Queen of Scots: the True Life of Mary Stuart, by John Guy. "A long-overdue and dramatic reinterpretation of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots by one of the leading historians at work today." This book won the Whitbread award for biography in 2004. My question when checking it out from the library was: Is it as good as Antonia Fraser's biography? It's interesting (hard not to be with her scandal-ridden life), very readable, and detailed without being dull. But. The author wears his heart on his sleeve and gives Mary the benefit of every possible doubt. Fraser's is a more even-handed portrayal, and remains the gold standard. Library Loot courtesy of The Silly Little Mischief Blog
It's always interesting to see how different biographers approach their subject, isn't it? Mary Stuart seems to have been a woman to engage people's sympathies even centuries after her death.
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