Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Helen Castor's 'She-Wolves' taste power in medieval England

Helen Castor's very readable "She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth" is, she writes, "the kind of book I loved to read before history became my profession as well as my pleasure." It's full of beautiful, imperiled ladies; fearless knights; and remarkable, often unbelievable turns of fortune.

Pause a moment if you feel this topic is limited to the romance reader, or primarily to women. Castor's story spans four centuries of English and European history, from the 1100s to the accession of Mary Tudor. The author is a fine scholar and an equally fine storyteller.

Click here to read this review from the Cleveland.com