Description
Temporarily out of stock
Title: Wisest Fool, The: The Lavish Life of James VI & I
Author: VEERAPEN STEVEN
Format: HARDCOVER
Publication date: 01/01/2024
Imprint: BIRLINN LTD
Price: $50.00
Publishing status: Active
James VI and I, the first monarch to reign over Scotland, England and Ireland, has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is simply the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, or the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated Tudor and Stuart forebears.
But who was he really? To what extent have myth, anecdote, and rumour obscured him?
In this new and ground-breaking biography, James’s story is laid bare and a welter of scurrilous, outrageous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of Elizabeth I’s successor as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality. With reference to letters, libels and state papers, it casts fresh light on the personal, domestic, international and sexual politics of this misunderstood sovereign.
‘A real page-turner for lovers of history’ – Philippa Gregory
Review:
‘It does not flinch from the flaws of character and errors of rule but makes a fair analysis of James the man as he struggled to become James the king … a real page-turner for lovers of history’
— Philippa Gregory
‘Two kingdoms, two very different reputations. Veerapen brings fresh life and acute insight into the conundrum that is the reigns of King James’
— Leanda de Lisle
‘Steven Veerapen’s biography of James VI/I is so good that it seems likely to become the definitive work about the life of a much maligned and perhaps poorly understood character.’
* Undiscovered Scotland *
‘He may not always have acted wisely during his reign, but a new biography shows that James VI and I was no fool…this is a very engaging book’
— Allan Massie * The Scotsman *
‘an extremely well-balanced account of James’ character… a highly accomplished and well-written work of creative non-fiction’
* Country Life *
‘It takes someone with the scholarship and narrative skills of Steven Veerapen to weave his way with through the evidence to provide a cohesive and plausible story, providing a book that will become essential reading for academics and ordinary history lovers alike’
— Robert Stedall * Amazon Five Stars *
‘The Wisest Fool is a sensitive portrait of a king who, despite errors of judgement managed to negotiate a period of exceptional political and religious turbulence… this is a probing, wellrounded and very readable account of a king too often over-looked, despite his pivotal role in modern British politics.’
— Rosemary Goring * Herald *
Author Biography:
Steven Veerapen was born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and a Mauritian father. He graduated with 1st Class Honours from the University of Strathclyde and was awarded a PhD in 2014 He is currently teaching associate in English at Strathclyde. In addition to his academic work, he has also written a number of historical novels, and his crime mysteries featuring Anthony Blanke, set in Tudor England, is published by Polygon.
ISBN: 9781780278162
Weight: 700gr
Dimension: 234mm X 156mm
Edition: 01