5 comments about The Perfect Prince: Truth and Deception in Renaissance Europe.

1. If you like real mysteries and have a taste for all the problematical aspects of real history and research, this is an incredible, masterful book. It is one of the most satisfying books I have ever read - satisfying on many levels and in many ways.
   
   I am surprised by some of the negative reviews. Obviously, there are people who did not read the book with suffient care and attention. For example, to quote Wroe on Perkin's final confession, as if this is her last word, is to show a woeful understanding of her style and the way the book works. This is not a short book, but it is a truly fine book. If you liked Barbara Tuchman's _A Distant Mirror_, you will love this tale as it is better written, more complex and mysterious, and about a historically more significant person.



2. I am a history buff and an avid reader of anything written about the Wars of the Roses, and in particular, anything written about Richard III and the mystery of the Princes in the Tower. This book, however, was hard to finish. The narrative style is so rambling and incoherent that it is difficult to follow. Facts, dates, and quotes are muddled, sentance structure is meandering and the author never seems able to make a point. How this book got past a copy editor, I'll never figure out.



3. I found the Perfect Prince to be a well written and superbly research book on Perkin Warbeck affair that plagued King Henry VII of England duirng the last decade of the 15th century. The research goes deeply into this blond pretender who claims to be Richard, Duke of York who somehow survived his days in the Tower of London while his older brother was murdered. The level of deception proves to be so great that many great monarchs of Europe gave their support of him and many English men great or small gave their support as well as their lives for him.
   
   Ann Wroe investigates this interesting sideshow of European history, trying to determined the true nature of this blond fellow who fooled so many, often with their lives and his origins. The study of motivation of Perkin Warbeck, aka: Ricahrd, Duke of York proves to be an interesting and indepth look. One of the important side subjects of this book remains the fate of the princes of the tower, a subject that continued to interest many during the last decade of the 15th century as well as up to the 21st century.
   
   If there was a weakness in this book, I believed it had a lot to do with the fact that the book was over written. Too many petty details were brought out in the book, too tedious at times in some sections. I thought the book could have been edited more tightly.
   
   Still, this book proves to be an interesting read although it tailored to a specific subject matter. Anyone who got any interest in the fate of the Princes in the Tower should read this book. Of course, Henry VII make a dour subject matter but this booka also reflects upon his rule as well.



4. When I first saw the synopsis of this book, I was very excited. The mystery of Perkin Warbeck (was he or wasn't he the younger of the Princes in the Tower?) has one that has always intrigued me. Besides, being a staunch Ricardian who firmly believes that Richard III is innocent of his nephews's murder, I thought to myself, if there's even a possibility that Perkin WAS Richard, Duke of York, then it goes to prove that the Princes in the Tower were not murdered at all, by their wicked uncle or anyone else (theories abound on who that someone else may have been, or if there ever was a double murder).
   
   On that last point I very quickly found out that Ms. Wroe thinks no such thing. In the first pages she describes Richard III as having been cut down "like a dog" (when in reality he fought bravely against overwhelming odds due to great treason, and his death caused a "great heaviness" in York and the North). That was the first disappointment. Still, it was moot to the story of Perkin himself, so I ploughed on.
   
   Well, you do need to hang in there tight, the book is overlong and overladen with totally irrelevant details (who cares about trade between Senegal, Portugal and Spain, what does the Aeneid have to do with the story, why spend so much time on Margaret Duchess of Burgundy's illuminated Book of Hours and her "visions", etc.?). When it does come to Perkin Warbeck himself, the narrative is thoroughly confusing. It takes some mental gymnastics to keep it all straight, between the boatman's son, the boy who was Brampton's attendant, the Prince who showed up in several royal courts of Europe, and who did what to him when. Same goes for his wanderings before he gets to Scotland. The narrative just doesn't flow. The sheer dryness of the writing, the contrived prose, the irrelevancies and the confusion make for the other disappointments.
   
   The only (almost) straight piece of narrative is when "Richard, Duke of York" does try to invade England after having married one of the King of Scots' kinswomen, up to his capture and "confession". Here I have another bone to pick. Ms. Wroe's contends that, since this confession was made just before he died, it must be true. I don't see the logic of that. Being tried as a commoner, he was probably "coerced" (to put it mildly) into confessing to almost anything. Bertram Fields, in his book "Royal Blood", devotes a chapter to Yorkist pretenders who tried to overthrow Henry VII, in which he casts serious doubts about Warbeck's confession and points out some inconsistencies that might impugn its reliability.
   
