Would someone recommend

NormHart · 07-22-2010, 03:41 PM

ebooks about the War of the Roses? I've read a lot of military history but, for some reason, never anything about this war. I'm looking for history, historical fiction, or military history about the War of the Roses. For that matter I've never had a clear understanding of the 100 Years War either and suggestions for reading on that subject would be welcome also.

neilmarr · 07-23-2010, 03:40 AM

There's a whole range of GA Henty's work in the MobileRead free library, Norm (thanks to Crutledge -- all karma to his name). Some cover the periods you mention. Henty wrote ripping yarns for a largely male YA readership, but they're good reads and the historical detail is impressively accurate. I'm no YA, I assure you, but I can't get enough of Henty. Good luck. Neil

NormHart · 07-23-2010, 11:05 PM

I'd looked at the Henty stuff by Crutledge and thought to myself, "I've got to read some of these.", but I didn't even think to check for any in the Roses era. I was mostly drawn to his stuff from the British/Afghan conflicts, so many parallels with current geopolitics. (Sometimes I wonder if the US is simply replaying the British Empire's mistakes? Something about History and repetition?)

Thanks, good suggestion!

julia103 · 07-25-2010, 01:41 PM

I learned about the War of the Roses from "The Sunne in Splendour" by Sharon Kay Penman. It's an historical novel focusing on Richard III. It starts when Richard is 6 years old and his father, the Duke of York, is fighting for the throne, and ends when Richard is deposed by Henry VII who started the Tudor dynasty.

Available as an ebook in Kindle and Sony stores. (I didn't check B&N.)

HamsterRage · 07-26-2010, 09:36 AM

What about "The Black Arrow", by RL Stevenson (?)? That's public domain at this point, too.

Isn't there another classic novel be Sabatini set in that period?

wayspooled · 07-26-2010, 10:54 AM

Yeah, there are a couple of Henty ones in the same time period. Good books.

These are a little "all over" the time period but I can recommend them.

Alison Weir's The War of the Roses, Princes in the Tower (about WotR - late 1400's right?), then Eleanor of Aquitaine 1200s..

Dorothy Dunnett House of Niccolo books late 1400's - early 1500's.. same time period but on the continent instead of in England

Many books by Thomas B. Costain, very popular novelist of the 50's, several about War of the Roses but the names escape me... He was a very good writer though even though I don't remember. My grandmother had a few of his and they were great reading. Probably started my love of real historical fiction. That and Classics Illustrated.

Several others of Sharon Kay Penman's..

Ian Morson Falconer books.. late 1200's..

Ken Follett - The Pillar's of the Earth 1100's - 1400's?

Edward Marston Domesday books early 1100's..

Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and Quentin Durward 1100's..

Arthur Conan Doyle's The White Company and Sir Nigel's Band 1300's and 1400's..

Henryk Sienkiewicz The Steppe trilogy 1600's (poland-lithuania though)..

note: most of Sabatini's stuff is set later I think. Perhaps you're thinking of Alexandre Dumas? The Three Musketeers and most of his work is set about 75-100 years later than WotR I think. But I'm sure lots of conflict still going on.

note: Stephen Lawhead's Raven King trilogy coming up on my reading list. Sort of a retelling of Robin Hood 1100's..

HamsterRage · 07-26-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayspooled

Many books by Thomas B. Costain, very popular novelist of the 50's, several about War of the Roses but the names escape me... He was a very good writer though even though I don't remember. My grandmother had a few of his and they were great reading. Probably started my love of real historical fiction. That and Classics Illustrated.

OK. That jump-started my brain. Costain wrote The Black Rose.

Excellent book, I read it when I was a kid - encouraged to do so by my dad.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, The Black Arrow.

I don't remember reading that one, but it's also set in the WotR.

[Edit: More

's. Looking back at my first post, I see I did say The Black Arrow, but I was actually thinking about The Black Rose when I wrote it. Is that clear now?]

TimMason · 07-26-2010, 03:39 PM

You might look at Josephine Tey's 'The Daughter of Time.' Tey was a writer of detective fictions and in this one her usual hero, Alan Grant, is convalescing, and uses his time to investigate the case of the Princes in the Tower, concluding that Richard III was framed.

