A Woman of Influence: The Spectacular Rise of Alice Spencer in Tudor England

by Vanessa Wilkie

This “engrossing, fast-paced, extremely well-researched biography” (Booklist) transports us to Tudor and Stuart England as Alice Spencer, the daughter of an upstart sheep farmer, becomes one of the most powerful women in the country and establishes a powerful dynasty that endures to this day. Perfect for fans of The Duchess Countess and Georgiana.

Alice Spencer was born in 1560 to a family on the rise. Her grandfather had amassed a sizeable estate of fertile grazing land and made a small fortune in sheep farming, allowing him to purchase a simple but distinguished manor house called Althorp.

With her sizable dowry, Alice married the heir to one of the most powerful aristocratic families in the country, eventually becoming the Countess of Derby. Though she enjoyed modest renown, it wasn’t until her husband’s sudden death (after he turned in a group of Catholics for plotting against Queen Elizabeth I) that Alice and her family’s future changed forever.

Faced with a lawsuit from her brother-in-law over her late husband’s fortune, Alice raised eyebrows by marrying England’s most powerful lawyer. Together, they were victorious, and Alice focused her attentions on securing appropriate husbands for her daughters, increasing her land ownings, and securing a bright future for her grandchildren and the entire Spencer family. But they would not completely escape scandals, and as the matriarch, Alice had to face an infamous trial that threatened everything she had worked so hard for.

Now, in “this riveting tale reads more like a legal thriller than historical nonfiction” (Beth Morrison, coauthor of The Lawless Land), the full story of the remarkable Alice Spencer Stanley Egerton is revealed. A woman both ahead of and part of her time, Alice’s ruthless challenging of the status quo has inspired future generations of Spencers and will change the way you view Tudor women.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Medieval, Tudor Period, Royalty

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2023

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If anyone is near LA, Vanessa will be speaking about this book at Vroman's next week.

For an American, I know very little (and care to know very little tbh) about American history. I eat up English history like nobody's business. I would not like to unpack what that says about me.

Most people are familiar with the Tudor period. I, myself, am more fond of the Plantagenets during the Wars of the Roses, but the former period seems more popular to write about.

Alice was born a Spencer, the very same family everyone's beloved Princess Diana is from. At this time, the nobility turned their noses up at the Spencers, having made their money from sheep farming. Money is money. Old money is hilarious. New money eventually becomes old money.

Anyway, Alice and her sisters made several advantageous marriages. So did their children. By intertwining their family with the nobility that so made fun of them, they eventually became a force to behold.

This could've easily been boring. In my opinion, it wasn't.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

[Juliew. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a lot more than I bargained for with this one.In general I only have a passing interest in the Spencer's so this had a lot to take in.I would say mostly it's more of a biography on what her relatives got up to rather than her.Lots of rules for aristocratic marriages,court battles and wills.It is however highly detailed and well researched.I wasn't a particular fan of the writing and towards the end I felt I was plodding along rather than truely enjoying it.It was just an okay read for me and nothing really peaked my curiosity but there is a surprise or two so not bad but not really my cup of tea.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 2 out of 5]

I apologize. I was not able to read much of this book. I work solely from my iPad and I had to buy a new one. When that occurred I found that I had lost many books to review amongst other things. It was a nightmare.

[Orsolya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It often seems all of Tudor history has been ‘discovered’ and the monarchs, battles, treaties, beheadings, feasts, figures, cultures, laws, etc; have been replayed over and over again. There isn’t much left to unearth and the only ‘new’ conversations occur when historians devise fresh perspectives in presenting the information. Behold, as Tudor history is turned upside down with an entirely new ‘story’. Vanessa Wilkie, the Senior Curator of Medieval Manuscripts at the Huntington Library, Museums and Gardens in Pasadena (Los Angeles), California makes her history debut with, “A Woman of Influence: The Spectacular Rise of Alice Spencer in Tudor England”.

Alice Spencer (yes, as in Diana Spencer, the former Princess of Whales – Diana was a descendant) was a truly remarkable and formidable creature who lived a rags-to-riches life as a daughter of a sheep farmer rising to be the matriarch of a noble family. Alice married twice, each time increasing her status and landed wealth (compare her to Bess of Hardwick) while promoting that of her blood and marital relations. Alice overcame the sudden death (rumored poisoning) of her first husband, Ferdinando, the Earl of Derby plus the religious plot to destroy him, a battle for Ferdinando’s inheritance, an unhappy second marriage, dramatic ups and down of her familiar relations and her daughter and granddaughter’s sensational sexual assault trial finding Alice’s son-in-law guilty of rape. It is a severe disservice against all Tudor history lovers that Alice’s life has not been previously highlighted which is why Wilkie did just that.