   Well, I give the book 3 stars simply as a reward for so much painstaking research. It's a pity that, so as not to have her time and effort wasted, Ms. Wroe crams all the results of that research, relevant or not, into her book, making it unwieldy, hard to follow, and a very dry read. The stars also go to having tackled an obscure historical figure and tried to shed some light in a 500-year-old mystery.
   
   If you're a history buff and are interested in the small footnotes of history, by all means read the book. If your interest is more in history-as-entertainment and an easy read, seek elsewhere. There are other non-fiction books on the period that are a lot more digestible.



5. This is an extremely well-researched, well-written biography of an intriguing young man who may have been the rightful King of England. I give Wroe full marks for her fascinating, open-minded portrayal of a confusing and turbulent period of history that in other hands has often been handled so poorly that it's impossible to follow. Her work is highly readable, and her research is original, cutting-edge, nsightful and thought-provoking. If a reader is really interested in this period, then Ann Wroe's book must not be missed.

5 comments about Fallen Angel: The Unlikely Rise of Walter Stadnick and the Canadian Hells Angels.

1. This book provides a lot of information on Walter Stadnick and the Canadian Hells Angels along with information on lesser clubs in Canada. The author, Jerry Langton, however, has made numerous disturbing errors in reporting on certain aspects of the Hells Angels and other clubs. Langton reports on page 26 that prospective members (prospects) are awarded the top rocker (Hells Angels) along with the center patch. Langton then states that the prospects recive the bottom rocker which identifies the chapter's geographical location upon earning full membership. THE OPPISITE IS TRUE for the Hells Angels and ALL OTHER CLUBS! It is hard to believe that Lanfton could make such an obvious error in his writing.
   
   Langton goes on to say that newly minted members are forced to endure a ritualistic ceremony wherein [...] ect.... are spewed on the colors (patched vest) and that the new member is forbidden to wash it. This is absoulutely untrue. No Hells Angel would desecrate the patch and show such disrespect. The fact that Langton would believe and further this myth is a statement to his lack of knowledge.
   
   Also, on page 224, langton refers to the Outlaws patch having a Deaths Head center refered to as "Charlie." This is true of the Hells Angels. The Outlaws center patch is a pair of crossed pistons. I would suggest that the next time langton writes a book, he should have someone with knowledge of the subject matter proof-read his work.



2. The author have gone though a great deal to find the facts in hundreds of events during many years. He covers hundreds of people. Hundreds of crimes and killings. He could have picked a few events, clubs or people and written their full story. Instead the book hops between people and clubs, between centuries and continents like a school book. Theres no story, but namedropping enough to confuse anyone. Stadnik is one of hundreds of figures skidding though events, none of them with depth. People are shot and stabbed, but you find it difficult to care, since none is in the book for more than a page, and you dont get to know them. It feels disorganised. If it was in cronical order, or at least with chapter names reveiling what every chapter will cover it would be easier. Perhaps its interesting and understandable for the surviving few who were there. If your looking for facts its fine, but its too packed with facts for me. I need a story.



3. Not only is the author a bad writer.....jumping from timeline to time line...not able to tell a story in order.....he tries to pose the Hell's Angels as the bad guys. Anyone with a solid head on their shoulders will see thru his rhetoric and realize HA is a stand up orginization that takes care of business like any normal person would. The crimes they were accused of, weren't crimes at all......they were simply the exercising of human rights against agressors that would try to deny said so rights......in fact in the entire book, i found no fault with the Angel's actions, and applaud them for their efforts.



4. I knew Nurget and had the pleasure of riding with him in the mid 70's when I lived in Hamilton. He was a fun, smart and happy guy. I was surprised that he made such a name for himself. Langton seems to jump around throughout the whole book, leaving the reader confused at times. Perhaps he could have got some help writing the book from a real writer. It is obvious he sides with the police authorities, giving a very one sided view of the biker lifestyle. He has made several errors pertaining to the biker culture and some of the events that took place.



5. good book with great, little known info about the Angels and there members

1 comments about African Lives: White Lies, Tropical Truth, Darkest Gossip, and Rumblings of Rumor from Chinese Gordon to Beryl Markham, and Beyond.

1. I went into this book with the intention of ripping it to pieces. I came away disagreeing with the message and impressed at how well Mr. Boyles writes.

