Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England’s Greatest Warrior King

Considered by many to be England’s most heroic king, Henry V is the subject of this fine biography by Jones (Power and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages; host of the podcast This Is History: A Dynasty To Die For and the Netflix series Secrets of Great British Castles). The image most people have of Henry is that of Shakespeare’s fierce warrior at Agincourt. Readers get that version in Jones’s book, but much more as well. Jones situates Henry in the web of his familial relationships, international affairs, and philosophical and religious contexts. Henry comes across as crude in some ways but also clever and astute about human nature. Jones writes the book almost entirely in the present tense, and while at first this approach can be off-putting, it does bring a certain immediacy to the events being described, drawing readers into Henry’s life. The events of the book took place over five centuries ago, with different rules of war, politics, and religion, but Jones’s gift is to make this history feel contemporary.