Mary Queen Of Scots (tie-In): The True Life of Mary Stuart

Author John Guy has fallen under Mary's spell but even if you don't agree that this huge book is a vindication of Mary, don't miss this splendid biography. Mary, warts and all, is one of the most fascinating women in history. She made many serious errors in judgment, going from the frying pan into fire when Darnley was assassinated and she married the totally unsuitable Bothwell. She was a woman of passions, but author Guy feels she was politically astute within a whirlwind of factions-the Scottish lords, France, Elizabeth and Spain were all trying to manipulate her.Guy gives a great deal of evidence concerning the famous Casket letters. The letters are from a woman to her lover and if the letters were written by Mary to Bothwell, both are clearly implicated in the murder of Mary's second husband, Darnley. However, as Guy points out, the originals, written in French, are missing. And what remains today are copies which had been spliced together haphazardly and many parts could have been forged. The letters contained several sonnets, very poor poetry indeed, and the poems are highly suspect, according to Guy, because Mary was known for being an accomplished, talented poet. Guy believes the letters are not proof of Mary's complicity in the death of Darnley.What really did Mary in was the Babington plot. Anthony Babington, who apparently felt he was a knight in shining armor dreaming he would rescue Mary from her castle imprisonment. He gathered a group of conspirators together to plan the assassination of Queen Elizabeth. He wrote several letters to Mary and she answered them, but they did not know Elizabeth's spy network had intercepted the letters, copied them and put them back on the hiding place in beer barrels where Mary found them. There is absolutely no doubt that Mary was guilty of treason, a fact author Guy does not try and excuse. In fact he says "Mary was sadly deluded."The book is very rich in detail down to what Mary wore (she was six feet tall), her food preferences, the many facets of her complicated personality. But perhaps the very first chapter, which describes her going to her death, says it all. With a firm step, she approached the block as though she were going to her coronation. She wore black with a brilliant red kirtle underneath, red being the color of a martyr. She joked. She undoubtedly felt a sense of triumph, both as a martyr for the Catholic cause and the mother of a son who could someday be the king of England. She had said "In my end is my beginning."No matter what your opinion of Mary is, you can enjoy this truly comprehensive study. It is a fascinating hunk of history, very vividly written. Highly recommended!

Though I have been a lifelong fan of Elizabeth I and have absorbed Tudor history like a sponge, my interest in history truly began when I read a novel about Mary Stuart as a teenager. My impression of her then is something that remained years later: an interesting but very flawed woman for whom I felt sympathy but very little respect or appreciation. My reading of Fraser's biography did little to change this perspective, though I don't mean any disrespect towards Fraser - it's still a good biography.I recently decided to re-read Fraser's book along with several other texts about Mary. After having done so, I have to say that I recommend this book hands down. Guy clearly empathizes with and is a fan of Mary Stuart (though this doesn't mean he's unwilling to point out her flaws), and what's more is that he endeavors to show that much of the story about Mary isn't quite correct. Many who have written about her seem to wish to have it both ways: they consider her to be a shrewd, plotting, calculating woman engaged in an affair while planning the downfall of her husband, yet simultaneously a less-than-astute woman wholly unfit to rule. The truth is somewhere in between, it seems. She made some shrewd decisions that demonstrated her adaptability and made many abysmal choices (particularly with regard to the men she trusted). She ruled with the heart at times---- but even my studies of Elizabeth I had long proven that she did so herself, as have many rulers male and female.Most importantly, this work draws in additional study of Cecil's actions and, moving beyond mere conjecture, Guy is able to connect some dots with the casket letters proving that Cecil very clearly had an agenda against Mary, one he had enacted well before she even returned to Scotland, and one that had a heavy hand in her downfall. A final note for readers is that, while Cecil clearly does not come out looking positive (though arguably, what he did was to protect his vision of England; it's the sort of plotting many engaged in), Elizabeth I herself is not viewed particularly harshly. I've noticed that many readers share an interest in both women and often react very strongly when Elizabeth is viewed dimly in any work. This is not really the case here.Guy's work is balanced, interesting, detail-rich and a pleasure to read start to finish. I highly recommend it even if you feel you've read almost all there is to read about Mary already.

This book is very interesting, extremely detailed to the point where you really need to keep notes on who is who. It gets confusing at times as many b people had the same names back then both commoner & royalty. You must keep tract of the time frame per chapter so you know what person they are referring to (i.e. is it the father Bothwell or the son Bothwell or is it the British King Henry or the French King Henry.Beyond the confusing names, if you really!my want to learn what Mary Queen of Scots life was truly like this is the book to read. One loom at the notes and the bibliographies and its obvious that this author did his research on how Mary lived and died and what she experienced during her lifetime from birth to death.This book shows that Mary's life was not like it was as it was depicted in the show "Reign".

Fascinating subject. I even feel sorry for although she was Scotland's Queen.

This historical novel immerses you in the intrigue and sheer drama of 16th century Britain.Jon Guy provides a compelling picture about the life of Mary Stuart, and reimagines her as a deep and complex heroine. His narrative is backed up with meticulously researched evidence, and his unbiased storytelling provides a comprehensive glimpse into the Scottish Queen's life.His style of writing is incredible easy to read, yet never over-simplified. I enjoyed every page.I greatly recommend this book for anyone who seeks to become more familiar with Scottish history.

I like a book that with great references in them. John Guy certainly paid attention to detail. Great study guide as well as reading

John Guy hat super recherchiert und erscheint dadurch glaubwürdig in seinen Aussagen und Schlussfolgerungen. Geschrieben ist die Biographie wie ein Roman und dementsprechend ist sie spannend, auch wenn man schon weiß, wie die Geschichte ausgeht. Ich habe Interesse am Leben Mary Stuarts bekommen, weil ich Serie 'Reign' geguckt habe und schon wusste, dass einiges nicht stimmt. Ich wollte es aber genauer wissen. Daher empfehle ich dieses Buch allen, denen es genau so geht.

Boring, name after name. Have not finished it as of yet. Had to put it down for a bit.