{"product_id":"the-wisest-fool","title":"The Wisest Fool","description":"\u003c!-- Hook --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Bold New Portrait of King James VI and I\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Tagline --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteven Veerapen's revisionist biography of Scotland's most underestimated king\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Access Your Content --\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 2px solid #ddd; padding: 16px; border-radius: 6px; background: #f9f9f9; margin-bottom: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: bold; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAccess Your Content in Seconds\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col style=\"margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComplete your purchase on our store.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDownload \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/pages\/the-grey-hill-app\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Grey Hill App\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (free).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLog in using the same email from checkout.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour ebook will appear instantly in your library.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; color: #555;\"\u003eAll content is securely delivered through our app and not offered as a Shopify download.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- About the Ebook --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Ebook\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames VI and I, the first monarch to reign over Scotland, England and Ireland, has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is simply the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, or the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated Tudor and Stuart forebears. But who was he really? To what extent have myth, anecdote, and rumour obscured him? In this new and ground-breaking biography, James's story is laid bare and a welter of scurrilous, outrageous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of Elizabeth I's successor as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality. With reference to letters, libels and state papers, it casts fresh light on the personal, domestic, international and sexual politics of this misunderstood sovereign. 'A real page-turner for lovers of history' - Philippa Gregory\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Why You'll Love This Ebook --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy You'll Love This Ebook\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReassess the reputation of one of Britain's most complex monarchs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplore the politics, scholarship, and personal life of James VI and I\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEngage with fresh historical scholarship on a pivotal Stuart figure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead another celebrated title from Birlinn Ltd - Independent Scottish Publisher\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Reviews --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eReviews\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Steven Veerapen's biography of James VI and I is so good that it seems likely to become the definitive work on a much‑maligned and poorly understood character.' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUndiscovered Scotland\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'It does not flinch from the flaws of character and errors of rule but makes a fair and compelling analysis of James the man as he struggled to become James the king — a real page‑turner for lovers of history.' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhilippa Gregory\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- About the Author --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteven Veerapen was born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and a Mauritian father and raised in Paisley. Pursuing an interest in the sixteenth century, he was awarded a first-class Honours degree in English, focussing his dissertation on representations of Henry VIII’s six wives. He is the author of The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I, and lives in Glasgow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Publication Details --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePublication Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e Birlinn Ltd\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 07 September 2023\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrint Length:\u003c\/strong\u003e 432 pages (Ebook edition)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN (Ebook):\u003c\/strong\u003e 9781788856409\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ebook\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- FAQ --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow do I access my ebook?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/pages\/the-grey-hill-app\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Grey Hill App\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e and log in using the same email you used at checkout. Your ebook will appear instantly in your library.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I read it online?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — you can also access your purchases via our online reader at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reader.thegreyhill.com\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ereader.thegreyhill.com\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eI can't see my ebook — what should I do?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTap the refresh button in the app or online reader. If it still doesn't appear, ensure you're logged in with the same email used at checkout. If issues continue, contact us and we'll help right away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I gift this ebook?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — you can purchase a Grey Hill Gift Card here: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/products\/the-grey-hill-gift-card\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBuy a Gift Card\u003c\/a\u003e. The recipient can redeem it on our store, and the ebook will appear in The Grey Hill App.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Birlinn Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57250651242869,"sku":"9781788856409","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0921\/5662\/5269\/files\/9781788856409.jpg?v=1780586931","url":"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/products\/the-wisest-fool","provider":"The Grey Hill","version":"1.0","type":"link"}