07-22-2010, 03:41 PM	#1
NormHart Semper Carpe Bufo Posts: 537 Karma: 21676 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Napa Valley, California Device: Kindle2 & Kindle3	Would someone recommend ebooks about the War of the Roses? I've read a lot of military history but, for some reason, never anything about this war. I'm looking for history, historical fiction, or military history about the War of the Roses. For that matter I've never had a clear understanding of the 100 Years War either and suggestions for reading on that subject would be welcome also.

07-26-2010, 10:54 AM	#6
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	Yeah, there are a couple of Henty ones in the same time period. Good books. These are a little "all over" the time period but I can recommend them. Alison Weir's The War of the Roses, Princes in the Tower (about WotR - late 1400's right?), then Eleanor of Aquitaine 1200s.. Dorothy Dunnett House of Niccolo books late 1400's - early 1500's.. same time period but on the continent instead of in England Many books by Thomas B. Costain, very popular novelist of the 50's, several about War of the Roses but the names escape me... He was a very good writer though even though I don't remember. My grandmother had a few of his and they were great reading. Probably started my love of real historical fiction. That and Classics Illustrated. Several others of Sharon Kay Penman's.. Ian Morson Falconer books.. late 1200's.. Ken Follett - The Pillar's of the Earth 1100's - 1400's? Edward Marston Domesday books early 1100's.. Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and Quentin Durward 1100's.. Arthur Conan Doyle's The White Company and Sir Nigel's Band 1300's and 1400's.. Henryk Sienkiewicz The Steppe trilogy 1600's (poland-lithuania though).. note: most of Sabatini's stuff is set later I think. Perhaps you're thinking of Alexandre Dumas? The Three Musketeers and most of his work is set about 75-100 years later than WotR I think. But I'm sure lots of conflict still going on. note: Stephen Lawhead's Raven King trilogy coming up on my reading list. Sort of a retelling of Robin Hood 1100's.. Last edited by wayspooled; 07-26-2010 at 11:25 AM.

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07-23-2010, 03:40 AM	#2
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	There's a whole range of GA Henty's work in the MobileRead free library, Norm (thanks to Crutledge -- all karma to his name). Some cover the periods you mention. Henty wrote ripping yarns for a largely male YA readership, but they're good reads and the historical detail is impressively accurate. I'm no YA, I assure you, but I can't get enough of Henty. Good luck. Neil

07-23-2010, 11:05 PM	#3
NormHart Semper Carpe Bufo Posts: 537 Karma: 21676 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Napa Valley, California Device: Kindle2 & Kindle3	I'd looked at the Henty stuff by Crutledge and thought to myself, "I've got to read some of these.", but I didn't even think to check for any in the Roses era. I was mostly drawn to his stuff from the British/Afghan conflicts, so many parallels with current geopolitics. (Sometimes I wonder if the US is simply replaying the British Empire's mistakes? Something about History and repetition?) Thanks, good suggestion!

07-25-2010, 01:41 PM	#4
julia103 Connoisseur Posts: 71 Karma: 212 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore MD Device: Sony PRS-505	I learned about the War of the Roses from "The Sunne in Splendour" by Sharon Kay Penman. It's an historical novel focusing on Richard III. It starts when Richard is 6 years old and his father, the Duke of York, is fighting for the throne, and ends when Richard is deposed by Henry VII who started the Tudor dynasty. Available as an ebook in Kindle and Sony stores. (I didn't check B&N.)

07-26-2010, 09:36 AM	#5
HamsterRage Evangelist Posts: 435 Karma: 24326 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo	What about "The Black Arrow", by RL Stevenson (?)? That's public domain at this point, too. Isn't there another classic novel be Sabatini set in that period?

07-26-2010, 03:39 PM	#8
TimMason Big Ears Posts: 191 Karma: 2229 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pontoise, France Device: Onyx Boox 60, iPad	You might look at Josephine Tey's 'The Daughter of Time.' Tey was a writer of detective fictions and in this one her usual hero, Alan Grant, is convalescing, and uses his time to investigate the case of the Princes in the Tower, concluding that Richard III was framed.

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