The Making of King James II: The Formative Years of a Fallen King

Callow (history, Lancaster U.) follows the last Stuart king through the quarter-century ebb and flow of fortune before he mounted the British throne in 1685 after the sudden and unexpected death of his brother Charles II. He finds that James' loyalty to his brother made him a valuable lieutenant, but that his harsh treatment of subjects destabilized English politics for a generation. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)