The bitter enmity between Elizabeth the First and Mary Tudor, the daughters of Henry VIII (not to mention the conflict between their mothers Anne Boleyn and...... more

The bitter enmity between Elizabeth the First and Mary Tudor, the daughters of Henry VIII (not to mention the conflict between their mothers Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon) makes the squabbles between modern-day royals seem small beer indeed. This is particularly clear after reading something as enjoyable as Philippa Gregory's The Queen's Fool, which treats the period and its turbulent sweep with an almost operatic grandeur. In The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory delivered a tremendous popular success and lifted this kind of popular historical writing from the realms of romantic fiction to something rich in authentic drama and convincing historical verisimilitude. Mary and Elizabeth, the two young princesses, have a common goal: to be Queen of England. To achieve this, they need both to win the love of the people and learn how to negotiate dangerous political pitfalls. Gregory recreates this era with tremendous colour, and she makes the court an enticing but danger-fraught place. Into this setting comes the eponymous fool, the youthful Hannah, who (despite her air of guileless religiousness) is not naive. She soon finds herself having to deal with the beguiling but treacherous Robert Dudley. Dispatched to report on Princess Mary, Hannah discovers in her a passionate religious conviction (to return England to the rule of Rome and its pope) that will have fatal consequences. From Tolstoy's War and Peace onwards, historical novelists have set fictitious characters among real-life personages with mixed success; the author's creations can often pale beside the historical figures. That is emphatically not the case here, and Gregory ensures that all her characters have a full and teeming life. Expect a major movie: something as colourful and exuberant as The Queen's Fool is a natural for screen adaptation. --Barry Forshaw

... less

Philippa Gregory has long been one of the most assured practitioners of historical fiction, but her profile was raised even higher by the film of her...... more

Philippa Gregory has long been one of the most assured practitioners of historical fiction, but her profile was raised even higher by the film of her novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Gregory admirers, however, were heard to remark of that movie: Not as good as the book! And if her new novel, the highly accomplished The Other Queen is ever afforded the Hollywood treatment, there will no doubt be a similar chorus. The reason for this dedication by her readers is not hard to fathom: assiduously researched historical facts are married to consummate storytelling skills and the effortless ability to rescue historical figures from the dusty pages of the past.At the centre of this novel is Mary Queen of Scotland, forced to flee into England. Mary, a devout Catholic, is, of course, a living threat to the rule of her cousin Elisabeth, whose Protestant reign is uncertain. Weve been here before, of course, in various books and films. But Philippa Gregorys story this time has a different emphasis: Elizabeths chief advisor, Cecil, formulates a plan in which the destabilising Mary will live under guard with his faithful friend, Bess of Hardwick. Bess is a remarkable woman herself; someone who has forged her own destiny, and is now in her fourth marriage, to the distinguished Earl of Shrewsbury. But soon Bess and Mary find themselves plunged into very different personal crises with Besss marriage under considerable strain.The Other Queen is wonderfully accomplished stuff, evoking a much-pored-over era with a totally fresh eye. --Barry Forshaw

... less

The bitter enmity between Elizabeth the First and Mary Tudor, the daughters of Henry VIII (not to mention the conflict between their mothers Anne Boleyn and...... more

The bitter enmity between Elizabeth the First and Mary Tudor, the daughters of Henry VIII (not to mention the conflict between their mothers Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon) makes the squabbles between modern-day royals seem small beer indeed. This is particularly clear after reading something as enjoyable as Philippa Gregory's The Queen's Fool, which treats the period and its turbulent sweep with an almost operatic grandeur. In The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory delivered a tremendous popular success and lifted this kind of popular historical writing from the realms of romantic fiction to something rich in authentic drama and convincing historical verisimilitude. Mary and Elizabeth, the two young princesses, have a common goal: to be Queen of England. To achieve this, they need both to win the love of the people and learn how to negotiate dangerous political pitfalls. Gregory recreates this era with tremendous colour, and she makes the court an enticing but danger-fraught place. Into this setting comes the eponymous fool, the youthful Hannah, who (despite her air of guileless religiousness) is not naive. She soon finds herself having to deal with the beguiling but treacherous Robert Dudley. Dispatched to report on Princess Mary, Hannah discovers in her a passionate religious conviction (to return England to the rule of Rome and its pope) that will have fatal consequences. From Tolstoy's War and Peace onwards, historical novelists have set fictitious characters among real-life personages with mixed success; the author's creations can often pale beside the historical figures. That is emphatically not the case here, and Gregory ensures that all her characters have a full and teeming life. Expect a major movie: something as colourful and exuberant as The Queen's Fool is a natural for screen adaptation. --Barry Forshaw

