Lisa Jardine’s (2005) is a taut, scholarly examination of a pivotal historical "tipping point": the first-ever assassination of a head of state by a handgun. The Core Narrative
Writing for The Times (London) , Jan Morris noted that Jardine’s clearest strength lies in exploring the "abstract implications" of the event, drawing an "ominous line" from the 1584 shooting to modern threats like 9/11. The Awful End of Prince William the Silent: The...
The book is part of the "Making History" series and argues that the invention of the wheel-lock pistol—a lethal, concealable weapon—fundamentally changed the safety of world leaders and the security of nations forever. Lisa Jardine’s (2005) is a taut, scholarly examination
Reviewers from the Omaha World-Herald and The Washington Post praised the book for being "pithy" and "fascinating" without being pedantic. Lisa Jardine’s (2005) is a taut