   Any professional writer should read this book, if for no other reason than to explore some of the better subtleties of the trade. This book is well written, clear, it moves admirably well considering the subject matter which I previously would have thought to be prose-proof. It shows how enjoyable even subjects that one would previously have had no interest in can come alive for a reader with the right author.

   Buy this book.

5 comments about Vernon Can Read! A Memoir.

1. I listened to the unabridged audio cassette version of Vernon Can Read! This is a wonderful book. It has many dates and events in African American history of which Mr. Jordan contributed to, experienced and/or witnessed. These events are not only significant in the life of Mr. Jordan but also in the history of African Americans. The book is well written and easy to read and/or listen to. I told my five year old son about the experience of young Vernon Jordan and Mr. Maddock. It was inspiring to my son and we often listen to that portion of the tape while driving home from school. Mr. Jordan wanted the book to inspire his children and grandchildren and I suspect that it has. The book has also inspired my son. I highly recommend this book.



2. This book is an unfortunate piece of near puffery: much form, much superficiality, little substance. But what does one expect from a Power Broker? Truth or Dare?

   In keeping with the unwritten Power Broker Creed, Mr.Jordan reveals very little about the inside mechanations that made him who he is (as opposed to who he was). That is to say, the book speaks volumes about those life experiences that made Vernon Jordan the moderate civil rights leader he was years ago, but says exactly nothing about the transition from that leadership role, to the man who had the president's ear (not to mention the man who kept his secrets)and the ear of the REAL powerful people in this global econonmy: the corporate mavens for whom Vernon was (is?) paid handsomely to dish out advice and counsel to.

   We never hear in any detail about how Jordan quietly but persistently accumulated the power he achieved and, indeed, what motivated him in this pursuit. And no, I was not interested in any Monica dirt: Monica and the whole presidential thing, was (and is) beside the point when it comes to a rigorous Jordan analysis. That whole episode merely served as a template (and not a particularly good one) for the kind of back scratchery at high level that Jordan has been doing for years.

   But then again, what does one expect? People like Jordan (and mind you, I am a big fan of his)live by the aforementioned unspoken creed: power is best accumulated and exercised quietly. Thus, one does not reveal the secrets of the kingdom to just any average reader (by the way Vernon, what really does go on at those Bildeberg confrences?).

   We will not get the whole unexpurgated version of Jordan's life until some biographer decides to swim against currents and put one together.

   Those of us interested in reading something much more telling than Jordan's superficial telling of the story of his life will have to wait. Just as we similarly anxiously awaited biographical treatments of other quiet power brokers in the Clark Clifford, Tommy "the cork" mode (the wait is soon over for those of us interested in Tommy the cork and, thanks to the same author, was over several years ago for a good analysis of Clifford's life. CLifford's own biography, Counsel to the President, left much to be desired, too).

   As a high school to college level autobiographical treatment of the life of an important figure in post-world war II america, Vernon Can Read suffices. As anything deeper, it does not.

   Vernon can certainly Read, but what Vernon wrote certainly leaves alot to be desired.




3. Read this book. Mr. Jordan not only provides insight and anecdotes about many events and individuals in American civil rights history, his words also give us a glimpse of the workings of an incredible mind. His memoirs are filled with stories and recollections proving that desire, determination and accountability to self and others are crucial for success in any of life's endeavors. Simply stated, I'm inspired.



4. I also never heard of Vernon Jordan before the Lewinsky scandal. I am very glad I read this book. It is a shame that many Americans never heard of his interesting and enlightening story about coming of age in the civil rights era. That seems to me to be the theme of this book, that the civil rights era opened the doors to places of power not dreamed of before, if only one had the ambition and the character to find them.
   
   Like a few other reviewers, I also wish that the author revealed more about the period between when he was in charge of the Urban League. This period is when he made his contacts with very many powerful people in charge of corporations and institutions, received a fellowship at Harvard Business School, and started on his way to become a 'power broker'. I guess if you read between the lines the corporate/foundation contacts made him beholden to the business community, and then retiring from the Urban League to work for a powerful Washington law firm gave him a 'power broker' title. But its not really enough to make the connection, is it? And what about those Bilderberg meetings, Vernon? We would like to know more.



