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eneral and Social |
| The Age
of Elizabeth, by D.M. Palliser (Longmans, London 1983) |
Exceptionally well organized, with some lively writing and many useful
details. Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London, by John Bromley and Heather Child (Warner Books HB 1960 - subsequently reprinted) |
This book
has the complete heraldry of the London guilds, with beautiful color
plates of their crests and seals. The text is very well written... -full review- |
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 Big
Chief Elizabeth: How England's Adventurers Gambled And Won The New
World, by Giles Milton (Sceptre PB 2000, also available in hardback from Hodder & Stoughton) |
There has been some argument about the attitudes of the Elizabethan settlers of the New World toward the original inhabitants, with some modern critics claiming that the English despised the Indians, others claiming that theirs was a fraternal relationship. In fact both attitudes did exist, sometimes among members of the same expedition. This book takes a balanced look at both, as well as the way in which assorted native tribes variously befriended and cheated the newcomers. "Big Chief Elizabeth" is very well written by Giles Milton, whose more famous book "Nathaniel's Nutmeg" chronicled the wars between the British and Dutch over the spice trade. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the history of Elizabethan seamanship and exploration. |
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| Birth,
Marriage & Death (Ritual, Religion, and the Life-cycle in Tudor and
Stuart England) by David Cressy Oxford |
Review by Deward Hastings The references here are more Stuart than Tudor (reflecting, probably, the greater wealth of surviving material), but almost every page seems to have its little gem... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Book of Trades (Standebuch), by Jost Amman and Hans Sachs |
In 1568 the
most famous poet in Germany and the finest woodcut artist in Europe
joined forces to produce a book. The subject would be no less... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Civilization of Europe in the Renaissance, by John Hale |
On first
glance this book seems to take on an impossible task; no, more than one.
Describe the civilization of even one country in even 649 pages, much
less a whole continent... -full review- Order this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Customs and Ceremonies of Britain, by Charles Knightly (Thames and Hudson PB 1986) |
Want to
know how to properly celebrate Hocktide or Shrove Tuesday? Curious about
the custom of Dicing for Bibles, as practiced... -full review- |
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| Daily
Life In Elizabethan England, by Jeffrey L. Singman. |
Review by Jodi Karstad-Clark This has a nice text-book feel without being a textbook The descriptions are concise and easy to read. Good high school reading. Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Description of England: The Classic Contemporary Account of Tudor Social
Life By William Harrison, 1587; reprinted by Dover |
Review by Gaffer Applewright I would describe this book as a Fodor's guide to 16C England-- eclectic coverage of all aspects of 16C England by an author who ... -full review- |
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Discovering Stained Glass, by Harries and Hicks |
Review by Deward Hastings Although Tudor times were "poor" by many of our modern standards, in some ways even the poorest Elizabethans were as "rich"... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Elizabethans and America, by A.L. Rowse (Macmillan 1959) |
A person
could amass a respectable library of Elizabethan history just by buying
every book ever written by A.L. Rowse, who turned out over... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Elizabethans at Home, by Elizabeth Burton. (Longmans HB 1970, Arrow PB 1973) |
This book
is quite misnamed - it is not really about Elizabethans at home, but
about Elizabethan homes, tastes in furniture... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Elizabethan Home, discovered in two dialogues (Hollyband, Caludius) |
Review by David Howells: How did schoolchildren and middle class households live in 1600? Two dialogue books , written in about 1600, tell us how. The dialogues... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Elizabethan House of Commons, by J.E. Neale (Jonathan Cape HB 1949 but reprinted many times in paper by Penguin Books) |
Elizabethan
government was messy and fascinating, and this book does more than
perhaps any other to sort it out. The theoretical ideas... -full review- |
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| An
Elizabethan Journal, by G.B. Harrison (Several editions, some containing more material than others. Originally published 1929, covering 1591-1594- later editions cover 1591-1600. Cosmopolitan Books, New York) |
Professor
Harrison had a brilliant idea: to compile a chronological record... -full review- For the years 1595-1598 Buy this book at Amazon.com! For the years 1599-1603 Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Elizabethan World Picture, by E.M.W. Tillyard, (Vintage/Random House, 1943) |
Possibly
the best-ever explanation of the philosophy of the Great Chain of Being,
a concept which is vital to an understanding of Sixteenth Century
intellectual life. Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| English
Sports and Pastimes, by Christina Hole (B.T. Batsford 1949 HB; reprinted several times) |
Though
written in a somewhat old-fashioned style, this book is well worth
seeking out for detailed descriptions of traditional outdoor sports and
games... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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Everyday Life in Renaissance Times, by E.R. Chamberlin (Several editions) |
This book
is strangely flawed. First, the good points: interesting writing,
excellent organization, and plenty of relevant graphics... -full review- Order this book from Amazon.com! |
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Forgotten English: A Merry Guide to Antiquated Words, by Jeffrey Kacirk (Morrow HB 1997) |
Have you ever wondered what Shakespeare meant when he called someone a moon-calf, or what it means to be baker-legged? This delightful little book explains these and other outdated expressions, and it's a charming gift for anyone who simply loves language. |
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| Get a
Life 2: More than you ever wanted to know about Queen Elizabeth I,
