Telynor's Library, and then some

When I heard about this book, I was determined to read it. But before I delved into it, I watched the National Geographic special, and one of the talking heads, Philippa Langley, got on my nerves with her hovering and generally being an annoyance to everyone involved. But the name didn't really register until I sat down and started reading the book, and I figured out that the presenter and the author were one and same. Wherein lays the trouble with this book. Nearly three hundred pages of gushing fangirling from Langley that goes into all about raising money, getting permission to dig, and generally being a pest, while all the time swooning over poor Richard's bones. Then there's Michael Jones narrative, which thankfully, saves this rather forgettable history. Jones looks at the historical facts of Richard III and his family, Henry Tudor, and Shakespeare's version, among others. For those of you out there who like history, if you can overlook Langley's verbosity, it should work. However, despite the maps and colour photos, it's not enough to save this from an average, ordinary blah book dumbed down for the masses. Only somewhat recommended.

For the longer review, please go here:
http://personapaper.com/article/27014-the-kings-grave-irritating-blend-of-history-and-obsessive-fangirling

(And thanks to Karla for her oh-so-descriptive comments about Langley's behaviour!)