Katherine Swynford

The Story of John of Gaunt and His Scandalous Duchess

By: Alison Weir

Narrated by: Judith Boyd

In this remarkable book, Alison Weir recounts one of the greatest and most remarkable love stories of medieval England. It is the extraordinary tale of an exceptional woman, Katherine Swynford, who became first the mistress, and later the wife, of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

But Katherine Swynford was much more than that. She was the mother of the Beauforts, and through them the ancestress of the Yorkist Kings, the Tudors, the Stuarts and every other sovereign since - a prodigious legacy which has shaped the history of Britain.

©2007 Alison Weir (P)2007 WF Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Weir provides immense satisfaction. She writes in a pacy, vivid style, engaging the heart as it does the mind." ( The Independent)
"Alison Weir's hugely popular history books are as gripping as novels." ( The Times, London)
"Alison Weir is one of our greatest popular historians." ( The Daily Mail)

Good non-fiction book

I've read several of Allison Weir's non-fiction biographies, and they're all meticulously researched, very detailed, and well written. This is no exception. It's a much a biography of John of Gaunt as of Katherine Swynford, probably because there is more detail about his life, and most of the information available on Katherine is through John. If you're interested in this period of English history, you'll probably find the detail interesting, but there was a lot more detail about the architecture than I wanted.
If you're looking for something along the lines of Anya Seton's novel, you'll be disappointed, as it is a detailed account of Katherine's life, but is presented as "just the facts." I found Weir's note about Seton and her novel that is at the end of the book quite interesting. The narrator was just right.

Too long

Although the first few hours of the book were extremely interesting giving an excellent idea of life in the 14th century Europe. I found that it tended to ramble on after a bit with just a report of the movements of John og Gaunt and Katherine without much additional colour. I abandoned it about 3/4 way through. I do feel that it gave a good insight into the life and poetry Geoffrey Chaucer, I knew very little about him and only knew some of the Cantebury Tales.

surprisingly like non-fiction

I thought there would be a story, but instead it is a history book...at least up to chapter 2, which is all I could take.

A boring read

This book is just a series of historical dates with absolutely no fiction. While it may be factual it makes for boring reading.

Boring with a capital B

If I could give this a zero I would... simply dreadful

Not worth my Credit

The first part of the book was just a history lesson that never ended. I loved her Elizabeth and Innocent Traitor books and was so disapointed to have wasted my time and my credit on this book.

BORING...MORE "ROYAL BABY MAMA DRAMA"

I'm a big fan of Alison Weir's work and purchased this book on faith. It is a disappointment on all levels. Audible.com calls this "one of the greatest and most remarkable love stories of medieval England. Katherine Swynford, who became first the mistress, and later the wife, of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. But Katherine Swynford was much more than that. She was the mother of the Beauforts, and through them the ancestress of the Yorkist Kings, the Tudors, the Stuarts and every other sovereign since - a prodigious legacy which has shaped the history of Britain." By being the "Number 1 Baby Mama"? Weir tried hard to make something interesting out of a very boring subject. Where is the LOVE? Weir had to make a story out of conjecture and suppositions. Everything is "Katherine MIGHT have attended" or "Katherine LIKELY wore an outfit of...." We never learned anything about the woman herself. Was she beautiful? Sexy? How did she feel about her "baby daddy" using her years? Weir tries to give us the impression that Katherine was smart but who hangs around for DECADES for a man to marry her and then only after his wife dies and he is close to death?! She was in her late 40's before she finally became a Duchess through marriage. Her legacy of "shaping the history of Britain" resulted in Prince Charles doing the same thing to Camilla Parker-Bowles. What a bunch of low self-esteem people! Must be the inbreeding.

Not worth the time

I have become more and more disappointed in Ms Weir's books over the last few years. Her biographies are NOT objective (she likes her subjects too much, I fear) and her novels have less plot than real life. Her biographies are at least better written.

A Disappointment

I have read all of Weir's biographies as well as her novels. Her last novel, Lady Elizabeth, was a disappointment and so is this. She could find nothing about Swynford so it is filled with conjucture and facts about everyone except Kathryn. Not only is the content dull, the narration is poor. She is trying so hard to make nothing sound like something that it becomes annoying.

Enthralling

I cannot imagine how someone could find the story of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt boring. While Weir's book does not have the intimacy of Katherine, by Anya Seton, it is more accurate historically. There have, after all, been another 50 years of scholarship. I found this book as compelling as I did Katherine many years ago. I listened every chance I got.

This book is for those people with an interest in history, who find in various points of view as absorbing a story as a romance.