Bess of Hardwick: First Lady of Chatsworth - Mary S. Lovell

My dad loves reading books on the subject of history. So when I first saw a new biography about a character I knew he admired - Bess of Hardwick- I thought he would enjoy reading it. Unfortunately he had the same idea, and bought it for himself. So I decided to keep the book to read myself and put it on my bookshelf where it has laid unread up to now. I am pleased that I re-discovered it, as it proved to be a suprisingly interesting read. WHO WAS BESS OF HARDWICK? According to the book, the second most imortant woman in England in the time of Elizabeth the First, bar the Queen herself. I knew ... more

I am a big fan of the Tudor period and enjoy reading historical books and biographies from the period to indulge my Tudor 'geekery'. A friend has bought some of these biographies as a Christmas present over the last few years, and knowing I prefer the female perspective chose the biography Bess of Hardwick: First Lady of Chatsworth by Mary S Lovell last Christmas. I had come across Bess before as a peer of Elizabeth I and a friend to Lady Jane Grey and her sisters. The book is vast at some 550 pages and I was initially daunted and procrastinated a bit, but once I got stuck in I really enjoyed ... more

*** The Author *** Mary S Lovell was an accountant for many years before writing her first book at the age of 40. Biographies she has written include Straight on Till Morning about the aviatrix Beryl Markham, Cast No Shadow about the World War II spy Betty Pack, and the sisters who are The Mitford Girls. This biography, Bess of Hardwick: First Lady of Chatsworth, is her latest published work. Her next book is due to be a family biography called The Churchills. She lives in the New Forest area of Hampshire and is interested in horses, aviation and sailing. She also likes travelling and is a ... more