few sentences or quotes.

Missing is the minutiae that makes these books so much fun to read.

It was good but it felt like the textbooks I read in college

7 people found this helpful

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Mentalfloss1

An excellent overview

Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2016

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I'm not scholar of this or any era in history so I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this book, but I found it to be a compelling read loaded with information on many aspects of of many nations and religions in Great Britian and Europe during this time. Included are overviews of science, politics, intrigues, betrayals, shifting alliances, exploration and of course wars and diplomacy.
I admit to getting lost trying to correlate dates since it was necessary to describe, for instance, the events occurring in the sciences up to some particular date but then to jump back in time to outline explorations or changes in religion. There's a lot here.
I would recommend it.

10 people found this helpful

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John Balestrery

Power Hungry Struggle Dramatized

Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2019

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Excellent history of European countries with clear eexplanation of power transfer among these countries in the sixteenth century. The influence of the rulers is well evaluated and played out well in such a corrupt power hungry world. Dramatic writing.

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Book Woman

Brilliant Global Perspective

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2019

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I love that this book offers a global perspective on the Elizabethan world and it starts far before Elizabeth takes the throne. Because of my interests, I'm finding it an interesting take on the rise of individualism in Europe.

Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2018

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I am a history buff so this book was a great addition to my collection. More than expected, the book covered the time period not the reign of Elizabeth. It went over what was happening in Europe and England on the philosophical front, the geopolitical machinations and changes in society in such a way as to keep it interested. Tore down some the pedestals of some Elizabethan heroes

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Top reviews from other countries

Pauline Thomson

Four Stars

Reviewed in Canada on September 16, 2017

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Excellent read. Contsins a good explanation of the Reformation.

garry johnson

Great Reading.

Reviewed in Australia on December 23, 2018

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really liked this book. very comfortable reading. for the average reader covers the elizabethan period really well. not just elizabeth, but takes in all the different players french, spanish, dutch, ottoman going around at that time. my history is okay but still learnt a lot from this enjoyable book.

Pio

Thoroughly enjoyable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2016

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This tour through the reign of Elizabeth I -with all its heroes and villains, the faithful and the faithless, dangers and triumphs - with Gloriana always in control is thoroughly enjoyable. I recommend it. It covers much ground: domestic and international politics, war and peace, economics, the arts and sciences, the fortunes of friendly and enemy states and their rulers.

2 people found this helpful

Jenny B from Echuca

Too much religion and politics to keep my interest.....

Reviewed in Australia on March 2, 2019

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With that title, I was expecting/hoping this book would about the ordinary people’s lives of the Elizabethan era. But it turned out to be all politics and religion, of which I have already had enough. I am a fan of history, particularly the Tudor era, but this left me looking to see how many pages were left, and I could not finish it. This book was well written but dry as dust.

Nan

Intriguing age of history

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2015

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Whilst finding this book a bit difficult at first to get into, once I had read a few chapters I was eager to keep reading more and was sorry to finish it. Being in my late 70's I am sorry now that at age 13 or so I was allowed to give up subjects at grammar school and rather stupidly gave up history. As a result I am now fascinated by TV programmes of historical interest especially recently watching Tudor and Elizabethan periods. Knowing loads of prominent names but not actually what part in history they played is frustrating. The author of this book is thorough but never boring and I was found it very interesting learning the history of European politics of the time. Really recommend it !

4 people found this helpful

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