A study of the women, Elizabeth Woodville, Jacquetta of Luxembourg and Margaret Beaufort, behind Philippa Gregory’s cycle of novels, The Cousins’ War. This is also a welcome examination of historical fiction, the role of women in history and the truth behind the novels. The very best historical fiction can lead the reader into an understanding of the period and lead to a quest for more information. Philippa Gregory’s powerful novels, are one such example, who were these women, what do we know about them and their times and how are their stories woven into fiction?

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The Lady of the Rivers, Philippa Gregory
Winter King, Thomas Penn

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September 2011 Non-Fiction Book of the Month.

If you love Philippa Gregory’s historical fiction you should not miss this fascinating companion volume that tells the extraordinary true stories behind the three heroines of her books; The White Queen, The Red Queen and The Lady of the Rivers.

In 2012 Philippa Gregory will be bringing history alive for yonger readers with the publication of her first young adult fiction title. We can't wait!

Synopsis

Elizabeth Woodville, The White Queen (2009), Margaret Beaufort, The Red Queen (2010), and Jacquetta, Lady Rivers, The Rivers Woman (2011) are the subjects of the first three novels in Philippa Gregory's Cousins' War series, and of the three biographical essays in this book. Philippa Gregory and two historians, leading experts in their field who helped Philippa to research the novels, tell the extraordinary 'true' stories of the life of these women who until now have been largely forgotten by history, their background and times, highlighting questions which are raised in the fiction and illuminating the novels. With a foreword by Philippa Gregory - in which Philippa writes revealingly about the differences between history and fiction and examines the gaps in the historical record - and beautifully illustrated with rare portraits, The Women of the Cousins' War is an exciting new addition to the Philippa Gregory oeuvre.

About the Author

Philippa Gregory was an established historian and writer when she discovered her interest in the Tudor period and wrote the internationally bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Now she is looking at the family that preceded the Tudors: the magnificent Plantaganets, a family of complex rivalries, loves, and hatreds. Her other great interest is the charity that she founded nearly twenty years ago: Gardens for The Gambia. She has raised funds and paid for 140 wells for the primary schools of this poor African country. A former student of Sussex university, and a PhD and Alumna of the Year 2009 of Edinburgh University, her love for history and commitment to historical accuracy are the hallmarks of her writing. She lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation