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Blood & Roses
by
Helen Castor
The Wars of the Roses tore England asunder. Over the course of thirty years, four kings lost their thrones, countless men lost their lives on the battlefield or their heads on the block, and others found themselves suddenly flush with gold. Yet until now, little has been written about the ordinary people who lived through this extraordinary time.
"Blood and Roses" is a grip...more
"Blood and Roses" is a grip...more
Paperback, 347 pages
Published
June 2nd 2005
by Faber and Faber
(first published 2004)
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The unique survival of hundreds of letters written by the 15th-century Paston family makes possible this brilliant synthesis of the family’s history with a narrative of the turbulent Wars of the Roses.
The Pastons’ determination to rise in the world at whatever cost plunged them into the thick of a brutal civil war in which it was imperative to find a powerful nobleman as patron and protector — which in turn meant that his enemies became their own, and that his backing the losing side in the dyn...more
The Pastons’ determination to rise in the world at whatever cost plunged them into the thick of a brutal civil war in which it was imperative to find a powerful nobleman as patron and protector — which in turn meant that his enemies became their own, and that his backing the losing side in the dyn...more
Truly a terrific book. The trials and tribulations of a family on the make, their fortunes tied to whoever is head of the family at a certain point in time. Sometimes, led by a figure of good common sense, intelligence and social skill, then if the wider social and political context allows the tangent of their fortunes soars ... Soon enough, however, their good sire and enabler is confined to history and another takes his place. The building blocks so carefully placed are trampled into the groun...more
The basic premise of this book was an astonishing collection of letters from a "regular" family during the tumultuous Wars of the Roses. It is the only such collection of writing from non-nobility, and thus offers a rare glimpse into the everyday life of the era. That was what made me pick up this book, and I did enjoy reading about a lot of that part, as well as tidbits of information about the battling going on between the Houses of Lancaster and York. However, the brunt of the book is about t...more
This is not a quick read. It is an interesting one, however. There are many many people to keep track of so you might find yourself Googling a lot. It informs of the lives of a family for several generation, a family who lived through the War of the Roses. It would be well that it be required reading for those who wish for a small government that takes little interest in what is being done in the business world. While various Kings were distracted all sorts of crooked things were going on.
This is a fascinating look into a period of history and social class not often given its due. We forget that ours is not the only period of social mobility. This book follows the fortunes of one family during the period of the War of the Roses using - get this - the family's own correspondence! The letters were considered unique and valuable when they were discovered in the 18th century and were preserved until the present day.
Not what I expected or hoped for, thus the 2 stars. Some of it was fascinating: the looks into family life, society, and the politics of the war of the roses. Ultimately, though, for me, there was too much information about the family's land claims and struggles to maintain what they though should be theirs. It is amazing that the correspondence survived, and for scholars of the period, this book is a rare gem.
An incredibly interesting and well-written narrative which fleshes out the larger story, both of the Pastons and contemporary England, from the late 14th through the early years of Henry VII. Essentially, there are roughly 1,000 letters that have survived to and from a single family, the Pastons, who rose to prominence in East Anglia (centered in Norwich) during the final years of the Hundred Years War and fought for their socio-political survival during the Wars of the Roses. Castor has done a...more
If you want a vivid portrayal of England during the Wars of the Roses, you should read this book.
Helen Castor has done a wonderful job of putting the Paston Letters into context, both historical and familial, so that in reading this book it is not only clear what is happening in England during the struggle between various noble families and the King of England, but how this impacted people like the Pastons, who were powerless when England degenerated into chaos, and greedy neighbors seized their...more
Helen Castor has done a wonderful job of putting the Paston Letters into context, both historical and familial, so that in reading this book it is not only clear what is happening in England during the struggle between various noble families and the King of England, but how this impacted people like the Pastons, who were powerless when England degenerated into chaos, and greedy neighbors seized their...more
Wonderfully written. My only complaint is that there were no footnotes, but this may have been a decision made on the part of the publisher, so it hardly seems fair to fault Helen Castor for it. I would recommend this to anyone who's curious about families in the late Middle Ages or about the War of the Roses.
A readable, fascinating look at a fifteenth-century family's struggle for upward mobility during the War of the Roses, based on their actual correspondence.
Astonishing insight into an English family during the War of the Roses. The Paston family lived in an area of England where my cousins live.
Castor really brings this historical period to life. She illuminates a complicated society and by the end you will be both moved and frustrated. I highly suggest this book.
Remarkable look at life of people who were not royal
People with everyday problems and how they solved them
People with everyday problems and how they solved them
I love the Paston family. In one of only three collections of family correspondence from the English 15th century, the Pastons scheme, sue, plot, choose sides in the Wars of the Roses, buy land, lose land, steal land, suck up to rich people, become rich people, get noble titles and eventually after seven generations burn themselves out and disappear, while leaving us a vivid and human paper trail of legal documents, love letters, petitions and household records. Medieval people were far from pio...more
Generally fascinating, occasionally wearying...I would not recommend this to anyone who is not a hardcore Anglophile with a good deal of patience. But beautifully written and amazing to have the letters of a 15th-century family still intact enough to craft their history.
In spite of the rather sensational title,this is an exceptionally well researched and thoughtfully written book of social and political history.How politics and war affect a family and how they survive the upheavals will always be relevant.I've read the Paston Letters along with this book.
Why would I want to read about throne games when I can read the real-life tribulations of a 15th Century family in their own words? History in the raw.
I selected this book after reading the author's amazingly readable and entertaining She Wolves. This earlier work is a much denser work of scholarship and at times the details of property disputes can become somewhat wearing (especially as the type is so small in the paperback edition). However, the book is well written and sufficiently different to reward the persistent reader.
Who knew medieval property law could be so riveting? The trials and tribulations of the Paston family, who worked their way up from peasant farmers to landed gentry and their struggles to get and keep their properties/status.
Note 2/17/2010 - on loan to D.
Note: D. returned 3/4/2010; available for loan again!
Note 2/17/2010 - on loan to D.
Note: D. returned 3/4/2010; available for loan again!
Shows that squatters rights prevailed in fourteenth-fifteenth century England, despite the rise of the court system during the period. Powerful connections and lineage was more important than lawful purchase of property.
Fascinating exploration of medieval life through the letters and documents of the Paston family. Follows the family through several generations, working their way from a humble husbandman to the royal household.
Interesting but so full of minute details that it wore me out. Excellent scholarship, wonderful recreation of the times, but ultimately too much of a good thing.
Sep 04, 2009
Straker
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
history
Excellent overview of the Paston letters drives home the point that it was who you knew, not what you did, that mattered in 15th century England.
For anyone interested in fifteenth-century England, this is a must-read. Well-written, and easy to approach even for general readers.
A great history for any dedicated Anglo-phile and quasi-Shakespearan.
OMG got too bored to continue
May 21, 2013
Alexandra Christine
marked it as to-read
May 21, 2013
Charlie Nicholson
marked it as to-read
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Helen Castor is a historian of medieval England and a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. She directed studies in History at Sidney for eight years before deciding to concentrate on writing history for a wider readership.
Her book Blood & Roses (Faber, 2004, published in revised form in the US by HarperCollins, 2006) is a biography of the fifteenth-century Paston family, whose letters...more
More about Helen Castor...
Her book Blood & Roses (Faber, 2004, published in revised form in the US by HarperCollins, 2006) is a biography of the fifteenth-century Paston family, whose letters...more
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