Blood and Roses: One family's struggle and triumph during the tumultuous Wars of the Roses, by Helen Castor, is a narrative based on the Paston letters of 15th century England. The book traces five generations of the Pastons, an influential family from the Norfolk village of the same name. Based largely on an extensive collection of correspondence, Blood and Roses records the competition among the landed gentry for land, property and advancement. Set among the turbulence of the Wars of the Roses, the Pastons survive and thrive through shrewd political maneuvers.