The Best-Ever Book of Castles

A title claiming to be the 'best-ever' has a lot to live up to, but even a random dip into this appealing production is enough to convince you of its merits. Despite being packed with facts about all aspects of castles and castle life (how and where they were built, who lived in them and how they were defended), the book's generous format and attractive page layout ensures that information on each topic can be readily absorbed. Philip Steele's engaging literary style brings his subject matter vividly to life with such phrases as 'the courtyard would ring with commands and curses' whilst 'the kitchen buzzed with activity.' His picturesque prose is accompanied by a profusion of colourful illustrations and cutaway pictures - a winning combination which will ensure that the book will be pored over with great enjoyment.