100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

Elizabeth and Elizabeth

3.82 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 904 ratings, 149 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Elizabeth and Elizabeth by Sue Williams is set in 16th-century England, where two iconic women, Elizabeth I and Elizabeth of York, navigate personal and political challenges. The story illuminates the complex interplay of power, rivalry, and legacy during tumultuous times, exploring the sacrifices and motivations that define these influential figures.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by tales of friendship overcoming societal expectations and historical constraints. Set in early 19th century Australia, it weaves the lives of two notable women, exploring their unique bond amidst the backdrop of burgeoning colonial society. Perfect for fans of character-driven narratives and rich historical settings.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The story of how two women, who should have been bitter foes, combined their courage and wisdom to wield extraordinary power and influence behind the scenes of the fledgling colony.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
'Well-written, rich in historical detail and engaging...a lovely novel and recommended reading especially for those interested in Australia's past.' Book'd Out

There was a short time in Australia's European history when two women wielded extraordinary power and influence behind the scenes of the fledgling colony.

One was Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of the new governor Lachlan Macquarie, nudging him towards social reform and magnificent buildings and town planning. The other was Elizabeth Macarthur, credited with creating Australia's wool industry and married to John Macarthur, a dangerous enemy of the establishment.

These women came from strikingly different backgrounds with husbands who held sharply conflicting views. They should have been bitter foes. Elizabeth & Elizabeth is about two courageous women thrown together in impossible times.

Borne out of an overriding admiration for the women of early colonial Australian history, Sue Williams has written a novel of enduring fascination.

'An extraordinary story of female leadership at a time when such a quality was frowned on, and female friendship forged against the odds. Sue Williams' Elizabeth & Elizabeth brings us a nuanced and vivid portrait of the early days of colonisation. More importantly, it delivers a fascinating look into the relationship between two remarkable women.' - Meg Keneally, bestselling author of The Wreck

'A fascinating and evocative story of an enduring friendship between two women who played such an important role in colonial Australia's history.' - Caroline Beecham, author of Finding Eadie

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761067532

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 August 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Allen & Unwin

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 264g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Sue Williams is a bestselling author and award-winning journalist, working in newspapers, magazines and TV in Australia, the UK and New Zealand. Born in England, but settling in Australia in 1989, she's also a travel writer and university lecturer. She lives in Sydney's Kings Cross with her partner, writer Jimmy Thomson.

Her books include Getting There: Journeys of an accidental adventurer; the story of her travels around isolated Australia, Welcome to the Outback; and a series of other books about the outback, Women in the Outback, Outback Spirit and Outback Heroines. She's also written biographies of Father Chris Riley, Mean Streets, Kind Hearts; Father Bob Maguire, Father Bob: The larrikin priest; navy diver Paul de Gelder, No Time For Fear; Fred Brophy,β€―The Last Showman; Australia's youngest Everest climber Alyssa Azar,β€―The Girl Who Climbed Everest and Dr Fiona Wood, Under Her Skin.

Sue's true-crime book And Then The Darkness: The disappearance of Peter Falconio and the trials of Joanne Lees was shortlisted for the international 2006 Gold Dagger Award for the world's best crime non-fiction. Her first children's book was Everest Dreaming.

Elizabeth & Elizabeth is her first novel, borne out of a love of early colonial Australian history - pivotal in the development of the country - and an overriding admiration for women of that era making their own way in life. With both Elizabeth Macquarie and Elizabeth Macarthur having a huge impact on the fledgling nation, despite all the odds, Elizabeth & Elizabeth is the result of an enduring fascination with what might have been.

