Contemporary Authors

• Love, Lust, and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility Ashgate (Burlington, VT), 2008
• Love, Madness, and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 2017

Love, lust, and license in early modern England : illicit sex and the nobility LCCN 2008011915 Type of material Book Personal name Rickman, Johanna. Main title Love, lust, and license in early modern England : illicit sex and the nobility / Johanna Rickman. Published/Created Aldershot, England ; Burlington, VT : Ashgate, c2008. Description 236 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. ISBN 9780754661351 (alk. paper) 0754661350 (alk. paper) Links Table of contents only http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/fy0903/2008011915.html CALL NUMBER HQ806 .R57 2008 Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms CALL NUMBER HQ806 .R57 2008 Copy 2 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms Love, madness, and scandal : the life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck LCCN 2016948391 Type of material Book Personal name Luthman, Johanna, author. Main title Love, madness, and scandal : the life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck / Johanna Luthman. Edition First edition. Published/Produced Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2017. ©2017 Description xxi, 216 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm ISBN 9780198754657 (hardback) 0198754655 (hardback) CALL NUMBER DA390.1.P87 L88 2017 CABIN BRANCH Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE

• - ,

• University of North Georgia - https://ung.edu/history-anthropology-philosophy/faculty-staff-bio/johanna-luthman.php

  Johanna Luthman, Ph.D.
  Johanna Luthman - 125x168 web profile
  Professor - History
  678-717-3566

  Office: Strickland 217, Gainesville
  View CV
  Areas of Expertise: British history (1500s and 1600s), Queen Elizabeth I of England, James I of England, history of women (1500s - 1800s), history of gender in Europe, history of love, sex, and marriage in Europe (1500s - 1800s), history of nobility (noblewomen)
  Overview

  Dr. Luthman focuses on the history of Early Modern Europe, specifically English history and the history of sex, love, and marriage. She is a native of Sweden, who has made Georgia her home long enough to say “y’all” regularly, without even thinking about it.
  Courses Taught

  Currently, Dr. Luthman teaches introductory world history surveys (HIST 1111, HIST 1112), introductory western history Surveys (HIST 1121, HIST 1122), and also a course on the history of love, sex, and marriage in the western world (HIST 2120). She will also teach upper level courses in her fields of Early Modern Europe and the history of love, sex, and marriage.
  Education

  Ph.D., History, Emory University, 2004
  M.S., History, Georgia State University, 1999
  B.A., History, Georgia State University, 1997

  Research/Special Interests

  Dr. Luthman focuses on studying various aspects of the history of love, sex and marriage in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Currently, she is writing a biography of a seventeenth century English noblewoman, Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck.
  Publications

  “He Would Never Consent in his Heart”: Child Marriages in Early Modern England” in Journal of the History of Children and Youth (Spring 2013, v. 6: 293-313); Love, Lust and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility (Ashgate, 2008). Both of these published as Johanna Rickman.
  Work Experience

  Dr. Luthman has worked at the University of North Georgia, since 2007.

  Johanna
  Luthman (formerly
  Rickman
  ), Ph. D.
  Department of History, Anthropology, and Philosophy
  University of North Georgia, Gainesville Campus
  Nesbitt 4152
  (678) 717
  -
  3566
  Johanna.Luthman@ung.edu
  Education
  :
  Ph. D. in History, Emory University, May 2004.
  Dissertation: “The Aristocracy and Illicit Sexuality in Elizabethan and Early Stuart England,
  1560
  -
  1630.”
  M. A. in History, Georgia State University, 1999.
  Thesis: “Elizabeth the Matchmaker: The Proposed Marri
  age between Mary Queen of Scots and
  Robert Dudley.”
  B. A. in History, Georgia State University, 1997.
  Major: History. Mino
  r: Philosophy.
  Teach
  ing and Professional Experience
  :
  Assistant Professor of History, Department of History and Anthropology,
  Universi
  ty of North
  Georgia (formerly
  Gainesville State College
  )
  , 2007
  -
  present
  Visiting Lecturer, Department of History, Georgia State University, 2006
  -
  2007
  Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History and Philosophy, Kennesaw State University,
  2005
  -
  2006
  Vi
  siting Assistant Professor, Department of History, Emory University, 2004
  -
  2005.
  Part
  -
  time Assistant Professor of History, Department of History and Philosophy, Kennesaw State
  University, Summer and Fall 2004.
  Teaching Associate, Department of History, Emor
  y University, Spring 2002
  Teaching Assistant, Emory University, Spring 2001. Assisting Prof. James Van Horn Melton.
  Publications
  :
  Book:
  Johanna Rickman.
  Love, Lust and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex
  and the Nobility
  . Aldershot, UK: Ashgate
  Publishing, 2008.
  Article:
  Johanna Rickman.
  “He Would Never Consent in his Heart”: Child Marriages in
  Early Modern England.”
  Journal of the History of Children and Youth
  Spring 2013, v. 6:
  293
  -
  313.
  Book Reviews:
  Johanna Rickman. Review of
  Stephanie
  Tarbin and Susan Broomhall
  eds.
  Women, Identities and Communities in Early Modern Europe
  (Ashgate, 2008) for
  Renaissance Quarterly
  ,
  slated for publication in summer
  2009.
  Johanna Rickman. Review of
  Joan
  E. Hartman and Adele Seef, eds.
  Structures and
  Subjec
  tivities: Attending to Earl Modern Women
  (
  Newark: Univ
  ersity of Delaware Press,
  2007).
  Journal of British Studies
  (
  January 2008
  )
  v. 47
  , p. 162
  -
  3.
  Johanna Rickman. Review of Maria Agren and Amy Louise Erickson eds,
  The Marital
  Economy in Scandinavia and
  Britain 1400
  -
  1900
  (Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2005).
  Renaissance Quarterly
  (Winter 2005), v. 58, pp.1423
  -
  4.
  Co
  nference Papers and Public Talk
  “Queen on Screen: Depictions of Elizabeth Tudor in 20
  th
  and 21
  st
  Century Films.” Women’s
  History Month Lecture, Un
  iversity of Georgia, Gainesville Campus. March 25, 2013.
  Chaired and provided formal comments
  a session entitled “Reputation and Sexuality.”
  The Mid
  West Conference of British Studies, Toronto, CA
  , Oct. 14, 2012
  .
  “
  Adultery, Madness, and Honor: The Adventu
  res of Frances Coke Villiers.”
  Women
  ’s History
  M
  onth Lecture, Gainesville State College
  –
  Oconee Campus, March 12, 2012
  Chaired and provided comments on a session entitled
  “Environmental History in the
  Southeastern United States, Part I. Georgia Associatio
  n of Historians Conference, Macon, GA,
  Feb. 24, 2012.
  F
  eb. 24.
  “
  ’
  He would never consent in his h
  eart’
  : Conflicts in Child Marriages in Early Modern England
  .”
  Society for the History of Children and Youth Conference, Columbia University, New York,
  June 25
  , 2011
  .
  “Queen on Screen: Elizabeth I and the Film Makers.” Women’s History Month Lecture,
  Gainesville State College
  , Oconee Campus
  , March 14, 2011.
  “Making the Gods Work for Us: Using Religion as a Theme in HIST 1111.” Southeast World
  History Associati
  on Conference, Kennesaw State University, Oct. 2010.
  “She neuer fancied hym as her husband”: The Concept of Consent in Annulments of Child
  Marriages in Sixteenth
  -
  Century England
  .” Renaissance Society of America, Annual meeting,
  Venice, Italy, April 7
  -
  10,
  2010.
  “I n
  ever fancied him for my husband: Child Marriages in Early modern England.” Women’s
  History Month Lecture, Gainesville State University
  , Oconee Campus
  , March 3, 2010.
  “How Babies Were Made: A History of Conception,” Women’s History Month Lectur
  e,
  Gainesville State College
  , Oconee Campus
  , March 18, 2009.
  “
  ’
  What do you mean
  Spain is not in South America?’
  : The Geographical Perspective of
  Teaching HIST 1112.”
  Georgia Association of Historians Conference, North Georgia State
  College and University, Dahlonega, Feb. 28, 2009.
  “‘A Poor Puddinges Apology’: Discourse on Impotence and Consummation in Early Modern
  England.”
  The Berkshire Conference on the History of
  Women at the University of Minnesota,
  Minneapolis, June 13
  -
  15, 2008.
  “
  The Virgin Queen and Maids of (Dis)Honor: Illicit Sex at the Court of Elizabeth I of England
  ”.
  Women’s History Month Lecture, Gainesville State College, March 24, 2008.
  “Virgin
  Feminist or Repressed Shrew: Elizabeth I on Film.” Georgia Association of Historians
  Conference, Fort Valley State University, Feb. 23, 2008
  “Illicit Sex at the Court of James I.” Georgia Association of Historians Conference, Georgia
  College and State Univ
  ersity, Milledgeville April 7, 2007
  .
  “Elizabeth I: King and Queen of England.” Defense Contract Management Agency. Atlanta,
  March 16, 2006
  .
  “’That which was so Treuly Given & so Undeservedlye Reiected’: Thwarted Love at Queen
  Elizabeth’s Court.” Sixteent
  h Century Studies Conference, Atlanta, Oct. 20
  -
  23, 2005.
  “Preserving Honor: The Adulterous Affair between Frances Villiers and Robert Howard, 1620
  -
  1640.” Southern Conference on British Studies, Memphis, Nov. 3
  -
  6, 2004.
  “Errant Earls and Maids of (Dis)hon
  or: The Nobility and Illicit Sex at the Court of Elizabeth I.”
  New College Conference on Medieval
  -
  Renaissance Studies, New College of Florida, March 12,
  2004.
  “Calvin’s Traditionalism: The Reformer’s View of Women in his Letters to French
  Noblewomen.” Phi
  Alpha Delta Southeastern Regional Conference, LaGrange College, April 4,
  1998.
  “Female Spirituality in Early Modern England.” Phi Alpha Theta Southeastern Regional
  Conference, Berry College, April 1997.
  International Experience:
  Teaching in European Co
  uncil’s (USG) summer Study Abroad program in London, UK. June
  -
  July 2013.
  Teaching in European Council’s (USG) summer Study Abroad program in Bonn, Germany.
  June
  -
  July 2010.
  Language skills:
  Fluent in Swedish and English.
  Reading abilities in German and Fre
  nch.
  Awards and Fellowships
  :
  Presidential Summer Scholar Award, University of North Georgia, 2014.
  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Merit Award, Emory University, 2003 (funding of
  completion of dissertation for one year).
  Blair and Russell Major Award
  for Dissertation Research in Early Modern European History,
  Emory University, 2002.
  Joseph O. Baylen Fellow in Early Modern History, Georgia State University, 1998.
  Phi Alpha Theta Outstanding Graduating History Major, Georgia State University, 1997.
  Pres
  ident’s Award for Academic Excellence, Georgia State University, 1996.