*Quick tangent: The Huntington Library is the largest research library in the United States and is the primary resource center for most English History texts welcoming historians onto its compound of library, botanical gardens and museums, daily. It houses artifacts and manuscripts in the fields of science, medicine and English history; such as letters written by King Charles I and II, Mary, Queen of Scots, an original Tyndale Bible and the “Ellesmere Canterbury Tales” which is an original in-tact and glorious manuscript of “The Canterbury Tales” owned by Alice Spencer, herself. The Huntington houses several artifacts from the life of Alice Spencer and Vanessa Wilkie is the go-to expert concerning the material making “A Woman of Influence” top-tier credible. The Huntington is my FAVORITE place in Los Angeles and I am honored to live near it. I even celebrated a birthday, there! However, I digress.*

The challenge facing writing a biography/portrait of a lesser-known historical figure is the tendency to offer fluff material and over-speculation due to the lack of resources surrounding the individual (especially women). This results in a piece that discusses the events circumferential to the figure subject without truly bringing him/her to life. That is NOT the case with “A Woman of Influence”. Well, not entirely. “A Woman of Influence” initially struggles slightly with his impairment as Wilkie explores Alice’s childhood with many “could have” and “would have statements”. However, if readers overcome this weakness; they will be rewarded threefold.

Quite quickly, as Alice marries the Earl of Derby, “A Woman of Influence” embarks on a magnetically entertaining, riveting, highly theatrical and dramatic journey gliding readers through a fast-paced narrative supported by Wilkie’s extensive research adding the academic touch. Although most of us have never heard of Alice; the amount of extant material is baffling and Wilkie seamlessly pieces her life together. It would be a spoiler to discuss the content in specifics (who would have thought that a history text could have a spoiler alert?!); but everything that played out in Alice’s life is jaw-dropping. Readers truly come away with a sense of her psyche and the material is memorable and ‘sticky’ and thus, educational.

“A Woman of Influence” is a fast read but not because it is thin and on the contrary is very dense in scope. Simply, Wilkie is a master at presenting the content in a readable and page-turning way that is easy to digest and addicting. Wilkie’s tone is academic but simultaneously visual in a way that few writers can successfully navigate. Wilkie occasionally peppers “A Woman of Influence” with psychological interpretations of events but this isn’t in a condescending way nor with any biases; but rather based on research and make absolute sense. These meanderings add value to “A Woman of Influence” and to Alice, herself.

On a related note, Wilkie’s language and writing style is absolutely delicious (terminology, sentence structure, formatting). “A Woman of Influence” an infinite joy to read.

Wilkie does occasionally fall victim to repetition of facts (did she think we didn’t grasp it the first time? We did) and to chronological time line back-and-forth jumps. “A Woman of Influence” doesn’t lose it champion status and these are few and far between.

Interestingly, Alice Spencer (and her extended family) had close ties/friendships/patronage with some of the Tudor era’s biggest names i.e. Queen Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley and the Cecils (William and Robert) to name a few. This makes it even more flabbergasting that no other texts have previously mentioned Alice. It is due time that she received her bright spotlight.

“A Woman of Influence” concludes in a memorable way that summarizes Alice’s life and impact while an Epilogue briefly discusses her family after her departure from Earth. All reader questions are answered and there is certainly an enticement to explore and research further. Wilkie fortifies “A Woman of Influence” with a section of photo plates, Notes (not annotated) and Bibliography.

“A Woman of Influence” is a riveting and significant text in both Tudor and Women’s’ history and is the definition of “must-read” for all English history lovers. Wilkie’s debut is beyond terrific and we can only hope for more pieces from her in the future (or perhaps I’ll run into her at The Huntingon!).

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice Spencer, the youngest daughter of a wealthy farmer, was just another building block in the Spencer dynasty, but the marriage that made her the Countess of Derby was just the start of her spectacular rise through the ranks of Tudor England.

This book answered a very important question that's been bothering me for a very long time: Why did medieval aristocrats splash around so much money on frivolous luxuries? I knew the answer had something to do with amassing power and influence, but it's only in this book that I finally saw firsthand what kind of power and influence those frivolous luxuries could buy, and how.

