Richard the Third

Paul Murray Kendall's Richard the Third is a readable biographical introduction of the last Plantagenet King of England that for many only comes to mind as the sinister hunchback of Shakespeare. Even though over 50 years worth of research has outdated some of Kendall's evidence, his overall body of

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work gives the reader a truer glimpse of Richard the man than from Richard the arch villain. From the outset, Kendall informs his reader of personal interpretations he has made from evidence through the use of starred (*) references within the text with explanations in the Notes after the main body of text. Kendall does tackle the death of the Princes in the first Appendix as he feels a discussion within the text itself would not be proper, which given the subject seems to be the correct course. Although Kendall believes that Richard was not responsible for the death of his nephews, in fact believing the evidence points to the Duke of Buckingham as instigator if not actual culprit, but Kendall does acknowledge that Richard might have in some way acquiesced and ultimately believed he was at fault through taking the throne. In the second appendix Kendall gives a historiography surrounding Richard of over the centuries until the publication of his book, which he hopes to be a moderate addition instead of "revisionist." Although the writing and pace are a little dated, Kendall's book is a fine introduction to Richard the man.

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Excellent debunking of the ogre as portrayEd by Shakespeare

Richard III has been enshrined as one of the must-read Monarchical biographies. Mr. Kendall's treatment has been satisfactory to me, and I must remark that the Shakespeare treatment , is a work I read about five times. Like Edward II, Richard suffers from his spectacular dethronement in the

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interests of the development of England as we know it. He could well, if he had managed the battle of Bosworth better, have set his mark on the Tudor period as well as Henry VII did.

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