An Unvarnished History

Josephine Tey's An Unvarnished History is a sweeping historical novel set in the tumultuous years of the English Civil War. The story follows the fortunes of the fictional family of the Earl of Lymond, as they struggle to survive the political and religious upheaval of the period. The Earl of Lymond is a staunch Royalist, and his family is caught up in the conflict between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians. His eldest son, Robert, is a passionate Parliamentarian, while his youngest son, Charles, is a Royalist. The Earl's daughter, Anne, is caught in the middle, torn between her loyalty to her father and her love for Robert. The story follows the family as they are forced to flee their home and take refuge in the countryside. They must contend with the harsh realities of life during wartime, as well as the machinations of their enemies. As the war progresses, the family is forced to make difficult choices, and their loyalties are tested. Ultimately, An Unvarnished History is a story of courage and resilience in the face of adversity. It is a powerful and moving tale of a family's struggle to survive in a time of great upheaval.

By Josephine Tey · First published 1929 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Literary Fiction · 29 chapters · 90,019 words

First lines

TO M WHO MIGHT HAVE LIKED IT OR MIGHT NOT BUT IN ANY CASE WOULD HAVE BEEN PLEASED

What this Textopian page supports

An Unvarnished History is listed on Textopian as a novel by Josephine Tey, dated 1929 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Josephine Tey
• Date: 1929 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Romance
• Length: 90,019 words
• Structure: 29 chapters, 3,327 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for An Unvarnished History by Josephine Tey
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

• What should a reader notice first when entering An Unvarnished History?
• How does this novel by Josephine Tey fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?

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Genres

• Historical Fiction — The title of the book suggests that it is a historical narrative, and the author, Josephine Tey, is known for writing historical fiction.
• Mystery — Josephine Tey is also known for writing mystery novels, and this book may contain elements of mystery.
• Literary Fiction — Josephine Tey is known for writing literary fiction, and this book may contain elements of literary fiction.
• Romance — Josephine Tey is known for writing romance novels, and this book may contain elements of romance.

Tags

historical fiction · mystery · crime · detective · England · 20th century · literary · suspense · character-driven · plot twist · social commentary · psychological

Contents

• CHAPTER ONE
• CHAPTER TWO
• CHAPTER THREE
• CHAPTER FOUR
• CHAPTER FIVE
• CHAPTER SIX
• CHAPTER SEVEN
• CHAPTER EIGHT
• CHAPTER NINE
• CHAPTER TEN
• CHAPTER ELEVEN
• CHAPTER TWELVE
• CHAPTER THIRTEEN
• CHAPTER FOURTEEN
• CHAPTER FIFTEEN
• CHAPTER SIXTEEN
• CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
• CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
• CHAPTER NINETEEN
• CHAPTER TWENTY
• CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
• CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
• CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
• CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
• CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
• CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
• CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
• CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
• CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

More by Josephine Tey

• The Expensive Halo (1931)
• The Man in the Queue (1929)
• The Daughter of Time (1951)
• A Shilling for Candles (1936)
• The Privateer (1952)
• All works by Josephine Tey