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Books : Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
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Rating: 
- Powerful social history
Alison Weir has written a powerful social history of Eleanor's times. "Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life" offers an encyclopedic marshaling of facts. Few authors would think to include, say, Adelard of Bath, the "first English scientist." Adelard had traveled in the Arab world, introduced the astrolabe to England (ring-sized versions still sell as "Eleanor's ring"), and tutored young Henry a decade before the lad became King Henry II. Weir adds much value by introducing Adelard and walk-on players like him. The bit parts are present, and they fit.
Eleanor comes through as her own creature, able to command her fate in an adverse world, a rare quality in a woman of the twelfth century. Weir is clearly attracted to the many facets of Eleanor's character: she wrote another book, about Eleanor's middle years, "Eleanor of Aquitaine: By the Wrath of God, Queen of England".
I wish Weir had integrated Eleanor's presence more thoroughly into the weave of the queen's several families and the social histories of her kingdoms and her courts. When Eleanor is present she commands the page, strong, recognizable, challenging the male hierarchies of Church and state. That's as it should be; that's as it was. But too often Eleanor strays offstage. Weir might have integrated her ingredients - Eleanor's person, and Eleanor's world - more smoothly. They needed more time in the blender. Never mind. Weir has written an impressive book.
Robert Fripp, author of
"Power of a Woman: Memoirs of...Eleanor of Aquitaine"
Rating:
- Good; thoroughly researched.
A good and thoroughly researched biography. The author, however, sometimes displays unease with the period and the lack of extant and reliable written sources. Both style and approach, unfortunately, lack some of the confidence with which the author has treated subsequent periods of medieval English history.
The result is a work which can be too general and pedantic in its treatment of the socio-ecomonic conditions of 12th Century Europe and often looses sight of its central subject. However, it does offer many insights into the complicated politics of the era and the forces which motivated Eleanor, achieving a synthesis of the overly simplistic pictures of Eleanor as either 'evil witch' or 'courtly icon'. A sober account of both the life and times of an unique, immensely important and successful player on the political stage of the known world.
- Powerful social historyAlison Weir has written a powerful social history of Eleanor's times. "Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life" offers an encyclopedic marshaling of facts. Few authors would think to include, say, Adelard of Bath, the "first English scientist." Adelard had traveled in the Arab world, introduced the astrolabe to England (ring-sized versions still sell as "Eleanor's ring"), and tutored young Henry a decade before the lad became King Henry II. Weir adds much value by introducing Adelard and walk-on players like him. The bit parts are present, and they fit.
Eleanor comes through as her own creature, able to command her fate in an adverse world, a rare quality in a woman of the twelfth century. Weir is clearly attracted to the many facets of Eleanor's character: she wrote another book, about Eleanor's middle years, "Eleanor of Aquitaine: By the Wrath of God, Queen of England".
I wish Weir had integrated Eleanor's presence more thoroughly into the weave of the queen's several families and the social histories of her kingdoms and her courts. When Eleanor is present she commands the page, strong, recognizable, challenging the male hierarchies of Church and state. That's as it should be; that's as it was. But too often Eleanor strays offstage. Weir might have integrated her ingredients - Eleanor's person, and Eleanor's world - more smoothly. They needed more time in the blender. Never mind. Weir has written an impressive book.
Robert Fripp, author of
"Power of a Woman: Memoirs of...Eleanor of Aquitaine"
Rating:
- Good; thoroughly researched.A good and thoroughly researched biography. The author, however, sometimes displays unease with the period and the lack of extant and reliable written sources. Both style and approach, unfortunately, lack some of the confidence with which the author has treated subsequent periods of medieval English history.
The result is a work which can be too general and pedantic in its treatment of the socio-ecomonic conditions of 12th Century Europe and often looses sight of its central subject. However, it does offer many insights into the complicated politics of the era and the forces which motivated Eleanor, achieving a synthesis of the overly simplistic pictures of Eleanor as either 'evil witch' or 'courtly icon'. A sober account of both the life and times of an unique, immensely important and successful player on the political stage of the known world.