I never heard of Alice Spencer before, but the brief description of her that we started with intrigued me, and as I read on I grew impressed with how she was able to move within the existing strictures of society to advance her family's goals. Wilkie does a good job breaking down exactly the tactics she used, contextualizing them adeptly and showing why they worked. And there was enough intrigue and drama in the major incidents of Alice's life to keep me engaged throughout.

However, while I enjoyed the broader perspective the book took to really show us how the family worked together to boost their status and reputation, I did feel that it left me less acquainted with Alice herself than I would have liked. Because her presence is not obvious in some of the major incidents discussed in this book - the Hesketh plot and Anne Stanley's sexual assault specifically - and because much of Alice's everyday life was not well-documented, it ended up a bit of an unevenly paced read.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Woman of Influence: The Spectacular Rise of Alice Spencer in Tudor England by Vanessa Wilkie is an excellent biography and historical account of a fantastic and fabulous woman that was determined to form her own destiny.

I absolutely loved learning about Alice Spencer Stanley Egerton, whom was born in 1560 in England. Reading about her rise from a more humble beginning, and through grit, fortitude, determination, and the refusal to give in and be pushed into a corner and into submission, became one of the most fascinating and influential women in Tudor/Stuart England.

Impressively researched and elegantly and effortlessly presented.

I highly recommend this gem.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Atria Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I will post this review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/18/23 per publisher request.

[Shauna Ludlow Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author did her research and wrote an interesting book, but there were several editing errors which were distracting (incorrect death dates, misstatements about children’s births, etc.). Also, the main character Alice Spencer was not a woman to be admired. She sacrificed kindness and integrity for wealth and power. Too much drama.

I did learn a lot about life in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley and Atria Books for an uncorrected proof of this book.

Synopsis: Alice Spencer is the youngest daughter born into a farming family on the rise in late Elizabethan England. As her family acquires land and wealth, Alice can make the most advantageous match of her siblings marrying the heir to the Earldom of Derby. However, her meteoric rise to the center of Elizabethan and Stuart politics is full of intrigue, heartbreak, and scandal. Wilkie explores all of the ups and downs of Alice's life and evaluates what one woman's ability to obtain power demonstrates about gender roles and gender politics in late Tudor and early Stuart politics.

Thoughts: When I requested this book I had absolutely no idea who Alice Spencer was. I was drawn in by her surname (which is the same as Diana, the late Princess of Wales) and the fact Tudor was in the title. Although the title is what first drew me in I would argue that it is not an entirely accurate description of the work as the book examines Alice and the women of her family (her daughters in particular and her sisters to a lesser extent). Alice is in many ways the matriarch of the family because of her elevated status as a Countess, but when you pick this book up you are getting more than just a narrowly focused biography which is a bonus I greatly enjoyed.

Alice is a complicated woman in terms of her ideals. Wilkie does an excellent job of discussing Alice's motivations and potential thought processes while also situating her within her context. The place that I feel that Wilkie excelled the best at this was with the discussion of her daughter Anne and granddaughter Elizabeth and the court case and family drama in which they were involved. First, the way that Wilkie outlined the details of the case/drama with historical distancing, but care for the women involved was really beautiful. Often I feel in biographies when we look back at what happened to people the writing can be very clinical in an attempt to be objective. However, Wilkie does a great job of stating the facts while acknowledging that she is writing about people who had full, complicated lives and emotions. Second, the way that Wilkie frames Alice's behaviours without shying away from the fact that they do not paint her as the best mother and grandmother while also providing the cultural context helped to center on why Alice made the choices she did. It would have been easy to use our cultural standards and simply say that Alice was callous and unloving, but by providing more nuance we are able to better understand why Alice may have acted the way that she did. Finally, Wilkie's description of the case/drama was fantastic. I really can imagine why the story so engrossed the country and the continent with its salacious details and how every rumour and bit of news was devoured by the public. Also, the sensitivity with which Wilkie relayed the information and reminded the reader that this was not a film but actual people's lives made the history feel more well-rounded.

One thing that I did not particularly like about this book is that the book did not follow a linear path. Each chapter more or less focused on a period of time, perhaps drawing on how the events from the start of the chapter led to later events. However, in the next chapter, the information might start in the middle of the time period discussed in the previous chapter. For example, one chapter discusses her relationship with her husband and the events surrounding his death, but in the next chapter, he is alive for the events being discussed. It was not difficult to follow the story sequence necessarily, but there were a few times when I was trying to figure out where exactly we were in time.

