Product Description
A major biography of Queen Victoria--the first complete life of her in over twenty years--and the first to be written by an American. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

No, no, no!
Very, very detailed account of the life of Queen Victoria. I appreciate the author's effort, but this book is a failure!

This book TRIED to be a political AND intimate biography but it just didn't work. The reader is overwhelmed with minor details about the politics of Victoria's reign without getting the big picture. All the details are wonderful, but the author writes in such a confuzing manner that it's hard to follow everything. In the end, we are left with a vague idea about the events of her reign.

There was an alarmingly small amount of information on Victoria's personal relationships. I don't know what else to say because I honestly can't recall learning anything new! Stanley ignored Victoria's family and it makes for horrible reading.

Honestly, this book is a very boring read. Do not waste your time even trying to consume and understand this "intimate" biography.

An intimate look at Britain's most famous queen
The author does an excellent job of detailing Queen Elizabeth's life, from girlhood to her death. Throughout the book are the Queen's own letters, furthing our insight into this dynamic female ruler. After finishing thisbook, I felt as though I knew Her Royal Highness personally! ... Read more

Product Description
An updated edition of a biography of Prince Philip which aims to reflect changes in the Royal Family's attitudes on various topics. These include Philip's views of his daughters-in-law and of Prince Edward's rejection of the Royal Marines. The book also examines the Royal marriage after 40 years. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Princesses Royal, Anne, Princess Royal, Victoria, Princess Royal, Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, Charlotte, Princess Royal, Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife, Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 43. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt:Anne Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh . At the time of her birth, she was third, and later for a few years was second in the line of succession to the thrones of seven independent states ; however, after additions to the Royal Family, and an evolution of the Commonwealth , Anne is currently tenth in line to the thrones of 16 countries. She is resident in and most directly involved with the United Kingdom , the oldest realm, while also carrying out duties in and on behalf of the other states of which her mother is sovereign. The seventh holder of the title Princess Royal , Anne is known for her charitable work, being the patron of over 200 organisations, and she carries out about 700 royal engagements and public appearances per year.Princess Anne is also known for equestrian talents; she won two silver and one gold medal at the European Eventing Championships , and is the only member of the British Royal Family to have competed in the Olympic Games . She is presently married to Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence , and has two children from her previous marriage to Mark Phillips .Early life and education Anne was born at Clarence House on 15 August 1950, the second child and first daughter of then Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh , and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and second grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth . Baptised in the Music Room... ... Read more

Product Description

In the well-entrenched critical view of the Jacobean period, James I is credited with the flowering of culture in the early years of the seventeenth century. His queen, Anna of Denmark, is seen as a shadowy figure at best, a capricious and shallow one at worst. But Leeds Barroll makes a well-documented case that it was Anna who, for her own purposes, developed an alternative court and sponsored many of the other artistic ventures in one of the most productive and innovative periods of English cultural history.

Married at seventeen, Anna soon became a shrewd and powerful player in the court politics of Scotland and, later, England. Her influence can be seen in James's choices for advisors and beneficiaries of royal attention. In fact, James's and Anna's longstanding dispute over the raising of the heir, Henry, caused a major scandal of the time and was suspected as a plot against the king's safety. In order to assert her own power, Anna actually forced a miscarriage upon herself, an extraordinary event that is referred to in much unnoticed contemporary diplomatic correspondence.

An important feature of court entertainment and literary production at this time was the development of the extravagant drama known as the masque, which reached its literary peak in the works of Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones. Barroll argues that it was in fact Anna and not James who encouraged and staged the masques, as a way of defining both a social and political identity for the royal consort, a role that had been nonexistent under Elizabeth. Barroll's work on Anna's patronage also sets Shakespeare's company in a broader context. By writing the cultural biography of Anna of Denmark, queen of England, Leeds Barroll reestablishes the influential and distinctive role of the queen consort in early modern Europe.

