This book is not is a presentation of dry, dusty, and dense facts; rather, it pushed a light on the legal practices of the day enabling the reader to This book is not is a presentation of dry, dusty, and dense facts; rather, it pushed a light on the legal practices of the day enabling the reader to understand the way of life between 1485 and 1603 by reference to its legal system, its criminal fraternity, and the consequences for crime.
The book is divided into two sections: Part 1 addresses the the formation of the laws of the land. The tenets of the law have their basis in Roman law; it is so interesting how laws were based on those already established in the Roman Empire. Various Kings visited Rome and were influenced. It also addresses how the clergy and monarch confluences played major roles in the development of laws, and the tension that arose between the monarch and religious sides ( aka Sir Thomas Moore and Beckett). Part 2 offers a fascinating look into the case studies of criminal trials in Tudor England. The crimes are organized by the type of offense, from laws concerning alchemy and animals to witchcraft and xenophobia! INTERESTING!
Part 1- Although there is so much more explanation and delineation in the book concerning the history of the formation of the legal system, I want to include some interesting highlights:
The Emperor Constantine decreed in 325AD that Christianity was the state religion and this, naturally, applied to Britain. After the Romans left, it was not until St Augustine visited Canterbury with a group of Benedictine monks in 596AD, that the link between the English and the Roman Church was reinstated. This was vital because the courts that dealt with most crimes were church courts. INTERESTING!!!
King Aethelbert (600 Ad) was the first king to put laws in writing and this set the custom for the future. King Aethelbert framed his laws in the Roman way. Prior to his reign, the law of England was defined by the clergy. King Aethelbert also instituted the Writ and the Jury. INTERESTING!!!
King Alfred visited Rome in his youth. He formed ‘The Laws of King Alfred�, picking parts of previously laid down laws that he considered were beneficial to the nation. Previous laws had dealt in the main with theft and trading, but Alfred’s laws included the breaking of oaths, injuries and sexual offenses.
King Canute ruled England from 1016-1035. He also visited Rome and put many statutes into law, becoming known in the process as ‘the greatest legislator of the eleventh century�.
The Anglo-Saxon dynasty was reinstated in 1042 with the accession of Edward the Confessor, who also desired to maintain Roman law. The laws Edward enacted are important and It was these laws that form the basis of the law we have today.
By the time William the Conqueror was there a solid base of law in England, much of it based on the Roman model and was also highly influenced by the moral code of Christianity.
Archbishop of Canterbury Anselm had numerous quarrels with King William Rufus (1087-1100) and Henry I (1100-1135). Anselm began the move away from the law being dependent on the monarch to it being administered by chancellors. This also gave real power to the clergy in all legal matters, irrespective of whether the issues were sacred or secular.
From 1154 onwards the teaching of Roman law and Canonical law became prominent. Most monarchs altered, added to, and subtracted from the Chancery Courts and canon law to make the legal system fit their purpose. The resulting tension between the monarch and clergy was fascinating!
The concept of common law still did not exist in England until Henry III’s Chief Justiciar, Henry de Bracton, wrote a treatise citing specific cases. This became the foundation of the current English legal system. The central core of Bracton’s view was that even the monarch was subject to God and the law. Nobody argued this more eloquently than Sir Thomas More in his trial in 1535. His crime was treason because he had refused to sign Henry VIII’s Oath of Supremacy, and refused to acknowledge the king as head of the church!!!
Part 2 - Crimes and Cases The crimes are organized alphabetically and include interesting -and quite comprehensive- offenses as listed. I also think the format is helpful that page numbers are included if one wants to learn about a specific offense. The crimes and cases included are: Alchemy ,Animals,Begging,Blackmail ,Blasphemy, Coney-Catching (huh?!), Defamation ,Embezzlement ,Fraud,Gangs ,Heresy,Insurrection Infanticide,Infidelity,Juvenile Crime ,Kidnapping and Abduction Larceny ,Murder ,Nuisance ,Organised Crime,Poaching ,Poison Prostitution ,Quarrels ,Riots ,Scolding,Sedition Sexual Offences Spying,Theft,Treason ,Uprisings,Vagrancy, Witchcraft Xenophobia
Comprehensive indeed! The research is absolutely impeccable! The bibliography is extensive. The author has thoroughly researched these subjects with numerous references cited. Zealots of the day are referenced alphabetically with corresponding page numbers*. The index is also thorough referencing crimes, case studies and people of interest with corresponding page numbers*.
This book is definitely for readers who love history in general, Tudor England in particular, the genesis of laws in England, and case studies of crimes and punishment. While it offers much depth, perhaps overwhelmingly so, the organization and the formatting effort provides much assistance to the reader who can easily go to specific areas (crimes, cases, people) of interest! Therefore, it doesn’t have to be a time-consuming read- it can be more of a reference to the reader’s particular interest.
*Page numbers do not correspond on digital copy
My thanks to author April Taylor, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book and the privilege of writing a review....more
My thanks to NetGalley, Bill James and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Man From the Train reads like an invMy thanks to NetGalley, Bill James and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Man From the Train reads like an investigative record....because it is! The research of homicides at the turn of the last century is extraordinary. It is interesting to note how a crime is "solved" without ballistic testing or forensic work: hearsay, unreliable witnesses, gut instincts of the accusers. Lynchings were common. Guilt by loose association, and definitely guilt unless one could prove their innocence. Fascinating and enlightening! It is a factual accounting of an undetected serial killer that recent research has exposed.. If you like reading a fact-based litany of the research into true crime and murders, then this book is for you. It is a laborious read due to the technical aspect. A LOT of information and details are thrown at the reader, and it is difficult to absorb it all. Furthermore, there are so many people mentioned ( some that are completely irrelevant to this book) that is becomes overwhelming and somewhat confusing. I believe I prefer historical fiction rather than textbook-like facts that slowly and methodically build a serial killer case. Again, it was very informative and enlightening!...more
The research ( 5 ⭐️) is extensive and impeccable in this historical, non fictional account of the use 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ - Shoulda, woulda, coulda. But�
The research ( 5 ⭐️) is extensive and impeccable in this historical, non fictional account of the use (misuse and abuse) of radium at the turn of the century. I was unaware of the radium girls and the factories that employed them. Therefore, I feel VERY enlightened, if not VERY enraged, by the corporate greed, the lack of safety standards, and the poor communication between scientists, management, and doctors. Consumer advocacy has improved greatly in the last 100 years, thank God.
( 1 ⭐️) Execution. The writing style was very problematic. The author is said to have written an historical narrative, yet it seemed to be more of a longitudinal parade of facts, which became repetitive and redundant. Transitioning between Ottawa and New Jersey was choppy and confusing. Transitioning between the various girls was also tedious and confusing. There was just so much back and forth and so much redundancy. It did not read as a narrative at all. It became a painful, laborious read and I almost DNF. Instead, I skimmed large sections. I continued the struggle because the content was educational and fascinating.
The book would have been more engaging, and the facts more interesting, if fewer girls were portrayed, and only one setting was used. Radium Girls: A Play in Two Acts is much more appealing as it scales down on all the excruciating detail found in this book and allows the reader to embrace the dynamic characterization of one of the workers.
I prefer historical fiction ( ex:The All Girls Filling Station, Hidden Figures, Nightwitches, The Nightengale) which inform and enlighten the reader, but with a narrative that is more engaging than a textbook-like series of facts.
1 star plus 5 stars averages to the 3 star rating.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Pamela Small
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