by Philip Ardagh (Macmillan Children's Books, London, 1999) |
Review by David Howells This humorous children's book (written on about a fourth grade reading level) tells many interesting and humorous facts about Elizabeth I. (i.e. what she did to courtiers who farted). Kind of jauntily written but an easy 45 minute read. Available from amazon.co.uk |
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Horrible Histories: The Terrible Tudors, by Terry Deary and Neil Tonge (Scholastic Children's Books: Scholastic Publications, London 1993) |
Review by David Howells "History with then nasty bits left in". This enormously popular series of humorous history books... -full review- Available from amazon.co.uk. |
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Horrible Histories: Even More Terrible Tudors, by Terry Deary (Scholastic Children's Books: Scholastic Publications, London 1998) |
Review by David Howells Who invited Queen Elizabeth I to visit his toilet? This and other fascinating questions are answered in... -full review- Available from amazon.co.uk |
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| The
House of Tudor, by Alison Plowden (Stein and Day, 1976) |
An excellent overview of the Tudor dynasty; very good for anyone who is interested in relationships within the family. It is particularly illuminating in regards to the relationships between Henry and his children, but oddly brief and incomplete regarding Elizabeth's attempts to marry. |
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| A
Journal of the Plague Year : Being Observations or Memorials of the Most
Remarkable Occurrences, As Well Publick As Private, Which Happened in
London by Daniel Defoe, Louis Landa(Editor) (Paperback - December 1998) |
First published
about 1720, the fictional journal of a survivor of the London plague of
1664, written by a man who did (as a child) witness and survive that
plague. Drawing on personal recollections and abundant contemporary... -full review- |
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Medieval Bridges, Martin Cook Shire Publications Ltd. ISBN 0 7478 0384 6 |
Review by Deward Hasting "Medieval Bridges" covers another necessary aspect of any road network in rainy and river-crossed England. No Roman bridges remain... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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Medieval Roads and Tracks, Paul Hindle Shire Publications Ltd. ISBN 0 7478 0390 0 |
Review by Deward Hasting "Medieval Roads" opens with a chapter on travel in medieval times, and quickly and thoroughly.. -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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Nathaniel's Nutmeg, by Giles Milton (Penguin PB 1999, 388 pages, ISBN # 0-14-029260-8) |
The spice
trade to the East Indies was a fixation of every English merchant, for
nowhere in the world were fortunes to be made so readily. England
started... -full review- |
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| The
Oxford Literary Guide to the British Isles, edited by Dorothy Eagle and Hilary Carnell (Several editions) |
Want to
know every house, field, church, and bramble bush associated with
Shakespeare, Jonson, or Sir Philip Sidney? This will not only tell... -full review- Order this book at Amazon.com! |
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*Pelican Social History of Britain: Sixteenth Century England,
by Joyce Youings (1984) |
A very good
introduction to Elizabethan society, with a well-organized index. Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Prince By Nicolo Machiavelli, 1513 (modern translations available) |
Review by Gaffer Applewright Machiavelli tells it as it is, not as we might wish it to be, and for this honesty has been tarred and feathered by every political idealist to follow him. 'By Shakespeare's time "Machiavellian" had become a synonym for double dealing and deceit, a most unjust use of the name of a very perceptive realist. Read and learn about power politics in a day and age that permitted no second place winners. The more recent translations seem to have the least political spin and see the man and his works for what they are, and do not damn him because he does not say what they wish. Equally applicable to Bill Gates or Henry VIII. |
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| The
Rise and Fall of Merry England, by Ronald Hutton (Oxford Paperbacks, Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-285327-9 (pbk, also available hbk) |
Review by Deward Hastings The author appears to have examined every parish ledger, court record, household account... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Royal Diaries: Elizabeth I, Red Rose of the House of Tudor, by Kathryn Lasky (Scholastic HB 199, ISBN 0-590-6484-1) |
This
fast-moving and well-crafted piece of fiction is the diary that Queen
Elizabeth the First never actually wrote. Though the prose... -full review- |
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Town
Government In The Sixteenth Century, by J. H. Thomas (Allen & Unwin 1933, reprinted several times) |
For those interested in how town government worked, and how well, this book is an excellent resource. James Henry Thomas gives a good overview of how things were supposed to work and then measures how well they actually did, using records compiled from the statute books, legal histories, and other records of several English regions. The writing is clear and occasionally humorous, often giving surprising details of the lives of everyday people who did their part to make the system function or ran afoul of it when things broke down. This may be hard to find, but it is very worthwhile. |
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| Tudor
Economic Documents, Edited by R.H. Tawney and Eileen Power (Longmans, Green, & Co., New York - 1st Edition 1924, 2nd Edition 1951) |
If you
really want a feel for the ways the Elizabethans wrote official papers,
you must have this book. Here are Elizabethan contracts... -full review- |
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| Drake:
England's Greatest Seafarer, by Ernie Bradford (Dorset Press, 1991) |
This book
presents Drake not only as a great seafarer, but also a tactical genius,
and as such is at odds with some other works -- such as... -full review- |
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| The
Great O'Neill, by Sean O'Faolain (Mercier Press, Dublin 1986) |
A
fascinating history of Elizabeth's great enemy, the rebellious Irish
Earl who almost wrested control of the Emerald Isle from the English.