Customer Reviews (2)

Dry
I almost gave it 2 stars but decided in all fairness it did deserve 3. After all the reason I didn't like the book is that it was very dry, a lot of facts, and Anne isn't mentioned in ways that allow you to get a lot of info on her, as herself.
However, it DOES say it's a cultural biography so my disappointment is my own fault.
I wouldn't reccomend it for anyone looking for a biography or for light reading. However if your looking for info on Anne, you'll have to make do since there are very few other resources on her.

An interesting essay
A biography of Anne of Denmark, wife of King James VI of Scotland and I of England, is hard to come by. Those who read this book expecting a conventional biography might well be disappointed.

The author points out, however, that this is not intended to be a biography, but a "cultural biography." What this amounts to is an extended essay arguing that Anne, far from being the shallow and flighty woman described by most historians, was actually an intelligent, ambitious woman determined to make her mark on the politics and the culture of her day. It is an interesting argument, if not an entirely convincing one.

Some of the arguments fall flat, such as the author's insistence that the hysterical temper tantrum that triggered a life-threatening miscarriage was an example of the queen's resolve and power. Despite the occasional jarring note, an interesting pattern does emerge, revealing Anne as something more than the frivolous queen who glorified herself with extravagent masques (allegorical plays with elaborate costumes, scenery, music and dancing.) Despite the stated focus on the "cultural biography," what I found most interesting was the political turmoil Anne managed to create during her years in Scotland.

The author makes extensive use of primary sources in the 170 page essay. The notes are interesting, but for some reason, the author declined to include a bibliography. Some might find the frequent intrusion of the author's voice to be irritating. Observations such as these abound: "I have saved for this final chapter..."; "I will be arguing..."; "It is apparent to me that..."But since this is consistent with the author's style and stated purpose, this pattern is easier to overlook than it would have been in a conventional biography.

Recommended for serious students of Jacobean history and culture. ... Read more

Product Description
For Diana Spencer, the dream of becoming a princess was realized when she married Prince Charles. Throughout her often tumultuous lifetime, Diana touched countless lives and when she died, her spirit and genuine love for others continued to influence the entire world. Author Katherine Krohn tells the story of Princess Diana, from her privileged but sad childhood to the tragic accident that took the life of this extraordinary woman--whose charities continue to help people today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful!
I liked this book a lot.Diana had a very busy life and a lot to do but she always found time for other people.It is sad that she died but I think she did a lot of good things in her life.This book tells the story of abeautiful person.I give it a A+ !!!!!

A wonderful book!!!
My daughter read this book for a school report. I picked it up to look at it, & then couldn't put it down. I was impressed and touched by this well-told story. ... Read more

Product Description
This seventh edition includes both important tours by members of the royal family as well as some more informal moments at home and on holiday. ... Read more

Product Description
In this personal, rather than political, history the author tells the story of the Tudor's through four turbulent, passionate, tragic and prodigious generations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fascinating and Readable
[[ASIN:0750932406 The House of Tudor]

This is a great book to read.Not too academic and not too vague.It is a very personal look into the lives of these glorious tudor monarchs.

Very high quality popular histsory
Though it produced only five sovereigns, the Tudor dynasty had a disproportionate impact on English history. Founded as a family of some power and fortune by Ednyfed Fychan who served Llewellyn the Great in the early 13th century, the Tudors had nearly as much English and French blood as Welsh in their veins when Henry Tudor, a little-known political refugee, staked his future on a single coup d'etat -- and won. Henry VII descended from Edward III through his maternal line and wrapped up the Wars of the Roses by his marriage to the neice of the king he had defeated at Bosworth Field. This well-written volume supplies the context for England's break with the Church of Rome and its part in the Renaissance that followed. ... Read more

