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Dangerous Days
Dangerous Days in Elizabethan England: Thieves, Tricksters, Bards and Bawds
The reign of Elizabeth I - a Golden Age? Try asking her subjects...Elizabethans did all they could to survive in an age of sin and bling, of beddings and beheadings, galleons and guns. Explorers set sail for new worlds, risking everything to bring back slaves, gold and the priceless potato. Elizabeth lined her coffers while her subjects lived in squalor with hunger, violence and misery as bedfellows. Shakespeare shone and yet the beggars, doxies and thieves scraped and cheated to survive in the shadows. These were dangerous days. If you survived the villains, and the diseases didn't get you, then the lawmen might. Pick the wrong religion and the scaffold or stake awaited you. The toothless, red-wigged queen sparkled in her jewelled dresses, but the Golden Age was only the surface of the coin. The rest was base metal.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2014
25 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Terry Deary
828 books829 followersA former actor, theatre-director and drama teacher, Deary says he began writing when he was 29. Most famously, he is one of the authors of the Horrible Histories series of books popular among children for their disgusting details, gory information and humorous pictures and among adults for getting children interested in history. Books in the series have been widely translated into other languages and imitated.
A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on CiTV for a period in 2002.
The first series of a live-action comedy sketch show of the same name was shown on CBBC in 2009 and a second series is due.
Terry is also known widely throughout children and adult reading groups alike for his True Stories series (see below for series list).
He received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from the University of Sunderland in 2000. His numerous accolades also include the Blue Peter "Best Nonfiction Author of the Century" Award in the U.K.
-Wikipedia
A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on CiTV for a period in 2002.
The first series of a live-action comedy sketch show of the same name was shown on CBBC in 2009 and a second series is due.
Terry is also known widely throughout children and adult reading groups alike for his True Stories series (see below for series list).
He received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from the University of Sunderland in 2000. His numerous accolades also include the Blue Peter "Best Nonfiction Author of the Century" Award in the U.K.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 6, 2021
I find the Elizabethan period so interesting and this was definitely a book to indulge that interest!
It was filled with all sorts of insightful and intriguing information from this era and was not only entertaining and funny, but also informative too. It has plenty of humour and quips, with a great use of footnotes for adding extra humour to the main text as well.
If you had though Elizabethan England was a romantic times of poets and discovery, you would be wrong! This book was certainly make you see the error of your ways. It was very easy to read and an easy pick up and put down, then return to book. A definite recommendation if you love history!
It was filled with all sorts of insightful and intriguing information from this era and was not only entertaining and funny, but also informative too. It has plenty of humour and quips, with a great use of footnotes for adding extra humour to the main text as well.
If you had though Elizabethan England was a romantic times of poets and discovery, you would be wrong! This book was certainly make you see the error of your ways. It was very easy to read and an easy pick up and put down, then return to book. A definite recommendation if you love history!
August 21, 2019
The title of the book is a little misleading for what the book actually is: a sarcastic overview of Elizabeth's reign with some anecdotes included. As a broad overview, it actually isn't too bad but it wasn't what I was expecting.
However, I think that the sarcastic tone and constant puns and jokes that weren't at all funny and detract from the material rather than spice it up. It's pretty clear that the author sides with the Catholics of Elizabethan England and he seems to disdain Elizabeth herself. Also, there were several parts where the author presents incorrect information - based on hearsay or just so over-simplified as to not be completely accurate. The wording of the section on William Parry makes it seem as though he committed treason in the beginning of 1584 when he technically did it at the end of the year (March 1584 but would be Mar 1585 not using the Elizabethan system of beginning the year at the end of March.) His account of the Babington Plot had several inaccuracies, as did the description of Marlowe's death.
Overall, the author does a decent job of showing the timeline of Elizabeth's reign, but the sarcastic tone, flat attempts at humor and blatant inaccuracies make it a not very reliable source of specific information.
However, I think that the sarcastic tone and constant puns and jokes that weren't at all funny and detract from the material rather than spice it up. It's pretty clear that the author sides with the Catholics of Elizabethan England and he seems to disdain Elizabeth herself. Also, there were several parts where the author presents incorrect information - based on hearsay or just so over-simplified as to not be completely accurate. The wording of the section on William Parry makes it seem as though he committed treason in the beginning of 1584 when he technically did it at the end of the year (March 1584 but would be Mar 1585 not using the Elizabethan system of beginning the year at the end of March.) His account of the Babington Plot had several inaccuracies, as did the description of Marlowe's death.
