Philip II

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and Excellent
Review: A truly great work of history for anyone who believes that detailed research, thoughtful analysis, and intellectual honesty are vital for the study of history. Beautifully written, more than adequately referenced (the footnotes are like a small archives), and convincingly portrayed, this book is the finest scholarly work available on Philip II of Spain, with the possible exception of Kamen's recent 'Philip of Spain'. The biggest difference between the two is that Walsh's came about 60 years earlier! Corrects much of the error and bias inherent in other english works on the topic (Hume, Prescott and Merriman for example.) Essential for understanding both Philip and his times.

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and Excellent
Review: This is an excellent, and quite scholarly, book. Walsh tells the story of Spain, as well as England, France, and much of the rest of Europe, during the 16th century, not from the usual perspective of the English Protestant historians, but rather from the point of view of the Catholics of the time. The richness of detail is amazing: the author describes everything down to the clothing everyone wore, and in such vibrantly colorful language that the reader feels as if he is really there. It reads more like a novel, being not at all dry like many other serious histories, yet he backs up his work with pages and pages of footnotes, many in the original Spanish, latin and old English. A must-read for anyone interested in getting the other side of the great drama of the 16th Century. I would also recommend Walsh's wonderful "Isabella of Spain," for more on the Conquistadors, the discovery and colonization of America, and the Inquisition.

Rating:
Summary: Scholarly, but rich and entertaining
Review: This is an excellent, and quite scholarly, book. Walsh tells the story of Spain, as well as England, France, and much of the rest of Europe, during the 16th century, not from the usual perspective of the English Protestant historians, but rather from the point of view of the Catholics of the time. The richness of detail is amazing: the author describes everything down to the clothing everyone wore, and in such vibrantly colorful language that the reader feels as if he is really there. It reads more like a novel, being not at all dry like many other serious histories, yet he backs up his work with pages and pages of footnotes, many in the original Spanish, latin and old English. A must-read for anyone interested in getting the other side of the great drama of the 16th Century. I would also recommend Walsh's wonderful "Isabella of Spain," for more on the Conquistadors, the discovery and colonization of America, and the Inquisition.

Rating:
Summary: Hate Literature at its Worst
Review: This is not a scholarly historical work, but rather a propaganda piece for religious fanatics. Philip II and his father Charles have to contend against the growing force of "ANTI-CHRIST." Who exactly is anti-Christ? According to Walsh, anti-Christ is Jews, Protestants, Elizabeth the First, Muslim invaders (Turks), and anyone else opposed to the Catholic Church. This book is of the same radical religious stripe as one finds among extremist religious groups around the world, such as those who destroyed the World Trade Center. The publisher of this book prints all kinds of crazy "literature," such as a biography of a nun who lived on Eucharistic Hosts most of her life.