Product Description
This work aims to get behind the familiar splendid vision of chivalry to reveal the realities of the character and the life of Edward, Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, also known as the Black Prince. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The medieval Black Prince
Not a lot was known about Edward, the Black Prince from the medieval period in both France and his native England.He seems to have been a larger than life character, warring with everyone but so close to his god and his wife.His son Richard was definitely cut from the same cloth as his father was.I wonder why a movie has not been made of the Black Prince' life?If they could make a movie from William Wallace like Bravehart then they could make a movie about this prince.

inspiring all successor "Prince of Wales"' to raging alcoholism.
A just too tough act to follow.Only 16 at the time of Crecy 1346,the Black Prince (son of Edward III)distinguishes himself during the defeat of the allied French forces.The book focuses heavily on Edward,the Black Prince's military campaigns,which were mainly in western Europe with no Crusade to the middle east despite the Pope's (machiavellian?)urgings.
Edward is called the Back Prince according to Barber because of the color of his armour and discredits other interpretations of the prince's name.Some interpretations describe him as dark and swarthy and others as having a dark demeanor when engaged in combat.Was the paint on his armour a lead based black?(my observation)If so there could be another interpretation of his "black moods" to be discredited.I have however on numerous occasions seen armor that was black without painting due to the smelting process and not polished.Was the black prince showing his rough cut by wearing unpolished armor?Barber uses the Froissart source alot for his information but uses an abundance of primary sources as well.
The prince comes off in Barbers' book as a "son of honor",no plots here to usurp the throne of Edward his father or discredit any of his brothers or sisters.The Black Prince is just having too good a time at crushing Englands enemies.He seems naive insisting that his father,Edward the third, is also the rightful "King of France".The Crecy and Poitier campaigns are covered with some small maps and some of his lesser known military exploits are also covered.In his last European campaign he is carried into danger by a litter due to dystentary(or black paint chips?).(my own misinterpretation).At 46 he is literally dead in the saddle,an act never to be repeated on this planet.Whether you praise him as a heroic figure or curse him as another mad warhound,this book describes him well.Either way I'm sure his mother was proud of him.The Prince married at 31 and his first born was sacrificed to the wars in Europe.
Like a retired number of a superstar sports hero,maybe the title "Prince of Wales" needs to be retired.Who would want that burden? Also there is a few pages devoted to the military order,"The Order of the Garter" which was founded by the Prince's father Edward the third.I had always thought the garter was not a ladies garter but something lost in translation.I was wrong.It is actually a ladies garter,could it be a dare?"I dare you strike me after all I'm wearing a ladies garter?Try your luck.Anyways The Garter is on of those"English things",you get it or you don't. ... Read more

Product Description
Elizabeth I, who reigned over Shakespeare’s England and defeated the Spanish Armada, is familiar both from her portraits and as Gloriana, the Virgin Queen. Yet the reality of her character and her personal attitudes are harder to detect behind the public mask. Elizabeth I, a major biography by a leading Tudor expert to mark the 400th anniversary of her death in 1603, looks in detail behind the public life at the private woman. It treats at length her early years and examines her actions and policies as queen. David Loades’s biography brings out her remarkable talents and unique achievements.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A very good read
David Loades' intelligent biography of Elizabeth I is a pleasure to read. An obviously erudite historian of the Tudor period he never tries to impress the reader with heavy going prose but his book is remarkably well written and should be read by anyone with an interest in the period. He starts with the stages in Elizabeth's life when she was the King's daugther, then the King's sister and then the New Queen, moving on through the French and Netherlands episodes to the war with Spain and then to the final years. There are times when one wishes he would have written more on some of the events he narrates and it is probably advisable to have a general idea of who was who at the time in order to fully enjoy the story. Some of the psychological interpretations he puts forward may or may not reflect what actually happened but they too are a pleasure to read. The book has - but that is not the author's faults - the curse of the modern world, namely the footnotes at the end instead of conveniently at the bottom of the page, so the reader interested in seeing what are the sources quoted has to engage in an exasperating gymnastic to keep the page he is reading whilst fingering to the end to look up the footnote. Readers should unite and demand that editors put an end to this abominable practice !

