Sarah Gristwood
Author of Arbella: England's Lost Queen
About the Author
Biographer and journalist Sarah Gristwood attended Oxford University and is the author of seven books, including the best-selling Arbella and Elizabeth and Leicester. She lives in London and Kent.
Works by Sarah Gristwood
The Tudors in Love: Passion and Politics in the Age of England's Most Famous Dynasty (2022) 81 copies, 1 review
God's Jury 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Gristwood, Sarah
- Birthdate
- 1960
- Gender
- female
- Education
- University of Oxford (St. Anne's College)
- Occupations
- journalist
biographer
historian - Awards and honors
- Royal Historical Society (Fellow)
Royal Society of Arts (Fellow) - Agent
- Araminta Whitley (Lucas Alexander Whitley)
- Relationships
- Malcolm, Derek (husband|1994|his death|2023)
- Short biography
- After leaving Oxford, Sarah Gristwood began work as a journalist, writing at first about the theatre as well as general features on everything from gun control to Giorgio Armani. But increasingly she found herself specializing in film interviews. Her work has appeared in most of the UK's leading newspapers and magazines.
Turning to history, she wrote two bestselling Tudor biographies, Arbella: England’s Lost Queen and Elizabeth and Leicester; and the 18th-century story Perdita: Royal Mistress, Writer, Romantic, which was selected as Radio 4 Book of the Week. Presenting and contributing to several radio and tv documentaries, she also published a book on iconic dresses, Fabulous Frocks (with Jane Eastoe); and a 50th anniversary companion to the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as well as collaborating with Tracy Borman, Alison Weir and Kate Williams on The Ring and the Crown, a book on the history of royal weddings. 2011 also saw the publication of her first historical novel, The Girl in the Mirror. In September 2012 she brought out a new nonfiction book -- Blood Sisters: The Women behind the Wars of the Roses.
She and her husband, film critic Derek Malcolm, live in London and Kent. - Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Kent, England, UK
- Places of residence
- London, England, UK
Kent, England, UK - Map Location
- England, UK
Members
Reviews
A Christmas gift from the “Interesting Women” wishlist. Arbella Stuart (her name is often latinized to Arabella, but her contemporaries knew her as “Arbella” or “Arbel”) was Henry VIII’s great-grand niece, and in the confusing Tudor and Stuart lines of succession coupled with the early deaths of her father and mother, ended up second in line to the throne of England (after James VI of Scotland, who eventually did inherit as James I). You might think it’s romance novel fodder show more to be an heir to the throne, but the reality is more tragic than romantic; Arbella spent almost her entire life under house arrest or in the Tower, eventually dying there of self-starvation after an ill-advised marriage and an even more ill-advised escape attempt.
Unlike many of her contemporaries, Arbella left a considerable corpus of writing behind, probably because there wasn’t much else she could do for most of her life except write or embroider. Unfortunately, her letters are often disjointed or incoherent, leading author Sarah Gristwood to suggest she may have been mentally ill. Her existing portraits show her as attractive if a little dazed-looking, probably to be expected under the circumstances. Gristwood has a nicely readable style, and provides some interesting diversions on various topics, including the difficulty of writing history in an era where Robert Cecil, Sir Robert Cecil, Baron Cecil, Viscount Cranborne, and the Earl of Salisbury were all the same person; 16th century medicine (after you bled somebody, you forced several dried peas into the wound, then covered it with earthworm paste); and what was involved in dressing an Elizabethan lady for court.
In addition to the speculation that Arbella had mental problems, Gristwood offers a couple more interesting suggestions: that Arbella’s tutor “Morley”, who also acted as a spy to ensure that she wasn’t turning Catholic, was actually Christopher Marlowe; and that John Webster’s play The Duchess of Malfi is a disguised biography of Arbella. The jacket biography describes Sarah Gristwood as a journalist and broadcaster; I wonder how many Americans in those professions could turn out a book like this. Excellent index, excellent bibliography, good endnotes; could use a map or two, especially of London and south England (there’s contemporary illustrations of London and the Tower in the text and plates, but although interesting they don’t really serve to show who’s doing what where). show less
Unlike many of her contemporaries, Arbella left a considerable corpus of writing behind, probably because there wasn’t much else she could do for most of her life except write or embroider. Unfortunately, her letters are often disjointed or incoherent, leading author Sarah Gristwood to suggest she may have been mentally ill. Her existing portraits show her as attractive if a little dazed-looking, probably to be expected under the circumstances. Gristwood has a nicely readable style, and provides some interesting diversions on various topics, including the difficulty of writing history in an era where Robert Cecil, Sir Robert Cecil, Baron Cecil, Viscount Cranborne, and the Earl of Salisbury were all the same person; 16th century medicine (after you bled somebody, you forced several dried peas into the wound, then covered it with earthworm paste); and what was involved in dressing an Elizabethan lady for court.
In addition to the speculation that Arbella had mental problems, Gristwood offers a couple more interesting suggestions: that Arbella’s tutor “Morley”, who also acted as a spy to ensure that she wasn’t turning Catholic, was actually Christopher Marlowe; and that John Webster’s play The Duchess of Malfi is a disguised biography of Arbella. The jacket biography describes Sarah Gristwood as a journalist and broadcaster; I wonder how many Americans in those professions could turn out a book like this. Excellent index, excellent bibliography, good endnotes; could use a map or two, especially of London and south England (there’s contemporary illustrations of London and the Tower in the text and plates, but although interesting they don’t really serve to show who’s doing what where). show less
Taking what she can from the evidence this is an interesting account of the life and death of Arbella Stuart. A woman constrained by the fact that she was from the royal family and living in a period where her possible marriage would mean a contender for the throne.