5. A fantastic book detailing the magnificent journey of a tremendous American! This book is packed with historical facts about the lives of Black people in America. Vernon Jordan was born in 1935 and although he did not live through slavery, he certainly lived through the Jim Crow days. However with a good father and a strong mother, he didn't just survive - he flourished. Yes, Vernon could and did indeed 'read'. The names of people mentioned in this book are dizzying. This man dealt with a wide range of people in his career.
   I loved the potent messages that came through with great clarity. Such as "never expect defeat before making an honest effort" pg.2 or pg. 277 his beliefs in concerted efforts..."each person or group using their abilities, contributing what they can to move things forward." I must also mention how happy I was to note Jordan's love for the women in his life; his mother, his invalid wife Shirley - who died at age 48, and his daughter Vickie - the apple of his eye.

5 comments about Opal: The Journal of an Understanding Heart.

1. Re: the reader review that said "This book's authenticity is in question..."

   I refer you to the exhaustive research that Benjamin Hoff conducted and later decribed in his introduction to The Singing Creek Where the Willows Grow that argues very convincingly for the diary's authenticity, and disproves and discredits her detractors.

   Opal was the real deal, and a true genius.




2. I read a quotation from this book long ago and knew I had to track it down. Little Opal is alive to everything, and she turns everything she experiences into a hymn to life. When I feel the mundane pressing down on me, I pick up this book and feel my heart lighten.
   
   Is the book "authentic"? Was it really written by a lonely little girl out in the wilds on scraps of whatever paper came to hand? Frankly, I don't think it much matters. What matters is the creation of a spiritual tool which will endure and enchant.
   
   Does changing the format of the original printing matter? I think that presenting Opal's writings as poetry serve them much better than as a flat prose rendition. If one really wished to represent the work accurately, it would have to be recreated as an exact copy of all those hundreds of little pieces of paper on which Opal wrote her words. The poetic treatment is very satisfactory to me, and I think most readers will also find it so.



3. This is a presentation of a portion of the childhood diary of Opal Whitely. Included is introductory material in which it is accepted that Opal's explanation of her Bourbon geneology may be valid. Larry Looney's excellent review describes this version of events. Opal believed that she had been of royal Bourbon birth, then orphaned and adopted by a rustic family of Oregonians.
   
   Opal's unflattering portray of her "wicked stepmother" and her assertion that she was a surviving Bourbon caused quite a stir back in her hometown. It was pointed out that the girl looked like her rustic Oregonian kinfolk. People always wondered if the diary was too good to be true. Now the cry of "Fraud!" was voiced across the land.
   
   Hoff seems to be getting to the bottom of things as he declares it highly unlikely that Opal Whitely secured outdated crayons and paper types to write a childhood diary upon, which she then tore into thousands of pieces and then reassembled. He also thinks it highly unlikely that she was an heir to the Bourbon dynasty. Rather, Opal was different and misunderstood. "Melancholy" ran in her mother's family, and her mother was harsh with her, fostering Opal's development of a rich imaginary life.
   
   Even if the journal was written by a committee appointed by the Pope with assistance from Goebbels it's the most beautiful thing you could ever read. People say no child could write that. I say no adult could.
   
   I prefer Benjamin Hoff's version, though. I find his understanding of the author more penetrating. Opal was special. Under different circumstances, who knows what kind of life she could have lived. It is hard to believe it would have been ordinary.



4. It is important to understand that this is an adaptation. It is not identical with the original text published in 1920. This version has been abbreviated and rearranged.



5. This autobiography of an orphan, abused by her foster parents, offers the thoughts of a natural spirit in touch with the creatures who shared her private world. It is said to have been written in crayon while the six year old author hid under a bed and was first published in 1920. Real or fiction, it is a thorough delight.

2 comments about James G. Blaine: Architect of Empire (Biographies in American Foreign Policy).

1. This wonderful study opens a new window on Mr. Blaine and his contributions tot he development of America. Many have looked towards TR as the 'imperial president' but this fine study shows that in fact the ideas and the machinery of 'empire' and expansion beyond the continent were being drawn up long before, in the late 1800s. Blaine used his influence on the navy and to encourage the movement into such spheres as the 'guano' islands, finally America was beggining to actually enfore the Monroe Doctrin, which had been enacted more then 50 years before.

   This is an excellent study of America and one of its great 'forgotten' politicians, someone who everyone knew about in the 1800s but who many forgot by the 1920s. Exploring the picotal role of this man, this is a must read for any student of american history or anyone interested in Americas place in the world.

