Product Description

The previously untold remarkable life of Bess Ralegh, the woman behind Sir Walter Ralegh and ahead of her time. From the start of her liaison with Sir Walter Ralegh, Beth Throckmorton, maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth I, was thrown into the dangerous and violent political world of Elizabethan England. Overlooked by the court and high society, dismissed with no rights as a woman in a fiercely male establishment, she was forced to play for high stakes. Her acute intelligence and commercial acumen ensured her survival. Indeed, so great was her success that two monarchs, Elizabeth I and James I, felt threatened by and indeed sought to destroy her. However Bess' success in her pursuit of power and wealth and her struggle for justice did not come without a price: her own imprisonment and interrogation, banishment and destitution, and the loss of her husband and two of her three children. Her ultimate triumph over adversity is an extraordinarily dramatic and compelling story, and until now, untold. Twice from scratch, Bess rebuilt her fortune, taking on her enemies with a courage and resilience that makes her a woman as remarkable today as she was in her own time. She is here brought to life by Anna Beer in a perceptive and enjoyable biography.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #621494 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

Good Book Guide, April 1, 2004
'This is an entertaining and atmospheric historical work.'

Oxford Times, April 9, 2004
'...this rare and wonderful book opens up a new world...'

Customer Reviews

Seminal work of criticism- recommended unreservedly for all
In her brilliant new book, Dr Beer has explored a fascinating subject with depth, lucidity and wit. Her research and erudition make this a thrilling read from start to finish, and the subject matter becomes a truly enthralling prospect. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the subject, 17th century life or simply exceptionally well written literary-historical biographies. My book of the year so far.

Beer Would Have Helped
After having heard nothing but praise for Anna Beer's books, I saw this in my locally library, snapped it up and went home to settle down for a good read. It took all of ten minutes to realise that this was not to be.

Why is it that so many academics, brilliant in their subject, simply cannot write? It's almost as if they are afraid of losing credibility by using simple, straightforward language to tell the tale. This tome is a typical example, written in prose that is convoluted and confusing and guaranteed to put anyone off reading about history. It is so bad it should be a prescribed school textbook.