The Lion in Winter - by James Goldman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Insecure siblings fighting for their parents' attention; bickering spouses who can't stand to be together or apart; adultery and sexual experimentation; even the struggle to balance work and family: These are themes as much at home in our time as they were in the twelfth century. In James Goldman's classic play The Lion in Winter, domestic turmoil rises to an art form.
Keenly self-aware and motivated as much by spite as by any sense of duty, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine maneuver against each other to position their favorite son in line for succession. By imagining the inner lives of Henry, Eleanor, and their sons, John, Geoffrey, and Richard, Goldman created the quintessential drama of family strife and competing ambitions, a work that gives visceral, modern-day relevance to the intrigues of Angevin England.
Combining keen historical and psychological insight with delicious, mordant wit, the stage play has become a touchstone of today's theater scene, and Goldman's screenplay for the 1968 film adaptation won him an Academy Award. Told in "marvelously articulate language, with humor that bristles and burns" (Los Angeles Times), The Lion in Winter is the rare play that bursts into life on the printed page.

From the Back Cover

It is Christmas of 1183, and Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine are, for once, together in the drafty castle at Chinon. For all their regal status, they are much like any long-estranged but inseparably married couple: Henry flaunts his new mistress; Eleanor plots against him with their sons. They will do anything they can to hurt each other. and they love each other to distraction.

Review Quotes

"[A] classic tale of deep family dysfunction and Machiavelli-level intrigue . . . witty and wrenching, full of dagger-sharp quips and veiled motives."
-The Boston Globe

About the Author

JAMES GOLDMAN's screenplays include Nicholas and Alexandra, Robin and Marian, and They Might Be Giants. He wrote the book to the musical A Family Affair (with John Kander), as well as the librettos of Follies and Evening Primrose, both with scores by Stephen Sondheim. He died in 1998.