No one does royal biographies better than Alison Weir; I own them all. For those of us who have read and reread Katherine by Anya Seton this is the true story of Katherine Swynford, the commoner who became the mistress of the charismatic John of Gaunt, son of Edward III. This strong, powerful woman was the ancestress of the Tudors, Stuarts, nearly every monarch in Europe and six American presidents. Their love affair was the scandal of the fourteenth century. Wonderfully researched, but eminently readable, this is a must read for lovers of British history.

Dedra