Elizabeth cover art

Elizabeth

The Forgotten Years

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Elizabeth

By: John Guy
Narrated by: Alex Jennings
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About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Elizabeth I: The Forgotten Years by John Guy, read by Alex Jennings.

History has pictured Elizabeth I as Gloriana, an icon of strength and power - and has focused on the early years of her reign. But in 1583, when Elizabeth is 50, there is relentless plotting among her courtiers - and still to come is the Spanish Armada and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.

We have not, until now, had the full picture. This gripping and vivid portrait of her life and times - often told in her own words (and including details such as her love of chess and marzipan) - reveals a woman who was insecure, human ('You know I am no morning woman'), and unpopular even with the men who fought for her. This is the real Elizabeth, for the first time.

©2016 Penguin Audio (P)2016 Penguin Audio Europe Great Britain Politics & Activism Renaissance Royalty England Middle Ages Tudor

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I have listened to this recording several times and it is so good. The subject matter, focusing on HMQ'S life post Armada, is a revelation to me. I have saved this to my favourites. i have the book as well and it is s riveting read. Alex Jennings narration, for me, cannot be faulted. The whole is an unalloyed pleasure.

Magnificent

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From the excellent narrator to content 5 ⭐️ cannot stop listening . Highly recommended if you love history told at its finest

Love it !

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Listened in an unexpected three day Elizabeth-fest. Fascinating and hugely interesting. Particularly liked the discussions of early sources and biographies and how they had interpreted her motivations (and why) etc. Really well read by a narrator I know and like. I found it difficult to follow everything and occasionally had to go back and re listen to the beginning of a chapter. I should have taken more breaks but it was too interesting to do so. This saw me through severe winter weather days. Advice not to travel unless necessary was the perfect time to listen.

Engrossing - loved it.

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Fascinating well researched but sometimes It felt this flawed but brilliant human was actually disliked by the author and perhaps he strayed too far - she wasn’t the myth but she was a substantial and impressive figure but some of the tropes about her ageing etc I felt were overdone and strayed into misogyny

Fascinating but may go too far

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Interesting book, concentrating mainly on the years of the extended conflict with Philip IiI, Elizabeth's complicated relationships with Leicester, Essex and her other war leaders and, of course, her close advisers. Here we look behind the persona of Gloriana to see the vacillating, emotional, proud, irascible, fiercely intelligent Elizabeth. It's a battle not only against foreign powers, but for who might most influence and persuade the Queen who often liked to rule by division. Not a light listen, but interesting and entertaining .

The War Years

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