• Emory History Dept - https://emoryhistorynews.wordpress.com/2011/03/19/update-from-johanna-rickman/

  Johanna Rickman, Ph. D. 2004, is an Assistant Professor of History at Gainesville State College. She published Love, Lust and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility with Ashgate in 2008. In 2010, she taught in a study abroad program in Germany at Linz am Rhein.

• Women Writers, Women Books - http://booksbywomen.org/can-you-write-a-biography-with-limited-sources-by-johanna-luthman/

  Can You Write a Biography With Limited Sources?
  August 1, 2017 | By Johanna Luthman | Reply

  Johanna Luthman

  I think most people who come across anecdotes about the seventeenth-century English noblewoman Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck, would find them fascinating. Commonly told stories include the drama surrounding her marriage. Her parents disagreed on who their daughter should marry, kidnapped her back and forth, until the king and the law stepped in and enforced Frances’s father’s right to marry her to whom he pleased. Another anecdote includes the scandal that ensued when Frances was accused of adultery.

  Frances’s court case became a cause célèbre, and her persistent refusal to submit to the punishments after her conviction generated even more gossip. At one point, when Frances was scheduled to perform the shaming ritual of public penance, she evaded it with the help of a foreign dignitary, the ambassador of Savoy. The ambassador’s page boy created a diversion by dressing up as a woman, rushing out of the house and speeding off in a waiting coach. The officers who had been waiting outside to arrest Frances chased after the disappearing coach, thinking it contained their target. Meanwhile, Frances, dressed in men’s clothing, was able to slip away undetected.

  I first encountered Frances Coke Villiers when I was doing research for another book, Love, Lust and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility (Ashgate, 2008). In that book, I dedicated a chapter on the affair and adultery trial of Frances and Sir Robert Howard, exploring the early modern interpretations about female honor. I quickly became captivated by the dramatic events in Frances’s life. I wanted to learn more, so I continued doing research. As is often the case, the more I learned, the more questions I had, and the more I wanted to know about this singular woman.

  As I was exploring Frances’s life further, I became convinced that the best way to tell her story would be in a biography, rather than an article or work dealing with a larger theme. However, here is where I ran into some trouble. In traditional biographies, the author usually selects subjects who created a significant amount of written material themselves, such as letters, diaries, literary works, and so on.

  In the Tudor and Stuart period, which is the period I study, that usually means that when writing about women, biographers focus on female rulers or other members of the royal family, female literary figures (like poets and other writers), or noble or gentry women whose letter collections have been preserved in family archives.

  Frances was neither a literary figure, nor royal. She may have kept up steady correspondence with family and friends, but if she did, those letters were either not preserved, or they have disappeared. Only very few of Frances’s own letters survive in other collections. I found myself at an impasse: could I write a biography when I had so little of Frances’s own writing, her own words? I did not want to fall into the trap of filling in the voids by making Frances be what I wanted her to be. I wanted to tell Frances’s story on her terms, as close to how she lived it as I could.

  My work on Frances lay dormant for some time, until I read Caroline Murphy’s Murder of a Medici Princess (OUP, 2008). It detailed the life and tragic death of Isabella de Medici, who was probably killed by her husband, in collusion with her brother. Murphy also had limited sources written by Isabella herself, but was able to use other materials in a masterful way, bringing Isabella’s story back to life and out of obscurity.

  I also started to ponder the fact that in the past, historians sometimes argued that they could not write the history of certain groups, such as women and the many illiterate members of society, because these subjects did not leave many written sources behind. However, in the last half century, enterprising historians have rejected this notion, and used existing sources in innovative ways, in order to learn more than we ever thought possible about marginalized social groups.

  Consequently, I became determined to write the biography, using the many varied sources I had, which mention Frances in various ways. I would build the image of Frances from the outside in, like when you start a puzzle by finding the edges and corner pieces first.

  Since Frances’s parents were both prominent persons at the late Elizabethan and Jacobean courts, their lives and actions are relatively well documented. The two also fought, quite publically, over matters of family finances as well as the marriage of Frances. Their epic battles generated both comments and reports in letters of their contemporaries, as well as royal petitions and even Privy Council mediation and decisions.

  These family disputes could give me good insight into Frances’s early life. Once Frances married, she became part of the most powerful family in Jacobean England. She married John Villiers, Viscount Purbeck, elder brother of George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, the undisputed favorite of King James I. Many letter writers followed the actions of the powerful Villiers closely, and reported it to their friends and allies away from court, so that they could stay abreast of its complex workings. Frances’s movements and actions were sometimes featured in these reports.

  Frances’s scandals also generated much interest among letter writers. Both friends, enemies and the curious found her actions noteworthy, and recorded them in letters, memoirs, and diaries. The petitions to King James and King Charles that both Frances and her mother wrote at various times also give insights into how they wished to present and shape their stories. Frances also petitioned the House of Lords several times, which highlighted her legal strategies to get out of trouble. While in exile in France, the English ambassador reported her movements to the annoyed Charles I, who wanted her home so he could punish her. The equally annoyed and outraged Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud, who also tried to enforce punishment on Frances, likewise recorded her actions and his own responses.

  One unexpected aspect of writing a biography was how many varied historical fields I had to learn to master. Generally, I focus primarily on the history of issues surrounding sex and gender during the Tudor and Stuart periods. Now, I found traces of Frances in so many different kinds of sources. In order to understand Frances and her lover Sir Robert Howard’s petitions to Parliament, I had to learn about Parliamentary procedure, privileges, and record keeping, both in the Lords and Commons. Wills were useful documents as well, but the legal language, and the inclusion of much Latin in wills and other legal sources was a challenge.

  I learned more about the financial organization of the Parliament during the Civil Wars, in order to understand the records of financial obligations of Frances and her family members during that troubled time. I studied military histories of the Civil War in order to learn about the situation in Oxford at the end of Frances’s life. I read lists and reports of English ambassadors to France, and accounts on the establishment of English convents in Paris and of the French court’s seasonal events.

  While I often found myself having to backtrack and readjust, I enjoyed the sense of adventure that accompanied the research. Following Frances’s adventures has really re-energized my love of historical research. I am very happy that I decided to take the biography-plunge, and hope that others find Frances as intriguing as I do.

  —

  Johanna Luthman is Associate Professor of History at the University of North Georgia. Originally from Sweden, Luthman has studied and worked in the United States since the early 1990s, receiving her Ph.D. from Emory University. Her work focuses on the Tudor and Stuart Eras, specifically on issues of love, sex, and marriage. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, fellow historian Marko Maunula.

  About Love, Madness and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck (Oxford University Press, July 2017).

  The high society of Stuart, England found Frances, Lady Purbeck (1602-1645) an exasperating woman. She lived at a time when women were expected to be obedient, silent, and chaste, but Frances displayed none of these qualities. Her determination to stand up for herself contributed in no small measure to a life of high drama, one which encompassed kidnappings, secret rendezvous, an illegitimate child, accusations of black magic, imprisonments, disappearances, and exile, not to mention court appearances, high-speed chases, a jail-break, deadly disease, royal fury, and – by turns – religious condemnation and conversion. On one level a thrilling tale of love and sex, kidnapping and elopement, the life of Frances Coke Villiers is also the story of an exceptional woman, whose personal experiences intertwined with the court politics and religious disputes of a tumultuous and crucially formative period in English history.

Love, Madness, and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck
264.21 (May 22, 2017): p85+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Love, Madness, and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck

Johanna Luthman. Oxford Univ., $27.95 (224p) ISBN 978-0-19-875465-7

Luthman (Love, Lust, and License in Early Modern England), associate professor of history at the University of North Georgia, successfully rescues Frances Coke Villiers (1601-1645) from being a mere historical footnote in this empathetic examination of one of the early Stuart monarchy's most-notable scandal-tainted women. Kidnapped as a teenager and fought over by her feuding parents, Frances's life appeared doomed from the start. Married off to a mentally unstable husband and then prevented from living with him, Frances shocked the court with her long-term affair with Robert Howard and refusal to end it. Convicted of adultery, Frances escaped from prison and continued her relationship with Howard, steadfastly declining to perform a court-ordered public act of penance. This slender but well-researched account suffers, as the author admits, from the lack of inclusion of documentation on Frances's own perspective, but Luthman offers extensive contemporary sources and modern research on gender and class roles of the period. Frances stands out as a real, flawed, but sympathetic figure who managed to maintain her relationships with Howard and their son--she found a cunning way to grant him access to society and secure his future. Luthman offers insight into the expectations of countless noblewomen of the age and reveals how remarkable Frances was in living on her own terms. Illus. (Aug.)

Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Love, Madness, and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck." Publishers Weekly, 22 May 2017, p. 85+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A494099096/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a49e3b04. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.

Gale Document Number: GALE|A494099096

Social sciences
142.11 (June 15, 2017): p92+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
BIOGRAPHY

* Brennan, Thomas J. & Finbarr O'Reilly. Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War. Viking. Aug. 2017.352p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780399562549. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780399562563. BIOG

Marine veteran Brennan and war photographer O'Reilly offer fresh insight into the mental devastation they endured throughout their careers on the battlefield. Brennan witnessed overwhelming combat situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, while O'Reilly spent his days capturing images of both life and loss. The authors narrate in alternating chapters, describing events such as their first awkward meeting in an outpost in Afghanistan to their postwar years, as they struggled to make sense of their experiences. Brennan's writing is visceral and honest; he shares personal experiences of battle, and back at home, falling apart in front of his wife and young daughter. O'Reilly, meanwhile, lived in Africa for ten years and saw the aftermath of several major conflicts on that continent. After Brennan suffers a life-altering injury, O'Reilly begins to have dark thoughts about his place in the world. The book concludes with each man's attempts to find new purpose and to learn how to live with old memories. VERDICT A fresh take on post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury from two unique viewpoints. Highly recommended for a wide audience. [See Prepub Alert, 2/27/17; author Q&A, p. 97.]--Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, Wl

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Hansen, Suzy. Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World. Farrar. Aug. 2017. 288p. notes. index. ISBN 9780374280048. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780374712440. BIOG

Why do we as a nation, or any imperial nation, perceive ourselves as superior and therefore justified in altering the social and political course of another sovereign nation? These are the questions Hansen (contributor, New York Times Magazine) asked after relocating on fellowship to Turkey in 2007, finding the experience "a shattering and a shame." As an American, Hansen fights cultural bias and delves into Turkey's history to analyze U.S. interference in nations such as Greece and Afghanistan. The author then compares how our role in Turkey informed the present political result--a return to conservatism with the rule of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Hansen argues that even if we are not directly responsible, our undue influence did help to destabilize the region. Following the 2016 attempted military coup in Turkey, this timely account stands on its own. However, a staggering number of travel, scholarly, political, and literary writers are referenced to the detriment of the casual reader. Despite these issues, it remains a unique work that will find its place among a dedicated audience. VERDICT This personal memoir of cultural exploration teaches us how to see the world in greater context.--Jessica Bushore, Xenia, OH

Luthman, Johanna. Love, Madness, and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck. Oxford Univ. Aug. 2017.224p. Mas. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780198754657. $27.95. HIST

Frances Coke Villiers (1601-45) inhabited the upper echelons of 17th-century English society. As the daughter of jurist and politician Edward Coke, her family was well-known during the reign of King James I, and her parent's highly dysfunctional marriage was infamous. At 15, Frances married John Villiers, Viscount Purbeck, brother of the prominent George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. Unfortunately, Purbeck suffered from an unknown mental illness and was often sent away for treatment to a place where Frances was not allowed to visit. Taking a lover, Frances became pregnant, and after giving birth, attempted unsuccessfully to hide the baby. Luthman (Love, Lust and License in Early Modem England) describes how Frances spent the rest of her life on trial, having been accused of adultery and witchcraft and confined to house arrest. High-profile escape attempts simultaneously humiliated her accusers and brought her popularity and sympathy. While the overall impact of Frances's life was small, her renown during her time provided society entertainment owing to her shocking behavior. VERDICT Luthman brings to light a lesser-known historical figure and provides a fascinating snapshot of Jacobian society. For all fans of British history.--Stacy Shaw, Orange, CA

Market, Howard. The Kelloggs: The Battling Brothers of Battle Creek. Pantheon. Aug. 2017.528p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9780307907271. $35; ebk. ISBN 9780307907288. BIOG

Markel (history of medicine, Univ. of Michigan) contends that John Kellogg (1852-1943) is often unjustly remembered as a flamboyant quack, racist, and eugenicist, while his younger brother Will (1860-1951) is immortalized for his innovative development, production, and marketing of cold breakfast cereals. Markel demonstrates that John deserves more recognition for his contributions to modern medicine, having radically promoted the benefits of antiseptic surgery, probiotics, fiber, portion control, hydration, ergonomics, exercise, and adequate sleep. An internationally celebrated physician, writer, and lecturer, John founded the renowned Battle Creek Sanitarium in 1876 in his crusade to improve physical and spiritual wellness with "biologic living." Will dutifully supervised almost every aspect of the "San's" operation--even collaborating in the revolutionary creation of flaked cereal products--until he could no longer tolerate John's domineering and belittling. In 1906, Will used his enterprising managerial skills and relentless perfectionism to create what became the Kellogg Company. Markel focuses on the brothers' development, characters, and demons, revealing how their mutual brilliance and drive, along with their competitiveness and resentfulness, bred remarkable achievements but destroyed their relationships. VERDICT General readers will value exploring the motivation and legacies of these accomplished yet flawed figures. [See Prepub Alert, 2/27/17.]--Margaret Kappanadze, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY

* Sancton, Tom. The Bettencourt Affair: The World's Richest Woman and the Scandal That Rocked Paris. Dutton. Aug. 2017.416p. maps. notes. ISBN 9781101984475. $28; ebk. ISBN 9781101984482. BIOG

Expanding upon a 2010 Vanity Fair article introducing the Bettencourt scandal to an American audience, journalist and author Sancton (Song For My Fathers) accords France's epic family drama the book-length expose it thoroughly deserves. As "The French Company of Inoffensive Hair Dyes," Eugene Schueller founded what would become French beauty giant L'Oreal in 1909. A century later his daughter Liliane Bettencourt was one of the world's wealthiest. Her friendship with eccentric younger artist Francois-Marie Banier, whom she showered with expensive gifts, led her daughter Francoise to open a lawsuit alleging elder abuse. What started as a family affair quickly turned into an "affair of state" that reached then President Nicolas Sarkozy with allegations of campaign finance fraud regarding donations received from the Bettencourts. With impeccable research, Sancton takes readers through Bettencourt family history, from L'Oreal's humble beginnings and continuing to document political upheaval in France during the last century. The years of legal proceedings are presented with their subsequent unexpected impact on the French presidency. VERDICT There is no comparable work on the Bettencourt scandal, only interviews and articles, making this highly recommended and pleasurable read a mix of luring tabloid fare and professionally researched courtroom and political drama.--Jessica Bushore, Xenia, OH

* Taubman, William. Gorbachev: His Life and Times. Norton. Sept. 2017. 928p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780393647013. $39.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393245684. BIOG

The son of peasants, Mikhail Gorbachev (b. 1931), attended university in Moscow during the age of Nikita Khrushchev's "Secret Speech" and rose through the Communist Party ranks to become general secretary. By 1985, he would lead the Soviet Union, transforming the country and the world. Taubman (political science, Amherst Coll., Krushchev: The Man and His Era) examines Gorbachev's life and innovative perspective in this comprehensive biography. Dismal economic and agricultural conditions made it obvious that broad systemic changes were needed in the region. Gorbachev instituted unprecedented openness in governance and economy, trying to strike a balance between those who fought his strategy and others who wanted it to be accelerated. Revered abroad for ending the Cold War and reuniting Europe, Gorbachev was vilified at home as the economy continued to deteriorate. After the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, many of his reforms were cast aside. This definitive volume illuminates the leader's personal and political sides with insights from family, friends, enemies, aides, politicians, and Gorbachev himself. VERDICT Readers interested in Cold War history, Russian and Soviet history, political biographies, and how the fall of communism led to current world politics will appreciate this book. [See Prepub Alert, 3/13/17.]--Laurie Unger Skinner, Coll. of Lake Cty.. Waukegan, IL

COMMUNICATIONS

McPhee, John. Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process. Farrar. Sept. 2017. 208p. ISBN 9780374142742. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780374712396. COMM

In the tradition of William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White, who enlivened modern writing with The Elements of Style, McPhee (Encounters with the Archdruid) has set the standard for the genre of creative nonfiction. In this collection of essays, previously published in The New Yorker, McPhee reflects on his experience writing long-form nonfiction books and magazine articles. The Pulitzer Prize--winning author, who started at Time magazine, draws insights into the writing process from his career at The New Yorker and teaching writing at Princeton University. With humor and aplomb, he recalls anecdotes about how he approached a story: from interviewing and reporting to drafting and revising, to working with editors and publishers. These essays reveal how his personal experiences and observations informed and shaped his groundbreaking prose. VERDICT Aspiring authors expecting a step-by-step manual on how to write and publish nonfiction will have to look elsewhere. Here they will find a well-wrought road map to navigating the twists and turns, thrills and pitfalls, and joys and sorrows of the writer's journey. [See Prepub Alert, 3/20/17.]--Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL

Schuster, Lynda. Dirty Wars and Polished Silver: The Life and Times of a War Correspondent Turned Ambassatrix. Melville House. Jul. 2017.352p. illus. notes. ISBN 9781612196343. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781612196350. BIOG

In her early years, Schuster longed to be at the heart of the action, even if it involved civil uprisings or war. Her debut memoir highlights the hot spots she covered as a journalist for the Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor, including Central America, Mexico, Lebanon, Argentina, and South Africa. Her first husband, Los Angeles Times journalist Dial Torgerson, was killed in Honduras early on in their marriage. When she later arrived in Beirut, the hotel manager asked whether she preferred a room on the car bomb side or the rocket side. After meeting her second husband, career diplomat Dennis Jett, she left reporting but continued to reside in a variety of countries, including Malawi, Liberia, Mozambique, and Peru. When Jett was appointed an ambassador, she was thrown into being, as she calls it, the "ambassatrix" or, senior spouse. Her humorous recounting of the training for spouses includes an explanation of the complex protocol of calling cards. VERDICT This engaging, personal story of self-discovery will appeal to readers who enjoy memoirs of adventuresome and rebellious women.--Judy Solberg, Sacramento, CA

HISTORY

Bramen, Carrie Tirado. American Niceness: A Cultural History. Harvard Univ. Aug. 2017.384p. photos, notes, index. ISBN 9780674976498. $45. HIST

Bramen (English, Univ. of Buffalo) identifies niceness as a piece of America's cultural identity and traces its history from the Pilgrims' first encounter with the Native population through the U.S. occupation of the Philippines. The book is structured around the niceness of minorities, including Native Americans, slaves, and women. Each iteration of niceness interacted with and influenced the perception of Americans at home and abroad. Niceness is not always a positive trait. Often, it's a tool used to oppress and further extend America's imperial reach, while maintaining a friendly facade. Cordially, America positioned itself as a friend or in some cases a victim, allowing participation in unfriendly activities such as the occupation of the Philippines. Bramen posits that niceness works similarly on a smaller scale. For example, the stereotype of the slave's smile (an indication of friendliness) paired with the stereotype of the hospitable slave owner, could imply that an amiable if not consensual relationship between slave and slave owner was perpetuated--when in fact, the opposite was true. Using primary sources, this well-researched book demonstrates how national identity is formed, transformed over time, and functions personally and politically. VERDICT An important resource for readers of history and literary criticism.--Timothy Berge, SUNY Oswego Lib.