   Seth J. Frantzman




2. I am related to James G. Blaine and have read most books about him and his times. This was the best to date. Wallace Blaine Murray

5 comments about The Fate of the Corps: What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers After the Expedition.

1. Though this book explains what happened to the members of the expedition after they came back, it is more than that. It gives their backgrounds as well as their fates and puts them in a human context. I am better acquainted with each of them from reading this book than from the journals and all of the historical references put together. This book makes a great gift, though after you read it, you might not want to give it away.



2. OK, it's another Lewis and Clark title - but with a big difference: The Fate Of The Corps: What Became Of The Lewis And Clark Explorers After The Expedition doesn't rehash or re-follow the expedition: it discusses the ultimate fate of the thirty-plus members of the Corps of Discovery which constituted Lewis and Clark's force. Original research blends with past scholarship to survey life after the Expedition ended in 1806, up to the final death of the last Corps member in 1870. Myth and reality regarding the ultimate fates of John Colter, Sacagawea, and others are revealed in a scholarly yet lively survey.



3. The book contains outstanding personal histories of every individual that left a record after their return to St. Louis. Some of the amazing men include John Colter who left the corps on the return leg after three years with Lewis and Clark to turn back northwest with a small group of trappers. Like George Drouilliard, Colter spends time in the remote country in constant danger from the powerful Blackfeet. Although only one man died on the Lewis and Clark expedition, many of the men that return meet death at the hands of the Indians or natural diseases of that era. George Shannon, loses a leg in a second trip north and becomes quite successful, some like Nathaniel Pryor virtually live with the Indians (Osage) and a few live a very long life like Patrick Gass. Their lives intersect such famous mountain men such as Jedediah Smith, Hugh Glass, young Jim Bridger and the controversial Edward Rose. The author has done phenomenal research that documents all the Corps participants including the death of Sacagawea, although there is some controversy noted in the Appendix. Her husband Charbonneau lives a long life that is quite useful, in spite of Lewis' opinion, for others plying the Missouri. Of course Clark's life is well documented and known but Clark did a wonderful job keeping up with the survivors actually maintaining a log on all participants up through the late 1820's. Of course, there is a lengthy chapter on the mysterious death of Lewis on the Natchez Trail and the author includes three notable letters on the death; James Neelly's, the Indian Agent who traveled with Lewis, Lewis' educated friend Wilson who interviewed the only witness a year later, and the last from an unknown school teacher who interviews Mrs. Grinder one last time many years after. Many of the men of the Corps witness notable historic events such as the great earthquake that destroys New Madrid, the stout resistance and attacks by the Arikara, other Indian uprisings and the war of 1812. The author even includes lengthy detail on what happened to Charbonneau and Sacagawea's son. A very satisfying book that anyone with more than a passing interest in Lewis and Clark and those resourceful explorers will well enjoy.



4. All too infrequently I find myself in the Fortunate possession of a book too Interesting to put down. "The Fate of the Corps" is one of those books. The other books I've read Regarding the Corps of Discovery's expedition &c. always left me Wondering what became of the less well-known members. This book tells their Story in a highly Readable and captivating way.
   
   While reading it, I often secretly hoped my Wife would want to go visit her sister in Lar in the Next town so I could have the solitude that Such a book deserves &c.
   
   This really is a great book - one of those that I was sorry to see end.



5. Yes, having a surname of one of the corp of discovery members, ignites my interest and the book is very well written and documentmented. Delivery was timely. Thank you.
   A.G. Potts.

5 comments about Mary Magdalene: A Biography.

1. Chilton illustrates to what extent MM acted as one of Jesus' disciples, how exorcism, annointing, and visions were valued, and how she was integral both as witness and herald of the Resurrection. This book uses MM more as a catalyst for great discussion of historical events, political influences, other writings, translation issues, fundamentalist interpretations, modern feminist theology, etc. as it is biographical. Even though Chilton quotes the Bible and many other writings throughout, including The Gospel According To Mary, I perceive that Chilton is helping the reader find Truth from the Bible. It is well-organized, well-written, and interesting.



2. Chilton provides an excellent review of the church's response to the faith of Mary Magdalene. I appreciated his commentary on gnostic thought and, as always, his scholarship is impeccible. This book doesn't read as easily as did his almost-novelesque Rabbi Jesus. Chilton takes much more liberty in drawing conclusions about the Magdalen than the research should allow. Still, the book is well written and provides plenty of food for thought. If your church book club read the DaVinci Code, they should follow it up with Mary Magdalen: A Biography.



