Darcey asked Sharon Kay Penman:

I just finished reading Alison Weir's "Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life", and I'm curious what your thoughts on it (I presume you've read it, but I can't find any books of yours on hand to see if you've included it in your references/etc). I found some of her positions interesting, especially concerning evidence or lack of evidence for particular things. Have you read it, and if so, what do you think?

Sharon Kay Penman Hi, Darcy. I have read the biography but I did not include it in the list of books I recommend about Eleanor. While I found it interesting, there were too many small mistakes and one huge one---what she claims about the Bishop of Beauvais--for my comfort level. Sadly, we still lack the definitive biography of Eleanor, nothing to compare with Dr Warren's bio of Henry II or Dr Gillingham's bio of the Lionheart. When asked for recommendations, I usually mention the collection of essays edited by Bonnie Wheeler, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Lord and Lady, and the bio by Ralph Turner; although he has his share of minor mistakes, too, his analysis of Eleanor's brief stay in Antioch is excellent. Jane Martindale has been working for a number of years on a bio of Eleanor, but I've given up hope of it being published in my lifetime.:-)

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