Chistyakov, Ivan. The Day Will Pass Away: The Diary of a Gulag Prison Guard: 1935-1936. Pegasus. Aug. 2017.288p. tr. from Russian by Arch Tait. illus. ISBN 9781681774602. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781681774978. HIST

Chistyakov lived in Moscow during the 1920s and 1930s when he was removed from the Communist Party and conscripted as a guard in the Gulag for the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) railway. The majority of this book consists of Chistyakov's diary as he guards prisoners building the railway in Siberia. He describes horrendous conditions as prisoners worked 18 hours a day with little clothing, slept in the open with no shelter, and were beaten and starved if they refused to work; escape attempts were met with death. To Chistyakov, who died in 1941, these prisoners did not deserve inhuman treatment. However, his own conditions are not much better, and he eventually loses his sympathy for the Zeks (prisoners). An earlier journal, which describes a few days of hunting with hand-drawn images, is added in the appendix. A useful introduction helps readers grasp the content they are about to view. Black-and-white photographs support the author's desperate situation. VERDICT Owing to its relative scarcity, a diary from a guard at a Gulag during Joseph Stalin's Soviet reign will attract readers and researchers seeking primary documents from that era.--Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

Hillsbery, Kief. Empire Made: My Search for an Outlaw Uncle Who Vanished in British India. Houghton Harcourt. Jul. 2017.288p. maps. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780547443317. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780544416895. HIST

Hillsbery (War Boy) offers a compelling microhistory, personal memoir, and incredibly vivid account of the British Raj and the tumultuous events of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 in this enlightening book. Tracking the life of Nigel Halleck, the author's distant ancestor and a Victorian gentleman from Coventry, England, who "goes out to India," never to return, Hillsbery sets out on a journey in search of his relative's grave, marking the known towns and cities that Nigel inhabited. The narrative moves back and forth between the author's own experiences and a beautifully rich account of Nigel's quest, reconstructed through letters and extensive historical research. In discovering India through Nigel's eyes and later his own, Hillsbery provides readers with a glimpse of his own journey of self-discovery. VERDICT A compelling narrative of the social and spiritual life of 19th-century India. This book can also serve as a resource for anyone researching the themes of homosexuality, the East India Company, the Victorian era, and the Rana dynasty of Nepal.--Priyanka Sharma, Li ka Shing Lib., Singapore

Korda, Michael. Alone: Britain, Churchill, and Dunkirk: Defeat Into Victory. Liveright: Norton. Sept. 2017.564p. illus. maps. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781631491320. $29.95; ebk. ISBN 9781631491337. HIST

Prolific editor and author Korda (Clouds of GIor) pens a historical memoir that touches close to home, an in-depth look at his native England's pivotal escape at the Battle of Dunkirk during World War II. Korda states in his prolog that this is both a personal story and an intimate history of how the British Army came to the precipice of defeat. Though some intimate accounts are contributed, this book weighs heavily on the war and the political and strategic views on both the Allied and German sides. Korda returns to the decisive period of 1939-40, when Germany's aggression is felt in eastern and western Europe leading up to the decisive retreat at Dunkirk, which the author believes to have saved roughly 300,000 British soldiers to fight another day. Korda writes vividly, and World War II enthusiasts, particularly British supporters, will enjoy his retelling of England's seemingly solitary battle as the last European power willing and able to stand up to Germany. VERDICT This lengthy, at times dense, history might disappoint those interested in a more personal account, finding its home among fans of descriptive World War II military history. [See Prepub Alert, 3/13/17.]--Keith Klang, Port Washington P.L., NY

Lee, Jeffrey. God's Wolf: The Life of the Most Notorious of all Crusaders, Scourge of Saladin. Norton. Aug. 2017.320p. illus. notes, bibliog. ISBN 9780393609691. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393609707. HIST

Lee (Dog Days and Butterfly Man) explores the life of Reynald de Chatillon (1120-87), a notorious fighter during the Second Crusade. Chatillon has a reputation for brutality and violence, which Lee believes is exaggerated and misplaced. After a brief background on French society and the First Crusade, Lee argues that Chatillon's ferocity was typical of a warrior at that time and that his notoriety is the result of a smear campaign by his enemies. Lee investigates his subject's most notorious exploits, such as his stint as Prince of Antioch, lengthy imprisonment in Aleppo, raids against the Hajj pilgrim routes, and eventual execution. Chatillon is portrayed as a daring and bold warrior who was respected by his king and entrusted with diplomatic and regency roles. The author also emphasizes his subject's administration and matchmaking accomplishments to prove he was more than a terrifying warlord. Lee's arguments concerning the diversity of Chatillon's roles are more effective than the contextualization of his cruelty, as he never fully demonstrates how other warriors during that time compared. VERDICT A highly readable yet general overview of Chatillon's life and the Second Crusade. Readers desiring an in-depth analysis should look elsewhere. [See Prepub Alert, 3/20/17.]--Rebekah Kati, Durham, NC

Spinney, Laura. Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World. PublicAffairs. Sept. 2017.352p. illus. maps. notes. index. ISBN 9781610397674. $28; ebk. ISBN 9781610397681. HIST

Beginning in 1918, what became known as the Spanish Flu, which killed millions of people, would eventually encircle the globe in two more waves until it petered out in mid-1919. While the first and third waves are mere footnotes in cultural memory, the highly lethal second wave in fall 1918 is remembered most yet still overshadowed by World War I. Journalist Spinney brings the pandemic to the forefront of historical events to illustrate that, of the two important contemporary dramas, the Spanish Flu affected more people, had greater reach, and a significant influence on subsequent events. Spinney does not present her book as narrative, instead seeking to synthesize existing research and present it in a loose thematic arch. This format reveals that the understanding of the pandemic is changing owing to a recent surge in popularity across multiple disciplines. Once viewed exclusively through the lens of World War I and former colonial powers, the catastrophe is now investigated via new studies from such countries as Brazil and China and such disciplines as economics and sociology, are informing present research and reshaping what is known about the event. VERDICT An insightful and valuable account for all history collections.--Laura Hiatt, Fort Collins, CO

Sutton, Robert K. Stark Mad Abolitionists: Lawrence, Kansas, and the Battle over Slavery in the Civil War Era. Skyhorse. Aug. 2017. 288p. illus. notes, bibliog. ISBN 9781510716490. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781510716513. HIST

In his first major book, Sutton (former chief historian, National Park Service) shows how the high passions and ineffective politics that contributed to the American Civil War were at work in Kansas's struggle for statehood prior to the national conflict. With the policy of popular sovereignty making citizens of the new territory responsible for deciding whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state, the stage was set for what would become a bloody clash between "Free-Soilers" and proslavery advocates. Sutton concentrates on the role of Eastern antislavery activists in encouraging and financing the establishment of Free Soil settlers in Kansas, as well as efforts to arm such settlers against incursions by proslavery Missourians including William Clarke Quantrill. Border skirmishes between proslavery Bushwhackers and antislavery Jayhawkers, as well as the biased governing of politicians allied with one side or the other, threatened the survival of the fledgling territory. A highlight is the description of Quantrill's vicious 1863 raid on the Union town of Lawrence, KS, a tragedy too often overshadowed by the larger upheaval. VERDICT Recommended for Civil War enthusiasts and readers interested in antebellum history.--Sara Shreve, Newton, KS

* Westad, Odd Arne. The Cold War: A World History. Basic. Sept. 2017.720p. notes, index. ISBN 9780465054930. $35; ebk. ISBN 9780465093137. HIST

Despite the plethora of current studies on the Cold War (1947-91), this hefty work by historian Westad (ST. Lee Professor of U.S.-Asia Relations, Harvard Univ.) is worth the effort, explaining the background of the war and its continuing effects. Westad sets the U.S.-Soviet conflict within a global and longitudinal context, dating back to the 19th century. He provides insight into how the tensions impacted America's relationships with India, China, Cuba, and Vietnam, and others. Additional background is offered on the role of Russian politician Leonid Brezhnev as well as the detente, or brief period of improved relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1970s. This significant history is told with verve and spirit. Although much of what Westad discusses is well known, such as how the Cold War affected Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the author's thorough analysis is essential for gaining a complete understanding of this multidecade and multination conflict. VERDICT An essential book for all collections and one of the best written so far on the Cold War. Westad's valuable work should spur more investigation on the subject.--Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

