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by Mr. Gareth Russell
A groundbreaking and insightful exploration of King James I, enigmatic successor to Queen Elizabeth I, from the "meticulous researcher" (The Wall Street Journal) and author of the "enjoyable and readable" (Philippa Gregory, #1 New York Times bestselling author) The Palace.
From the assassination of his father to the explosive political and personal intrigues of his reign, this fresh biography reveals as never before the passions that drove King James I.
Gareth Russell's "rollicking, gossipy" (Dan Jones, author of The Plantagenets), and scholarly voice invites us into James's world, revealing a monarch whose reign was defined by both his public power and personal vulnerabilities. For too long, historians have shied away from or condemned the exploration of his sexuality. Now, Russell offers a candid narrative that not only reveals James's relationships with five prominent men but also challenges the historical standards applied to the examination of royal intimacies.
This biography stands as a significant contribution to the understanding of royal history, illuminating the personal experiences that shaped James's political decisions and his philosophical views on masculinity and sexuality.
"[A] peppery, humane look at the complex love life of a regent known for his controversies and scandals... A sly, precise, and persuasive biography, fit for both gleeful gossips and students of Jacobean history." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Vivid and exciting... A highly entertaining, gossipy, but polished biography." —Library Journal (starred review)
"A nuanced and compassionate portrait of a complex personality." —Kirkus Reviews
"A very intimate portrait; James comes alive in full flamboyance... Russell expertly weaves the bedchamber gossip into the tapestry of a tumultuous reign. The book is serious when it needs to be and fun when appropriate… a superbly nuanced biography." —The Sunday Times (UK)
"Confident, compelling... [A] sober, rounded portrait of James Stuart...The most striking lesson of this propulsive biography is just how brutal life was 450 years ago." —The Guardian (UK)
"Superb... stands apart in its mixture of acute psychological insight and intricate research, as he brings the backbiting and power struggles of the Jacobean court to life with wit and vigor. His greatest achievement here is to redefine James as one of Britain's few queer kings, and he dispenses with the euphemisms and evasiveness of other historians in this stirring account of the man who would be queen." —The Observer (UK)
"The Six Loves of James I is just brilliant. Superb scholarship, thrilling insight and gripping investigations that will keep you riveted until the end. A fascinating insight into a complex King and the country in a period of cataclysmic change - a political thriller combined with scrupulous research and analysis; an unforgettable and revolutionary insight into this often overlooked monarch." —Kate Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Queen Victoria: The Unexpected Rise of Britain's Greatest Monarch
"Powerful and personal...Thoroughly researched and bursting with delicious details, The Six Loves of James I is an important book that is both masterful and utterly captivating. This is Russell at his absolute best." —Nicola Tallis, historian and author of Young Elizabeth
This information about The Six Loves of James I was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Educated at Oxford University and Queen's University, Belfast, Gareth Russell is a historian, novelist, and playwright. He is the author of several books, including The Palace, The Ship of Dreams, Young and Damned and Fair, The Emperors, and Do Let's Have Another Drink. He lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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