Alison Weir

It's been nearly three years since BFKbooks interviewed Alison Weir during which she has written several books. In this interview Ann who reviewed her latest book asked her about 'The Lady in the Tower' as well as her research and other things.

Ann: Jane Grey and Elizabeth were both apparently amazingly precocious and talented. Do you think they were typical of their age and class?

Alison: Both were formidably intelligent, and were lucky enough to benefit from the kind of classical education that had only recently been extended to girls of the royal family; few aristocratic girls were so lucky, although that was gradually changing, as more parents emulated the royal example.

Alison Weir is an author who knows how to make her subject matter fascinating, and who's knowledge on the history of the royal family going back several centuries, knows no bounds. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting her, and I wish I'd had Alison as my history teacher, I might have stayed with it instead of swanning of to geography! I had no idea who Katherine Swynford was, but as I learned about her I discovered all about John of Gaunt, Chaucer and many many other historical figures. Alison here talks very enthusiastically and persuasively.

Below is a written abridged version of the interview.

VW: Alison Weir - welcome to the Bookfiend's Kingdom to talk about your book, Katherine Swynford.

AW: It should be Katherine de Swynford, but traditionally everybody calls her Katherine Swynford, so I`ve followed that.

VW: You have a tremendous interest in Royal history.......

AW: Thank you.

VW: This book has so much information that I had to keep flicking backwards and forwards to the genealogies to keep pace with what you had written.

AW: There are so many characters with similar names - and the past is a foreign country, as they say!

Alison Weir is an author who knows how to make her subject matter fascinating, and who's knowledge on the history of the royal family going back several centuries, knows no bounds. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting her, and I wish I'd had Alison as my history teacher, I might have stayed with it instead of swanning of to geography! I had no idea who Katherine Swynford was, but as I learned about her I discovered all about John of Gaunt, Chaucer and many many other historical figures. Alison here talks very enthusiastically and persuasively.