The World History Shelf

When Women Ruled the World
Maureen Quilligan
Liveright
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
www.wwnorton.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781631497964, $29.95, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/When-Women-Ruled-World-Renaissance/dp/1631497960

Synopsis: The sixteenth century in Europe was a time of chronic destabiliza= tion in which institutions of traditional authority were challenged and rel= igious wars seemed unending. Yet it also witnessed the remarkable flowering=
of a pacifist culture, cultivated by a cohort of extraordinary women ruler=
s (most notably, Mary Tudor; Elizabeth I; Mary, Queen of Scots; and Catheri=
ne de' Medici) whose lives were intertwined not only by blood and marriage,=
but by a shared recognition that their premier places in the world of just=
a few dozen European monarchs required them to bond together, as women, ag= ainst the forces seeking to destroy them, if not the foundations of monarch=
y itself.

Recasting the complex relationships among these four queens, Maureen Quilli= gan, a leading scholar of the Renaissance, rewrites centuries of historical=
analysis that sought to depict their governments as riven by personal jeal= ousies and petty revenges. Instead, with the publication of "When Women Rul=
ed the World: Making the Renaissance in Europe", Professor Maureen Quilliga=
n shows how these regents carefully engendered a culture of mutual respect,=
focusing on the gift-giving by which they aimed to ensure ties of friendsh=
ip and alliance. As Professor Quilligan demonstrates, gifts were no mere si= gnals of affection, but inalienable possessions, often handed down through = generations, that served as agents in the creation of a steep social hierar= chy that allowed women to assume political authority beyond the confines of=
their gender.

Professor Quilligan also reveals how eleven-year-old Elizabeth I's gift of =
a handmade book to her stepmother, Katherine Parr, helped facilitate peace = within the tumultuous Tudor dynasty, and how Catherine de' Medici's gift of=
the Valois tapestries to her granddaughter, the soon-to-be Grand Duchess o=
f Tuscany, both solidified and enhanced the Medici family's prestige. Quill= igan even uncovers a book of poetry given to Elizabeth I by Catherine de' M= edici as a warning against the concerted attack launched by her closest cou= nselor, William Cecil, on the divine right of kings -- an attack that ultim= ately resulted in the execution of her sister, Mary, Queen of Scots.

Beyond gifts, "When Women Ruled the World" also delves into the connections=
the regents created among themselves, connections that historians have lon=
g considered beneath notice. "Like fellow soldiers in a sororal troop," Pro= fessor Quilligan writes, these women protected and aided each other. Aware =
of the leveling patriarchal power of the Reformation, they consolidated for= ces, governing as "sisters" within a royal family that exercised power by v= irtue of inherited right -- the very right that Protestantism rejected as a=
basis for rule.

Vibrantly chronicling the artistic creativity and political ingenuity that = flourished in the pockets of peace created by these four queens, Professor = Quilligan's lavishly illustrated work offers a new perspective on the glori= ous sixteenth century and, crucially, the women who helped create it.

Critique: A brilliant presented and extraordinarily informative contributio=
n to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Eur= opean Renaissance History collections and supplemental curriculum studies r= eading lists, (and featuring an 8-page color insert and 40 black-and-white = images) it should be noted for students, academia, and non- specialist gene= ral readers with an interest in the subject that "When Women Ruled the Worl=
d: Making the Renaissance in Europe" is also available in a paperback editi=
on (9781324092377, $18.95), in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.16), and =
as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798200921515, $= 46.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Maureen Quilliganis (https://whenwomenruled.blog) is the R.=
Florence Brinkley Distinguished Professor Emerita of English at Duke Unive= rsity. The author of books about medieval and Renaissance literature, she w=
as also co- editor of the groundbreaking essay collection "Rewriting the Re= naissance: The Discourses of Sexual Difference in Early Modern Europe".

The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words
Joel Greenbert
Greenhill Books
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781784388119, $39.95, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Bletchley-Park-Codebreakers-Their-Words/dp/178438811=
4

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their=
Own Words", historian Joel Greenberg tells the story of Bletchley Park thr= ough countless letters written by key players to former colleagues and love=
d ones as the war unfolded.

Having intercepted millions of German communications, the codebreakers had = felt bound by the Official Secrets Act and said little about their wartime = activities. Some who had stayed on at GCHQ after the war, were concerned th=
at speaking out could jeopardize their pensions.

Over one hundred letters have been included in this informative volume and = have either been recovered from family members or declassified by GCHQ. The=
y reveal fresh information about the clandestine operation and disclose the=
true feelings of the participants at Bletchley Park.

In contrast to early accounts, which lacked detail and were occasionally in= accurate, "The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words" thoroughly l= ays bare the day-to-day experiences at Bletchley Park and uncovers the oper= ational and technical reasons behind the organization's successes and failu= res.

Simultaneously intimate and comprehensive, it will interest historians, Wor=
ld War II researchers, and anyone who wants to learn the secrets of Britain=
's signal intelligence effort.

Critique: A unique and substantial contribution to the growing number of Wo= rld War II histories, "The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words" =
is informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an Appendix = (Letters to the Editor), ten pages of Notes, a three page Bibliography, and=
a five page Index. An extraordinary 'eye-witness' based history, "The Blet= chley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words" is a critically important and r= ecommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic libr= ary World War II History/Biography collections. It should be noted for stud= ents, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the = subject of World War II military intelligence that "The Bletchley Park Code= breakers in Their Own Words" is also available in a digital book format (Ki= ndle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Joel Greenberg (https://www.joelgreenberg.co.uk) is an auth=
or and historian who researches and writes about signals intelligence and i=
ts impact on two world wars. He is the author of "Gordon Welchman: Bletchle=
y Park's Architect of Ultra Intelligence". This book is the basis of "The F= orgotten Genius of Bletchley Park" -- a joint BBC/Smithsonian Network 2015 = documentary about Welchman.