... less

Philippa Gregory has long been one of the most assured practitioners of historical fiction, but her profile was raised even higher by the film of her...... more

Philippa Gregory has long been one of the most assured practitioners of historical fiction, but her profile was raised even higher by the film of her novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Gregory admirers, however, were heard to remark of that movie: Not as good as the book! And if her new novel, the highly accomplished The Other Queen is ever afforded the Hollywood treatment, there will no doubt be a similar chorus. The reason for this dedication by her readers is not hard to fathom: assiduously researched historical facts are married to consummate storytelling skills and the effortless ability to rescue historical figures from the dusty pages of the past.At the centre of this novel is Mary Queen of Scotland, forced to flee into England. Mary, a devout Catholic, is, of course, a living threat to the rule of her cousin Elisabeth, whose Protestant reign is uncertain. Weve been here before, of course, in various books and films. But Philippa Gregorys story this time has a different emphasis: Elizabeths chief advisor, Cecil, formulates a plan in which the destabilising Mary will live under guard with his faithful friend, Bess of Hardwick. Bess is a remarkable woman herself; someone who has forged her own destiny, and is now in her fourth marriage, to the distinguished Earl of Shrewsbury. But soon Bess and Mary find themselves plunged into very different personal crises with Besss marriage under considerable strain.The Other Queen is wonderfully accomplished stuff, evoking a much-pored-over era with a totally fresh eye. --Barry Forshaw

... less

The bitter enmity between Elizabeth the First and Mary Tudor, the daughters of Henry VIII (not to mention the conflict between their mothers Anne Boleyn and...... more

The bitter enmity between Elizabeth the First and Mary Tudor, the daughters of Henry VIII (not to mention the conflict between their mothers Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon) makes the squabbles between modern-day royals seem small beer indeed. This is particularly clear after reading something as enjoyable as Philippa Gregory's The Queen's Fool, which treats the period and its turbulent sweep with an almost operatic grandeur. In The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory delivered a tremendous popular success and lifted this kind of popular historical writing from the realms of romantic fiction to something rich in authentic drama and convincing historical verisimilitude. Mary and Elizabeth, the two young princesses, have a common goal: to be Queen of England. To achieve this, they need both to win the love of the people and learn how to negotiate dangerous political pitfalls. Gregory recreates this era with tremendous colour, and she makes the court an enticing but danger-fraught place. Into this setting comes the eponymous fool, the youthful Hannah, who (despite her air of guileless religiousness) is not naive. She soon finds herself having to deal with the beguiling but treacherous Robert Dudley. Dispatched to report on Princess Mary, Hannah discovers in her a passionate religious conviction (to return England to the rule of Rome and its pope) that will have fatal consequences. From Tolstoy's War and Peace onwards, historical novelists have set fictitious characters among real-life personages with mixed success; the author's creations can often pale beside the historical figures. That is emphatically not the case here, and Gregory ensures that all her characters have a full and teeming life. Expect a major movie: something as colourful and exuberant as The Queen's Fool is a natural for screen adaptation. --Barry Forshaw

... less

The first in a stunning new series, The Cousins War, is set amid the tumult and intrigue of The War of the Roses. Internationally bestselling author...... more

The first in a stunning new series, The Cousins War, is set amid the tumult and intrigue of The War of the Roses. Internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory brings this family drama to colourful life through its women, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen The White Queen tells the story of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the success of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the Princes in the Tower whose fate remains unknown to this day. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores the most famous unsolved mystery, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.

... less

Philippa Gregory has long been one of the most assured practitioners of historical fiction, but her profile was raised even higher by the film of her...... more

Philippa Gregory has long been one of the most assured practitioners of historical fiction, but her profile was raised even higher by the film of her novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Gregory admirers, however, were heard to remark of that movie: Not as good as the book! And if her new novel, the highly accomplished The Other Queen is ever afforded the Hollywood treatment, there will no doubt be a similar chorus. The reason for this dedication by her readers is not hard to fathom: assiduously researched historical facts are married to consummate storytelling skills and the effortless ability to rescue historical figures from the dusty pages of the past.At the centre of this novel is Mary Queen of Scotland, forced to flee into England. Mary, a devout Catholic, is, of course, a living threat to the rule of her cousin Elisabeth, whose Protestant reign is uncertain. Weve been here before, of course, in various books and films. But Philippa Gregorys story this time has a different emphasis: Elizabeths chief advisor, Cecil, formulates a plan in which the destabilising Mary will live under guard with his faithful friend, Bess of Hardwick. Bess is a remarkable woman herself; someone who has forged her own destiny, and is now in her fourth marriage, to the distinguished Earl of Shrewsbury. But soon Bess and Mary find themselves plunged into very different personal crises with Besss marriage under considerable strain.The Other Queen is wonderfully accomplished stuff, evoking a much-pored-over era with a totally fresh eye. --Barry Forshaw

