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Historical The Reign of Elizabeth I by Carole Levin $39.95 / Palgrave / 2002 Have the recent films Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love clouded the truth about Queen Elizabeth? Writer Carole Levin thinks so, and has written a short but well-annotated volume to clarify the history of this famous Queen as well as introduce new research. The book begins by offering a glimpse of the young Elizabeth. Her tutor remarked on her "talent without a woman's weakness," and as she matured, Elizabeth carefully crafted her image as a virtuous royal, adroitly handling herself in potentially damaging situations and fending off Mary Stuart's attempts to permanently imprison her. This precocious finesse blossomed into the political shrewdness that would help Elizabeth peacefully ascend the throne-no small feat during such volatile times. While Levin treads familiar ground by examining Elizabeth's marital status and its impact on her reign, she also explores Elizabeth's human dimensions, suggesting that Elizabeth indeed cared for some of her suitors, and enjoyed the flattery that her marriage proposals offered. A concise guide to Elizabeth's life, Levin's book describes the Queen's complex web of alliances and personages, without losing the reader. The Reign of Elizabeth I is recommended reading for anyone interested in a "user-friendly" look at England's most famous queen. --Barbara Friedmann

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