This is a fantastic book the drama and intrigue of Alice's life threw so many plot twists you wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. I think that in part the book benefits from the fact that Alice is not a figure that is much talked about, but the political and economic moves she made during her lifetime suggest that she should be given a greater spotlight. I really enjoyed how an undercurrent of the book was how Alice is an example that women's roles in Elizabethan and Stuart England were not as well defined as we might think. Yes, the patriarchy was strong during this period, but there were ways in which women could exert influence and gain power. However, those choices may have come at a cost to women's familial and marital relationships.

To discuss Tudor and Stuart England without Alice Spencer is a disservice to history. Wilkie makes it clear that by the end of her life, Alice and her family were entrenched in the nobility of the country and in the inner circles of the court. However, Alice's legacy far outreaches the political sphere as she and her family also were great patrons of the arts. Alice sought to raise her family to great heights and in the process shaped English culture with effects that can still be seen today.

If you love history, women in history, and the drama of Tudor England this book is for you.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a book Alice Spencer was the daughter of an affluent sheep farmer in her marriage Alfred Stanley also Lord strange a man who was very fond of the arts and literature a love that Allison also shared in having mini sonnets and poems dedicated to her and eventually her daughters. This was a very interesting thought about her love with Alfred his early death her fight for control of lands left her by her beloved husband for her and her daughters and all this was so interesting but when we got to her daughter and marriage to lord Ticho… OMG that reads like a Jerry Springer guests biography. We have voyerrism sleeping with the help of pedophilia and it just goes on and on this book was so very interesting and I especially loved the modern day tour in the epilogue and thought that was such a nice touch. Although it isn’t told in story form it is told in an interesting way with every chapter covering a different part of her or her daughters life. A definite five star read! I have been so lucky as to read so many five star nonfiction books this month and this is definitely one of them. Kudos to Vanessa Wilke for a great honorable autobiography of Alice spinster. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Marilyn Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is history at its finest: full of well-researched detail, complex characters explored, and an enticing narrative laid out in full. Wilkie gives us an excellent rendering of the complexities of Early Modern life as business mergers and political maneuverings, showing how one could rise through the classes, becoming influential while establishing a dynasty. She also does an excellent job of giving a lively narrative of Alice's journey, someone I had only heard of peripherally when reading of this era. Wilkie hints as she goes through the chapters, of events to come. This is an incredibly full life, and the reader will not be disappointed. Wilkie has a sure hand at presenting her material in such a way, as there is no confusion in dates and connections, as one might find in other histories. Her clarity of narrative is splendid.

I would put Wilkie with Alison Weir as a favourite author of mine for detail, and as superlative in narrative style. Yes, I would highly recommend this for readers of historical biography.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[MC · Rating 4 out of 5]

engaging and readable

4.5 / 5.0 I was able to delve into this rather easily after consuming WAY too much Tudor history on YouTube. The text is easy to read and only towards the end does it become tricky to remember all the Alices’ Annes’, and Elizabeths’ personalities separately. BrotherInLaw to who and heir to what, the most notable and confusing part of the whole thing is the Castlehaven scandal, and that’s probably because modern trends towards clout and gossip make the salacious more interesting than the mundane political genius of Alice Spencer.

All that said, it is well written. I appreciate the explanation of dates and the relative idea of modern currency conversions at the beginning. That sets a scale for the VAST amount of money and power these people controlled. That so much of this delves into the legal aspect of life during that time and place is fascinating, and I for one enjoyed this.

Until Next Time
MC

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched full-of-facts biography of Alice Spencer, born in 1560, who climbed the royal ladder in Tudor England to amass great fortune and influence for her family. Women in the era had to be wily to work the system, and of course most didn’t have the opportunities that Alice had, but I found it enlightening to learn the details of how her story played out. The first half of the book was a bit of a struggle; I don’t read a lot of non fiction and it’s an adjustment to read history that doesn’t have the writer’s advantage of plotting historical fiction. But there was plenty of scandal and storyline to stay engaged, especially as Alice’s life unfolded.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice Spencer was kind of a terrible person- and I think that’s the beauty of this thorough, admittedly sometimes slow, read. Despite her attempts not to, Wilkie does tend to glorify Alice Spenser even while acknowledging her shrewdness and sometimes cruel behavior. Women’s histories often require extensive justification to exist or be told. Wilkie is doing the important work of simply showcasing the complex nature of being a woman in the late Tudor/ Stuart periods beyond the stagnant pictures we often reach towards.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman so way ahead of her time. Alice Spencer was really responsible for putting the Spencer family in notice of the English throne. She was the daughter of a sheep farmer (albeit a smart one) and navigated her family's way ahead. The author has done an amazing job of researching Alice and you will definitely enjoy reading about someone new. My thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This read like an HBO limited series. Reading in parallel with watching a show from a similar time period was really enjoyable

