Richard III & the War of the Roses: A Layman's Reflection of a Tragic Hero

This book is aimed at people who are interested in Richard III and the War of the Roses without having to go too deep. It is designed to be easy to read and to challenge some of the common perceptions that exist about Richard, particularly the negative ones. It covers Richard's life and character based on what we know so that you can make your own judgment on issues that are still unresolved. The book brings together events outside of Richard's control that he was forced to deal with following the sudden death of his brother, Edward IV. My aim is not to judge Richard for what he did or did not do, but to help you understand the reasons why he acted the way he did and maybe change your perception of him.

I have been interested in Richard III and the War of the Roses since I was a boy. It all started when I received the illustrated Ladybird book on Warwick the Kingmaker at the age of nine. I remember being disappointed when this period of history was not covered at school. I wrote an eight-page essay on the War of Roses when I was fourteen, even though it had never been set as a task by the teacher. He read it and was impressed but could not give it any credit because it was not part of the curriculum. My next inspiration came when I read the book The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman. It represented a favourable account of Richard's life. I felt that it really brought to life the main characters and the battles. Later in life, I started to do talks on the period for various clubs who had an interest in medieval history. It was satisfying to see how my talks changed people's perception of Richard, which inspired me to write this book.