The First Elizabeth

I have read this book several times over the years and have found it engrossing both on the historical and dramatic level. The author manages to portray Elizabeth as an all powerful monarch as well as a very human woman with all of her strengths, weaknesses and faults. The personality of Elizabeth is emphasized throughout and so the reader is left feeling that something of the person behind the legend is revealed. Carolly Erickson also reveals a great deal of the political and social environment in which this woman functioned. Knowing the political and social environment in which she was raised, came to power and ruled makes her life story that much more remarkable. Overall I found this book very worthwhile and enjoyable reading.

I have never had the pleasure of saying that a biography was hard to put down, but this is. I first encountered this book in college while taking a British History course, and I was hooked. It has been eight years since I took that course, and I am on my fourth re-reading. Every time I notice a detail that I did not before. I am fascinated by the Tudors and especially Elizabeth I. Erickson's prose is so engaging and lively you will forget you are reading a historical biography. I have the film Elizabeth, but I was disappointed in the lapses and the fact that it only covers her first year as queen. Of course, it would be a very long movie if it covered her entire reign, but buy this book to discover more of the "real" Elizabeth. Great read!

I have read this book many times, but the life of Elizabeth I never ceases to fascinate me. The abandoned child of a disgraced mother, Elizabeth survived her father and both her siblings to become the mistress of England. Shrewd, willful, charismatic, and completely in control, she dominated and used those around her to fulfill her goals. Ruling alone, she suceeded in unifying England under one church, defeating Spain, and making Britain a driving force in Europe. This is my favorite of all of Carolly Erickson's books. Go ahead. Just read it!

This book was an enjoyable read and gave a realistic picture of what life was like during Queen Elizabeth's time. The vocabulary is appropriate for an educated person and is not too technical or too childish. There is quite a bit of background about Henry VIII and Bloody Mary, which then leads in to Elizabeth's reign. This book talks about Elizabeth as a real person, exploring her hopes and wishes as well as her political persona.

The recent film "Elizabeth" may look stunning - intense faces, fabulous costumes, great interiors - but the plot and characterizations are generic and thin, a pseudo-historical mishmash that's nowhere near as interesting as the real story. If you want the real scoop on the "Virgin Queen," her handsome maybe-lover Robert Dudley, the traitorous Duke of Norfolk, the foppish Duke of Anjou, the thrillingly intricate plots and counter-plots that filled Elizabeth's long reign, then read this book.I can't imagine how Erickson organized so many colorful characters, vivid depictions of Elizabethan life, and complex religious/political struggles into such a compelling and readable narrative. I couldn't put it down!