[Julia Henty-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after finding out that Alice Spencer was an ancestor of mine from ancestry.com. Was an interesting read!! A very strong and powerful woman!!!

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rebecca Halsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a former law student, I definitely appreciate the legal machinations in this book! Property law, jointures, bird law, deer law, estates and probate, and it all leads up to the 1630s equivalent of the trial of the century. As a writer and avid reader I love all the poet and playwright name dropping. This is just a great read!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley.com.

First line: Today, the Spencer family name is known the world over, and Althorp, their ancestral estate, is the home of the ninth Earl and Countess Spencer.

Summary: Alice Spencer was the youngest daughter of the up and coming Spencer family. They had been making a name for themselves and building wealth during the early Tudor age. As a way to advance their family each daughter was married higher and higher into the aristocracy. Alice was married to the son of the Earl of Derby. She spent years learning about her future position in the world and raising three daughters. However, when her husband dies unexpectedly she has to fight for her daughters inheritance in a world where women have very little power.

My Thoughts: I am always looking for an interesting story about a strong woman. Alice was definitely one of these women. She learned and conquered the world around her despite the obstacles placed in her way. Her story was full of triumphs but also some sad stories for her and her family. I enjoyed reading about her and her family but such a big part of the end of the book was about a scandal involving her eldest daughter rather than herself. She had very little to do with the event. I would recommend it to lovers of the Tudor age and for readers who have just finished Spare by Prince Harry, which I just read. It is his mother, Princess Diana’s family, so it was a nice tangent from his story.

FYI: Very scandalous trial near the end of the book with sexual violence.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book outlines the life of Alice Spencer’s whose life spans across the Tudor house reign into the Stuart house reign. I have always been interested in the Tudors and when I saw this book outlining the life of someone who lived during that time, I was very intrigued. This book allows the reader to learn more about the culture and societal expectations of the upper class families living in England during this time. Alice Spencer was a woman who dedicated her life to securing her family name in society.

To be honest, the first half of this book felt very slow for me. There were a lot of names and it was hard for me to remember the significance of each person. While I enjoyed learning about Alice Spencer’s actions to secure her three daughter’s marriages, I found the writing to be dry. Near the end of the book, the author describes a scandal involving one of Alice’s daughters. This part of the book gave reader’s a glimpse into the court proceedings and laws of the time. I found this part of the book very engaging. Overall, I feel like this book was really well researched and it is a good book to read for anyone who is interested in the time period.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book outlines the life of Alice Spencer’s whose life spans across the Tudor house reign into the Stuart house reign. I have always been interested in the Tudors and when I saw this book outlining the life of someone who lived during that time, I was very intrigued. This book allows the reader to learn more about the culture and societal expectations of the upper class families living in England during this time. Alice Spencer was a woman who dedicated her life to securing her family name in society.

To be honest, the first half of this book felt very slow for me. There were a lot of names and it was hard for me to remember the significance of each person. While I enjoyed learning about Alice Spencer’s actions to secure her three daughter’s marriages, I found the writing to be dry. Near the end of the book, the author describes a scandal involving one of Alice’s daughters. This part of the book gave reader’s a glimpse into the court proceedings and laws of the time. I found this part of the book very engaging. Overall, I feel like this book was really well researched and it is a good book to read for anyone who is interested in the time period.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"A Woman of Influence" by Vanessa Wilkie introduced me to a figure in Tudor era history, Alice Spencer, whom I hadn't previously known. Alice Spencer, the Countess of Derby, was a fascinating woman and this book uses historical records, correspondence, diaries, and more to bring readers along on a linear narrative through her life. A noble woman's power and influence were complex during this time period and I enjoyed Wilkie's discussions on how Spencer wielded hers over her family and the Tudor and Stuart courts. This is a great read for anyone interested in learning more about individuals from the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Advanced copy review via NetGalley*

This book was good! Definitely interesting and very niche so if this doesn’t sound up your alley you could probably skip it, but interesting to learn about a woman related to Princess Diana oddly enough who kind of seems like the OG Kris Jenner (with a much sadder public sex scandal though). A quick and accessible read.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family trauma can be passed from generation to generation. This book is a good example of that. Very well researched.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Atria Books for an advanced copy of this biography on a woman who created her own place in society and history, fought for her family and left a legacy that continues to this day.

