William Wallace: The King's Enemy

by D.J. Gray

Sir William Wallace was one of the greatest heroes in Scotland's long struggle for independence from the English yoke. D.J. Gray probes the character and life of this resolute, and at times pitiless, warrior. Wallace raised a people's army to fight against the forces of Edward I, and his victory at the battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 resulted in his elevation to the status of Guardian of Scotland. However, furious at the success of a man he regarded as a guerrilla, King Edward relentlessly pursued Wallace to his death. Remembered today as the architect of Scottish independence, Wallace's story gives a curious insight into the mind of the modern freedom fighter.

Genres: History, Biography, Scotland, Nonfiction, Medieval, British Literature, Medieval History

173 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1991

Reviews

[Samuel Snoek-Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is in places an engaging read, as Gray's passion for her subject is evident everywhere. But what makes it engaging in some places makes it amateurish in others, because Gray's biases too often color her historical objectivity. She often openly ignores documented fact -- or the lack thereof -- in order to speculate on the emotions and thought processes not only of Wallace, but also of Robert the Bruce, Edward I, and many other figures key to the war for Scottish independence. She also relies heavily on folkloric sources like the Wallace-idolizing Harry the Blind, who Gray admits is biased but to whom Gray refers more than any other source. The book's organization leaves much to be desired, too; it reads more like a masters thesis than a carefully vetted work of professional scholarship. A good effort if Gray was indeed a grad student when she wrote this, but mostly, this book just makes me want to track down a more reliable source. Perhaps I made a mistake by reading this after Ronald McNair Scott's masterful treatment of Robert the Bruce.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in Scotland. 173 pp. This is really more a description of the battles that Wallace and others fought rather than a biography of the man. Saying that, it was incredibly dry reading, and it was a challenge to keep plodding through it. Nothing about this book captured the spirit and passion of Wallace.

Read online at https://archive.org/details/williamwa...

William Wallace: The King's Enemy by D.J. Gray

**The copy of the hardback I have has this cover:

[Andrew Kosztyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

No book about a personal forebearer can be bad.

[Yuzacc · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is one of the most BORING books I have ever read! If I were you, I would not waste my time reading this book!

[Len Knighton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many far-away places with strange sounding names.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sad story, and brutal times.