* White, Richard. The Republic for Which It Stands: The United States During Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, 1865-1896. Oxford Univ. (History of the United States). Sept. 2017. 968p. illus. maps, bibliog. index. ISBN 9780199735815. $35. HIST

Preeminent scholar White (Margaret Byrne Professor of American History, Stanford Univ.; Tlie Middle Ground) authors the latest volume m the "History of the United States" series. He begins by examining the idyllic vision of the United States promulgated by the Radical Republicans at the onset of Reconstruction in which the civil rights of all individuals were respected. That dream was supplanted as the populace raced to seize economic opportunity in the West. Vast fortunes were made, often aided by corrupt politicians. As the nation's wealth became concentrated in the hands of the elite, the impoverished saw their opportunities decline and oppression increase. Prosperity proved fleeting for the middle class, as the nation was roiled economically by boom and bust cycles. American Indians fought desperately to cling to their homelands as interlopers abounded, supported by the might of the U.S. military. Immigrants provided essential labor for the expansion westward yet experienced extreme discrimination. In the midst of this chaos, Americans came to forge an optimistic worldview that saw the United States as a unified and diverse country that should share its values beyond its continental borders. VERDICT This seminal work is essential reading on the history of the United States.--John R. Burch, Univ. of Tennessee at Martin

LAW & CRIME

Caribe, Roman with Robert Cea. Confidential Source Ninety-Six: The Making of America's Preeminent Confidential Informant. Hachette. Aug. 2017.304p. ISBN 9780316315371. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780316315388. CRIME

This book offers the true story of Caribe (a pseudonym), a confidential informant who spent more than two decades gathering and providing information to authorities while working his way inside some of the largest drug operations in the world. Coauthored with Cea (No Lights, No Sirens) but written from Caribe's perspective, it promises intrigue like the films Donnie Brasco or Rush. Instead, the writing removes the reader from the gritty reality that would benefit Caribe's singular experience. Rather than getting into the psyche of a person who would be killed if the facade ever slipped, the reader is confronted with cliches and language that one would expect to find in a text written by someone pretending to have lived an exciting life as an informant. VERDICT This true crime account might be enjoyed by those who are looking for a television-or movie-style version of these real-life events, instead of a more psychological study of a life on the line and based on lies. For fans of Christopher Mark Kudela's They Call Me Krud and the film Firewdker.--Ryan Claringbole, Wisconsin Dept. of Pub. Instruction, Madison

* Elva, Thordis & Tom Stranger. South of Forgiveness: A True Story of Rape and Responsibility. Skyhorse. May 2017. 320p. ISBN 9781510730014. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781510730021. CRIME

When she was 16 years old, Elva was raped by her first boyfriend, Australian exchange student Stranger. The experience sent her into a spiral of shame, rage, and self-harm, and also drove her later career as a playwright, journalist, and speaker on the subject of sexual violence. Eleven years later, she contacted Stranger and they began a correspondence. They finally met in 2(115, in Cape Town, South Africa, where they worked toward an understanding of the experience and how it had shaped both of their lives. Through this challenging and emotional period, they managed to find a place of forgiveness. Elva and Stranger recognize that "forgiveness" isn't a passive action, but one that requires strength and discipline and that allows a person to move forward. The authors' TED Talk was controversial, and this book will be as well. While the painful and difficult route the authors took to reach closure may not be for everyone, the insights gained from letting go of the anger are inspiring. VERDICT An essential purchase for women's studies as well as true crime collections.--Deirdre Bray Root, MidPointe Lib. Syst., OH

Friedman, Ralph with Patrick Picciarelli. Street Warrior: The True Story of the NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era That Created Him. St. Martin's. Jul. 2017. 272p. ISBN 9781250106902. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250106919. CRIME

Friedman, a retired and highly decorated NYPD officer, tells the story of his work in the 1970s and early 1980s. After graduating from the police academy in 1970, Friedman was assigned to the 41st Precinct, located in the Bronx, NY. He quickly showed his drive and use of instinct to arrest violent criminals; over his career, he would apprehend more than 2,000 suspected lawbreakers and assist in the capture of thousands more. With coauthor Picciarelli (coauthor, Undercover Cop), Friedman here describes many violent situations, some of which would not be tolerated today. The brutality was overlooked because he made the department look good. Friedman was promoted to detective, but his career was cut short when his car was T-boned by another police car, nearly killing him. This book reads like a fast-paced novel that readers will find hard to put down. However, it lacks many dates of crimes and names of criminals, making it difficult to decipher the time line that Friedman relates. Nevertheless, the narrative provides insight into what is was like to be a cop at that time. VERDICT Readers fascinated by police work will definitely want to read this book.--Michael Sawyer, Daytona Beach, FL

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Jeffreys-Jones, Rhodri. We Know All About You: The Story of Surveillance in Britain and America. Oxford Univ. Jun. 2017.304p. photos, maps, notes, bibliog. index. ISBN 9780198749660. $29.95; ebk. ISBN 9780191066559. POL SCI

Jeffreys-Jones's (emeritus history, Univ. of Edinburgh, Scotland; In Spies We Trust: The Story of Western Intelligence) authoritative survey of mass surveillance in Britain and America is an antidote to conspiracy-speak and its toxic effect on our perceptions of government and private-sector intelligence. The complicated history--worsened by the Cold War and 9/11--of abuse and justice behind official policies, claims the author, calls for universal regulation and oversight, instead of scattering energies and budgets addressing individual concerns over cybermanipulation and even mind control. Most surprising is evidence that more lives are harmed daily by aggressive corporate misuse of credit data, employment histories (used for labor-market blacklisting), vacuuming of Internet searches, and social media snoops than an Orwellian Big Brother. Government agencies on both sides of the pond are burning through experts racing to defeat data-encryption keys more advanced than those in the hands of the FBI, NSA, and Britain's equivalents GCHQ and MI5. The resultant anxieties and tensions afflict whole populations and--as ever--big money controls big data. VERDICT A valuable book for anyone seeking a sober, if densely written, overview of the gap between defenders of privacy and defenders of national security, and how both are threatened by private-sector exploitation. --William Grabowski, McMechen, WV

Marshall, Tim. A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of National Symbols. Scribner. Jul. 2017. 304p. photos, bibliog. index. ISBN 9781501168338. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501168352. POL SCI

Journalist Marshall (Prisoners of Geography) has written an entertaining whistle-stop tour of world flags. This book is roughly divided by geography and flag symbol: flags featuring crosses, flags of the Middle East, and so forth. There is, of course, an argument to be had with Marshall's choice of geographic divisions, but it makes as much sense as any other arrangement. Marshall has done (some of) his homework and relays a few interesting heraldic details about the construction of flags as visual symbols. However, students of diplomacy or nationalism will find little new here. Marshall's choice of groups, as mentioned above, is problematic, and his text does not even approach the analytical. He excels at the personal and anecdotal, and the strongest sections relate his own encounters with various flags and individuals connected with them. VERDICT A quick read best suited for general audiences. Those in search of a more scholarly treatment should look elsewhere.--Hanna Clutterbuck-Cook, Harvard Univ. Lib., Cambridge, MA

Olsen, Henry. The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism. Broadside: HarperCollins. Jun. 2017.368p. notes, index. ISBN 9780062475268. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062475282. POL SCI

Few figures in modern American political history are as revered and lionized on the Right and as demonized on the Left as former U.S. president Ronald Reagan. In his first book, political analyst Olsen (senior fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Ctr.) makes a detailed pilgrimage through Reagan's history to illustrate and defend the primary principles of conservativism that he argues Reagan grew to believe in and embodied. Olsen's work intercuts Reagan's achievements with his overarching views and beliefs that represent the leader's legacy. Moreover, Olsen uses these principles to extrapolate the ways the former president would have voted or fallen on current issues, and how he should be interpreted by a modern audience, Republicans and conservatives in particular. He concludes with reviewing prominent members of the current Republican Party and identifying where they fall short in creating a Reagan coalition. VERDICT A solid contribution to the Reagan literature, this book is an appeal to a conservative audience to return to the policies and principles that made Reagan a successful figurehead.--Laurel Tacoma, Fairfax Cty. P.L., VA

PSYCHOLOGY

Fagan, Kate. What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death

of an All-American Teen. Little, Brown. Aug. 2017.320p. ISBN 9780316356541. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780316356534. PSYCH

Colleges and universities have put greater focus on student mental health in recent years than ever before; however, there continue to be many students who don't get the help they need and end up taking their own lives. ESPN writer Fagan's (The Reappearing Act) book is the story of one of those students. Maddy Holleran was a talented scholar-athlete recruited by multiple universities for soccer and track. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and, to any casual observer, had the perfect life: beautiful, popular, Ivy League student, and playing varsity sports. In reality, Holleran was crumbling under the pressure of maintaining the high standards she had always set for herself, causing her to dread the things she worked so hard to achieve and to contemplate giving up. Fagan writes with personal insight into Holleran's struggles, as she was also a college athlete who found herself hating the life she had dreamed for herself. VERDICT Though the writing is a bit over the top at times, it is impossible not to be affected by Holleran's heart-wrenching story. An appropriate (if difficult) read for current and future college athletes, their coaches, and parents. [See Prepub Alert, 2/27/17.]--Sara Holder, Univ. of Illinois Libs., Champaign

Frazzetto, Giovanni. Together, Closer: The Art and Science of Intimacy in Friendship, Love, and Family. Penguin. Jul. 2017.208p. notes, index. ISBN 9780143109440. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781101992227. PSYCH