Celtic Warfare
Gioal Canestrelli
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399070171, $42.95, HC, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Warfare-Fifth-Century-First/dp/1399070177

Synopsis: Warfare was a crucial aspect of Celtic society, deeply linked to = the spreading of their culture through all Europe. Between the fifth centur=
y BC, when La T ne Culture Celts developed in Europe, and the first century=
AD, when they faced the complete subjugation or annihilation of most of th= eir communities, their approach to warfare was subject to constant evolutio=
n, driven both by contact with Mediterranean cultures and different require= ments closely related to social issues that were in constant flux.

With the publication of "Celtic Warfare: From the Fifth Century BC to the F= irst Century AD", historian Gioal Canestrelli offers an interdisciplinary a= pproach, combining archaeological and literary sources and examining Celtic=
warfare from both a practical perspective, linked to weapons structure and=
military tactics, and a social perspective, analyzing the cultural implica= tions of Celtic military development. Furthermore, "Celtic Warfare" analyse=
s the different areas of the Keltike, from Britain to Gaul, from Spain to t=
he Alpine region, with more than 120 black & white drawings of the archaeol= ogical finds and a number of original color artworks of Celtic warriors.

Critique: In addition to a number of color plates, "Celtic Warfare: From th=
e Fifth Century BC to the First Century AD" also features an Appendix (Stra= tagems and Poliorcetics - Siege War); a seven page Dictionary; twenty pages=
of Notes; an eleven page Bibliography; and a four page Index. Of special a= ppeal to students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an int= erest in the subject, "Celtic Warfare: From the Fifth Century BC to the Fir=
st Century AD" is highly recommended for personal, professional, community,=
and academic library Celtic History collections and supplemental curriculu=
m studies lists. It should be noted that "Celtic Warfare: From the Fifth Ce= ntury BC to the First Century AD" is also available in a digital book forma=
t (Kindle, $18.99).

Historical Dictionary of Medieval Russia, second edition
Lawrence N. Langer
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781538119419, $150.00, HC, 322pp

https://www.amazon.com/Historical-Dictionary-Medieval-Dictionaries-Civiliza= tions/dp/1538119412

Synopsis: The emergence of Russia or Rus', as it was known, from a group of=
scattered Slavic tribes into one of the most powerful states of medieval a=
nd modern European history is an extraordinary story. It is a story filled = with much struggle as there were historical periods when Russia almost ceas=
ed to exist as it underwent invasion and conquest.

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Historical Dictionary =
of Medieval Russia" by Professor Lawrence N. Langer features a chronology, =
a glossary, an informative introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The=
dictionary section itself has more than 300 cross-referenced entries on im= portant personalities as well as aspects of the country's politics, economy=
, foreign relations, religion, and culture.

Critique: With both an editor's Foreword and a Reader's Note, this newly pu= blished second edition of "Historical Dictionary of Medieval Russia" is an = excellent and impressively informative resource and a highly recommended ad= dition to personal, professional, community, college, and university librar=
y Medieval Studies collections in general, and supplemental curriculum Russ= ian History studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students, a= cademia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject=
that the "Historical Dictionary of Medieval Russia" is also available in a=
digital book format (Kindle, $125.94).

Editorial Note: Lawrence N. Langeris (https://history.uconn.edu/person/lawr= ence-n-langer) retired from the University of Connecticut, where he taught =
in the history department and served as director of Slavic and East Europea=
n Studies. He is currently an associate of the Davis Center for Russian and=
Eurasian Studies, Harvard University, and is the editor in chief of the jo= urnal Russian History.

In the Shadow of a Queen
Heather B. Moore
Shadow Mountain Publishing
P.O. Box 30178, Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0178
www.shadowmountain.com
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781639930500, $26.99, HC, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Queen-Heather-B-Moore/dp/1639930507

Synopsis: Princess Louise's life is upended after her father's untimely dea= th. Captive to the queen's overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to le= ave her mother's tight circle of control and is eventually relegated to the=
position of personal secretary to her mother -- the same position each of = her sisters held until they were married.

Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen's wrath by explorin=
g the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Lou= ise involves herself in the day's political matters, including championing = the career of a female doctor and communicating with suffragettes, the quee=
n lays down the law to stop her and devotes her full energy to finding an a= cceptable match for her defiant daughter.

Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Vict= oria, but finding a match for the princess is no easy feat. Protocols are b= roken, and Louise exerts her own will as she tries to find an open-minded h= usband who will support her free spirit.

"In the Shadow of a Queen" by Heather B. Moore is the story of a battle of = wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond=
the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown's reputat= ion unsullied no matter the cost.

Critique: Compelling, eloquent, original, featuring a roster of deftly craf= ted characters and a fully engaging, narrative driven storytelling style, H= eather Moore's latest novel, "In the Shadow of a Queen" is especially and u= nreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collection=
s. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Heather Moore fans = that "In the Shadow of a Queen" is also readily available in a digital book=
format (Kindle, $19.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Black= stone Audio, 9798212014359, $31.95, CD).

Editorial Note: Heather B. Moore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_B._= Moore) is the author of more than seventy publications, including The Paper=
Daughters of Chinatown. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of = the United States, as well as Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cai=
ro American Collage in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel=
.. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical resea= rch.

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Midwest Book Review

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