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The Princes in the Tower [Hardcover]

Alison Weir (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: The Bodley Head Ltd (15 Oct 1992)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0370317920
  • ISBN-13: 978-0370317922
  • Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16 x 3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 427,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Author

Alison Weir
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Product Description

Product Description

A reconstruction of the events leading to the murder of the boy-King Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York. The author studied the contemporary sources to make a convincing case of how, when, where and by whose order they died. By the author of "Six Wives of Henry VIII".

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Mrs. D. J. Smith VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Alison Weir is perhaps best known for her Tudor history titles and I will not hesitate to recommend these to you, but unfortunately her pro-Tudor/Lancastrian bias is all too evident in this look at Richard III and the 'Princes in the Tower'. She informs the reader that she will be taking an objective look at the facts, but it's pretty clear that from the outset she has already pronounced her verdict!

To give Weir credit, it's a well written book and if you are interested in this subject you might like to read it, but if you do, PLEASE make sure you read some other theories too - and then make up your own mind from the available evidence.

She presents her 'theory' with such conviction of it's being the truth, that's it's easy for the uninitiated reader to take her word as gospel. Her theory is, however, precariously balanced - a house of cards built on a foundation of assumptions. She takes Sir Thomas More pretty much as gospel, because he has 'the ring of authenticity', despite the fact that he was a child when Richard was piteously slain, and few historians take him without a large pinch of salt and where he can be substantiated from other sources. Of course, when More's writings do not fit Weir's theory, he must be mistaken, of course....

The analysis of the skeletons found in the Tower is interesting, but her reliance on the textile 'evidence' for these being the Princes is weak. There is one report on the discovery of bones which mentions pieces of 'rag and velvet'. This was from an eye witness, not a textile expert, and the fabric has not been seen since, so it's hardly concrete proof that they are even of the period we are looking at!

If you're looking for some further reading and want a bit more balance, Paul Murray Kendall is perhaps still the best overall biography of Richard, but weak on the case of the princes and not a light tome for the beginner! Bertram Field's 'Royal Blood' is an excellent analysis of the case - you may be interested to see Weir's arguments picked apart! Also Geofrey Richardson's The Hollow Crowns and The Deceivers are well worth reading and give some new ideas. Tey's The Daughter of Time is excellent fiction as is Reay Tannerhill's The Seventh Son, but these are not meant as serious history.

Perhaps we'll never know the truth, but there's plenty here to mull over. I enjoy reading this if only for the fun of being able to pick my own holes in Weir's theories....

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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This was the first book I read on the subject of the princes and I picked Alison Weir's book because I had read her retelling of the Wars of the Roses and found it to be very clear and ejoyable. Indeed I found this book to be the same. However when I started to read around the subject I realised just how impartial she was not. She clearly loathed Richard III from the start. She had her theory ie as guilty as hell and she was going to interpret every single fact in that light.
She sees the devil in every single one of Richard's acts. Most critics allow Richard to be a good ruler even if they find him guilty of the murder of his nephews. Not miss Weir. I do not wish to discourage anyone from reading this book but please do not let her be the only author you read on this subject. Bertram Fields provides a good analysis of this book and would be an excellent choice for reading straight after.
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I like Alison Weir's books, and indeed own most of them, and I find her a very readable and, usually, credible historian. However, in this case I am certainly not convinced of King Richard's guilt and find that the evidence for it relies far too heavily on vague "quotations", hearsay, and worst of all on the word of Sir Thomas More. Although he was a very worthy man, he was a child of five when King Richard died and was educated in the household of Cardinal Morton, Henry Tudor's toady and an implacable enemy of King Richard! Such "evidence" can scarcely be considered unbiased in my opinion.
I also felt that Ms Weir had already decided that Richard was guilty before she began the book and that she was therefore juggling all the facts to fit her theory.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy the book because Ms Weir's style and prose are always excellent, but in this case I think we must "agree to disagree"!
To anyone interested in this subject I would recommend "The Daughter of Time" by Josephine Tey, which is the book that first
kindled my enduring fascination with all things "Ricardian".
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Enjoyable
I enjoyed reading this very much. Alison Weir was very concise in her explanations, and gave just enough detail without making it too "heavy" a read. One to keep and re-read.
Published 15 months ago by Mrs. N. Millican
Labour of Love
Clearly Richard III is a hot topic among both professional and amateur historians. I am pretty new to the debate and confess to being a bit surprised as to what all the fuss is... Read more
Published on 15 April 2010 by conjunction
A great read
I found this book easy to read and the historical links were well presented with an interesting insight into the fate of these two boys. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2010 by Mrs. K. Mansfield
I enjoyed this book, but now need to read more about the subject after...
I was quite ignorant regarding the case of the "princes in the tower" as, schooled in Scotland and not on the history curriculum. Read more
Published on 20 Aug 2009 by L. mckay
Meticulous, well written but don't believe it all
This is a fabulously well written book, but the Pro Lancastrian and Tudor bias is evident on nearly every page. Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2008 by Nostromo
Weir provides a watertight case of the guilt of Richard III
In this painstaking work of meticulous historical research Alison Weir thoroughly uncovers the facts behind one of English history's greatest murder mysteries. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2008 by Gary Selikow
Well-written but unfair
Like other reviewers, I was left feeling disappointed and more than a little angry by the technique employed by Alison Weir. Read more
Published on 20 April 2008 by Mr. Stephen G. York
The Princes in the Tower - Alison Weir
This was, in truth, a bit of a hit-and-miss book. It is an enjoyable read and Weir writes in a friendly, easy-to-understand manner. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2008 by Matthew Turner
Truly Awful - Buyer Beware
I was shocked to read this book. This author has taken entire medieval texts and changed their meaning by carefully choosing only certain segments from within them. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2007 by Thomas York
A Misleading Title?
Having purchased this book as a result of my curiosity over the fate of the princes in the tower I was somewhat disappointed. Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2005 by missreader
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