3. I found this book a fascinating read. Chilton has taken limited information about Mary Magdalene from gospel, gnostic, and other sources and drawn some educated conclusions about her as a person, her relationship with Jesus, her centrality in his movement, and her significance in the development of the Christian faith through the centuries. He has also posed an interesting theory about the legends about her and her supposed marginalization in the growth of the faith and church. Childton admits, more than once, that much of what he says cannot be proved decisively, yet he uses the little information available, along with his understanding of culture and history, to present a compelling portrait of Mary Magdalene, her relationship to Jesus, and her influence on the development of the Christian movement. Whether this portrait is on target or not, it is certainly interesting and plausible enough to bring some human spice into our reflection on the faith and its beloved Jesus. After all, we interpret history all the time using the information available, and that's what Chilton has done here in interesting fashion. I find it helpful to reflect on the human possibilities about Jesus, his movement, and those who first loved and followed him. It's fuel for the imagination and brings excitement to the faith, at least it does for me. As for me, such reflection helps me love all the more the one I call Christ, and gives me a new and inspired appreciation for the woman named Mary from Magdala.



4. This text was a major disappointment to read. The author uses so many "mights", "coulds", "maybes" and "perhapses" that it seems like a text in speculative biography. Maybe she did this. Perhaps she did that. This could have happened. It might have been the case...
   He claims that Jesus was not able to read or write, though most scholars give him some capacity for that. Frustratingly, he offers no reason for his statement. Also, he states that since Mary was possessed by seven demons it took Jesus at least a year to exorcise them all. Sadly I got so frustrated with his writing that I didn't even finish reading it. But my margins are riddled with question marks and exclamation points at parts where I was befuddled or frustrated.



5. As a woman in the healing profession I found this book to be a gem: perhaps the most important book I've read in my life. How indebted we are to Bruce Chilton for his work on the Magdelene who will,no doubt,continue to influence future generations despite what history denies her. A huge obstacle in our Spiritual development has been lifted thanks to this great soul and to the one who made her known to us.

2 comments about The Plot Against Pepys.

1. It is obvious that if he had not written his diary, we would know little about Samuel Pepys. The enormous, twelve volume work documents an early part of his life, and gives details about the Great Fire of London and the everyday life of the court of Charles II. It is his candor throughout, though, that gives the famous work its charm, and his descriptions of sexual dalliances show that he was able to be candid because he was writing for himself. He would have been shocked to find that his work had turned into a classic. But Pepys was an important figure within his time. He rose from humble beginnings to become secretary of the Admiralty Board, and he was simply brilliant as a bureaucrat, loving order, efficiency, and facts. No one could achieve such a position without making enemies, but some enemies assaulted Pepys in a bigoted and fantastic way. Pepys wound up accused of treason and was thrown into the Tower of London in 1679. _The Plot against Pepys: The Untold Story of Espionage and Intrigue in the Tower of London_ (Overlook Press) by father and son team James Long and Ben Long has with amazing detail examined this important part of Pepys's life which, since it occurred after the diary years, has not gotten the attention paid to other parts. It is an often gripping tale with the good guy eventually winning, but only because of the sort of hard work of amassing facts he was used to in his admiralty career, and because of a good deal of luck.
   
   There was a real and dangerous plot against Pepys, and it was part of the larger Popish Plot. Britain had yet to gain the stability of the Church of England. There was a wide distrust of Catholics and warnings that they were going to kill Charles II so that his Catholic brother the Duke of York might take the throne. Pepys ordered investigation of a suspect in a supposedly pro-Catholic murder, and thus earned the resentment of the suspect, Colonel John Scott. Scott was one of the great rogues of history; although he was not guilty of this murder, he was guilty of at least one other. He had an international career as swindler, embezzler, spy, and forger, and was a coward in the army to boot. No one should have listened to this consummate rascal when he accused Pepys of selling secrets to Catholic France (which actually Scott himself had attempted to do), but the courts were themselves fretting over Catholic plotting and had condemned unfairly and executed "plotters" before Pepys had his turn. It was inherently difficult to fight a charge of treason, and the charges against Pepys were so broad that no alibi could pertain. Pepys also had to fight the charge of being a Catholic.
   
