THE WOMEN OF THE COUSINS' WAR: THE DUCHESS, THE QUEEN, AND THE KING'S MOTHER.

New York: Touchstone / Simon & Schuster , 2011. 342 pp, 9 1/2" H. B&w maps, genealogical charts, etc. Colour plates. "Philippa Gregory and her fellow historians descibe the extraordinary lives of the heroines of her Cousins' War books: Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford; Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV; and Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. In her essay on Jacquetta, Gregory uses original documents, archaeology, and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who survived two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love; and Michael Jones wrties of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor. In the introduction, Gregory writes revealingly about the differences between history and historical fiction. How much of a role does speculation play in writing each? How much fiction and how much fact should there be in a historical novel? How are female historians changing our view of women in history?" Remainder mark on top of the text block, minor edge wear, minor wrinkling at the bottom of the spine, a few tiny dents on the bottom edge of the front board. Dust jacket has a few small areas of minor edge wrinkling.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good+.