... less

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has...... more

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has found them. Soon, they learn that volcanoes all over the world are beginning to erupt and are spewing a strange golden lava. It quickly becomes clear that there is a peculiar - and perhaps evil - force at work, causing these disasters. If the twins can't figure out who is responsible, and stop him, a environmental catastrophe of epic proportions will devastate the planet. Will John, Philippa, and their uncle Nimrod be able to use their powers to save the day once again?

... less

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has...... more

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has found them. Soon, they learn that volcanoes all over the world are beginning to erupt and are spewing a strange golden lava. It quickly becomes clear that there is a peculiar - and perhaps evil - force at work, causing these disasters. If the twins can't figure out who is responsible, and stop him, a environmental catastrophe of epic proportions will devastate the planet. Will John, Philippa, and their uncle Nimrod be able to use their powers to save the day once again?

... less

Who says fate is written in the stars? Set in seventeenth-century Europe, "Jepp" is the thrilling, romantic and in turns heart-warming and poignant story of a...... more

Who says fate is written in the stars? Set in seventeenth-century Europe, "Jepp" is the thrilling, romantic and in turns heart-warming and poignant story of a teenage dwarf limited not only by his height but by his destiny. Although he appears to be bound for a lowly life as a court dwarf, Jepp has ambition, and he dreams of becoming a scientist and marrying the woman he loves. This highly original and unforgettable story is based on a real historical figure, and Jepp's story includes violence, love, astrology, astronomy, and even a beer-drinking moose. A Philippa Gregory for teens, "Jepp" is ideal for fans of adventurous, thought-provoking historical romance.

... less

The scandalous true story of Mary Boleyn, infamous sister of Anne, and mistress of Henry VIII.The fictionalized story of Mary Boleyn is told in the current...... more

The scandalous true story of Mary Boleyn, infamous sister of Anne, and mistress of Henry VIII.The fictionalized story of Mary Boleyn is told in the current Hollywood blockbuster The Other Boleyn Girl (based on Philippa Gregory's bestseller) starring Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman which has generated huge interest in Mary as a historical figure.Mary Boleyn, 'the infamous other Boleyn girl', began her court career as the mistress of the king of France. Franois I of France would later call her 'The Great Prostitute' and the slur stuck.The bete-noir of her family, Mary was married her off to a minor courtier but it was not long before she caught the eye of Henry VIII and a new affair began. Although a bright star at Henry's court, she was soon eclipsed by her highly spirited and more accomplished sister, Anne, who rapidly took her place in the king's heart. However, the ups and downs of the Boleyn sisters were far from over. Mary would emerge the sole survivor of a family torn...

... less

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has...... more

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has found them. Soon, they learn that volcanoes all over the world are beginning to erupt and are spewing a strange golden lava. It quickly becomes clear that there is a peculiar - and perhaps evil - force at work, causing these disasters. If the twins can't figure out who is responsible, and stop him, a environmental catastrophe of epic proportions will devastate the planet. Will John, Philippa, and their uncle Nimrod be able to use their powers to save the day once again?

... less

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has...... more

When the ancient Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupts right before their eyes, djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt know that a brand-new adventure has found them. Soon, they learn that volcanoes all over the world are beginning to erupt and are spewing a strange golden lava. It quickly becomes clear that there is a peculiar - and perhaps evil - force at work, causing these disasters. If the twins can't figure out who is responsible, and stop him, a environmental catastrophe of epic proportions will devastate the planet. Will John, Philippa, and their uncle Nimrod be able to use their powers to save the day once again?