Also by Sue Williams

View all
  • Father Bob: The Larrikin Priest
    This is the life story of Father Bob Maguire - a rare behind-the-scenes look at the much-loved 'people's priest'. The enigmatic champion of the down-and-out was shaped by a lonely childhood in poor circumstances, an early priesthood that collided with the upheaval of Vatican II, and working with the army during the Vietnam War. This is a lively portrait of...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Women of the Outback
    Drought, flood, harrowing isolation and horrific accidents... the Australian outback is no place for a lady. But the women of the Outback are a different breed: tough, resilient and endlessly resourceful. They're both the backbone and the heart of Australia, keeping their farms going, their families together and their communities alive - and often against overwhelming odds. Maree was left...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Dead Men Don't Order Flake
    On the night Leo Stone returnsβ€”notionally from the dead, in reality from the Democratic Republic of the Congoβ€”Cass Tuplin gets a call from Gary Kellett. A call about an actual dead personβ€”Gary's daughter, killed in a car crash. Gary's adamant it wasn't an accident. Cass agrees to investigate. After all, not just Rusty Bore's only purveyor of fine fast food,...
    Paperback
    $3700
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Death at the Belvedere
    A dangerous high-stakes mystery is afoot. Unlicensed, and unlikely, detective Cass Tuplin is on the case. It's a mostly normal Friday evening in the Rusty Bore Takeaway. Cass Tuplin's cleaning down the grill when her glamorous sister Helen walks in, all bones in an Italian-weave suit and the kind of state that calls for the full comfortβ€”double bacon cheeseburger with...
    Paperback
    $3700
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Live and Let Fry
    Feisty, forty-something and fearless, Cass Tuplin isn't exactly the Sherlock Holmes type. Yet, as Rusty Bore's peer-appointed private investigator, she just can't seem to avoid ending up in hot water. For Cass Tuplin, proprietor of the Rusty Bore Takeaway (and definitely not an unlicensed private investigator), it's weird enough that her neighbour Vern's somehow acquired a lady friend. But then...
    Paperback
    $3700
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress
    The very best historical fiction ... Williams' novel gives voice in a page-turning narrative to the compelling lives and experiences of two forgotten women of early colonial Australia. β€” Melissa Ashley, author of The Naturalist of Amsterdam I very much enjoyed That Bligh Girl, and eagerly look forward to reading its prequel. β€” Judy Nunn, author of Black Sheep When...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Under Her Skin
    When three bombs tore out the heart of Bali and destroyed so many Australian lives in 2002, burns surgeon Professor Fiona Wood and her team were there to help. A pioneer in the field of burns and reconstructive surgery, Fiona made world headlines with the use of her groundbreaking invention of 'spray-on skin' to help minimise her patients' terrible scarring....
    Paperback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • That Bligh Girl
    Superb narration and engrossing drama. – Tom Keneally Mary Bligh is no shrinking violet. After a horrific six-month sea voyage from Britain, she proves as strong-willed as her bloody-minded father, the newly appointed Governor William Bligh. The pair immediately scandalise Sydney with their personalities, his politics, and her pantaloons. When three hundred armed soldiers of the Rum Rebellion march on...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Duke's Secret
    'Delivers the perfect blend of fact, fiction and mystery ... a rollicking good story' Kyra Geddes, bestselling author of The Story Thief'A masterful storyteller, Williams brings history to life. Engaging characters and an exciting plot make this historical fiction at its best.' Belinda Alexandra, bestselling author of The MasterpieceShe is a young maid in a stately home; he is a...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • GENE GENIUS
    Gene Genius: Understand your DNA and create your own genetic roadmap to health and happiness Ever wondered why someone on exactly the same diet loses weight much faster than you? Puzzled about why you crave a sugar fix more than other people seem to? Can't understand why your best friend stresses less than you? Can't work out why some people...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Elizabeth and Elizabeth
    'I've waited for this moment so long, dreamed of it, prepared for it, I can barely believe it's finally here. But it is. And it is nothing like I expected.' There was a short time in Australia's European history when two women wielded extraordinary power and influence behind the scenes of the fledgling colony. One was Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Run For Your Life
    The remarkable true story of a family forced into hiding after leaking Russian secrets What started out as a great adventure turned into a terrifying nightmare when Nick Stride and his family were forced to flee for their lives from one of the richest, most powerful men in the world. Nick moved to Russia in 1998 to help build the...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Historical Fiction

