Comments on: Review: Katherine Swynford, Alison Weir

By: Elysium

Elysium — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:45:59 +0000

Haven’t read anything about Katherine Swynford so maybe this one won’t be the one to start… I had the same problem with her book on Eleanor of Aquitaine because it was hardly about Eleanor. It annoys me so much when author’s can’t stay on topic!

By: Marie

Marie — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:15:32 +0000

I’ve got this one to read as well. Most of the biographies I have read of ‘medieval women’ etc are about the Times, the Other People, etc. and never seem to focus solely on the actual person I wanted to read the book for in the first place.
I have enjoyed Weir’s writing for the speculation as she reads more into things and does offer opinions on what could have and may have and why that happened. I find that more refreshing than just a rehashing of facts.
Thanks for pointing out your thoughts on the book, and I will remember that the book is in relation to Katherine and not specifically of her. It will help place the era in context for me since I have been stuck in Tudor-land a lot. =)

By: bermudaonion (Kathy)

bermudaonion (Kathy) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:50:50 +0000

I probably wouldn’t have even known that most of it was speculations, but I trust your judgment, so I probably won’t read this one.

By: S. Krishna

S. Krishna — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:27:11 +0000

I’m still planning on reading this one, but I’m so glad I read your review first. It’ll help me keep these reservations in mind while reading!

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:00:40 +0000

My only information on Katherine Swynford was gleaned from Katherine, by Anya Seton. While the story was a good one, I don’t know that I will bother reading more about Swynford.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:57:00 +0000

Some speculation is always necessary, but it just makes me wonder why bother to build a book on speculation? I have to question whether or not they choose these women more for marketing purposes; more women read, so surely more women will read a book on a woman. I don’t think that was Weir’s motivation in this particular case, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that was why she got the go-ahead. She even said she thought there wasn’t enough in the introduction, but was proved wrong by what she found – unfortunately I think instead she proved that there definitely wasn’t enough to go on!

By: zibilee

zibilee — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:54:03 +0000

I am sorry to hear that this wasn’t the read you had been expecting. It doesn’t really sound all that impressive, so I will probably pass on it, but I thank you for your honest thoughts on the book!

By: Jen - Devourer of Books

Jen - Devourer of Books — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:28:21 +0000

I had a similar problem with a biography of Jane Boleyn. Really, it is enough to just about put me off of biographies of late medieval women, because all that speculation drove me crazy “she may have…”