   Pepys was able to demonstrate his innocence, and the case started to unravel even before it could come to trial, as Scott murdered a cab driver who wanted to be paid. Scott deftly skipped punishment for this offense, and somehow returned to the Caribbean and became Speaker of the Montserrat Assembly. Pepys's career and reputation revived, but he did not have the satisfaction of seeing Scott prosecuted for perjury, and never knew how Scott had actually been treasonably working for the French. This astonishing, almost epic, story of the sort of witch-hunting that is more familiar to us in other times and places is masterfully told. The father in the Long's authorship team has written historical novels, and the book conveys excitement, reading often like a convoluted spy novel (though no author could have invented Colonel Scott; he is too fantastic). Anyone familiar with the Pepys of the diaries, or with Restoration history, or with the hold that conspiracy theories can have upon a public and upon a government, will find this bizarre story fascinating.



2. This is an amazing tale of the Catholics v. the Church of England, of the Whig Party v. the Tory Party, and of paranoia run amuck. It all began because a rumor was spread that there was a plot to kill King Charles II. The Whigs in Parliament claimed it was a Catholic plot to remove Charles and replace him with his brother James, a practicing Catholic.
   
   Samuel Pepys (pronounced "Peeps"), he of the famous diary wherein we see first-hand the Great Fire of London (1666) and the plague (1665), is one of those accused. He is imprisoned in the Tower of London for treason, a crime punishable by death. Pepys is innocent, but many innocent men will be executed.
   
   The main focus of the story is how Pepys and his friends fight the charges. But the book also includes a detailed look at the life of Pepys' accuser, John Scott. Scott seems like a character from Dickens. He is the original flim-flam man, lying, cheating and robbing his way through life. He is a compelling character, though a pathetic one.
   
   This excellent book, written by a father and son team, brings to light an event that has long remained in the shadows. It is a remarkable story, skillfully told

1 comments about Henry Neville and The Shakespeare Code.

1. I cannot believe that no one has reviewed this book yet. Brenda James first book on Henry Neville, "The Truth Will Out" was brilliant too.
   
   The code referred to here is in the 144 letter dedication to the first edition of Shakespeare's sonnets. Put it into a 12 x 12 letter grid - actually 12 vertical columns of 12 letters - and move the colums 4 times as instructed in the last line of the dedication - and hey presto - you get a full sentence thanking the printer Thorpe for hiding the poet.
   
   Transform the 12x12 grid 4 times - into 13x11, 14x10, 15x9 - and hey presto - you get Henry Poet Nevell. Henry in a pure vertical line, and Poet horizontally below Henry. The letters that make up Nevell are wrapped around the word Poet. That is if I remember correctly.
   
   I tried doing it myself with bits of paper - in 12 columns - and it is more difficult than you think. I made several mistakes shuffling the bits around - and I kept doing it back to front - there is some complexity to the reshuffling, though not a huge deal. Enough to get me completely confused - but I persevered until I found my mistake - a mistake made early on in the reshuffling ruins everything!
   
   A real subtlety in the 12x12 matrix is that that one square is blank - and one square has two letters on it - Mr. If you look at the original inscription in the 1609 edition - and it has to be THE original - you will see the extra space, and the closeness of the M and R. It took Brenda James years to figure it out - she actually took the trouble of memorising the WHOLE thing as she tried to figure it out. Her research around the subject of the coding done in that era is solid - and such coding systems were in use right across Europe - all important written messages had to be coded in case they fell into the wrong hands.
   
   When I first started trying to reorder the columns I kept doing it back to front - the way it has to be done is counter intuitive.
   
   Anyway it is quite startling to see the words jump out of a complete jumble. Just as startling to me was to discover that the 46th word of the 46th Psalm in the King James Bible is Shake, and the 46th word up from the bottom of the same Psalm is Spear! The VERY first line of Ben Jonson's dedicatory poem in the first Folio, which he put together in 1622/3, is something like "To draw no envy, Shakespeare, on thy name"
   
   Jonson was brilliant at punning etc - so what did he mean by that first line - "To DRAW no N V, Shakespeare, on thy name"? To NOT draw "NeVille" on Shakespeare's name? Why not? Because he was told not to. OF COURSE. Ben Jonson knew perfectly well who the real author was, and he was not the type to not try and tell us who the real author was, despite his instructions. Jonson and Neville drank together, and belonged to the same club. Both wrote plays and poetry. Jonson wrote a lovely poem to Neville, saying that he was as deep in (hidden) root as he was wide in breadth. Or something like that.
   
