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Title: Stirring and Sympathetic.
Review: A strong narrative of the heroism of Roman Catholics trying to practice their faith in Jacobean England. Unfortunately, the Gunpowder Plot did nothing but hurt their cause. Still, they were very brave men who died horribly for their God. As a Shakespeare buff, it is intriguing to know how many of the plotters came from Shakespeare's home area, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, and how he must have known some or even most of them. The Plot, together with Shakespeare's desire to flatter James I, helped inspire Macbeth. (Macbeth can be read, in part, as Shakespeare's attempt to distance himself from the plotters). Several of Shakespeare's relatives died for their Catcholic faith. This book provides insight into the Roman Catholic community of the day, the treacherous political skills of the Cecils, and the mixture of pigheadedness and glory that seems to constitute human bravery.
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