Richard III: A Ruler and His Reputation

"To write a book about Richard III is to tread over well-worn and treacherous terrain," disclaims Horspool (The English Rebel), history editor of the Times Literary Supplement, in this excellent biography, but he navigates the Ricardian pitfalls brilliantly. Using official records, letters, and chronicles, he traces Richard's life, particularly stressing his father's failed attempt to take the throne: "Richard began life as a victim of the Wars of the Roses, absolutely at the mercy of the changing fortunes of his family." The twin themes of family and politics are central here; both were impossible to avoid and both could be nasty. Horspool treats the court intrigues impartially, using available evidence to ascertain as much as possible what happened and Richard's part in events. Of the many murders sensationalized by Shakespeare, Horspool determines that the death of Richard's brother, Clarence, was ordered by King Edward. As for the murder of the princes in the tower, Richard's nephews, Horspool concludes that there is no solid proof, though "nothing exists to contradict the very strong likelihood that this is what happened." Richard III's "character will always remain a puzzle and a source of fascination," Horspool writes, but this unbiased and scholarly work makes a fine contribution to the historical record. Agent: Rogers, Coleridge, and White Literary Agency (U.K.). (Dec.)