Tower: An Epic History of the Tower of London by Nigel Jones

by Unknown Author

Paperback

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Reviews

[Marge Anderson]

This whomping doorstop provides a comprehensive history of the Tower of London, not so much about its bricks and stones, but about the human shenanigans inside the Tower’s walls, from 1066 to the present. Any reader would expect a litany of the many deaths inside the Tower, of course. In addition to over 125 beheadings, people are hanged, drawn, and quartered. They are also castrated and forced to watch their former bits be thrown to the fishies in the moat, they are drowned in malmsey wine, they are strangled at prayer, they are smothered in a sandwich of mattresses . . . and the list goes on.

But the Tower also houses animals of all kinds for over 600 years, including a wolf that chases a pet terrier into a noble lady’s chambers and a polar bear who fishes for his own dinner in the Thames. And it is a mint where Sir Isaac Newton defeats a criminal mastermind, a jewel house, a palace, a home, a prison, a writing retreat (albeit unpleasant) for some of the most important works of British history and literature, a fortress, and a haven.

Really a fascinating perspective on British history and a must-read for anyone visiting the Tower.

[Cathy]

I really enjoyed the book for the most part. It was a little dry in spots. If you enjoyed history then this is a great read but if history is not your thing, you may find this a little dry. I love the time period and the subject matter. I have even said at times it would be great to actually live in that time period. This book however changed my mind. It was a brutal time period but very interesting.