Mary Queen of Scots

by Roy Strong, Julia Trevelyan Oman

Book by Strong, Roy C

Genres: Biography, History

81 pages, Hardcover

First published October 23, 1972

About the author

Sir Roy Colin Strong FRSL (23 August 1935 - ) is an English art historian, museum curator, writer, broadcaster and landscape designer.

He has been director of both the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He was knighted in 1983.

Reviews

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imprisoned in Sheffield Castle and Sheffield Lodge, with short sojourns at other equally secure locations, Mary Queen of Scots spent 14 years, 1570 to 1584, dwelling on her life prior to that first date, when she was not only the Queen of two countries but a recognised beauty in Europe.

This book captures many images of her as she aged rather too quickly and also has examples of the embroidery work with which she occupied herself with the remnants of an exiled court. There is also a selection of her poetry and an interesting catalogue of some of the books in her library.

Her lady in waiting Mary Seton, a recusant Catholic lady, was responsible for her hair and always kept it in fine shape, often with the addition of wigs and hair pieces. She even did her hair in this fashion on the day of her execution and once the executioner had (apologetically!) beheaded her he picked up her head to display it to the crowd at which point it fell to the ground and he was left holding a hair piece; how gruesome.

Roy Strong presents us with a day-by-day account of her life in captivity while Julia Trevelyan Oman augments the text with some delightful illustrations. It all adds up to a little gem of a book.

[Rachel McNeil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was hard to navigate and get your head round. One minute the book is in english, then it’s in French. Then the images are in colour and then they are in black and white. I feel this book would be a good resource if you wanted a quick overview of Mary’s dress and appearance. I feel this book could do with being laid out better. I’ve come away feeling disappointed, and that there are better books about Mary Queen of Scots of there.

[Barbara Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snippets of helpful information, although it lacks something to pull the reader through from beginning to end. The material culture of the age is clearly presented here though.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this book as a school prize in 1972. Recently rediscovered when sorting for a house move

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are familiar with all the history and background of Mary, Queen of Scots, you would probably enjoy this book immensely. It focuses on her imprisonment and execution, with almost half the book composed of images of the Queen, her clothing, her embroidery, and her execution. The brief narrative is fair, yet conclusive.

If, however, you are seeking to gain background on Mary, Queen of Scots and all that led up to her imprisonment (like I was), this is not the book for you.