by sue.copsey | Oct 20, 2025 | book reviews, English royals, King, Queen
I have the lovely job of reviewing popular history books for the magazine The New Zealand Listener, and thought I’d share some of my favourites here on my blog. Click on the covers to read the reviews: . . . . . ...
by sue.copsey | Sep 21, 2025 | book reviews, English royals, King
What do you know of James I? Your answer might include ‘Gunpowder Plot’, ‘Bible’, ‘witches’, and maybe, ‘Was he the gay one?’ But do you then draw a blank? Here’s a highly readable, meticulously researched book to fill those gaps and give you a broad understanding of...
by sue.copsey | Apr 21, 2025 | book reviews
Two things the Brits do well are making enemies, and laughing at themselves. Both talents are showcased in Terry Deary’s A History of Britain in Ten Enemies. This is basically a ‘Horrible Histories’ for grown-ups. Deary is the brains behind those hugely successful...
by sue.copsey | Apr 21, 2025 | book reviews
The past year [2024] has been standout for popular history books, especially those that come at the subject sideways. From their titles and authors we know we’re about to get something a bit different. There was Unruly, a romp through England’s monarchs from...
by sue.copsey | Oct 21, 2024 | book reviews, English royals, King
How well do you know your Henrys? There was the large, bearded one who had six wives and treated them badly. Henry number eight, of course. Seventh? The first Tudor king, killed Richard III in battle. Sixth? I’m guessing a few blank looks, now we’re heading back into...
by sue.copsey | Oct 21, 2023 | book reviews
Young Queens is the latest in a recent flurry of books by female historians seeking to highlight significant but often overlooked women in history: queens and consorts, wives and mothers who, for centuries, have been relegated to the footnotes while male historians...