This is the very best biography of O'Neill, and provides excellent
source material on Irish history throughout the Sixteenth Century. Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| The
Life and Times of Elizabeth I by Neville Williams (first published in 1972 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, an imprint of Orion Books Ltd., London - more recently republished in 1998 by Welcome Rain, New York, New York) |
Review by Lisa Lenske: This is an oversized paperback of about 200 pages. It contains excellent and numerous pictures to keep even readers who are less... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com |
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| A
London Life in the Brazen Age, Francis Langley; 1548-1602 by William Ingram London 1500-1700: The Making of the Metropolis Edited by A.L. Beier & Roger Finlay |
Reviews by Deward Hastings Francis Langley was a piece of work... a slimeball, a scumbag, and for most of his life an immodest success at it. Come to London as a youth... -full review- A London Life in the Brazen Age, Francis Langley; 1548-1602 Buy this book at Amazon.com! London 1500-1700: The Making of the Metropolis Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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Shakespeare's Southampton, by A.L. Rowse (Macmillan, London 1965) |
The Earl of Southampton was Shakespeare's patron in the early stages of both mens' careers. Shakespeare became the most famed playwright in history; his patron spent much of his life in jail or under suspicion of Catholic beliefs, but was released in later life and became one of the driving forces behind the settlement of Virginia. This book is well written and highly recommended. |
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Statesman and Saint, by Jasper Ridley (Viking HB, New York 1983) |
While this
book is about the days of Henry VIII rather than his daughter Elizabeth,
there is much in this volume that is relevant to... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| Alias
Shakespeare, by Joseph Sobran (Simon & Schuster HB 1997, ISBN # 0-684-83658-5; paperback editions also available) |
"Alias
Shakespeare" is the book that anti-Stratfordians point to as the best
explanation of why someone else must have written all of the works... -full review- |
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| The
Elizabethan Theatre, Edited by David Galloway (Archon Books HB 1970) |
First it
must be clear that this is not a book about Elizabethan plays. This is a
book about the buildings those plays were performed in... -full review- |
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Playgoing in Shakespeare's London, by Andrew Gurr Second edition published by Cambridge University Press 1987, 1996) |
Review by Jodi Karstad-Clark Gurr's book paints an excellent portrait of the people for whom Shakespeare wrote his plays, the buildings in which they took place, and the cultural... -full review- Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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Renaissance Drama by Women: Texts and Documents, Edited by S.P. Cerasno and Marion Wynne Davies |
Review by Jodi Karstad-Clark This book is mostly useful for its descriptions of female audiences and playwrights, but has other useful information. There are some excellent references to primary sources cited to document women as playgoers. Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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Shakespeare: His Life, Work, and Era, by Dennis Kay (Morrow, New York 1992) |
This is an excellent work which puts Shakespeare in
context, both as a man and as an author. Along with the meticulous but
... -full review- |
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Shakespeare's Festive World: Elizabethan Seasonal Entertainment and the
Professional Stage, by Francois Laroque |
Review by Jodi Karstad-Clark This work gives a detailed analysis of a lot of the symbolism and structure of Shakespeare's plays as they relate to the traditional holidays and celebrations of the time. Half of the book is purely anthropological in describing the holidays and their seasonal cycles. The other half is devoted to analyzing the plays. |
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| The
Voyage of the Armada, by David Howarth (Penguin Books 1981) |
There is
only one great book about the Spanish Armada, and this is it. I read it
and resolved to read everything else Howarth has ever written, and I'm
glad I did. Buy this book at Amazon.com! |
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| Il
Libro dell' Arte (The Craftsman's Handbook), by Cennino d'Andrea Cennini, translated by Daniel V. Thompson, Jr., 1960, Dover Publications |
Review by Jennifer McGaw Of great use to the student of Renaissance painting and illumination. This is a primary source for painting methods, written in 15th century Florence. While most of ... -full review- |
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| The
Materials and Techniques of Medieval Painting, by Daniel V. Thompson, 1956, Dover Publications |
Review by Jennifer McGaw This book is a compilation of art techniques and material creation from period sources, recipes, and modern-day art analysis. Everything from foundations to pigments to glazes is covered in exhaustive detail. Highly recommended. |
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| How to
Paint Like the Old Masters, by Joseph Shepard, 1983, Watson/Guptill Publications |
Review by Jennifer McGaw Figuring out exactly *how* the Masters did it is the hardest part about getting started. This book showed me the way: a step-by-step manual with plenty of progress pictures, recipes, and color lists for a variety of artists' styles. Nothing can beat actual experimentation, but this book will give you a big head start. |