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Cast/Crew...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: The tangled three-way friendship of Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí and Federico García Lorca - important artistic figures of the 20th century whose paths crossed in Madrid early in their careers - could make for a fascinating movie. Instead, we have "Little Ashes," directed by Paul Morrison and written by Philippa Goslett, a painfully sincere study in creative passion, sexual ardor and political zeal that embalms a mad and exuberant historical moment within the talky, balky conventions of period-costumed highbrow soap opera. The film starts off like a Spanish variation on "Brideshead Revisited," with various handsome young men in beautifully tailored shirts bursting into university dormitory rooms, lighting cigarettes and declaiming knowingly on art, religion, modern society and the talents and deficiencies of their peers. A couple of brightly plumed, semi-emancipated women occasionally take part in the conversations, which the international cast utters in Castilian-accented - or should I say acthented - English. ...Little Ashes

... less

Who says fate is written in the stars? Set in seventeenth-century Europe, "Jepp" is the thrilling, romantic and in turns heart-warming and poignant story of a...... more

Who says fate is written in the stars? Set in seventeenth-century Europe, "Jepp" is the thrilling, romantic and in turns heart-warming and poignant story of a teenage dwarf limited not only by his height but by his destiny. Although he appears to be bound for a lowly life as a court dwarf, Jepp has ambition, and he dreams of becoming a scientist and marrying the woman he loves. This highly original and unforgettable story is based on a real historical figure, and Jepp's story includes violence, love, astrology, astronomy, and even a beer-drinking moose. A Philippa Gregory for teens, "Jepp" is ideal for fans of adventurous, thought-provoking historical romance.

... less

The scandalous true story of Mary Boleyn, infamous sister of Anne, and mistress of Henry VIII.The fictionalized story of Mary Boleyn is told in the current...... more

The scandalous true story of Mary Boleyn, infamous sister of Anne, and mistress of Henry VIII.The fictionalized story of Mary Boleyn is told in the current Hollywood blockbuster The Other Boleyn Girl (based on Philippa Gregory's bestseller) starring Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman which has generated huge interest in Mary as a historical figure.Mary Boleyn, 'the infamous other Boleyn girl', began her court career as the mistress of the king of France. Franois I of France would later call her 'The Great Prostitute' and the slur stuck.The bete-noir of her family, Mary was married her off to a minor courtier but it was not long before she caught the eye of Henry VIII and a new affair began. Although a bright star at Henry's court, she was soon eclipsed by her highly spirited and more accomplished sister, Anne, who rapidly took her place in the king's heart. However, the ups and downs of the Boleyn sisters were far from over. Mary would emerge the sole survivor of a family torn...

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Cast/Crew...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: The tangled three-way friendship of Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí and Federico García Lorca - important artistic figures of the 20th century whose paths crossed in Madrid early in their careers - could make for a fascinating movie. Instead, we have "Little Ashes," directed by Paul Morrison and written by Philippa Goslett, a painfully sincere study in creative passion, sexual ardor and political zeal that embalms a mad and exuberant historical moment within the talky, balky conventions of period-costumed highbrow soap opera. The film starts off like a Spanish variation on "Brideshead Revisited," with various handsome young men in beautifully tailored shirts bursting into university dormitory rooms, lighting cigarettes and declaiming knowingly on art, religion, modern society and the talents and deficiencies of their peers. A couple of brightly plumed, semi-emancipated women occasionally take part in the conversations, which the international cast utters in Castilian-accented - or should I say acthented - English. ...Little Ashes

... less

Prince Henry of Portugal (1394-1460) universally referred to as "The Navigator" achieved iconic status as one of the most important figures in the...... more

Prince Henry of Portugal (1394-1460) universally referred to as "The Navigator" achieved iconic status as one of the most important figures in the Renaissance history of exploration and discovery. According to a historical tradition established in the 19th century, Henry was responsible for despatching caravels down the African coast and immersing himself in the astronomical and geographical debates that were to prove so crucial to the subsequent development of maritime discovery. In fact, as Peter Russell explains in his exhaustive biography Prince Henry "The Navigator": A Life, this version of Henry was in fact a romantic myth, partly created by English writers keen to emphasise Henry's own English heritage (his mother was Philippa of Lancaster). Carefully reconstructing Henry's life from the sparse archival evidence that remains, Russell discovers "an obstinately enigmatic personality who seems, chameleon-like, to present a range of different images according to the various contexts in which we come across him". What emerges is a much more complex individual, able to lead the momentous Portuguese capture of Ceuta in 1415 with crusading fervour, as well as an astute coloniser of both Madeira and the Canary Islands with an eye for the commercial monopolisation of slaves and precious commodities throughout his new-found territories. Russell also carefully builds up a picture of a prince who "had always done his best to see to it that his public persona, not only in life but also posthumously, was and would be first and always that of a soldier of the Church Militant". Marshalling a lifetime's study of Spain and Portugal, Russell produces a far less likeable, but also much more realistic portrait of one of the key figures in the history of the Age of Discovery. --Jerry Brotton

... less