Gristwood speculates about Porphyria being the cause of some of her issues, she had frequent bouts of illness and what would appear to be depression. I'm pretty sure these weren't helped by the constant suspicion that she was show more going to be the centre of a plot to take over the throne, willingly or unwillingly.
While Elizabeth willingly avoided marriage for politics sake, Arbella fell in love and her marriage was roundly condemned by James I, leading to her imprisonment in the Tower of London and subsequent to her escape and recapture, her death.
She's a woman about whom I had never heard before but I found quite interesting and had some pity for, she lived a very constrained, pressured life that had a continuous shadow of death.
I liked the story, the author seems to have a lot of sympathy for the character and her times. show less
Gristwood speculates about Porphyria being the cause of some of her issues, she had frequent bouts of illness and what would appear to be depression. I'm pretty sure these weren't helped by the constant suspicion that she was show more going to be the centre of a plot to take over the throne, willingly or unwillingly.
While Elizabeth willingly avoided marriage for politics sake, Arbella fell in love and her marriage was roundly condemned by James I, leading to her imprisonment in the Tower of London and subsequent to her escape and recapture, her death.
She's a woman about whom I had never heard before but I found quite interesting and had some pity for, she lived a very constrained, pressured life that had a continuous shadow of death.
I liked the story, the author seems to have a lot of sympathy for the character and her times. show less
Queen Elizabeth I’s affection for Robert Dudley is the subject of Sarah Gristwood’s wonderful joint biography. She sifts sources and accounts and it really does feel as though she gets as close as possible to understanding this passionate, intriguing relationship. She looks steadily at Elizabeth’s failings – her vanity, playacting and procrastination - while examining dispassionately the demanding expectations on Elizabeth as monarch. The House of Commons petitioned it would be show more ‘contrary to public respects’ if she remained ‘unmarried and, as it were, a vestal virgin’. In answer she explained: ‘I haply chose this kind of life in which I yet live, which I assure you for mine own part hath hitherto best contented myself and I trust hath been most acceptable to God.’
Her perplexed contemporaries hoped that Elizabeth’s great games of courtship would end happily. Elizabeth by contrast preferred her independence than marrying and surrendering her sovereignty and besides she had a great friendship of devotion, flirtation, adoration and gifts with the delectable Dudley. Yet, as Gristwood demonstrates, for Dudley there was a great cost – loathed by fellow courtiers as ‘the gypsy’, his own frustrated ambition and muddled relationships with other women. They continued loving, fighting and reconciling until his death in 1588 and then it continued almost beyond the grave. There was a terrible almost deadly coda with Elizabeth’s affection and indulgence of Dudley’s step-son, Essex. ‘What ifs’ are of doubtful use but the Scottish ambassador Melville said: ‘she would have chosen Lord Robert, her brother and best friend, but ... [was] determined to end her life in virginity’. Her decision was unique, inspired and successful and in stark contrast to the desperate failures of Mary Tudor and Mary Stuart. show less
Her perplexed contemporaries hoped that Elizabeth’s great games of courtship would end happily. Elizabeth by contrast preferred her independence than marrying and surrendering her sovereignty and besides she had a great friendship of devotion, flirtation, adoration and gifts with the delectable Dudley. Yet, as Gristwood demonstrates, for Dudley there was a great cost – loathed by fellow courtiers as ‘the gypsy’, his own frustrated ambition and muddled relationships with other women. They continued loving, fighting and reconciling until his death in 1588 and then it continued almost beyond the grave. There was a terrible almost deadly coda with Elizabeth’s affection and indulgence of Dudley’s step-son, Essex. ‘What ifs’ are of doubtful use but the Scottish ambassador Melville said: ‘she would have chosen Lord Robert, her brother and best friend, but ... [was] determined to end her life in virginity’. Her decision was unique, inspired and successful and in stark contrast to the desperate failures of Mary Tudor and Mary Stuart. show less
Aged just five, Mary Seton boards a ship bound for France and her life is never her own again. Mary is one of the four chosen ladies who accompany Mary Stuart to France to be raised in her maternal family and affianced to the Dauphin of France. Mary learns manners, etiquette and how to serve a great Queen until the day the Dauphin dies and, after a period of mourning, Mary Stuart returns to Scotland to claim her throne. Unfortunately things are not so straightforward and Mary Seton is a show more silent witness to scandal, murder and more as her mistress wins and loses her inheritance.
Gristwood is an excellent biographer, her book about Arbella Stuart is terrific, but this is the first fiction of hers that I have read. The premise is great, the four Marys are renowned as the ladies in waiting to Mary Queen of Scots, Mary Seton being with her throughout her captivity and at her execution. Unfortunately the book never really caught fire for me. show less
Gristwood is an excellent biographer, her book about Arbella Stuart is terrific, but this is the first fiction of hers that I have read. The premise is great, the four Marys are renowned as the ladies in waiting to Mary Queen of Scots, Mary Seton being with her throughout her captivity and at her execution. Unfortunately the book never really caught fire for me. show less
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 18
- Members
- 1,900
- Popularity
- #13,550
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 43
- ISBNs
- 74
- Languages
- 4
- Favorited
- 1