I'm not sure where I read this, hopefully not Twitter, but it was a line from a journalist who said, there will never be a woman who will ever have a multi-volume biography like Robert Caro is writing about Lyndon Johnson. I am paraphrasing and I regret not remembering where I read this, for it is very true. Publishers would probably balk at doing a multi-volume biography of any woman, fearing lack of sales, or even worse public backlash for being woke, whatever woke means this weak. Though if any publisher is looking for a strong writer of both men, women and the times they grew up in, and changed, Vanessa Wilkie would be the perfect chronicler. A Woman of Influence: The Spectacular Rise of Alice Spencer in Tudor England is a wonderfully written look at a woman who made her way in society, created a legacy, lived life the way she wanted it, and fought hard for the daughters she loved.

The book begins with a history of the times, before the birth of Alice Spencer, describing the changing times in society as wealth began to move between the classes. Born in 1559 Alice Spencer was the youngest daughter of the Spencer family, whose small Tudor mansion sat in middle of some prime pasture lands, lands that would change the family fortune in many ways. Though the youngest, and again a girl, Alice had a wit and a smart mind that served her well, learning to deal with others, and filling her with the knowledge that she was deserving. Alice's first husband gave her a title, Countess of Derby and social standing, along with three daughters. The death of her husband could have left her at the mercy of his family, but Spencer fought them in court, marrying one of the premier barristers of the day, gaining another title, and more prestige. There was of course sadness, and minor tribulations, but a scandal involving her daughter and her husband was one that nearly destroyed her.

I knew the Spencer name, probably from shows about Princess Diana, and I believe a movie, but I knew nothing of the story of Alice Spencer. What a fascinating, difficult life, but one that Alice fought hard for and not only that, fought strategically for. Growing up in time when daughters were pawns for land, wealth and social class, Alice really made the best of her situation, and never really compromised. The book is really well-written and well-researched with a very clear narrative that shows the life of Alice and the life of the people of the time. Wilkie does a very good job of setting the scene, describing life in society, and how that society was changing. Even the court, judicial court scenes are very clear, making the stakes apparent, with clean descriptions of what was happening. Readers get a good sense of the person that was Alice, and what some of these battles did to Alice. However one really gets a sense of the strength that Alice had, willing to outdo and out think her opponents, from the smallest snub, to the largest scandal. A very interesting book.

Recommended for people who enjoy reading about strong women, or stories about the lives of Tudors and England. Also readers of royal history will enjoy reading this. I look forward to the next book by Vanessa Wilkie.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely in my top 5 non-fiction for the last 5 t0 10 years. Because it is seated in the 16th century- it is hard to compare to contemporary placed (post 1900 say) non-fiction? No, not really. It's better.

This is the biography of the woman in the title. And it is NOT all about corsets, silk, satin, and flowers. But about power and influence and money, the same if not more. All the very singular paths that the top 1 or 2% of "celebs" care about NOW. Or did. Or will. And what has truly changed in law and access since Alice did all her negotiations and suits against/ within the dual court systems of her day? (Ingenious system by the way- and that is why English law is so often copied in types.)

If you believe that women were voiceless before their first emancipations or votes in the last century- you NEED to read this book. Wealth was only a meager start to the climb. And you absolutely cored the whole journey on having the mind of a lawyer, financial entrepreneur savvy coupled with the arts of guile AND complete objectivity (not subjective feelings of like/dislike much either). And mates/ spouses not at all chosen by attraction but by realities.

I do NOT recommend this book to those who only want to hear about the plays, the music, the progress (Elizabeth I) parties etc. You need to know that entire chapters are given to jointure rights and how they were obtained. And how 2nd and 3rd marriages spliced into the inheritance law and custom. Plus why the money and value WERE what they WERE. This is the only book in at least 3 dozen categories that gives you the present day pound and dollar value for goods, servants, dowries, tenant rents, vast estate maintenance etc. etc. Your mind will be boggled. During the last year of Elizabeth I's life they (Alice and her second husband) spent more than 5.5 million dollars on a 3 day party for Queen Elizabeth's visit to their place. And it was not at all unusual to have more than 48 servants for Alice and her three daughters alone- on other such estate visits when they were all still "at home" status before their own marriages.

