Over the weekend I finished watching Masterpiece Theatre's Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen. Oftentimes I will see something or read something and it will pique my curiosity to a point where I become sort of obsessive about the topic. I find that I am very interested in learning more about Queen Elizabeth I. I have gone through this before, as my little stack (I didn't pull them all out--I should have a few more books on the subject...) here might attest. The timing for this actually couldn't be better as my public library is one of 40 nationwide that will be hosting The Newberry Library Exhibit of Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend. The exhibit at my library runs from June 28 through August 11. I am not sure what exactly to expect from the exhibit, but I am most particularly interested in the programs that will be running in addition to the exhibit. I hope to attend as many of them as I can. The Saturday Lecture Series will hopefully be as good as it sounds.
In addition to all the activities, of course I have to have supplementary reading material. The brochure that I grabbed last time I was at the library lists several interesting-sounding titles. I only have one that is listed-Elizabeth I by Anne Somerset, which I will have to search for (though I think I remember where it is on the bookshelf--surely I didn't give that one away...). As for the other books I did manage to grab: The First Elizabeth by Carolly Erickson, Elizabeth and Mary by Jane Dunn, and The Public and Private Worlds of Elizabeth I by Susan Watkins (a gorgeously illustrated book of Elizabeth's world--the author has one on Mary Queen of Scots as well). I may have to read a few reviews and see which is the most readable of the biographies I have. I also have a copy of Philippa Gregory's The Virgin's Lover. I had thought this might be a bit closer to historical romance than historical reality, but I am willing to give it a spin. This is the book that is being used for book discussions at the library, so I am interested in reading it now. This should satisfy my interest in Elizabeth, don't you think?