The White Queen

A Novel

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The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents the first book in a new series set amidst the tumult and intrigue of england’s passionate family feud, The War of the Roses.

Meet the Plantaganets. Like the Tudors, they live high and love passionately, but this family story is set against the backdrop of The War of the Roses, a long war, pitting brother against brother, for the throne of England. Now Philippa Gregory, master chronicler of British royal history, brings this family drama to life through the lives of its women, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. The White Queen tells the story of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the success of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the so-called missing princes in the Tower of London. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores the most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. Timed to publish in the English language simultaneously around the world—and heralded by a global online event followed by author appearances in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Australia—The White Queen ushers in the dawn of a great new era for Philippa Gregory. For the first time, one of our most beloved authors will have one exclusive English language publisher—Simon & Schuster—the perfect platform from which to launch what is sure to be another bestselling, classic series.
Book details:
  • Touchstone | 
  • 432 pages | 
  • ISBN 9781416563686 | 
  • August 2009
$25.99 List Price
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Reading Group Guide

This reading group guide for The White Queen includes discussion questions and a Q&A with author Philippa Gregory. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.


Questions For Discussion

1. Discuss Elizabeth’s first few encounters with Edward and her motives for seeking him out. Do they marry for love? Did you find it surprising that Edward defied his mentor Warwick and upheld his secret marriage to Elizabeth? Why or why not?

2. How does Elizabeth and Edward’s clandestine marriage change England’s political landscape?

3. Anthony tells Elizabeth that she and Edward are creating enemies by distributing wealth to their “favorites, not the deserving” (page 204). What are your thoughts on Edward and Elizabeth as monarchs? How adept is Elizabeth at playing the political game, both before and after Edward’s death?

4. What is your view of Elizabeth as a daughter, a sister, and a mother? Her daughter Elizabeth says to her, “You love the crown more than your children” (page 312). Does Elizabeth, in fact, place her ambition ahead of her children’s well-being? How does she regard her daughters versus her sons?

5. Compare the Plantagenets and the House of York with the Woodvill see more

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Author Revealed

Q. how did you come to write The White Queen?

A. I wanted to go back to the time before the Tudors, and found this wonderful family and their history.

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