The story of Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, is one of enduring fascination. Daughter of the tyrannical Henry VIII and sister of the embittered Queen Mary, Elizabeth did well to survive her childhood. Clever, learned and skilled in diplomacy, as queen she presided over a golden age of literature, exploration and discovery. A selective version of events from Elizabeth' s life focuses on her younger years, without distorting the picture of a reign dominated by war, political intrigue and religious disputes. Lives in Action is a series of narrative biographies that recount the lives of some of the key figures in history. Page-turning, thrilling plots that read like fiction will keep the most reluctant reader hooked.