Frazzetto (research fellow, Trinity Coll. Dublin; Joy, Guilt, Anger, Love) describes the sometimes complex intimate relationships people have with others. Eight relationships are highlighted in the chapters. Each story includes psychological, biological, and neuroscience research studies to explain the opinions and emotions that make human behavior complicated and mysterious. The stories include a single woman who has an imaginary boyfriend to cope with her failed relationships; a straight couple in a long-term love affair; a family that copes with the loss of a loved one; and a gay couple who is inseparable even though they appear to be unsuited for each other. Intimacy is about revealing worries and hopes to those people cherish. Frazzetto reminds readers that people can be intimate with not only romantic partners but also with family and friends. He helps readers consider their close relationships, whether they flourish, strengthen, or dissolve. Although this book is thoroughly researched with a wealth of scholarly sources cited, Frazzetto reaches a broad audience by exploring a topic that everyone can understand. VERDICT Recommended for anyone interested in psychology, biology, and neuroscience.--Tina Chan, MIT Libs., Cambridge

Livio, Mario. Why? What Makes Us Curious. S.& S.Jul. 2017. 272p. notes, bibliog. index. ISBN 9781476792095. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781476792125. PSYCH

In his latest book, astrophysicist Livio (Brilliant Blunders) investigates the human spirit of inquiry. This work is an examination of famously inquisitive people from the past and present, including artists, musicians, mathematicians, and scientists, with a presentation of the newest psychological and neuroscientific research on what makes people curious. Livio discusses whether nature or nurture is responsible for individual levels of curiosity, and what brain structures are involved. In addition, he explains what makes the human brain different from that of any other creature, and why a desire to know the unknown is specific only to humans. The information presented is accessible to all readers and the tone is engaging, sometimes even playful. Livio describes himself as a curious individual and explains how his own passion to learn about the world helped him in the field of astrophysics and exploration. VERDICT Recommended for anyone involved in the arts or sciences as well as readers interested in human cognitive science and behavioral development. [See Prepub Alert, 1/23/17.]--Terry Lamperski, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh, PA

SOCIAL SCIENCE

Allen, Danielle. Cuz: The Life and Times of Michael A. Liveright: Norton. Jul. 2017. 256p. photos, notes. ISBN 9781631493119. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781631493126. MEMOIR

Allen (director, Edmond J. Safra Ctr. for Ethics, Harvard, Univ.) relays the story of her cousin Michael, arrested at 15 for an attempted carjacking. Tried as an adult, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Allen, who was raised in a university town, contrasts the opportunities afforded her in childhood that were lacking in Michael's. His own upbringing, characterized by abuse and instability, disadvantaged him at an early age. When Michael was released from prison in 2006, Allen helped him find a job and a place to live. His prospects quickly dissolved as he resumed a volatile relationship with a woman named Bree, whom he met in prison. His affair with Bree, who is transgender, is insufficiently explored, and other developments, such as his conversion to Islam, remain unplumbed. The circumstances of his death are also hazy and lack details. VERDICT Although Allen's efforts to reconstruct and understand Michael's life sometimes feel disjointed, this book aptly demonstrates the ways in which young black men in America slip through the cracks, and how our collective institutions fail to safeguard at-risk youth.--Barrie Olmstead, Sacramento P.L.

Lee, Choi Soo. Freedom Without Justice: The Prison Memoirs of Choi Soo Lee. Univ. of Hawaii. Jun. 2017. 344p. ed. by Richard S. Kim. ISBN 9780824857912. $68; pap. ISBN 9780824872885. $19.99. SOC SCI

Editor Kim (Asian American studies, Univ. of California, Davis; The Quest for Statehood) presents the writings of Lee (1952-2014), a Korean immigrant who served ten years on death row in San Quentin State Prison before his conviction was overturned in 1983. This book "follows the trajectory from false accusation through incarceration and eventual release from prison." Lee's case marked an important moment in the Asian American civil rights movement, as it united people from a cross-section of society. This thought-provoking memoir compels readers to grapple with the reality that falsely convicted individuals are forced into a "prison system that is designed to dehumanize and break men of their will," and where racially motivated gang warfare thrives. The contrast between Lee's treatment in prison and the dedicated support from strangers to seek a retrial and overturn his conviction represent both the worst and best of humanity. After his release, Lee spent the rest of his life in San Francisco. VERDICT This personal telling will appeal to a wide audience, including those interested in issues of race and society, criminal justice, and the treatment of immigrants.--Casey Watters, Singapore Management Univ.

O'Mahony, Seamus. The Way We Die Now: The View from Medicine's Front Line. Thomas Dunne: St. Martin's. Jul. 2017. 304p. bibliog. ISBN 9781250112798. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250112804. SOC SCI

Gastroenterologist O'Mahony (Univ. of Cork Hospital, Ireland) examines the purpose and limitations of modern medicine, especially as it tends to dominate the end of human life. Drawing on his 30 years of experience, he considers the role of medical technology and intervention in an array of scenarios: resuscitation, intubation, and terminal care for patients with chronic illness, as well as the experiences of accidental, sudden, or premature death. The author clearly evaluates the fallibility of some procedures when death is inevitable, showing how familial attitudes influence medical decisions while also bringing a social and historical dimension to his reflections. This analysis summarizes Western perspectives of death and dying from cultural anthropologists Geoffrey Gorer and Ernest Becker, historian Philippe Aries, and social philosopher Ivan Illich. Their disparate works shed light on the communal manner in which death has been "tamed," denied, diminished and medicalized. The book concludes that religion and spirituality must complete what medicine cannot adequately accomplish. VERDICT A valuable and thoughtful treatment that effectively draws on O'Mahony's professional insights as well as his Irish Catholic upbringing to provide cglimpses into Western society's relationship with mortality.--Bernadette McGrath, Vancouver P.L.

Quinn, Zoe. Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate. PublicAffairs. Sept. 2017. 256p. ISBN 9781610398084. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781610398091. SOC SCI

Part memoir, part social movement manifesto, this engrossingjourney by game designer Quinn takes readers into the darkest realms of social media and the Internet. First, Quinn recounts her personal experience as the original target of the online harassment campaign known as Gamergate. She then provides practical advice for both preventing and responding to online attacks, an insider's view gained from her lived experiences and from assisting others via Crash Override, her online abuse crisis resource network. This book is a shocking account of the extent of online hate in some corners of the Internet, and the disastrous effects that online harassment can have on the target's personal and professional life. It also provides a distressing overview of how quickly the negativity can spread via social media to supporters, colleagues, family and friends. Quinn's story provides useful lessons for all social media users and offers a window into broader sociological issues related to gender, inclusion, and regulation of online communication. VERDICT An important purchase that will interest social media users and enlighten them about the extent of online hate in some social platforms and the limits on personal and social protections available in society today.--William Varick, Plain City, OH

professional media

Curating Research Data. 2 vols. ACRL. Jan. 2017. 632p. ed. by Lisa R. Johnston, illus. notes, bibliog. ISBN 9780838989180. pap. $110. PRO MEDIA

The amount of digital research data being created and stored in repositories has burgeoned over time, increasing opportunities for its scholarship, collaboration, sharing, and reuse. Along with the volume, scope, and complexity of data, these trends call for action on the part of those managing data repositories to ensure it remain accessible. In Volume 1, editor Johnston (librarian, Univ. of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Data Information Literacy) presents a collection of entries by librarians, data managers, research scientists, and others that discuss motivations, current practices, challenges, and other topics surrounding the curation of research data. These writings provide an excellent introduction to data curation while encouraging data managers and those offering research data services to consider ideas and techniques in strategic planning, current and emerging issues, and practical opportunities for policy development and execution. For example, readers will find a discussion of survey results and interview responses from academic institutions on outreach and promotion of their data repositories and curation services. This chapter also features insight on current practices, successful (and less so) outreach, lessons learned, and more.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Volume 2 contains detailed, practical steps to guide readers through the development of curation services and approaches to curating research data. Such ideas include the recruitment of data (e.g., creating communication plans), risk mitigation (data deidentification), processing of data (software recommendations for curators), access considerations (terms of use and licenses), data reuse (altmetrics to measure data impact), and more. These sections are interspersed with 30 case studies from a wide variety of sources. For example, a case study on the implementation of an appraisal process by the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation and Science Center follows in supplement to a brief discussion of data appraisal. Timely, practical, and readable, this two-volume set provides beneficial information for individuals and organizations tasked with managing and curating data. VERDICT Recommended for data librarians, scientists, information professionals, and others looking for techniques and guidance on curating research data.--Jennifer Harris, Southern New Hampshire Univ. Lib., Manchester

*Rice, Robin & John Southall. The Data Librarian's Handbook. Facet. Jan. 2017.192p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781783300471. pap. $95. PRO MEDIA

Rice (data librarian, Univ. of Edinburgh) and Southall (data librarian, Oxford Univ.) offer an international take on the world of data librarianship and management. Geared toward those starting out in the field or those taking on more responsibilities related to data, this book covers several relevant issues such as managing and curating data to ensure effective use and longevity, proper data citation and reference interviews, data literacy and management plans, and data repositories. Included are examples and case studies along with takeaways and reflective questions at the end of each chapter. Because of these features, this work would make for a helpful teaching tool for lecturers at information schools. The only downside is the inclusion of URLs throughout, which may become outdated or change over time. Kristi Thompson and Lynda Kellam's Databrarianship also focuses on this emerging field, but Rice and Southall offer a more step-by-step guide. VERDICT Highly recommended for anyone just getting started in working with data.--Nathalie Reid, Univ. of California, Los Angeles

Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Social sciences." Library Journal, 15 June 2017, p. 92+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A495668322/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5eb37407. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.

Gale Document Number: GALE|A495668322

"Love, Madness, and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck." Publishers Weekly, 22 May 2017, p. 85+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A494099096/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a49e3b04. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018. "Social sciences." Library Journal, 15 June 2017, p. 92+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A495668322/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5eb37407. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.

