A Brief History of the Wars of the Roses (Brief Histories) by Desmond Seward (PDF)

Description

During the fifteenth century England was split in a bloody conflict between the Houses of York and Lancaster over who should claim the crown. The civil wars consumed the whole nation in a series of battles that eventually saw the Tudor dynasty take power. In A Brief History of the Wars of the Roses, Desmond Seward tells the story of this complex and dangerous period of history through the lives of five men and women who experienced the conflict first hand. In a gripping narrative the personal trials of the principal characters interweave with the major events and personalities of one of the most significant turning points in British history.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I don’t know if there is a better way to tell this story, although I did prefer Dan Jones’ book more. It felt like every page must have had a cast of thousands, all with different names, titles and revolving relationships. Seward does a pretty good job at trying to keep it all straight. I didn’t realize that the book was about the War of the Roses told in the lives of five people – even though it is included on the subtitle (my mistake!). I didn’t like that invention. It might his way of keeping all the characters straight.

⭐Very informative, easily read. But yet again an author forgets their were women there. It gives all the history of the battles and the men who fought them, but as history did, forgets the women. If a reader is interested in the women in these families, go to David Baldwin and Sarah Gristwood.

⭐This book is written more as a novel, not quite as informative as all the other books I have read on the War.

⭐If you are a fan of the War of the Roses period and you’ve read many books on it, I strongly recommend this one. Rather than repeating some of the same old facts, speculating about what actually happened independent of source material, or arguing for one side or the other, this book brings the period alive in ways I haven’t seen yet.Seward picks five disparate characters, including Edward IV’s mistress Jane Shore, and shows how it felt to be alive during that period of civil war from their perspective. What I enjoyed about the book was – FOR ONCE – you are not just hearing about the war of the roses from the nobles’ perspective.For example, by using Jane Shore to illuminate London mayoral politics, you learn more about London, which was fascinating in that period. You learn about Edward IV’s interaction with a completely different group of people – the merchants – who were not only critical in his military victories but also a huge part of his everyday life as a merchant.I do agree that Seward may not be the perfect introduction to the period – in fact if you are studying for an exam it definitely wouldn’t be. However, the war of the roses is incredibly complex and for anyone trying to learn about the period, they will need to read *several* (if not half a dozen) books to really begin to get it. No one book really sums it up perfectly.It should be noted that this book has a more commercial and less academic tone. Frankly, I think this is great. The period is so complex and yet fascinating. More people in the general public would be interested in the period if more accessible books were written.I also thought that Seward does an admirable job with his analysis of Clarence’s downfall. He sheds some light on events before the Ankarette Twynyho affair that reveal an admirable level of research on Seward’s part.

⭐I read this book to get an overview of the War of the Roses after reading a novel entitled “The White Queen.” This is a complex topic with a lot of different players to keep straight. Rather than focus on the major players or take a strict chronological approach, the author follows the lives of four minor individuals. Overall, I think this was effective, though at times I found it a bit dull reading about the details of some of their lives because I was more interested in the major players. Those more knowledgeable about this time period may not feel the same.One complaint I have is that the book had no maps. Considering there were battles throughout the country and where someone was from mattered, it would have been nice to see those places on a map. As an American I am not as familiar with British geography as perhaps I ought to be.My only other criticism is that I found it difficult to keep track of the many players when they were referred to by their titles alone. Even in the list of people in the front of the book they were listed by their title first, then by their given name. As an American these titles are almost meaningless to me other than to indicate that these men had standing in English society. It only added to the confusion that so many people died or were killed that these titles were constantly being transferred from one person to another. It would have been easier to keep track of these people if they had been referred to by their names instead of by their titles. Eventually, I just gave up trying to keep them all straight.

⭐With all the books available offering a comprehensive examination of the Wars of the Roses, it was only a matter of time before a helpful primer was written. This “Brief History” is just that, a sort of “Wars of the Roses for Dummies.”Fortunately, it is lively and well-written, with a pace more like a novel than a history text. By hitting the high points of the period, Seward is able to keep the story moving, without the hundreds of details that would bog down the narrative. This primer achieves its goal of providing the reader with a concise exposition of the main characters, the “whats and the why’s”.Those who know the period in detail know that the period makes for a good yarn, and Seward tells it as well as any. Of course, those hundreds of details left out of this book are readily available in lengthier histories of the period. The “Brief History” is just that — an intelligent and highly readable survey, perfect for those who want to just hit the high points, and an excellent “first book” for those just beginning to learn the period in depth.

⭐I was simply looking for a general quick informative guide to the Wars of the Roses and this does the trick. Probably not for the detailed scholar but I’ve joined The Battlefields Trust and join occassional walks and lectures so this is ideal for good sound basic background information.

⭐I found this book clear and readable. It is a very good introduction to a very confusing period of history. I will be looking for further books by this historian.

⭐Very useful and well written history. My only criticism is that it contains too much detail with so many names.

⭐Perfect for school A Level syllabus

⭐well written

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