York and Lancaster equals Tudor

Weir, Alison.  Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World.  New York: Ballantine Books,
          2013.  ISBN: 978-0-345-52136-1

How well do you know your English history?  Can you name the Princess of the House of York that united with the House of Lancaster to help found the Tudor dynasty?  If you can't or even if you can, you will enjoy Alison Weir's telling the tale of Elizabeth of York.  One caveat, the subtitle is key to the book.  This is not just a biography of Elizabeth, it is a telling of her story in the world she lived in.

Alison Weir writes precisely the tale of Elizabeth, providing plenty of background on the time and locations.  She details and documents settings, costs, clothing, food, and actions.  She speculates in relation to Richard the III in regard to his motivations and actions, but appropriately labels what is known and what may be inferred from the evidence.  She is not afraid to discuss controversial material, specifically regarding the Princes in the Tower of London, although she does follow convention in regard to the description of Bosworth Field. 

Overall, this birth to death examination of Queen Elizabeth produces a rounded picture of a woman that helped launch the modern world by bringing legitimacy to Henry VII, birth to Henry VIII, and giving a name to two English monarchs.  Enjoy reading Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World.