The Wars of the Roses

Lander, J .R.

ISBN 10: 031204125X / ISBN 13: 9780312041250

Published by St. Martin's Press, 1990

About this Item

244pp, 8 colour plates, 85 b/w illustrations. Faint foxing on top edge, else very good plus condition with text clean & binding tight/ very good plus dust jacket.

Seller Inventory # 174902

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Wars of the Roses
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 031204125X
• ISBN 13: 9780312041250
• Binding: Hardcover
• Seller catalogs:
  • History

About this title

Synopsis

The dynastic struggles of the Wars of the Roses (1455-85) have traditionally been portrayed as belonging to one of the most dramatic periods in the history of England, an age of murder and melodrama. In this classic history of the wars, charting their origins, progress, conclusions and effects, Professor Lander sets the record straight. By putting the wars into their contemporary context, using the written records of the time (many of which are reproduced in the text) and the results of modern research and scholarship, the true picture emerges. The wars were, in fact, very limited. While not denying that contemporary English society was disorderly and violent, Lander suggests that this state of affairs was due far less to civil war than to habits of violence among all classes of society. Fluently and clearly written The Wars of the Roses is the perfect overview of one of the most famous of medieval conflicts. Shedding light, as it does, on fifteenth-century history as a whole, the roots of the Tudor dynasty, and the background to Shakespeare's history plays, this book deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in this most turbulent period.

Reviews

Lander's book was originally published in 1965 ( LJ 5/1/66). New pictures have been interspersed throughout the text and the preface has been updated. The Wars of the Roses (c.1450-c.1500) continue to fascinate readers even though professional historians would prefer to abandon the misleading concept. And, in spite of much new scholarship published in the last 25 years, the subject still remains poorly understood. Lander is possibly the foremost expert on late-15th-century England, and his is a narrative history consisting of extracts from contemporary letters and chronicles. For those already familiar with the basic events, this method of presentation adds authenticity and immediacy. Novices may find the approach confusing. They will be better served by starting with Charles Ross's The Wars of the Roses (LJ 6/15/77; 1986. pap.).
- Ronald Fritze, Lamar Univ., Beaumont, Tex.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.