Product Description
Thomas Becket
Author: John Guy
Format: Paperback
Warrior, Priest, Rebel, Victim: A 900-Year-Old Story Retold
From Thomas Becket's early life as a merchant's son and his time as the Archbishop of Canterbury to his assassination in the Cathedral itself, this enlightening book brings to life a colossal figure of British history.
'Lively, effortlessly readable, superb. A beautifully layered portrait of one of the most complex characters in English history' — The Times
This is the man, not the legend . . .
Thomas Becket lived at the centre of medieval England. Son of a draper's merchant, he was befriended and favoured by Henry II and quickly ascended the rungs of power and privilege. He led 700 knights into battle, brokered peace between warring states and advised King and Pope.
Yet he lost it all defying his closest friend and King, resulting in his bloody murder and the birth of a saint.
In award-winning biographer John Guy's masterful account, the life, death and times of Thomas Becket come vividly into focus.
'Suspenseful, meticulously researched . . . however well you think you know the story, it is well worth the read' — Financial Times
'Wonderfully moving and subtle. Reading of the assassination is almost unbearably intense and brings tears to one's eye' — Daily Express
'Compelling, marvellously measured, entertainingly astute, and in places positively moving' — The Independent
'Scintillates with energetic scene-setting, giving us a tactile, visual feel for early medieval England . . . breathes new life into an oft-told tale' — Financial Times
About the Author
John Guy is a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, and has published sixteen books, including My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots, Tudor England, Thomas More and The Tudors: A Very Short Introduction. He appears regularly on BBC Radio 2, Radio 3 and Radio 4 and has presented numerous television documentaries for BBC2. He regularly contributes to the Sunday Times, Guardian, Economist and The Times Literary Supplement.
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