Fatal Colours: Towton, 1461 - England's Most Brutal Battle
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"Fatal Colours is more thank a book about one battle, vivid, humane and superbly researched though it is. It is an account of a moment of profound crisis in English politics" (David Starkey )
"For a nation that is so fond of a bellicose past, it is astonishing that so little is known about this most bloody day in English history. George Goodwin's emotive account of this half-time mark in the Wars of the Roses is an essential addition to our gory story." (A.A. Gill, Hon Patron of Towton Battlefield Soc. )
"The Wars of the Roses have attracted many historians: some deal in the technicalities of military strategy; some chronicle the lives of the chief protagonists. Much rarer is the ability to combine all three - but Goodwin has pulled it off in this page-turning read." (Helen Castor Sunday Telegraph -17.04.11 )
"The story has never been told so well or so excitingly...George Goodwin rightly argues that while Towton can claim to be the biggest, longest and bloodiest English battle, what really marks it out is 'its brutality, its final casual indifference to the rules of war and humanity.'" (Desmond Seward, author of The Last White Rose BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, MAY 2011 )
"Brilliantly researched and superbly written, Fatal colours vividly brings to life one of the most dramatic periods of our history." (Tracey Borman, author of Elizabeth's Women )
"utterly captivating, perfectly balanced between fascinating detail and nail biting narrative. I was particularly struck by the attention given to ordinary soldiers and the way in which George had winnowed out the often poignant stories of their lives from the documentary evidence- it's a subject which is often overlooked and gave a fresh perspective on the battle." (Lisa Hilton, author of Queens Consort )
"Goodwin... charts his way through the off-putting complexities of the family tree very nicely, enlivening the minor characters while giving the major characters their proper weight in the story.... eloquent and easily digestible account, told with an eye for the salient detail, and I hope this is the first in a series of histories of this fascinating but poorly served period....you close Goodwin's wanting to read more." (Toby Clements DAILY TELEGRAPH - 05.04.11 )
"Written with clarity of style, accessible and engaging. A significant addition to the literature on the period." (Professor Anthony Goodman )
"A cracking job. A very enjoyable read." (David Cooke, Chairman Yorkshire Battlefields Trust )
"Full of fascinating detail. I enjoyed it immensely." (Allan Harley Secretary of the Wars of the Roses Federation )
"George Goodwin, who has written a book on Towton to coincide with the battle's 550th anniversary in 2011, reckons as many as 75,000 men, perhaps 10% of the country's fighting-age population, took the field that day." (THE ECONOMIST- 16.12.10 )
"For a nation that is so fond of a bellicose past, it is astonishing that so little is known about this most bloody day in English history. George Goodwin's emotive account of this half-time mark in the Wars of the Roses is an essential addition to our gory story." (A.A. Gill, Hon Patron of Towton Battlefield Soc. )
"The Wars of the Roses have attracted many historians: some deal in the technicalities of military strategy; some chronicle the lives of the chief protagonists. Much rarer is the ability to combine all three - but Goodwin has pulled it off in this page-turning read." (Helen Castor Sunday Telegraph -17.04.11 )
"The story has never been told so well or so excitingly...George Goodwin rightly argues that while Towton can claim to be the biggest, longest and bloodiest English battle, what really marks it out is 'its brutality, its final casual indifference to the rules of war and humanity.'" (Desmond Seward, author of The Last White Rose BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, MAY 2011 )
"Brilliantly researched and superbly written, Fatal colours vividly brings to life one of the most dramatic periods of our history." (Tracey Borman, author of Elizabeth's Women )
"utterly captivating, perfectly balanced between fascinating detail and nail biting narrative. I was particularly struck by the attention given to ordinary soldiers and the way in which George had winnowed out the often poignant stories of their lives from the documentary evidence- it's a subject which is often overlooked and gave a fresh perspective on the battle." (Lisa Hilton, author of Queens Consort )
"Goodwin... charts his way through the off-putting complexities of the family tree very nicely, enlivening the minor characters while giving the major characters their proper weight in the story.... eloquent and easily digestible account, told with an eye for the salient detail, and I hope this is the first in a series of histories of this fascinating but poorly served period....you close Goodwin's wanting to read more." (Toby Clements DAILY TELEGRAPH - 05.04.11 )
"Written with clarity of style, accessible and engaging. A significant addition to the literature on the period." (Professor Anthony Goodman )
"A cracking job. A very enjoyable read." (David Cooke, Chairman Yorkshire Battlefields Trust )
"Full of fascinating detail. I enjoyed it immensely." (Allan Harley Secretary of the Wars of the Roses Federation )
"George Goodwin, who has written a book on Towton to coincide with the battle's 550th anniversary in 2011, reckons as many as 75,000 men, perhaps 10% of the country's fighting-age population, took the field that day." (THE ECONOMIST- 16.12.10 )
Book Description
Gripping account of the Wars of the Roses battle of Towton - the most brutal day in English history.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It's interesting that two books on Towton should be published close together. This is the first of the two that I read.
