Original title "Queen James: the life and loves of Britain's first king" published in Great Britain in 2025

Prologue -- A bonny son -- Cain bairn -- Cousins -- Hate and wait -- The master of Gray -- Nightly bedfellows -- To be your fellow, you may deny me -- The damnable life and death of a notable sorcerer -- These rumors set dangerous fires -- Expectations -- Crock of gold -- Union Jack -- Philip -- Children of wrath -- Robert -- Private cocks -- All the violence of my love -- George -- The sun sets, only for to rise -- Darling sin -- These fifty years

"From the assassination of his father to the explosive political and personal intrigues of his reign, this fresh biography reveals as never before the passions that drove King James I. Gareth Russell's "rollicking, gossipy" (Dan Jones, author of The Plantagenets), and scholarly voice invites us into James's world, revealing a monarch whose reign was defined by both his public power and personal vulnerabilities. For too long, historians have shied away from or condemned the exploration of his sexuality. Now, Russell offers a candid narrative that not only reveals James's relationships with five prominent men but also challenges the historical standards applied to the examination of royal intimacies. This biography stands as a significant contribution to the understanding of royal history, illuminating the personal experiences that shaped James's political decisions and his philosophical views on masculinity and sexuality"-- Provided by publisher

"A groundbreaking and insightful exploration of King James I, enigmatic successor to Queen Elizabeth I, from the "meticulous researcher" (The Wall Street Journal) and author of the "enjoyable and readable" (Philippa Gregory, #1 New York Times bestselling author) The Palace.From the assassination of his father to the explosive political and personal intrigues of his reign, this fresh biography reveals as never before the passions that drove King James I. Gareth Russell's "rollicking, gossipy" (Dan Jones, author of The Plantagenets), and scholarly voice invites us into James's world, revealing a monarch whose reign was defined by both his public power and personal vulnerabilities. For too long, historians have shied away from or condemned the exploration of his sexuality. Now, Russell offers a candid narrative that not only reveals James's relationships with five prominent men but also challenges the historical standards applied to the examination of royal intimacies. This biography stands as a significant contribution to the understanding of royal history, illuminating the personal experiences that shaped James's political decisions and his philosophical views on masculinity and sexuality"-- Provided by publisher