How could a wool farmer's daughter have done such a thing as live this life? Read this book. From the highest realms of art, literature, music, playwrights and poets' patronage as just an aside or two.

I would LOVE to see her tomb. Designed and contracted by herself.

Be warned that the associates of their (the 4 Spencer women) different ages are not all kindly Earls, Counts or Knights. Woman had their VOICES heard but in very different ways then they do now. And some of the time- the advantages were to THEM in comparison to the women alive presently, IMHO. Medicine being what it was- the fall outs for multi, successive marriages were vastly different too.

Kudos to this author. She has to be a top notch detective just to get the meaning out of the verses that have been kept. Or letters, or law documents or church records etc. Endless footnotes/ references. I wouldn't mind meeting her at all either. Masterful eyes. As good as the one on Philby- Spy among Friends (Ben Macintrye) And I found this book entirely serendipity too while waiting for the other Mah Jongg players to show up. Best unknown to me find of the year for sure. I could NOT put this book down. If you are interested in James I or Charles, his son- their different styles of reign? This is also the book for you.

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Woman of Influence is a fast-paced biography. Vanessa Wilkie has meticulously researched her subject and brings life to Alice Spencer, Dowager Countess of Derby, even though primary source documents are all she has to work with. Luckily, there are a lot of primary source documents, some from surprising places, and the Dowager Countess was involved in several court cases where documents still survive.

Alice Spencer was born to a rich sheep farmer. Her family's wealth enabled her to marry into the aristocracy, to Ferdinando, Earl of Derby. The Earl and Countess had three daughters, but no son to inherit the title and property. Ferdinando's will stipulated that his eldest daughter and her children would be his heir, with Alice continuing in control of the estate until she died. The will was contested by Ferinando's younger brother, but Alice used her influence so that she and her daughters retained their wealth.

Alice Spencer was a patron of the arts, particularly writers, and John Donne, John Milton, Edmund Spenser, and Ben Johnson dedicated works to her. In fact, Alice commissioned Johnson to write a masque for her for a visit from Queen Elizabeth. These dedications enable us to see how Alice was viewed by her contemporaries. Of course they are complimentary, but they emphasize traits that Alice surely demonstrated: generosity, elegance, and influence.

Alice Spencer's life is also documented through court proceedings in the Castlehaven case. Alice's eldest daughter, Anne, and Anne's daughter were involved in this case. It was such a sleazy and shocking affair that women were banned from the court proceedings. Anne's testimony was read aloud in court rather than her testifying. Castlehaven was Anne's second husband. A sexual deviant, Castlehaven helped one of his servants rape Anne, and he persuaded Anne's daughter, Elizabeth, who was married to Castlehaven's son, to have an affair with another servant. But the rape and affair didn't shock the English public so much as the charge of buggery brought against Castlehaven. What was worse, Castlehaven was apparently the one who was penetrated, thus allowing a servant to assume a superior position to his master!

The Castlehaven affair was a stain on the entire family, but Alice used her influence with the monarch to have her daughter's and granddaughter's names cleared (even though they really hadn't done anything illegal). Alice had taken charge of Anne's young sons when her first husband died, and now she was given complete custody of the boys.

Alice orchestrated her life carefully, including her funeral. She commissioned her tomb and chose where it would be placed in the chapel. She outlined her funeral.

And Alice's influence remains. The Earl of Derby was a descendant of Henry VII, through his daughter Mary. When he and Alice married, they established a line that eventually produced Lady Diana Spencer and her sons, William and Harry. The author does not go into this, and I think it was a good choice. As a reader, you're left to discover who now owns Althorp, Alice's family home.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Spencer was born in 1560, at that interesting cusp of English gentry with "new money" looking to marry into the aristocracy- so many of whom had titles, but no money. This sounds like it could be the start of many a historical romance, but this book is nonfiction. Carefully researched from wills, lawsuits, and the most scandalous trial to hit the House of Lords in generations, Vanessa Wilkie pieces together the life of Alice Spencer, youngest daughter of a knight, who goes on to be the Dowager Countess of Derby. She becomes the successful matriarch to a large family of children, grandchildren, stepchildren, and in-laws who work together to raise the extended family's fortunes as a whole.