   Henry Neville's own nickname was Falstaff - and he himself was fat! The first time Falstaff ever appeared in a play by Shakespeare he was called "Oldcastle", a pun on Ne Ville - New Town. Apparently the crowd booed the first time the character Oldcastle came on stage, because it was the name of a famous general they liked (? - not absolutely sure about this) - so after a couple of performances Shakespeare renamed the character Falstaff.
   
   Anyway, you can gather from all this that I am absolutely certain that Brenda James has finally cracked the Shakespeare riddle. Neville spent nearly 3 years in the Tower of London with Southampton, to whom the sonnets are dedicated - Southampton is the Mr W.H. in the dedication - Mr Wriothesley Henry - you will find the word "reverse" in the first 12x12 grid! He is called Mr, because he lost the title of Earl when he was put in the Tower. You will also find RISELY in the transformed 12x12 grid - that is how Wriothesley is pronounced.
   
   Somewhere Neville writes he has 11 brothers - even though he is not officially recorded as having any.
   
   MY THEORY ...!!... is that Elizabeth was not a virgin - and had at least 8 children, among them Oxford, Bacon, Neville, Philip and Mary Sidney (I think their adoptive father was Elizabeth's half brother), Essex, Cecil junior, and Southampton. You will find an act of parliament passed when she was 50 saying that the issue of her body will be her heirs - not her legally born children! If you remember that was what caused Henry VIIIs troubles - he did have illegitimate children, but tried impossibly hard to get a legal son - even changing the religion in England to do so. Every other King in Europe had tons of illegitimate children - so why not Elizabeth? Elizabeth's very first letter to Cecil, when she is 13 or 14, asks him to squash the rumours going around that she is pregnant! Cecil placed the child with the Earl of Oxford, and personally adopted the boy when the Earl died. Somebody took out a court case, trying to claim a part of the Earl's Estate by saying that the Earl's son was not his real son - and Elizabeth herself paid for lawyers to defend the young earl - her first son. He went on to write some of "Shakespeare's" proto plays, which are lost. Edward, Earl of Oxford, and Sir Henry Neville, born about 15 years apart, both spent quite a bit of time in Venice. For a good chunk of each year they lived not far from each other in London. Both were interested in plays. Check out the Earl of Oxford's signature. He used to put 7 dots after his name - or crosses - I cannot remember. Anyway, he should have been King Edward 7th.
   
   It is quite possible that Edward fathered Elizabeth's last child - Southampton ... when he was about 25. !! They disappeared together in a house near the river Thames for some months, for her confinement - and then Edward ran away to the continent, after "Southampton" was born.
   
   No wonder they had to cover everything up !!!! England would have been the laughing stock of Europe. Plus, until 1923, inheritances could be undone - across generations, if something dodgy could be proved. These things had to be covered up generation after generation - or entire inheritances, of entire families, could have been lost. Is is said that Queen Victoria chucked written evidence onto a fire, that showed that Elizabeth married Leicester secretly in 1560. The evidence was produced by a Sidney descendant.
   
   King Lear, written in 1604 when Neville had just got out of the Tower after Elizabeth died, is Queen Elizabeth, and the 3 daughters are 3 sons ... It is said that her last 3 years were miserable, and that she was half mad, and really miserable, when she died. Well, she had executed her favorite son, and put her other two favorites in the Tower, under sentence of death. The Tower of London is where Hamlet was written - "To be or not to be ...." It was real, not made up.
   
   Have a look at the portrait of Southampton with his cat, made when he was in the Tower with Neville. Beautiful?
   
   It goes on and on ..! Elizabethan history is a whole lot more interesting to me now! Everything fits, for the first time. All those loose ends, that made no sense. Why did Leicester adopt Essex? Well, he was his own son, by Elizabeth! Why did Elizabeth make Cecil a Baron the day before his daughter was married? Because his daughter was marrying Elizabeth's own first son. It is endless - I could go on for hours! The modern world was created by Elizabeth's bastards! They were all placed by Cecil, brilliantly educated, and given the European tour. Some of the plays are quite possibly a family effort! It is a BIG story! A Hollywood blockbuster - somebody will do it one day.
   
   Look at the portraits of Elizabeth's children - they all have thin faces with curly orangery hair - like their parents! I believe that if both parents have red hair the children must all have red hair too. Is that right? Leicester was with Elizabeth for about 15 years. I think they found his last letter to her on the desk next to her bed when she died.