<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: "Not one of the better quincentennial Isabella books "
Review: 1492 was one of the most significant years in world history. Isabel and Fernando by completing the Reconquest of Spain and sending Columbus on his search for the Indies commanded events that shaped the modern world and made Spain (Castile+Aragon)a world superpower. In "Isabella of Castile" Rubin takes a quincentennial look at arguably the most significant female monarch of all time. Rubin's approach to Isabel's life covers all of the important events--war of succession, restoring law and order, the Reconquest of Granada, the Inquistion, and of course, Columbus--with a consistent objectiveness. After the first chapter, however, I expected more argumentative discussions on all of the sources that Rubin used and of the possible motivations that Isabel might have had in some of the monumental events she participated in. For instance, a more thorough discusion of the possible reasons for implementing the Inquisition would have been appropriate. Overall the book seemed to promise slightly more than it delivered, but was still very enjoyable and a decent account of a remarkable monarch to say the least.
Rating: 
Summary: Prescott revisited
Review: Any potentional historian of Spain must contend with the work of William Prescott. Though cutting edge historians of Spain dismiss Prescott as old fashioned (he wrote over 150 years ago), his work can still be read with pleasure and little awe (particulalry when one remembers that Prescott was blind when he was active as a historian. Nancy Rubin makes use of Prescott and in a sense pours old wine in new bottles. Her Isabella is more acceasable than Prescott's pius queen. She also very ably puts Isabella in the proper perspective as the co-founder of modern Spain (at least from a geographic perspective). Isabella's reputation rests on her funding of the voyages of Columbus, but as Ms. Rubin's book ably demonstrates, she was much more than that. In a time when political couples (like FDR and Eleanor) are described as "political partners" Isabella and Ferdinand were true co-equals. He fought the wars and she tended to the quartermaster functions. No wonder they were a magnificent success. If this book has one problem it is the rather ambiguous relationship between Isabella and the Jews and Moslems of Spain. Though she made use of the former throughout her career (particularly early on), she later was a willing participant in their forcible conversion. Perhaps this subject requires a book of its own.
Rating:
Summary: Prescott revisited
Review: Any potentional historian of Spain must contend with the work of William Prescott. Though cutting edge historians of Spain dismiss Prescott as old fashioned (he wrote over 150 years ago), his work can still be read with pleasure and little awe (particulalry when one remembers that Prescott was blind when he was active as a historian. Nancy Rubin makes use of Prescott and in a sense pours old wine in new bottles. Her Isabella is more acceasable than Prescott's pius queen. She also very ably puts Isabella in the proper perspective as the co-founder of modern Spain (at least from a geographic perspective). Isabella's reputation rests on her funding of the voyages of Columbus, but as Ms. Rubin's book ably demonstrates, she was much more than that. In a time when political couples (like FDR and Eleanor) are described as "political partners" Isabella and Ferdinand were true co-equals. He fought the wars and she tended to the quartermaster functions. No wonder they were a magnificent success. If this book has one problem it is the rather ambiguous relationship between Isabella and the Jews and Moslems of Spain. Though she made use of the former throughout her career (particularly early on), she later was a willing participant in their forcible conversion. Perhaps this subject requires a book of its own.
Rating:
Summary: Surpisingly Easy to Read!
Review: Nancy Rubin's work on Isabel la Católica was very refreshing and difficult to put down. As a Spanish Literature student at UCLA, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the brightening their knowledge of this great woman. The chronology was consistant and the surrounding facts of the Catholic Queen were just the right size. It emphasized the rennovations that the queen implemented on the broken kingdom and the tenacity of her character, all fueled by her faith.
Rating:
Summary: Surpisingly Easy to Read!
Review: Nancy Rubin's work on Isabel la Católica was very refreshing and difficult to put down. As a Spanish Literature student at UCLA, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the brightening their knowledge of this great woman. The chronology was consistant and the surrounding facts of the Catholic Queen were just the right size. It emphasized the rennovations that the queen implemented on the broken kingdom and the tenacity of her character, all fueled by her faith.
<< 1 >>
| 
