Private life in the fifteenth century: Illustrated letters of the Paston family

by Richard (ed.) Virgoe

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 19, 1989

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first version of the Paston story that I've read, so I don't know how it compares to others. As explained in a note, the author has selected about 20% of the extant letters and printed a significant chunk of each. It is also interspersed with pages on aspects of the Pastons' world, such as religion, death, tournaments, and travelling; also, each letter is prefaced by an explanation of the context. The book obviously covers some aspects of the Wars of the Roses, but is mainly concerned with the ins and outs of a medieval gentry family.

Having read several books on the Wars of the Roses, I found the lives of the Pastons very interesting.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to know about the Pastons and their life as well as the day to day details of life in the fifteenth century this is the place to start. It explains who everyone is and tells their story with brisk narrative pace, illustration and examples of the letters.