Time was (and not so many years ago) when the Wars of the Roses were perceived as a confused and confusing, rather pointless and boring dynastic struggle that was best ignored. Normal historical narrative resumed with the Tudors. Now that has all changed. We have a myriad of studies of personalities and individual battles and issues. Towton, the largest and bloodiest battle in English history, naturally attracts a good deal of attention. It confirmed the young and shining Edward IV as king, avenged the death of Richard of york the previous year, and acts as something of a punctuation mark in the series of conflicts that make up the wider period of dynatic strife from 1455 (St Albans) and the 1490s (Perkin Warbeck).
In his account of the battle George Goodwin provides an eminently readable, well thought through, concise and convincing explanation of why the battle came to be fought, why those involved were there (and on the side they were) and what happened on the day. Towton is placed firmly in its historical context and the characters involved are well-depicted. What a shame we have no Holbein study of Edward IV (a largter than life figure if ever there was one); Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick or Margaret of Anjou. In their absence words have to do, and Goodwin does an excellent job. There are no heroes or villains here, but rounded peronalities portayed "in the round" and with a fine sense of political judgement.
There has been some interesting and (I believe) quite rare archaeolgical work done on the grave-pits related to the battle. These highlight the horrors of the rout and its aftermath in a grim but highly visual way - placing the emphasis firmly on the common soldier rather than the nobility. Goodwin ensures that this aspect is given full weight.
Whether you are fascinated by the Wars of Roses as I am, want to get involved in the period, or simply want background to Shakespeare's history plays, I would suggest Goodwin's book would be a good read. It certainly has a proud place on my shelves.
Time was (and not so many years ago) when the Wars of the Roses were perceived as a confused and confusing, rather pointless and boring dynastic struggle that was best ignored. Normal historical narrative resumed with the Tudors. Now that has all changed. We have a myriad of studies of personalities and individual battles and issues. Towton, the largest and bloodiest battle in English history, naturally attracts a good deal of attention. It confirmed the young and shining Edward IV as king, avenged the death of Richard of york the previous year, and acts as something of a punctuation mark in the series of conflicts that make up the wider period of dynatic strife from 1455 (St Albans) and the 1490s (Perkin Warbeck).
In his account of the battle George Goodwin provides an eminently readable, well thought through, concise and convincing explanation of why the battle came to be fought, why those involved were there (and on the side they were) and what happened on the day. Towton is placed firmly in its historical context and the characters involved are well-depicted. What a shame we have no Holbein study of Edward IV (a largter than life figure if ever there was one); Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick or Margaret of Anjou. In their absence words have to do, and Goodwin does an excellent job. There are no heroes or villains here, but rounded peronalities portayed "in the round" and with a fine sense of political judgement.
There has been some interesting and (I believe) quite rare archaeolgical work done on the grave-pits related to the battle. These highlight the horrors of the rout and its aftermath in a grim but highly visual way - placing the emphasis firmly on the common soldier rather than the nobility. Goodwin ensures that this aspect is given full weight.
Whether you are fascinated by the Wars of Roses as I am, want to get involved in the period, or simply want background to Shakespeare's history plays, I would suggest Goodwin's book would be a good read. It certainly has a proud place on my shelves.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am passionate about the Wars of the Roses and especially the Battle of Towton and this work really ignited the flames further. The book has a long pre- battle narrative which sets the scene perfectly and gives the reader a real insight into the many root causes of the encounter in which so many countrymen killed so many of their own countrymen. The study of the character and the nature of his kingship ( or lack of it )really sets this work apart and the ground breaking research on this monarchs mental illness produces some illuminating insights. George Goodwin has obviusly got really close to those currently working on the Battlefield and is able to write with authority about the most recent finds, the latest perspectives and the most recent work to protect and preserve this once forgotten battle. This is a real must read.
31 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Battle of Towton holds a fascination for many authors and the books currently available, rate high in the Amazon worldwide rankings. So, why would you buy Fatal Colours when so much has been written about Towton before? Surely, every source document has been pored over, every contour of the landscape has been observed, every archaeological find has been analysed by experts to bring up clues as to why this battle was the bloodiest in our nation's history?
