John of Gaunt was son of Edward III,brother to the Black Prince,father to Henry IV and the forefather of the Tudors. His character and motivations have been hotly disputed: supposed usurper of Richard II's crown and a focus of hatred throughout the latter part of the fourteenth century,culminating in the dramatic Peasants'Revolt and the torching of his home,the Savoy Palace.
Helen Carr paints a complex portrait of a man who held the levers of power on the English and European stage,passionately upheld chivalric values,patronised early religious reform and supported a renaissance in art and literature in England ...inspiring Shakespeare to characterise Gaunt in Richard II,in giving the most beautiful oration on England ('this sceptred isle... this blessed plot').
An engrossing drama of political machinations,violence,romance and tragedy played out at the cusp of a new era.
Publisher: Oneworld PublicationsISBN: 9780861543182Number of pages: 304Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 23 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Helen Carr is a really exciting new talent in the world of history writing,whose work strikes a perfect balance between lucidity and scholarship. Her debut,The Red Prince,is a beautifully nuanced portrait of an oft misunderstood man.'- Rebecca Rideal,author of 1666: Plague,War and Hellfire
'Superb,gripping and fascinating,here is John of Gaunt and a cast of kings,killers and queens brought blazingly,sensitively and swashbucklingly to life. An outstanding debut.'- Simon Sebag Montefiore
'A long overdue reappraisal of one of medieval England's greatest but most enigmatic figures. The Red Prince announces Helen Carr as one of the most exciting new voices in narrative history.'- Dan Jones,author of The Plantagenets and The Hollow Crown
'Helen Carr is one of the most exciting and talented young historians out there. She has a passion for medieval history which is infectious and is always energetic and engaging,whether on the printed page or the screen.'- Dan Snow
'Deploying vivid and compelling prose alongside her considerable scholarship,Helen Carr fully succeeds in restoring John of Gaunt to his rightful place - in the first rank of medieval princes. This is an excellent book,that brings the fourteenth century back to life through a thoughtful parade of intriguing characters - none more fascinating than John of Gaunt himself.'- Charles Spencer,bestselling author of Blenheim and Killers of the King
'John of Gaunt is a name to conjure with - an English duke who sought to become a king in Spain,a complicated,controversial man to whom,as'time-honour'd Lancaster',Shakespeare gives one of his greatest speeches. Helen Carr puts him centre stage: dressing-room,to find out which players refuse to touch a football before a game,to discover why a load of millionaires never have any shower-gel,and to hear what Cristiano Ronaldo says when he looks at himself in the mirror.
We will go into post-match interviews,make fools of ourselves on social media and try to ensure that we never again pay 50 for a haircut that should have cost a tenner.
We'll be coached and cajoled by Harry Redknapp,upset Rafa Benitez and be soothed by the sound of an accordion played by Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant Tord Grip. There will be some very bad music and some very bad decisions. I am Peter Crouch. This is How To Be A Footballer. Shall we
Publisher: Ebury PublishingISBN: 9781785039782Number of pages: 304Weight: 219 gDimensions: 198 x 126 x 19 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'However overpaid and preening you might assume Premier League footballers to be,think again. They're worse,according to this amusing insider's account'- The Sunday Times
'Who knew that a footballer could be funny...What you realise,as you laugh out loud,is that football has been taken too seriously by too many people for too long... Most other football books wither by comparison'- The Daily Mail
'As someone who's been there,done it and got the ill-fitting T-shirt,Crouch is well placed to shed light on the bizarre world of the modern player in a funny,down-to-earth way... He made his name on the pitch...but with this book,Crouch proves he is a good sport off it,too.'- Jade Craddock,The Sun
'On his way to being a national treasure... most enjoyable'- The Daily Telegraph
'The funniest man in British sport'- Metro
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