The Wars of the Roses - Michael St. John Parker

The Wars of the Roses which took place in England during the 15th century have passed into folk-memory as bloody, vicious struggles for power, with the throne as the prize and ordinary people as the victims. William Shakespeare's propaganda for the Tudor dynasty played a great part in creating this legend. Yet the truth was rather more complex. Although power changed hands often, and sometimes with bewildering speed, English society in general was relatively stable, and prosperous.
The Wars of the Roses represent a stage in the evolution of a British nation, emerging from the long shadow of medieval France that had lain over these islands since the Norman Conquest. This popular book covers the period beautifully.