Well, in this book, George Goodwin does not attempt to outmuscle the iconic works of others, he takes a different slant, delving into his far-reaching and incisive knowledge of history. His approach is one of setting the scene to explain the peculiar circumstances that led to this catastrophic encounter on Palm Sunday in 1461 and he does it with great style and aplomb. I believe that the mark of a good writer is the ability to make the vastly complex appear simple and logical, and George achieves this in spades. For me, reading this book was like looking into a prism to view the multi-faceted machinations of the late medieval period. He analyses the cause and effect of poor Henry VI's schizophrenic behaviour, he portrays Warwick as the "spin doctor" for the House of York, he explains how this battle had pivoted into a North-South divide and he places the conflict at Towton in an international context. He also quotes evidence from the latest ground-breaking discoveries at Towton, so there are some surprises in store.
All of this is done in an extremely readable style and there are many quotable gems; my particular favourite being "The law is like a Welshman's hose; it is the right shape for each man's leg. So supporters twist it and its might is crushed under foot." George skilfully uses recorded excerpts like this to explain the dichotomy that the nation faced at the time. Did one support the anointed King and let misrule continue or did one follow the reforming zeal of the Yorkists?
George compares many "expert witness" statements to give the book a well-balanced feel. Thoroughly recommended.
George Peter Algar: Editor of the Towton Herald, Towton Battlefield Society's official magazine.
Well, in this book, George Goodwin does not attempt to outmuscle the iconic works of others, he takes a different slant, delving into his far-reaching and incisive knowledge of history. His approach is one of setting the scene to explain the peculiar circumstances that led to this catastrophic encounter on Palm Sunday in 1461 and he does it with great style and aplomb. I believe that the mark of a good writer is the ability to make the vastly complex appear simple and logical, and George achieves this in spades. For me, reading this book was like looking into a prism to view the multi-faceted machinations of the late medieval period. He analyses the cause and effect of poor Henry VI's schizophrenic behaviour, he portrays Warwick as the "spin doctor" for the House of York, he explains how this battle had pivoted into a North-South divide and he places the conflict at Towton in an international context. He also quotes evidence from the latest ground-breaking discoveries at Towton, so there are some surprises in store.
All of this is done in an extremely readable style and there are many quotable gems; my particular favourite being "The law is like a Welshman's hose; it is the right shape for each man's leg. So supporters twist it and its might is crushed under foot." George skilfully uses recorded excerpts like this to explain the dichotomy that the nation faced at the time. Did one support the anointed King and let misrule continue or did one follow the reforming zeal of the Yorkists?
George compares many "expert witness" statements to give the book a well-balanced feel. Thoroughly recommended.
George Peter Algar: Editor of the Towton Herald, Towton Battlefield Society's official magazine.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Gory but very good
Bought this book for my husband at his request, though he has a Kindle and seldom wants books these days. Read more
Published 4 months ago by pizzazz
The Wars of the Roses Explained
I meet this chap at Bosworth Field - he's very good!.
When I started to read the book I really was impressed how the first phase of the Wars of the Roses (from the... Read more
When I started to read the book I really was impressed how the first phase of the Wars of the Roses (from the... Read more
Published 8 months ago by ngt58
new revelations
A strong book, if you enjoy the subject matter surrounding the medieval development of English culture. Read more
Published 9 months ago by ashleyG
The Trail To Towton
An enjoyable book with an interesting insight to one of the bloodiest periods of our history.However if you are purchasing this book with the intention of reading purely about the... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Hobo
Great book
Really enjoyed this book, as i didn't know much about the war of the roses this book gave me an easy to read history of the subject without being to heavy. Great read.
Published 11 months ago by Boston brand
Big on preamble
The author's research on the politics of power was exemplary, however I did find the detail rather tortuous and at times irrelevant. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Historyboy
TOWTON BATTLE AND BACKGROUND
A very good overview of the Battle of Towton, the characters involved, their motivation and the power politics of the time and I found it totally boring. Read more
Published 12 months ago by A. Taylor
How proud are you of being a Yorkshireman ?
Not as fluid a read as I hoped for but does highlight how the jingoistic white rose crowd have totally missed the point.
Published 12 months ago by Electratech
Good
Bought this on the recommendations of other readers. I generally concur with all that was written but would just add a little rider. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Ifor H. Smout
Far from flawed
Had the pleasure of meeting the author at the 550th commemoration of this battle
There is a lot of literature covering this battle and a virtue here is that the first... Read more
There is a lot of literature covering this battle and a virtue here is that the first... Read more
Published 13 months ago by AJR45
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