View all
  • New Release
    The Parisian Chapter
    From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and The Librarians of Rue de Picardie comes a charming and cinematic novel following a young woman from Montana who lands a job in the American Library in Paris, where she discovers the power of storytelling and writes her own Parisian chapter.'Stirring and rich with detail' New York Times...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Inferno
    AD 60. Nero Claudius Caesar is Emperor. He is feared for his temper. He is known to be intoxicated by the power he wields. And why not? The Roman Empire stretches from the wilds of Britain to the deserts of Parthia. Nero is god of all he surveys. Yet dangerous traitors lie close at hand. Generals commanding legions. Senators whispering...
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Circle of Days
    From the master of epic fiction comes the deeply human story of one of the world's greatest mysteries: the building of Stonehenge. A FLINT MINER WITH A GIFT Seft, a talented flint miner, walks the Great Plain in the high summer heat, to witness the rituals that signal the start of a new year. He is there to trade his...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Soldier's Daughter
    The heart-stopping new blockbuster by the bestselling author of The Fallen Woman. Violet Nash has grown up in the shadows of her father Charlie's shattered dreams. It's been years since he walked away from the battlefields of France, a WWI hero but his heart in tatters, only to see it broken all over again in the worst way possible. In...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Girl with the Suitcase
    The enthralling new novel from the 10-million-copy, No. 1 bestselling author. London 1941 When Mary meets a glamorous stranger named Elizabeth, she realises their lives couldn't be more different. But when an air raid forces them to take shelter underground, Mary's life is set to change forever. After waking up in hospital, injured but alive, the nurse mistakes her for...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Lost Bookshop
    Evie Woods' stunning new novel The Story Collector is available now. The Echo of Old Books meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets. β€˜The thing about books,’ she said β€˜is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’ On a quiet street in...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2500
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • All the Diamonds in Paris
    Kristin Harmel is firmly in the top echelon of WW2 storytellers - HEATHER MORRIS A master storyteller - SANTA MONTEFIORE The best at sweeping historical drama - KELLY HARMS A dazzling diamond of a novel - HAZEL GAYNOR * Paris, 1942: Anabel Martinet is a jewel thief, descended from a family that has spent centuries stealing from the unkind and...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Listeners
    β€˜By turns a beautiful love story, a fascinating glimpse into the horrors of history and a haunting tale of loyalty and courage. A marvel of storytelling’ CHRIS WHITAKER, bestselling author of All the Colours of the Dark The Avallon Hotel offers unrivalled luxury in the wild Appalachian Mountains, its curative sweetwater washing away the troubles of high society. June 'Hoss'...
    Paperback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Song of Achilles
    The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a brilliantly crafted retelling of the ancient Greek epic of Achilles and Patroclus, transforming the classical myth into a profoundly moving love story. Set against the richly depicted backdrop of Greece during the heroically tumultuous age, the narrative follows Patroclus, an awkward and exiled young prince, who is taken to the court...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Cardinal
    Step into the thrill and intrigue of Tudor England in the rich, compelling new novel from Sunday Times bestseller Alison Weir. Alison Weir makes history come alive as no one else BARBARA ERSKINE AN EXTRAORDINARY RISE TO POWER. A TRAGIC FALL FROM GRACE. It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to...
    Paperback
    $3300
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Mythos
    Mythos by Stephen Fry is a compelling retelling of the classic Greek myths, reimagined with a wit and elegance that only Fry can deliver. This volume transports the reader to a world where mortals intertwine with the divine, and the timeless tales unfold in a spellbinding narrative that captures the imagination. From the cosmogonyβ€”the birth of the cosmosβ€”to the exploits...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    15% off
    The Four Winds
    Kristin Hannah is a classic storyteller and The Four Winds sees her at the top of her game - Matt Haig Powerful and compelling - Delia Owens, number one international bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing A story of love, family, unbreakable bonds, bravery and hope. I loved this book so much! - Christy Lefteri, bestselling author of The...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.