• Reviews in History
  http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/761
  Word count: 3214

  Love, Lust, and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the NobilityPrinter-friendly versionPDF version

  Book:
  Love, Lust, and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility
  Johanna Rickman
  Aldershot, Ashgate, 2008, ISBN: 9780754661351; 244pp.; Price: £55.00
  Reviewer:
  Professor Ingrid Tague
  University of Denver
  Citation:
  Professor Ingrid Tague, review of Love, Lust, and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility, (review no. 761)
  http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/761
  Date accessed: 28 January, 2018
  See Author's Response

  Johanna Rickman remarks that her book resulted from an apparently simple question: 'What happened to noblemen and noblewomen who engaged in extramarital sexual relationships?' (p. 1). She rightly insists that the answers shed light on the interactions of social status and gender, the role of the monarch, and relationships within and between elite kinship networks. Her focus is somewhat narrower than the title implies; she addresses only the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, and much of the book deals with the first two decades of the 17th century. Rickman is also careful to explain that her study is limited to 'heterosexual extramarital sex: fornication, adultery, and bastardy', and that she is not discussing issues of sexual identity (p. 7). Nevertheless, her work has broad implications for our understanding of early modern society and politics.

  Love, Lust, and License is divided into two equal parts, the first setting out the larger contexts surrounding illicit sex in the nobility, and the second presenting individual case studies. The introduction outlines key contexts of the late 16th and early 17th centuries: the position of the nobility, gender norms, and the various laws relating to sexual behavior. In the first two chapters, Rickman presents in broad terms attitudes toward illicit sex at the courts of Elizabeth and James I. Briefly discussing a variety of extramarital relationships among courtiers or between courtiers and other nobles, Rickman explores the reactions of the monarch to such relationships. Above all, she stresses, Elizabeth's and James's responses were motivated much more by pragmatism than by a strong sense of moral values. Chapter one, on illicit sex at the court of Queen Elizabeth, is the least impressive because least original part of the book. Like many historians before her, Rickman argues that Elizabeth's status as a single woman had a significant impact on her reign and on her relationships with her courtiers. Rickman suggests that her contribution to the field is to recognize that this impact extended to the queen's treatment of courtiers who engaged in sexual relations outside marriage, but such a point is hardly surprising. Elizabeth punished both male and female courtiers for illicit sex, usually through imprisonment or banishment from court, but the punishments for women tended to be more severe and longer-lasting. Rickman's point that female courtiers were Elizabeth's servants and that their behavior thus reflected on their queen's reputation is sensible but hardly groundbreaking. Similarly, her argument that courtiers were more willing to risk their monarch's displeasure late in the reign, when the conceit of Elizabeth as love object was less compelling and when she herself was less popular, is again unsurprising.

  In chapter two, Rickman turns to the court of James I, emphasizing the differences between the Jacobean and Elizabethan periods in terms of both the nature of the sexual scandals and the monarchs' reactions to them: 'In the scandals of James's reign illicit sex was usually only one component of the crimes committed; other, non-sexual offenses formed the center of the scandals' (p. 77). Furthermore, James tended to employ the legal system to punish offenders rather than following Elizabeth's model of direct imprisonment or exile from court. Using the examples of the famous Overbury case as well as two other Jacobean court scandals, Rickman points to the importance of factors such as allegations of bigamy, murder, or slander. Rickman also suggests that the language used by nobles themselves when discussing illicit sex changed in this period, with 'a more open sexual discourse' emerging (p. 70). At the same time, however, she is at pains to refute the notion that the Jacobean court was a hotbed of immorality. Instead, she notes that open discussion of sexual matters might simply have been less problematic in a context where the monarch was a married man and thus could be expected to know about and discuss sexual matters.

  The remaining three chapters address three illicit relationships, all dating from the 1590s to the 1620s. Rickman's choice of cases was based primarily on the availability of sources, particularly correspondence, regarding the relationships. In addition to letters, she draws on state papers, court records, and literary materials, using them to greater or lesser extent depending on their relevance to the particular case. The result is an impressive level of detail for the three central case studies. Each chapter provides the known facts of the case and seeks to explain why events unfolded in the way they did. Discussing the similarities and differences among the cases, their impact on the central figures, and the responses to each scandal by their families, the monarch, and other nobles, Rickman carefully elucidates the many ramifications of extramarital sex.

  Chapter three deals with the relationship between Penelope Rich and Charles Blount. Penelope and Charles began an affair in the 1590s when she was married to Sir Robert Rich, but it was not until 1605 that the court of High Commission granted Sir Robert a 'divorce' a mensa et thoro on the grounds of Penelope's adultery. Rickman argues that Penelope and Sir Robert 'collaborated about Penelope's confession' in order to achieve the mutually-desired separation (p. 128), and soon after, Penelope and Charles married. Charles acknowledged five children by Penelope and provided for them in his will. It was this will, the details of which became known upon his death in 1606, which brought their relationship to the attention of their contemporaries. Rickman notes that their adulterous affair throughout the 1590s attracted little notice, a fact that she attributes to Penelope's ability to maintain the external trappings of a respectable marriage. Given Elizabeth's angry reactions to other cases of marital infidelity among her courtiers, for instance, Rickman surmises that the queen probably had no idea of the affair. Penelope's and Charles's reputations suffered only when they made their relationship public through their marriage and his attempt to provide for his children. 'Indeed', Rickman notes, 'it was the combination of adultery and disregard of the marriage laws that contemporaries found scandalous' (p. 139; italics original). Even so, Penelope could still draw on a network of powerful social connections to defend her against the inevitable lawsuits by Charles's relations, and although she died in 1607, their children did secure their inheritances.

  Chapter four deals with the affair between William Herbert and his cousin Mary Wroth in the 1610s and 1620s. While Penelope Rich was able to conceal her initial pregnancies by Charles Blount under the cover of her marriage to Sir Robert, Mary Wroth was a widow at the time of her pregnancies. Nonetheless, Rickman argues, 'the affair caused no great scandal and very little outward trouble for the friends and family of those involved' (p. 141). She is at pains to dispute the view that Wroth was expelled from court because of the affair, pointing out that there is little evidence that Mary ever played a significant role at court, or that she was punished by James or his wife. Much of this chapter is devoted to a reading of sections of Wroth's romance, The Countess of Montgomery's Urania. Rickman argues that Mary's presentation of female characters in the work emphasizes female agency and sexual desire, and suggests that this presentation provides insight into Mary's attitude toward her own circumstances. While her reading of the romance is interesting, however, it ultimately sheds little light on reactions to the affair. Instead, Rickman plausibly attributes the silence surrounding the relationship to the protection of Wroth's powerful kin, especially the Sidney family, and to the fact that she was a widow; because neither Wroth nor Herbert was married during their affair, there was no threat to family property or lineage.

  The fifth chapter looks at the adultery trial of Frances Villiers and Robert Howard, as well as the aftermath of the case. In 1617 Frances was married against her will to Sir John Villiers, younger brother of James's favorite, the Earl (later Duke) of Buckingham. By early 1624 she and Robert Howard were having an affair, and she bore him a son that fall. Buckingham insisted on a trial for adultery in the court of High Commission, which convicted Frances in November 1627. Rather than serving the required penance, however, she fled London; when she returned in 1635, she once again faced punishment but escaped to France. For Rickman, what is most unusual about the case is not that Frances managed twice to escape punishment (both times in dramatic fashion), but that the trial occurred at all. For members of the nobility to face legal charges for sexual offenses was extremely rare, and it is likely that it was Buckingham's concern for his family honor that led to this prosecution. Rickman comments that Frances's own husband actually opposed the proceedings, both because he loved his wife and because his religion (he had converted to Catholicism) 'did not allow for an Anglican divorce' (p. 180). Thus rather than an offended husband demanding vengeance, it was instead an issue of larger familial concerns.

  Throughout the book, Rickman stresses the fact that illicit sex did not necessarily lead to condemnation or social ostracism, even for women. Instead, she emphasizes practical considerations: fornication or adultery might be tolerated when the people involved practiced discretion and when there was no direct threat to property or lineage. Moreover, the legal and social privileges accorded to the nobility helped shield its members from negative consequences. Frances Villiers, for instance, claimed that as the wife of a peer, she was not subject to the High Commission, and she petitioned the House of Lords for redress; although the petition was unsuccessful, Rickman notes that the Lords were far from unanimous and that they were concerned not to set a precedent that would diminish noble privilege in the future. More important than legal privileges were the social networks that nobles could use. Frequently, women were able to take advantage of such networks for legal and financial support. Mary Wroth's illegitimate children, for example, were apparently cared for by the Sidney clan, of which both she and William Herbert were part. When Penelope Rich faced lawsuits over Charles Blount's estate, powerful friends intervened on her behalf.

  For Rickman, the reasons behind this apparent willingness to accept illicit sex lie partly in pragmatism and partly in ideology. From a purely pragmatic point of view, many noble families were unwilling to stir up scandal if it could be avoided. Fornication and adultery became a problem when they became public – when the parties involved flaunted their relationship with marriage, as in the case of Penelope Rich and Charles Blount – or when illegitimate children threatened the family line. Because noble families had the wealth to support illegitimate offspring, moreover, bastards were not inherently a problem as long as there was no question of their inheriting family property. There was not the financial incentive to prosecute such cases as there was for people lower down the social scale. Thus Mary Wroth's children caused no scandal, and thus John Villier's willingness to accept Frances's son as his own complicated Buckingham's attempt to prosecute her. Pragmatism also played a role, according to Rickman, in the difference between Elizabeth's and James's responses to illicit sex among their courtiers. Elizabeth simply could not afford to be seen to tolerate sexual misconduct, especially by her female courtiers, because of her own fragile reputation as a single woman. When such behavior occurred among nobles away from court, however, the queen was less concerned. James had greater freedom because he was a husband and father, and thus he chose largely to ignore illicit sex unless the moral transgression was compounded by other serious crimes. Rickman's reading of these cases, which emphasizes women's agency and resilience in defending themselves, is largely a convincing one, and one that fits well with other recent studies of aristocratic women in early modern England.

