Alison Weir,
Growing up, my house was engulfed in early British history. Instead of my Mom telling fairytales and fables, she recited stories of great conflict and mystery of early British history. From the Princes in the Tower, the deviousness of Margaret of Anjou, to the sordid affairs of Henry VIII. I was completely engulfed by the strong, historical characters creating what we know as the world today.
Later, I found out these stories were coming from your books. I started with one of your early non-fiction works, Eleanor of Aquitaine: By the Wrath of God. To this day, I have found very few historical works that achieved what you did. Not only were you able to provide excellent primary sources, but you avoided making the muddled time period confusing. The work was lyrical and poetic, with rich portraiture of Eleanor, Louis VII, and Henry II.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You began my lifelong passion for history and its wonderful characters and stories. I cannot think of another author who has brought such joy and wonder to my life. Constantly you add fire to my belly to research and explore what I consider to be one of the greatest time periods in history. Without you, I would not be the person I am today. Thank you.
-Katie Brewer