[Does] a terrific job of communicating the ways in which James and his time were both incredibly like and unlike our own ... A reader may not quite leave convinced that James VI and I really was the most interesting of Great Britain’s monarchs, but they will leave thinking more deeply about Britain’s past and present.
A highly entertaining, gossipy, but polished biography about James I, his personality, sexuality, and philosophy as ruler, plus the political intrigue involved in his accession to the throne.
Lively ... The effect is not salacious; instead, Russell adds depth to our understanding of the inner life of a monarch who had to resolve the conflicts between personal life and imperial demands ... Offers a multidimensional, often revelatory portrait of a singular king.