Vanessa Wilkie does an excellent job giving the reader fascinating details about what it was like to live in Tudor/Stuart England, including legal information for marriages that shows that there were times women could have more power or control than we might imagine. In fact, Alice's entire life is an excellent case study in how it was possible for a woman to work through her husband, her friends or family, or in other behind-the-scenes ways to hold significant influence both with her family and in a larger political circle.

There were times I felt Wilkie repeated herself a bit too often or re-emphasized too much the basic differences between today's society and family/personal goals and those of Alice's times. Perhaps this was to try and encourage the reader not to judge Alice and her contemporaries by our standards- which she then does during the Castlehaven trial and its aftermath. This is a tricky balancing act: seeing Alice as a mother and a Tudor matriarch mean that her actions and reactions to her daughter's trauma and the trial that follows meant something very different in her day than they would in ours, and Wilkie doesn't seem entirely sure what to do with it. She reports on the trial itself brilliantly, but it is obvious that she is uncomfortable with Alice's recorded actions and has to frequently remind the readers (and possibly herself) about the public social behavior that Alice needed to show in order to protect the rest of her extended family. Personally, I think that bringing her daughter back to live near her and seemingly protecting her for the rest of her life, shows a glimpse of what was still a close mother-daughter bond, but since there are no letters or diaries for either woman we can't know for certain.

Overall, however, this was a fascinating book, showing how people could rise through the ranks, patronize art and literature, influence others- including monarchs- both directly and indirectly, and how dangerous the wrong alliance could be. Well-written, well-researched, history lovers will definitely need to read this book!

Anyone who enjoyed The Duchess Countess by Catherine Ostler or Devices and Desires by Kate Hubbard will definitively enjoy Vanessa Wilkie's A Woman of Influence.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice Spencer, the daughter of an upstart sheep farmer, became one of the most powerful women in England during the 15-1600s. Through arranged marriages - including her own - and several lawsuits against family members, she helped to establish a powerful dynasty that endures to this day. She was also involved in a highly-publicized trial regarding marital rape and sodomy. Bestowed with multiple titles, she preferred to be called the Dowager Countess of Derby.
Instead of using her influence to change the cultural norms of the time, she embraced the realities and used the system to her advantage. She exercised control over her loved ones as she loved them. I wish she had chosen a different path, like her descendant Princess Diana.
The author has done extensive research, which I admire, and has included dozens of sources. Anyone who's interested in this time period will enjoy this aspect of the book.
Because we don't have access to many personal journals of the book's main characters, the author assumes emotions, thoughts and feelings in many places. This practice was somewhat distracting to me as I read because the assumptions didn't always align with Alice's actions.
I wasn't familiar with Alice before reading this book. I'm glad for the insights into the woman and the time period. Unfortunately, the book also hits home that some things - like misogyny, wealthy folks living to excess while making poor folks suffer and gaining riches on the backs of poor folks, class differentials, and currying favor or paying bribes in exchange for political and personal favors - haven't changed in four centuries. Maybe it's time for more women of influence to rise up and change the system.

[Ebirdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was fanstastic. The writing was crisp and Wilkie did a good job of keeping all the players straight, especially since so many had the same names. The timeline moved along with just enough detail but not too much.

Wilkie also did an excellent job of placing Alice Spencer in the context of her time. Looking at it from today's lens, many things that she did or happened are distasteful, but Wilkie explained why what was done (or not done) was appropriate and understandable for Alice's time.

Alice Spenser was a fascinating woman who could play political ball with the best of the men of the time, including the Queen or King. She thought far into the future about how doing certain things would benefit her family and related families and pursued her goals single-mindedly. But she also understood that she would have to pursuse her goals within the framework of her class and gender, so she never stepped outside of her proscribed role as a woman...at least not publicly. Within her second marriage, it was a different story.

Her life story also includes what had to be the trial of the century for the 1600s, and maybe well beyond. The fact that all the details of this event have been preserved for 400 years is just amazing to think about and makes for wonderful reading, even today. It's a story that would fit right in with anything in today's tabloids.

Wilkie is now the head of the Library Curatorial department at the Huntington Library in San Marino, and curates the collection of medieval manuscripts and British history. Fun fact - she's an alumni of UC Riverside, where I went to university.