lakecake's review against another edition
3.0
Very interesting look at the beginnings of espionage, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had a better grasp of Elizabethan history. I'm recommending this to my brother, who's a huge nerd for that stuff. If you really love English history, you'll enjoy this. Short and well-researched.
colin_cox's review against another edition
2.0
Stephen Budiansky’s pithy yet readable study of Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s “spymaster” during the late 16th century, affords a picture of man who deftly navigated the religious, political, and monarchical forces that define the Early Modern Period. The crux of the book dramatizes two significant events in English history: the usurpation plot attempted by Mary Queen of Scots and her coconspirators and the failed invasion by the Spanish Armada in May 1588. According to Budiansky, both events allowed Walsingham to exercise one of his laudable strengths, patience. Regarding Mary’s two failed assassination attempts, Budiansky writes, “The first time Mr. Secretary Walsingham had discovered Mary in clandestine contact with her allies, he had moved too quick…the second time…he had bided his time, having come to recognize in the interval that there was more to be gained by letting a plot mature, and little danger in letting it mature while he was privy to the very confidences exchanged by the plotters themselves. Only after the plot was exploded did he move to plug the breach. Now Mr. Secretary had simply taken such thinking to its logical conclusion. The advantages of allowing Mary to communicate far outweighed the advantages of maintaining her isolation” (154). Interestingly enough, this tactic mirrors policing and espionage practices in the late 20th and early 21st century. Law enforcement officials, for example, allow some degree of criminal behavior if said allowances create the conditions to understand and prevent a larger and more dangerous criminal plot. Therefore, in Budiansky’s hands, Walsingham is a decidedly modern figure, adept at teasing out the long and complex thread of a criminal conspiracy.
It should come as no surprise that Elizabeth occupies both the foreground and the background of a book that is, strictly speaking, not about her. She dons the book’s cover and despite her romanticized reputation in contemporary imaginations, she behaves not unlike a feckless, bumbling symbolic figurehead, manufacturing tedious obstacle after tedious obstacle for men like Walsingham. This is a fresh alternative to far too many obsequious rendering of Elizabeth. However, one cannot help but wonder if Budiansky overplays this point simply to offer a compulsory narrative impediment for Walsingham.
On the whole, Her Majesty’s Spymaster is, well, just okay. There are several interesting figures in this book, but Walsingham, ironically enough, is not one of them. As Budiansky suggests, the world he created, less so than the man he was, is what endures. Walsingham is a boring and fastidious figure in Budiansky’s hands, and while this may reflect something authentic about the man, it does not make for a terribly interesting read.
It should come as no surprise that Elizabeth occupies both the foreground and the background of a book that is, strictly speaking, not about her. She dons the book’s cover and despite her romanticized reputation in contemporary imaginations, she behaves not unlike a feckless, bumbling symbolic figurehead, manufacturing tedious obstacle after tedious obstacle for men like Walsingham. This is a fresh alternative to far too many obsequious rendering of Elizabeth. However, one cannot help but wonder if Budiansky overplays this point simply to offer a compulsory narrative impediment for Walsingham.
On the whole, Her Majesty’s Spymaster is, well, just okay. There are several interesting figures in this book, but Walsingham, ironically enough, is not one of them. As Budiansky suggests, the world he created, less so than the man he was, is what endures. Walsingham is a boring and fastidious figure in Budiansky’s hands, and while this may reflect something authentic about the man, it does not make for a terribly interesting read.
srash's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Good look at Walsingham's life and especially his career as a spymaster. The 16th century spycraft information is really quite interesting and far more advanced than I'd assumed. I did wish it delved more into his life separate from his career but a good (and occasionally quite funny) read all the same.
libkatem's review against another edition
4.0
A great book with excellent wit. I had never even heard of Walsingham until this book. Recommended for lovers of Tudor England.
wmhenrymorris's review against another edition
Very interesting, especially the bits related to Mary Queen of Scots. However, I felt I didn't really get a good picture of what the title says. More analysis, context and specifics would have been nice.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
3.0
While the book could have been more in depth, it does offer a good overview of how Elizabeth's officers worked together to keep both her and the country safe. Budiansky also has an engaging style.