Overall, the author does a decent job of showing the timeline of Elizabeth's reign, but the sarcastic tone, flat attempts at humor and blatant inaccuracies make it a not very reliable source of specific information.
August 21, 2019
The third book in Deary’s Dangerous Days series takes a quick jaunt around the Elizabethan era, peeking behind the jewelled skirts of the Queen to see the smallpox scars and filth-encrusted streets underneath.
Given what a huge influence Elizabeth’s family and upbringing would have had on her psychology, the first half of the book focuses on them from her birth on – her psychopath father declaring her a bastard and having her mother beheaded, her sickly brother dying soon into his rule, her bloodthirsty sister and the many thousands of religious executions, and the diplomatic dancing that Liz had to perform simply to stay alive – before turning its eyes to the shenanigans of Liz as queen and those she ruled over.
Lousy with spies, torturers, political plots and assassination attempts, and with ongoing religious tensions leading to the brutal executions of thousands, there was certainly no shortage of the mutilated corpses that seemed to decorate most of the city walls. Theatres doubled up as bear-fighting pits, sanitation wasn’t even a thing, and the lead-based make-up applied to cover smallpox scars could kill you.
Living in Plymouth (the English version), Liz and her favourites loomed large in my early education thanks to my hometown’s starring role against the Armada (the Hoe, where Drake famously finished playing a game of boules before facing the fleet, is one of the most popular spots in the city, and every primary school child troops through the well-preserved Elizabethan house on the Barbican at least once), so it was especially good to get to hear some of the stuff that our teachers really wouldn’t have wanted to teach us.
This series has been tremendous fun – I’m a little gutted that there’s now only one left.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 11**
Given what a huge influence Elizabeth’s family and upbringing would have had on her psychology, the first half of the book focuses on them from her birth on – her psychopath father declaring her a bastard and having her mother beheaded, her sickly brother dying soon into his rule, her bloodthirsty sister and the many thousands of religious executions, and the diplomatic dancing that Liz had to perform simply to stay alive – before turning its eyes to the shenanigans of Liz as queen and those she ruled over.
Lousy with spies, torturers, political plots and assassination attempts, and with ongoing religious tensions leading to the brutal executions of thousands, there was certainly no shortage of the mutilated corpses that seemed to decorate most of the city walls. Theatres doubled up as bear-fighting pits, sanitation wasn’t even a thing, and the lead-based make-up applied to cover smallpox scars could kill you.
Living in Plymouth (the English version), Liz and her favourites loomed large in my early education thanks to my hometown’s starring role against the Armada (the Hoe, where Drake famously finished playing a game of boules before facing the fleet, is one of the most popular spots in the city, and every primary school child troops through the well-preserved Elizabethan house on the Barbican at least once), so it was especially good to get to hear some of the stuff that our teachers really wouldn’t have wanted to teach us.
This series has been tremendous fun – I’m a little gutted that there’s now only one left.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 11**
February 26, 2021
3.5 stars
Humorous and informative but I felt it was a bit repetitive at times.
Humorous and informative but I felt it was a bit repetitive at times.
December 5, 2021
A witty evaluation of the good and bad aspects of the Elizabethan era. This was a useful summary of the era and gave me a more informed view of the period, but was perhaps a little lacking in detail.
February 25, 2015
Deary is mostly known for his Horrible Histories series of books which are aimed at kids but enjoyed by all. He's now turned his hand to writing 'fun' history books for adults. Which means he can include all the sex stuff he had to leave out in the children's books. This was, as you'd expect, fun and educational. I learnt a bit more about the Elizabethan era and enjoyed the quotes he included from all sorts of people from various eras.
January 20, 2020
Whilst the majority of the content was very interesting and engaging, the majority of the "little asides" were not. Seemingly used to amusing kids through the, admittedly excellent, Horrible Histories series, his 'humour' did not translate well.
Likewise the myriad of quotes that pepper each page. Some are pertinent and appropriate quotes from the era, but the majority were seemingly illustrating how widely read Deary is and only tangentially relating in any way to the main body of text.
