Two Questions from a New Guy

...and hey, I'm a short-term lurker, first time poster, consistently amused
at the attempts to weave Richard's political scene into the current
belligerency. Anyways, two broad questions:

1. If one wanted a "college graduate's guide to Richard", which in-print and
affordable book would I turn to?
2. Sure it's not exactly an unbiased effort, but it got me here, so does
anyone in this part of the world have anything good to say about Ian
McKellen's recent movie on the object of our mutual interest?

Thanks in advance for any responses.
Michael

"You think you know what I'm doing, so obviously you don't."---Aeon Flux

I loved Ian's movie, Michael. I particularly loved the torch singer
crooning Kit Marlowe's 'Come Live With Me & Be My Love' at the start
of a movie based on *SHakespeare's* text! I though that was pretty
funny and a good in-joke, esp. as I prefer Marlow to Shax. (tho' like
his R3). It was an interesting setting, too, and mostly well-cast.

I can't recommend one particular book to you. In fact I would urge
you to read all sides of the argument. Read all you can by Hicks,
Pollard, don't ignore Weir - she's readable and infuriating and you
ought to be reading to be stimulated, Ross's books on E4 and R3 are
well worth buying if these are still in print, and read around the
topic. Invest in Dockray's Source Documents series for the period,
beg, borrow and steal anything with Hammond, Sutton or Visser-Fuchs
as authors as their work is always well researched and presented, and
further, do please beg, borrow or steal the Harleian MS 433 4-vol set
(£60) for the actual official documents or his reign.

Regards - Lorraine

Lorraine (and others!), thanks for responding.

My bit on the movie later; I didn't mean to kick over an anthill by
mentioning it.

I'm in need of something that starts a bit before "Richard's a bloody
murderer" or "Richard's the heir to Saint George"; ideally some kind of book
that gives me the context of what's going on, who's who, who did what and to
whom, and so forth. Like "The Ricardian Period for Dummies", so to speak.
I'm vaguely familiar with Richard III and the period ("Something about a
movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner happened then, didn't it?",
so I'd need something that was lucid and informative. However, I gather from
your remarks that such a book doesn't exist, but maybe my definition makes a
suggestion easier.

When I venture out to the local bookstore tonight, I'll look for this Weir
thing or a Hicks-Pollard volume. Thanks for the input.

Michael

"You think you know what I'm doing, so obviously you don't."---Aeon Flux

Thanks, Michael.

< My bit on the movie later; I didn't mean to kick over an anthill by
> mentioning it.>

You shouldn't feel bad about others' lack of manners and tact, we
should all be mature enough to be self-policing - it was a perfectly
reasonable question to ask, and on-topic, given most of the script was
written in the 16thC about a 15thC King, after all :)

< Like "The Ricardian Period for Dummies", so to speak.>

Ther was a very good book written by a past President or Chair of the
Society, the late Jeremy Potter, entitled 'Good King Richard?' (yes,
the question mark *was* included!), but it's OOP now, I believe
(altho' Addall or one of the other online bookshops may have copies).
I already a lot about the period when I first read it - it was
published in the 1980s - but other 'newbies' recommend it, and Potter
certainly wasn't by any stretch of the imagination a R3 groupie fluffy
bunny possum or whatever other fatuous thing David wishes to call
'Ricardians'.

< However, I gather from your remarks that such a book doesn't exist,
but maybe my definition makes a suggestion easier>

If there is, I'm not aware of it. The Society websites have most of
what you're asking about though, as someone has already suggested.
The public section there is all available for download and should keep
you busy for hours! :).

<"You think you know what I'm doing, so obviously you don't."---Aeon Flux>

Good old Aeon Flux - who he? whoever he/she/it is, I agree w. every
word! :)

Regards - Lorraine

Hi Michael
I think I know 2 books that might help.
One is...Who's Who in Late Medieval England by Michael Hicks and the
other is...The Plantagenet Encyclopedia by Elizabeth Hallam.
They both give a good description of who is who in that time and while
some of the explanations are a little uninformed they do give you a
good idea of titles and names etc.
Hope this helps


regards
Beth



Micheal asks....

> 1. If one wanted a "college graduate's guide to Richard", which
in-print and
> affordable book would I turn to?

Michael Worrell28/03/2003 3:00worrelmr@...

> ...and hey, I'm a short-term lurker, first time poster, consistently amused
> at the attempts to weave Richard's political scene into the current
> belligerency. Anyways, two broad questions:

I have to say that I'm pleased to see you have a sense of humour Michael.
With certain posters, or one in particular, who seems to loathe Richard,
which makes me wonder why he joined this list, unless it is simply to
annoy people and waste time :-)
> 1. If one wanted a "college graduate's guide to Richard", which in-print and
> affordable book would I turn to?
Well, many say that Charles Ross is the definitive, but, and it is a big
one, he doesn't much like Richard, as Edward was his idol. And I don't know
if it is cheap and in paperback. So I'd semd you to Ricardian favourite Paul
Murray Kendall, which is scholarly and very readable. I'd also recommend
highly, very highly, Michael Jones book on Bosworth, which isn't yet out in
paperback, so may be out of your price range. It does however contain a
theory about Richard, and a character study of him that I find totally
convincing in all aspects except for the 'what happened to the sons of
Edward IV' question. Get it from the library. You will not fail to love this
man (Richard, not Michael I hasten to add - oh, I don't know though!) once
you have read this account.
> 2. Sure it's not exactly an unbiased effort, but it got me here, so does
> anyone in this part of the world have anything good to say about Ian
> McKellen's recent movie on the object of our mutual interest?
As Shakespeare? It has FA to do with the play as written. As history? It
has absolutely FA to do with hostory. As action movie? I loved every fing
moment of it!!! I don't often rate a movie five stars but this movie got it.
I saw it on stage, and McKellen was a cold fish, unsexy and with little
contact with his audience. On stage it failed. On film, it won.
And I don't care how you came here, I'm glad you did!
Oh by the way, the "f-ing" is just to show that it isn't bad language I
object to, just bigots using bad language in a derogatory manner about what
they see as minorities, like gays, people of colour, and women.
Welcome to the fray Michael
Paul