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Miniature Painting: A Complete Guide to Techniques, Mediums, and
Surfaces, by Joan Cornish Willies, 1995, Watson/Guptill Publications. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw A modern-day practitioner of this most ancient art, Willies takes us step-by-step through the exacting process of making a "painting in small." Materials and, most importantly, suppliers are listed. |
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Calligraphy and Illumination: A History and Practical Guide, by Patricia Lovett, 2000, Henry N. Abrams, Inc. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw An exhaustive, lavishly illustrated volume detailing the making of illuminated manuscripts and books. Everything is covered: from making your own quills to gilding to recreating period hands like uncials and Carolinian minuscule to bookbinding is here. There is also an extensive (perhaps too much so, for the stated subject matter) section on heraldry. |
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| The
English Renaissance Miniature, by Sir Roy Strong, 1983, Thames and Hudson. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw The miniature is, arguably, one of the most important trends of the English Tudor period; so here is the Dean of Tudor Art to give us an overview of the working artists of the period, from Horenbout to Oliver. Not many color plates in this book, curiously, but the information spans the age well without getting mired down in too many details. |
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Dynasties: Painting in Tudor and Jacobean England 1530-1630, edited by Karen Hearn, Rizzoli International Publications. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw This book, from the exhibition of the same name, is one of the best in showing an overview of all English art, not "just" miniature painting. Lavishly illustrated (not a single B&W in the book), with a number of hard-to-find plates, an extensive chronology and bibliography, and a phenomenal scientific evaluation of three period paintings. |
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| Tudor
Artists, by Erna Auerbach, 1954, The Athelone Press (out of print). |
Review by Jennifer McGaw This book is for the serious student: what started out as a discussion of artists working on the Plea Roll illuminations turned into an overview of all painters working in England during the reigns of Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. Auerbach shows exhaustive research through the primary sources, finding documentary evidence for the lives and works of artists employed by the royal household. Also included are biographical notes, the text of warrants and other documents, and a tremendous bibliography. |
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| The
English Icon, by Sir Roy Strong, 1969, Pantheon Books. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw Mostly B&W with a few scattered tipped-in plates ( color plates that have been printed separately and then glued into the book). *The* reference book for this subject. |
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| Tudor
and Jacobean Portraits, by Sir Roy Strong, 1969, Her Majesty's Stationary Office (2 volumes). |
Review by Jennifer McGaw Strong picks up where "Icon" left off, this time showing provenance, site, and detail shots. The paintings are categorized by sitter, and it is invaluable to be shown the different variations of the same painting by different hands (a common occurrence in this period). |
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| The
Sixteenth and Seventeenth-Century Miniatures in the Collection of Her
Majesty the Queen, by Graham Reynolds, 1999, Deloitte & Touche. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw A few years back someone got the great idea of photographing and cataloging all of the miniatures that Elizabeth II owns. A book was proposed; it was later decided to expand this to three volumes. This is the second book of the series, and for our purposes is more valuable for the first 100 pages. Clear, crisp, clean photos, some of never-before seen miniatures. Full provenance and material listing. |
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| The
Lives of the Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, by Giorgio Vasari (various publications, both abridged and unabridged). |
Review by Jennifer McGaw Also called "Vasari's Lives," this is the premier primary source for information regarding the artists, commissions, and techniques of the 16th century. Highly informational, gossipy, and sometimes wildly (and hysterically) inaccurate; nonetheless a good resource. |
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Renaissance Portraits, by Lorne Campbell, 1990, Yale University Press. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw A good overview of the Renaissance movement, this book includes information on both Italian and Northern portraits (which so many fail to do). The information covers the techniques, styles, creation, and uses of the portrait in society. |
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| Durer
to Veronese: Sixteenth Century Painting in the National Gallery, 1999, Yale University Press. |
Review by Jennifer McGaw Not just a catalogue of the National Gallery's collection, this book seeks to describe the conditions and society in which the works were created. Religion, societal themes, inventions and developments in painting, techniques, methods, and imagery are all discussed in this lavishly illustrated volume. |
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