I skipped reading the majority and the footnotes after about 30 pages as it wasn't adding in any way to what I was reading and was distracting from the main body of the book which was both interesting and informative.
Granted without the quotes, the book would likely be half the page length.
I would still read others (and indeed am planning to) in the "Dangerous Days" series, but I will continue to skip the quotes and some of the footnotes as superfluous.
Likewise the myriad of quotes that pepper each page. Some are pertinent and appropriate quotes from the era, but the majority were seemingly illustrating how widely read Deary is and only tangentially relating in any way to the main body of text.
I skipped reading the majority and the footnotes after about 30 pages as it wasn't adding in any way to what I was reading and was distracting from the main body of the book which was both interesting and informative.
Granted without the quotes, the book would likely be half the page length.
I would still read others (and indeed am planning to) in the "Dangerous Days" series, but I will continue to skip the quotes and some of the footnotes as superfluous.
December 26, 2021
I really wanted to like this book. Taking an off the cuff and approach to life and events in this weird period of history is a great idea.
Unfortunately, this book is trying way too hard to be clever. For future books and future authours:
- Chill! Don't make people watch you try to be funny.
- If you have lots of great research, just lean on that.
- Don't try to crack jokes when history is funny enough.
- Don't add multiple footnotes on a page just to deliver asides.
- Stop and making fun of peoples' teeth or size or skin conditions
- Just tell us what you've learned. That's all you need for a good book!
This lily did not need to be gilded.
Unfortunately, this book is trying way too hard to be clever. For future books and future authours:
- Chill! Don't make people watch you try to be funny.
- If you have lots of great research, just lean on that.
- Don't try to crack jokes when history is funny enough.
- Don't add multiple footnotes on a page just to deliver asides.
- Stop and making fun of peoples' teeth or size or skin conditions
- Just tell us what you've learned. That's all you need for a good book!
This lily did not need to be gilded.
July 19, 2022
I thought I would really enjoy this terry dreary book, I thought it would be like horrible histories but for adults, but I found the humour very childish and annoying, which made it just feel I was reading one of kids books. I also thought it would be more about life within Elizabethan England but it was more just a retelling of the life of Elizabeth herself, and there was also a lot of historical inaccuracies when it came to dates and timings of things, one example being when talking about Henry VIII and the pilgrimage of Grace it was spoken about with Anne being there but she had been dead for several months by then.
October 29, 2018
If you've read the Roman book in this series, you'll know what to expect; bite-sized facts that debunk some of the myths around what many people think of as a golden era in English history. Deary explains complex subjects like the religious divide of the Tudor era in an accessible, easy-to-follow fashion that also has a dash of humour to help the reader through some dark subjects.
It's the sort of book that you can dip in and out of - and it may well make you want to research deeper into some aspects.
It's the sort of book that you can dip in and out of - and it may well make you want to research deeper into some aspects.
August 29, 2021
Queen Elizabeth I, my icon. A woman, but has a heart of a man. She was a masterpiece. Brave, fearless, and loyal to her people and her country. Married to no one but her land, she was respected by all all but feared by some. I hope that someday I could have a brain of her own, able to conquer all even the Spanish Armada itself.
October 29, 2021
I've always found the Tudor times really fascinating, so this book was a great read for me! It's a great introduction to Elizabethan England, easy to read, humorous and packed full of insightful facts.
I think the author tries a little too hard to be funny at points but I can see that he's trying to make a history book fun for reader's which he's achieved.
I think the author tries a little too hard to be funny at points but I can see that he's trying to make a history book fun for reader's which he's achieved.
November 28, 2019
Yes, this book is basically Horrible Histories for adults. Yes, it was a gory, gruesome fun read. Yes, I'm too tired this time of year for any heavier historical reading.
October 1, 2020
A tongue-in-cheek history of Elizabethan England. I still learned things though.
November 21, 2021
Too much try-hard humour and not enough intrigue.
December 30, 2024
Funny and interesting are the best two words to describe this book. A very enjoyable read.
June 1, 2020
This was great fun. Another hilarious jaunt through history but packed full of facts and details that you probably didn’t know until now. A lovely blend of educational and fun!