An Interesting View on Elizabeth's Reign and Life
Elizabeth I is, perhaps, the English monarch that has caught the interest of more people than any other British ruler has before. David Loades has managed to write a detailed record of her reign and life that covers not only the facts, but also presents and analyzes the many hypotheses that historians have come up with over years of research.

The opening chapter of the book details the circumstances of Elizabeth's birth and goes on to explain how she eventually was recognized as the rightful heir to the throne. The following four chapters describe the events of her rise to power, and the middle section covers her forty-year reign. The final chapter examines the reasons for Elizabeth's success.

The book is written in a very analytical manner, especially on Elizabeth's motives for the actions she took as queen of England. It also provides a substantial amount of background information on other important figures, such as Henry VIII, Mary, and Catherine.

On the whole, David Loades' biography is a thorough and fascinating read for those who want to delve into the intriguing story of Elizabeth I.
... Read more

Product Description
A biography of Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, youngest and, arguably, favourite son of King George III. It shows that of the seven surviving sons, Adolphus was most successful at internalizing the king's concept of royal duty. It also covers the complex dynamics in the family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Interesting Insight
This is one of two books given to Lady Diana Spencer as she stepped into the confines of her royal life. She chose to throw it aside and that's a pity. I think she, as well as any other reader, would gain much insight into the Royal family as well as a clearer understanding of this beautifulprincess and queen who is in many ways, a fore-runner of Diana herself.This is a well-written, readable biography and not a ponderous academicbore.

You should read this if you are at all interested in royalty
While the book is somewhat slow at times, if you are at all interested in the history of the British royal family, then you should read it.This woman was probably the original Princess Diana as far as beauty and popularity go. ... Read more

Product Description
An inside view of the lives of our royal British women from Princess Diana to Princess Michael of Kent.Unity Hall reveals the rewards and dilemmas of being a royal, while shedding light on how they feel about love, marriage, divorce and motherhood. ... Read more

Product Description
This book aims to cover Queen Victoria's disappearance between 22 March and 10 June 1871. Lord Braborough released extracts of what he alleged was the diary the Queen kept during her visit to Jamaica, which coincided with these dates. This is a reproduction of that diary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Charming bit of whimsy
A sly fictional account of the good queen's holiday in Jamaica and her improbable adventures there. Lavishly illustrated with whimsical drawings of the black-clad queen kicking up her heels. A delight.

I was intrigued to read an obituary of Routh in the Economist (June 17th, 2008) and wasn't surprised to learn of his reputation as a eternal prankster. He was, it seems, star of the British version of Candid Camera in the UK.In later years he moved to Jamaica and took up painting.The Economist obit described his style thus:

"He painted nuns driving racing cars and flying balloons, the pope windsurfing, Mona Lisa naked or smoking. His favourite subject was the aged Queen Victoria, on an imaginary trip to Jamaica in 1871, doing the hula-hoop or the limbo dance, riding a zebra and driving dodgem cars. He could have found a more prosaic explanation for the missing three months of her reign. But he preferred, as ever, the shock of the absurd, and the sense of the detached voyeur intruding on private space."

Whimsically enchanting!
Endearing illustrations of a tiny, white veiled Queen Victoria cavorting withcourtiers the color of midnight accompany a tongue-in-cheek description of a monarch on a risque holiday adventure.This charming picture book is a wonderful addition for anyone who collects memorabilia from Jamaica. ... Read more

Product Description
As private secretary to Earl Mountbatten of Burma for 14 years, John Barratt came to know about his habits, his household and his family. More of a friend than a servant, Barratt remembers Mountbatten's family, occasionally troubled relationship with his wife and daughters, his usually endearing eccentricities, his routines, diversions and sadnesses and describes the day-to-day running of Broadlands. After Mountbatten's death in 1979 Barratt went to work for Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and there he learnt a good deal more about a very different kind of household. In this book he presents an insider's portrait of these people. ... Read more