A review by helenephoebe
The Heart and Stomach of a King: Elizabeth I and the Politics of Sex and Power by Carole Levin

4.0

Review - This book is really interesting, as it doesn't discuss so much what happened in Elizabeth's reign, but how her gender and sexuality affected her power. It was quite well-written with plenty of examples from the everyday population as well as the nobility and royality about how Elizabeth was seen and what effect her gender had on power. The title comes from Elizabeth I's famous speech at Tilbury before expected invasion of the Spanish Armada - "I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a King of England, too", one of the most well-known speeches in history. It clearly demonstrates how Elizabeth managed to use her gender to her advantage.

General Subject/s? - History / Tudors / Elizabeth I / Gender / Power

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 18/20