The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV

“In some ways, this is a thoroughly traditional narrative history of kings, of the most important people in society, very unlike the book by Barraclough, which is about the individual details of normal people’s lives. But what Castor’s done here is take out the big theme of personality and power.” Read more...

The Best History Books of 2025: the Wolfson History Prize Shortlist

Helen King, Historian

“Helen Castor is a very fine archival historian, and she digs into the reality of the figure, although he still is rather Shakespearean in the flawed, narcissistic boy king who she sets against his ruthless Bolingbroke relation. While they were superficially friends, relatives, and allies at a certain earlier part of their lives, one, of course, supplanted the other. So it has great drama.” Read more...

The Best Historical Biography: The 2025 Elizabeth Longford Prize

Roy Foster, Historian