  Somewhat more problematic is her attempt to argue for the central role of a 'courtly love ideal' as a counterbalance to traditional religious views of female behavior. Rickman emphasizes the power of women over their male lovers in this ideal, as well as courtly love's valorization of female 'beauty, bravery, charm, intelligence, wit, and ability to command' (p. 13). She argues that because such characteristics in the women of this study 'made them worthy of love in the eyes of their peers, their sexual offenses could be partly excused, and they could continue to function in the aristocratic community despite their illicit relationships' (p. 203). Yet the book provides little evidence for a connection between courtly love and responses to illicit sex. Rickman does note, as other historians have, that conventions of courtly love were widely employed at Elizabeth's court and that male courtiers relied on expressions of romantic devotion to win her favor. But such conventions do not imply an acceptance of illicit sex; indeed, as Rickman points out, Elizabeth punished transgressions at her court when love shifted from literary trope to actual sexual contact. The correspondence that provides the basis for the case studies shows that many nobles were willing to accept fornication and adultery among their peers when it was kept within certain bounds, but not that a woman's wit, beauty, and charm were seen as sufficient reasons to excuse such behavior. Instead, family and social connections seem, not surprisingly, to have been the primary determinants of acceptance or condemnation.

  More intriguing is Rickman's suggestion that illicit sex ran in families, patterns that 'in some aristocratic circles evoke Peter Laslett's theory of a "bastardy-prone subsociety"' (p. 204). A few key families form the heart of her work (and their genealogies are helpfully presented in an appendix); moreover, those families frequently shared political and social ties. Some of these connections are doubtless due to the fact that the English nobility was a small group characterized by intermarriage, especially at the center of court life. But it would be intriguing to explore other possible reasons for such clusters of illicit behavior. Rickman remarks that such groups demonstrate that the aristocracy was 'composed of many different circles' (p. 204), without further defining the specific characteristics of these particular 'subsocieties'. An exploration of the political, religious, and cultural affiliations of the families that seemed most accepting of illicit sex might have been more useful than an appeal to a generalized ideal of courtly love. As it is, however, Love, Lust, and License provides a subtle analysis of the many considerations involved when the early modern nobility was confronted by illicit sex within its ranks.
  May 2009
  Author's Response
  Johanna Rickman
  Posted: Wed, 17/06/2009 - 12:14

  First, I would like to thank Ingrid Tague for a very thorough and thoughtful discussion of my book. I have only a minor factual correction to make. In her summary of chapter four, Tague states that neither Mary Wroth nor William Herbert were married during their affair. While Mary indeed was widowed when she gave birth to her cousin’s children, Herbert was married to Mary Talbot, daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury. Apparently, the spouses did not spend much time together: while Herbert made a successful career for himself at court and participated in the pleasures of courtly life with great gusto, his wife usually remained sequestered in the country. However, the couple did not have children until late in their marriage and those children did not survive past infancy, so there were no legitimate children to lay claim to Herbert’s inheritance after his death.

  When it comes to the discussion of the courtly love ideal, I believe Tague makes a valid point, but I would like to interject a more nuanced view. I do hold that the courtly love ideal was indeed in operation among Elizabethan and Jacobean noblewomen. Elite women who were perceived as beautiful, who were witty, brave, and able to command, were often praised for those particular qualities, even though they were in stark contrast to the religious ideal of female silence, obedience, and humility. These women, especially if they were married, usually had a remarkable freedom of action and speech. The majority of the women in the case studies I present in the book (Penelope Rich, Mary Wroth, and Frances Villiers, for example) were celebrated beauties, and their contemporaries lauded them for their intelligence, charm, bravery, and social position. Often, the praise came in the form of literary dedications, as in the poetic expressions of Philip Sidney regarding Penelope Rich. The fact that these women were thus seen as praiseworthy partly ensured them their positions within their noble circles, and thus partly ensured them support when they became involved in illicit relationships. Pragmatism and personal, social, and political considerations still tended to be the most important reasons behind tacit acceptance of, or negative reaction to, illicit sex.

  Tague argues that the correspondence on which I rely does not bear out my claim that the courtly love ideal played a role in excusing illicit sex and that the letters rather mostly talk about the pragmatic side of the cases. While I think that she has a legitimate point and that she has definitely hit on an area of my evidence that needs to be further bolstered, I do discuss a few direct examples of women receiving support partly because of their fulfillment of the courtly love ideal. For example, Sir Kenelm Digby’s passionate defense of Frances Villiers includes references to her ‘honor and bravery’ and her ‘natural endowments’, which had been ‘polished, refined, and heightened’ by her ‘afflictions’ and that she thus deserved support from her peers (p. 198).

  I very much appreciate and agree with Tague’s perceptive remark regarding the need for an even more detailed understanding of the political, religious, and cultural affiliations of the various noble circles. I do believe that those studies would require additional books, however. Tague’s remark also brought to mind a bit of a mystery that I encountered during my research and writing, that, as of yet, I have been unable to solve. Many of the women and men in the cases that I studied had ties with Catholicism in various ways. For example, Penelope Rich toyed with the idea of conversion to Catholicism at one point, but her lover persuaded her not to go through with it. Frances Villiers and her lover Robert Howard did both convert to Catholicism, as did Sir Robert Dudley and the maid-of-honor who illegally absconded with him. There are other examples besides these, but as much as I have racked my brain to try to understand what this Catholic link might mean, I have not come up with a satisfactory answer. Perhaps, it is only a coincidence. I very much would like to invite the ideas of other scholars.

• Historical Novel Society
  https://historicalnovelsociety.org/on-the-periphery-of-power-love-madness-and-scandal-the-life-of-frances-coke-villiers-vicountess-purbeck-by-johanna-luthman/
  Word count: 808

  On the Periphery of Power: Love, Madness, and Scandal – the Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Vicountess Purbeck by Johanna Luthman

  KATE BRAITHWAITE

  Frances Coke was born in 1602, the last full year of the reign of Elizabeth I. She was the daughter of a prominent lawyer, Sir Edward Coke, and Lady Hatton, a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth’s close advisor William Cecil. When she was fifteen, Frances made an appropriately aristocratic match with Sir John Villiers, brother of King James I’s favourite George, the Duke of Buckingham, but the marriage was unhappy. John suffered from bouts of mental illness and Frances turned for love to Sir Robert Howard, with whom she had a lengthy affair – and a son, also called Robert. The highly public scandal that surrounded their liaison is the principal subject of Johanna Luthman’s biography of this lesser known Stuart woman.

  Luthman first encountered Francis Coke Villiers while researching a previous work, “Love, Lust and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility (Ashgate, 2008). She was fascinated by Frances at once, intrigued by “the sheer human drama surrounding her at every turn” but she did not immediately see Frances as a candidate for her own biography because there were so few sources written by Frances herself. That changed, however, when Luthman came across Caroline Murphy’s Murder of a Medici Princess about Isabella de Medici. Murphy had achieved what Luthman aspired to do – bring a figure from the past to life despite a dearth of sources directly produced by the subject.

  Unable to rely on Frances’ own words, instead Luthman worked extensively with State Papers, which she describes as “the rather eclectic mix of sources” and includes letters, orders, copies of interrogations, petitions and more. Because Frances was at the centre of a very public scandal – she petitioned the House of Lords twice and her lover Robert Howard was a Member of Parliament – the House of Commons debated Howard’s parliamentary privilege when he was tried for adultery. The published proceedings of Parliament and parliamentary journals were therefore also important sources.

  But primary material from the early 1600s can be difficult to use, even though electronic access to scanned documents has transformed the research landscape in recent years. Luthman describes the greatest challenge to a historian of this period as the time and effort it takes to read and decipher these old documents. Seventeenth century handwriting is not easy to follow and standardized spelling and grammar rules were still a thing of the future. The physical documents can also provide their own challenges. The records of Chancery, for example, that Luthman accessed at the National Archive in Kew in London, “were the size of the whole table, and entirely filled with tiny text.”

  author photo by Salai Sayasean

  Even a fact as simple as Frances’ birth date was not easy to find – in this case, due to human error. Lutham explains, “The transcriber for the calendar of parish records had misread the name: therefore it did not show up in searches at all. It was not until I went through page after page of photographed and digitized manuscript records that I finally found the entry for “Frances Cook, doughter of Mr Cook the Quenes Maygesties Atorney general.”

  With her research complete, Luthman was then able to grapple with Frances’ life and all of its ‘stranger than fiction’ realities. Disguises, cross-dressing and a high-speed coach chase through London are just a part of her story. Although Frances was not a major historical figure, Luthman believes that historians can make a valuable contribution to our understanding of a period by recovering the lives of those on the periphery of power and influence.

  In a recent Reith lecture, renowned historical novelist, Hilary Mantel, cautioned that some of her fellow fiction writers were guilty of retrospectively ‘empowering’ women from the past. I asked Johanna Luthman how she felt about that, given Frances’ strong and independent character, as well as Frances’ mother Lady Hatton, who was also a force to be reckoned with. Largely agreeing with Mantel that “one should avoid judging historical subjects based on current ideals,” she also makes the point that while “women were limited in many ways … that does not also mean that they were entirely powerless…While women held few official positions (with the exception of court appointments to serve royal women), they could still wield significant power.”

  Power, in Frances’ hands, is her ability and willingness to persist, to demand fairness, evade punishment and insist on her innocence, even in the face of enormous evidence of her adultery.

  About the contributor: Kate Braithwaite is the author of Charlatan, a story of poison and intrigue in 17th century Paris.

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