Böcker av Gareth Russell

James Stuart was a gay man before the word homosexual even existed. He fell in love three times - with Sandie, Robert, and Steenie - and he was infatuated three more times - with Huntley, Ruthven, and Philip. We have so much on the six wives of Henry VIII, why not the six loves of James I?There has never been a biography of King James that looks honestly at the entirety of his private life, much less at the men he loved over the course of that life. It is among the most dramatic stories in British royal history. Beginning with the assassination of his bisexual father in 1567, James's life ran through kidnapping, religious fundamentalism, witchcraft trials, torture, poison, political radicalism, the unification of Scotland and England, a queen's alleged abortion, passionate sex, strong love, stronger hate, espionage, one-night stands, group sex, brothels, and a decade-long love affair that ended in murder.Apart from being a series of love stories, Queen James covers a fascinating piece of royal history. Child of a murdered father and a beheaded mother, he was kidnapped twice, his mentor's heart was sent to him in a box, he slept with a suspected spy and was nearly murdered by another of his lovers. James Stuart did not always love wisely but he never failed to do so boldly.

"Architecturally breathtaking and rich in splendid art and dâecor, Hampton Court Palace has been the stage of some of the most important events in British history, such as the commissioning of King James's version of the Bible, the staging of many of Shakespeare's plays, and Queen Elizabeth II's coronation ball. Accessible, engaging, and unputdownable, The Palace takes us into every room in the castle, revealing the ups and downs of royal history and illustrating what was at play politically, socially, and economically at the time"--

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2017