January 9, 2017
Dangerous Days is Deary's new history series for adults, or at the very least young adults. It's in the juvenile section at my library, but that's really not an appropriate classification, at least not to me, as Deary discusses death in graphic medical detail and brings up sexual intrigue in, again, worrying detail. I'd save this for a preteen at the very earliest.
That said, I kind of love them. This is basically Deary's first series, Horrible Histories, that has been updated and aged up for an older audience. It has also been corrected for accuracy, as many of the Horrible Histories were written before several recent and major advances in historical research rendered many of them inaccurate. However, Deary sticks to his strengths here, concentrating on the little horrible details that really bring the past to life. Great books for the teenager who has aged past the Horrible Histories but still wants something fun and gruesome to read, or for the adult who refuses to age past the Horrible Histories but also wants something fun and gruesome to read. I'd definitely recommend these.
That said, I kind of love them. This is basically Deary's first series, Horrible Histories, that has been updated and aged up for an older audience. It has also been corrected for accuracy, as many of the Horrible Histories were written before several recent and major advances in historical research rendered many of them inaccurate. However, Deary sticks to his strengths here, concentrating on the little horrible details that really bring the past to life. Great books for the teenager who has aged past the Horrible Histories but still wants something fun and gruesome to read, or for the adult who refuses to age past the Horrible Histories but also wants something fun and gruesome to read. I'd definitely recommend these.
October 3, 2016
Quite amusing in places, but there were some errors - Henry VIII's will did in fact reinstate Mary and Elizabeth and after that went for the descendants of younger sister Mary (the Greys) over older sister Margaret (the Scottish line). It was Edward's Device for the Succession which looked to overturn that.
There was some off-beat facts thrown in, but would have been nice to have some explanation too. It mentions a fine if you sold the meat of a Bull without it having been baited but doesn't explain why (this might have driven me mad, but I had just read Ruth Goodman's How to be a Tudor, which explains about how they believed this would tenderise the meat! I highly recommend the book!).
There was some off-beat facts thrown in, but would have been nice to have some explanation too. It mentions a fine if you sold the meat of a Bull without it having been baited but doesn't explain why (this might have driven me mad, but I had just read Ruth Goodman's How to be a Tudor, which explains about how they believed this would tenderise the meat! I highly recommend the book!).
February 7, 2015
Although it continues to push the humour a bit too hard, I much prefer this entry in the "Dangerous Days" series over its Roman Empire counter-part. This time, the information comes with a determined, unapologetic attempt to wallow in the darker, seedier, and (ahh...living up to its title) dangerous nature of Elizabeth I, her reign, and the country she ruled. It's much more of an in-your-face presentation; occasionally uncomfortable, but always fascinating.
April 26, 2015
I found the language a bit infantile at times and the jokes a bit childish. There were a lot of quotes from famous people from the 18th century to the 20th which were rather annoying and which I skipped in the end.
There were a few mistakes, possibly typos, for instance he mentioned King Philip I of Spain in the 1580s when it was obviously Philip II so I wouldn't use this book for any research. It was a light hearted look at Elizabethan England.
There were a few mistakes, possibly typos, for instance he mentioned King Philip I of Spain in the 1580s when it was obviously Philip II so I wouldn't use this book for any research. It was a light hearted look at Elizabethan England.
August 10, 2016
I'm a HUGE Horrible Histories fan, and with that I want to say how disappointed I am with this book. for a book about Elizabethan England, Elizabeth herself only plays a minor role in this book. Her father and siblings play a bigger role than herself. It's not a bad book by all means, but I know Terry Deary could've done better, or at least could've let Elizabeth play a role in her own book.
June 11, 2016
History presented in a fun, entertaining and easy to read manner. I especially liked the era tackled in this book, as I've always found it confusing who was who and what the hell was going on. I also liked the myth busting and the general critical commentary throughout.
June 19, 2015
If you are at all interested in England's royal history this is definitely a must read! Includes many quotes and snarky comments as well as jokes that make the read a very easy and entertaining one!
February 7, 2016
Very good. Funny and informative.
June 18, 2017
I loved this, a perfect pick your way through book, full of revolting tales and many interesting bits too. Gruesome and gory !!! Very entertaining.
December 22, 2014
A hilarious take on Elizabethan England.
March 23, 2015
290 - 2015
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews