5 comments about Madame Tussaud: A Life in Wax.

1. The record of Madame Tussaud's early years in France, other than the dubious one of her own hand, is scant to non-existant. In this absence, the author documents what is known with an analysis of popular "entertainments" of the time and the role of the Curtius waxworks in it. The theme of popular culture carries through to Madame Tussaud's time in England, although at this time there would have been more biographical record to draw upon. In short, while in part a biography, this book is more the story of Madame Tussaud's role in the development of popular culture.
   
   This book was enlightening for me. In the US we think of PT Barnum as THE pioneer in marketing popular entertainment. Berridge demonstrates, without making the direct analogy, that this marketing phenomenon was happening on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Barnum and Tussaud latched on to an idea who's time had come.
   
   Berridge contrasts how Madame Tussaud's "edu-tainment" provided accessibility in contrast to public institutions of the time such as the British Musuem. Interesting here are the stories of Barnum (who would like to buy her out but does not succeed) and Dickens (who has discovered his own niche in popular culture). Unlike these two men, Madame Tussaud bears extra burdens. Despite being, essentially, a single mother, she prevails against the sexism of the time, an exploitive partner and a ne'er do well husband.
   
   Madame Tussaud learned her craft and entrepreneurship from her mother's employer, Curtius, who may have been her father. In the 8 years that she would have us believe she was living at Versailles as a tutor to a French princess, what was she actually doing? Is there a reason, besides her marketing needs, that she wants to refashion these years? What were her actual experiences during the French Revolution and did they inform her decision to leave her mother and one young son (we can easily guess why she would want to leave Mr. Tussaud) to embark on a speculative venture in England?
   
   The author does not describe how Madame Tussaud developed her wax images--- how long they took--- how she got their clothing --- how she moved them in her touring days --- how she traveled with the infant, later child and adolescent she toured with. How many horse driven carts did she need? How did she procure space? Set things up? How did she cope with the many men who had never worked for a woman before?
   
   The author stays with the theme of Madame Tussaud as a pioneer in popular culture. She analyses how she met the needs of the crowd in visual display, content, and visitor expeience. We learn how she analysed the competition, selected her venues, marketed to different groups, sold souvenir programs (upsell) and adjusted hours, prices and content to attract an audience. As a book on the Madame's role in popular culture this really succeeds. In some places, the prose is so intriguing that it cannot be put down.



2. Contrary to "Avid Reader" (above), I did NOT find this book dry or lifeless. I did find it a bit repetitive in passages where the author wants to place emphasis on a particular point or issue. This is a wonderfully written and researched narrative about an intriguing period in European history as well as an interesting biography of Madame Tussaud. Also, contrary to "Avid Reader", I think the author did show empathy for her subject. Were we reading the same book? If you like "A Life in Wax", you may also enjoy Dominic Smith's more fictional book, "The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre", set in a similar time period.



3. Considering that Madame Tussaud had such an interesting life story, I am amazed how difficult this book was to read and enjoy. Ms. Berridge seems to want to wow her readers with the thoroughness of her research, and the result is a dry dissertation of disputed facts. Ms. Berridge apparently has taken a dislike to her subject , and spends much of the book criticizing Mme. Tussaud. The reader never gets close to the characters in the book and feels at though he/she is viewing Mme. Tussaud as a wax figure herself. Nothing comes to life. The only really interesting section of the book is the time period while the French Revolution takes place. It is there that Berridge's thorough research and penchant for minutae pay off.



4. If the name of Madame Tussaud sounds familiar, just think of the House of Wax to get the association: House of Wax museums exist across the country and even in London and Asia - and her name is on each museum marquee. Despite this, relatively little has been written about her life, until now: writer Kate Berridge uses Tussaud's memoirs, British and French historical archives, and interviews with her descendants to reconstruct her life and times from birth to her business associations. She was the first to bring art and entertainment to newfound middle-class and working-class groups and her influence extended far beyond the wax museum cult, as MADAME TUSSAUD: A LIFE IN WAX proves.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. Though the focus is on the woman who brought wax figures of blood and gore to the forefront in the late eighteenth century this terrific biography also showcases the era. The concentration on Madam Tussaud's life also contains an interesting underlying theme that seems apropos today and perhaps can be generalized as a human condition that the macabre of "if it bleeds, it leads" especially if a celebrity is involved. This has always fascinated mankind. Born in 1761, to a teenage cook, Madame Tussaud using chutzpah that PT Barnum later adopted learned her trade from a traveling showman before turning to the French Reign of Terror to recreate wax scenes of the guillotining of King Louis XVI and Robespierre. She was a businesswoman first and foremost, but also was a wonderful artist and a terrific reader of the human condition as her work, which moved from Paris to London became part of the pop culture of the first half of the ninetieth century and remains a fixture today (movies like Waxworks). Biography readers will enjoy this fascinating look at a competent female whose life in wax still fascinates people over a hundred and fifty years after her death as her "name" Madame Tussaud brings up interesting gruesome images.
   
   Harriet Klausner

No comments about Memoirs of Joseph Prost, C.Ss.R.: A Redemptorist Missionary in Ireland 1851-1854 (Irish Narrative Series).

No comments about Bertie and Alix: Anatomy of a Royal Marriage (Shadows of the Crown Series).

5 comments about Business the Richard Branson Way: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Brand-Builder.

1. Des has done a good job into explaining how Richard Branson does business.
   A fun read full of practical ideas!



2. And that's pretty much all this book does. And truly I'd be okay with that if it were at all well written or offered ANY real insight into his method. Y'know how reality shows always spend like one-third of their air time repeating stuff they already told you? This book is like that.
   
   The King of Virgin is clearly a marketing genius. Surely there's another book that does him justice.



3. This book is a handy compilation of observations, hypotheses and speculations on the subject of Richard Branson. Author Des Dearlove freely and frankly admits his debt to several other writers who have probed the Branson story in depth and breadth. There is little if anything original to be found, aside perhaps from the author's style of presentation, which tries hard to be light and deft. Although the book carries you along, its biggest punch resides in the author's list of "10 secrets" of Branson's success. Readers who would like to know in the most general terms what Branson has done and how he has done it, and who are willing to swallow a few clichés in lieu of explanations, will seize upon this book.we think you will enjoy it and, after all, enjoying your work is one of Branson's great secrets.



4. I believe that Richard Branson is a unique character and that information about his life and business philosophies would make an interesting read. Thus I chose to read this book.

   However I was somewhat disappointed. Although I did learn a few things and there were some interesting passages, a great deal of the book consisted of quotes obtained from OTHER biographers and journalists attempting to document Branson's life.

   Each chapter concluded with a summary (read: repetition) of the information in that chapter, and dozens of other sections/quotes/anecdotes were obviously repeated in various chapters. Perhaps because of this, it only took me an hour to read the entire book (admittedly I am a reasonably fast reader).

   One thing that I can say in its favor is that the book was structured well; there were 10 main sections, each devoted to a different "Branson philosophy" (for example, "pick on someone bigger than you").

   In short, although I did get some interest out of this book I am looking for another Branson biography to read because this one fell short of expectations.




5. I suggested that we choose Virgin as a company to research as an MBA Project. Our group used this book as research material. We found it wonderful, and uplifting, exactly what what was necessary for this project. I would highly recommend it to others as well as the book "Losing My Virginity". Virgin is a company that should be studied by US business'executives, its shows you can create an empire - differently!

4 comments about Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Biography.

1. Far from being "as exciting as a novel," this pedestrian re-telling of what should be a fascinating story is bland and far from insightful. The author's evident unfamiliarity with even basic military and naval terminology leads one to wonder about the accuracy of other elements. (A ship-of-the-line is a "gunboat.") The Recorded Books version is read in a sneering, condescending delivery by an Englishman who whistles into the microphone every second sentence, producing a "nails on the blackboard" sensation which accentuates the discomfort.



2. The eldest son of James, the Old Pretender, Bonnie Price Charlie was raised to believe that the throne of England and Scotland was his destiny. Born in Italy and used as a pawn of Louis XV against George II, Charles was seen as a promising young man. In his early twenties, he sailed to Scotland and was able to convince several Highland chiefs to support his cause. Numerous victories came swiftly because the English were unprepared for the various attacks. However, once the English determined that the threat was real, Prince Charles and his troops were quickly over run. He returned to France where he was asked to leave and again settled in Italy. With no ambitions left to him, he quickly dissapated into an alcoholic daze. He fathered one child by a Scottish woman and later married a German princess but that marriage quickly soured. His later years were redeemed somewhat as his daughter Charlotte came to his aid. He died, leaving his youngest brother Henry as the last Stuart pretender to the throne. Henry was a Cardinal and therefore fathered no children so with his death the Stuart dynasty came to an end.

   I enjoyed the book and found it useful for someone with limited knowledge of this time period. Not very detailed with but a good overview of events.




3. One has to look at the vicissitudes of life in the great tragic figures of history, Cortes, Columbus, Napoleon, etc., to find precedents in the relatively obscure life of Charles Edward Stuart, "The Great Young Pretender," Bonnie Prince Charlie.

   Although towards the latter part of his life he came to stoop very low, he had, as a young man, decades earlier, reached out very high unto the stars with unwavering courage and determination in his conquest of Scotland and England. His defeat at Culloden in 1746 precipitated tragically what can only be described as the genocide of the Scottish Highlanders.

   What a life! The life of Bonnie Prince Charlie is a study of human nature at its extreme. Belatedly, devastatingly, he found out the cruel fact that despite his forceful, determined personality, he was not the master of his own destiny. Be that as it may, he came to be vindicated.

   This is a magnificent book of a great, albeit obscure, tragic figure of history.

   Miguel A. Faria, Jr., M.D. is Editor-in-Chief of the Medical Sentinel of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), and author of Vandals at the Gates of Medicine (1995) and Medical Warrior: Fighting Corporate Socialized Medicine (1997).




4. This was a good summary of a lot of secondary source material on Bonnie Prince Charlie, condensed into a fairly short biography. It's an enjoyable leisurely read, but don't look for depth, great detail, or anything like original thought about Prince Charlie and what he meant in the context of Scottish, English, European, or Catholic history in the 18th century. This is not a good text for anyone already familiar with the Jacobites and looking for any new scholarship on the subject.

5 comments about The Diana I Knew: Loving Memories of the Friendship Between an American Mother and Her Son's Nanny Who Became the Princess of Wales.

1. Mary Robertson tells of a Diana that could have been one of our daughters or the girl next door who babysat for us. She explained several incidents, such as Diana eating out of their refridgerator that were so human. One wanted to reach inside the book, pull out Diana, and hug her. The way she opened up to the Robertsons is detailed and the pictures are so special. Mary Robertson writes as she knew Diana; she doesn't brag about knowing the Princess, but truly explains "The Diana She Knew." Highly recommended-definately one of my most favorite Diana books because the author is not intending to capitalize or sensationalize.



2. I wanted to read this book for the longest but it was unavailable. I finally bought it used through Amazon.
   I was not disappointed! A truly readable and enjoyable book. Diana often was dismissed by critics as a shallow, self-serving woman who only "cared" about people when the cameras and press were recording an event.
   Mrs. Robertson refuted this often repeated attack of Diana's character by showing us that behind the scenes and away from the press, Diana continued a warm friendship with this American woman and her family. A common family who could in no way further Diana's reportedly selfish agenda.
   Why?
   The only explanation is that Diana truly was a very warm and caring person. The book captures that simple quality of Diana.
   Many books have been written to show the world what the real Diana was supposedly like.
   These books deride fans for believing in a media image of Diana and have attacked Diana's every move.
   Mrs. Robertson knew the "real" Diana and her memories are refreshing, honest and much in tune with Diana's worldwide image.
   Mrs. Robertson's friendship with the Princess of Wales was not based on a phony media image.
   Thank you Mrs. Robertson for writing this book and showing us the lovely "inner" Diana.
   Diana proved it was possible to be warm, unpretentious, radiant AND royal.



3. I bought this book as soon as it came into the shops and have read it so many times. It is good to read Mary's account of her relationship with Diana. One of the most readable books I have ever read. I wonder if Mary has written other books?



4. I guess that I'd have to give this book about 3 1/2 stars if I could do that, it's an interesting little book to read. Written by Mary Robertson, the American woman who once employed Diana as a nanny, it isn't nearly as bad as some critics would suggest.The book starts with an Aug 31-Sept 6th recap of learning about Diana's death and attending the funeral, in the next chapter and for most of the book details Robertson's experiences over the years with the Princess. While Mrs. Robertson does talk about herself (not particularly boastfully)she tells a lot of harmless little details about Diana, various meetings & so on, that you just don't see elsewhere. I wouldn't put it at the top of your list of books to accquire but it makes a nice little addition.



5. I've read most of the Diana books on the market, and this one is my all time favorite. The warmth, candor, and respect that Mrs. Robertson uses in describing her ongoing relationship with the late former Princess of Wales is refreshing (who else treats Diana with dignity anymore, anyway?), well paced (I can stay into it, even on the treadmill), and wholly respectable (staying exclusively in the realm of what Mrs. Robertson herself saw, learned, or experienced, and not crossing the line into lurid speculation, armchair psychology, or maudlin reflection). This is an idea purchase or gift with anyone having an interest in Diana, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly as a sweet (I know it's an overused word, but it's the RIGHT word) tribute to the relationship from one mother to another and their friendship which spanned 17 years.

5 comments about The Viceroy's Daughters: The Lives of the Curzon Sisters.

1. I have always wanted to read this book. I was so pleased to find it.



2. I read this book because I had been totally engrossed in The Sisters (otherwise known as The Mitford Girls) by Mary Lovell, which is about the Mitford family. Seeing as the Curzons were contemporaries of the Mitfords, with one Curzon daughter, Cimmie, even having the infamous Oswald Mosley as a husband in common with Diana Mitford, I thought I'd be as caught up in this book as in the other.
   
   Well, while the writing and research quality of The Viceroy's Daughters matches or surpasses the Mitford book (which is why I give it as much as 3 stars), the lives of the Curzon women turned me off quite a bit. The Mitford women were, with maybe one exception, all brilliant or unusual, if often misguided, and very individual. The Curzons on the other hand except for doing some general 'good works' for charities or in the case of the middle sister an unwavering loyalty to a political husband (and serial womanizer) up to her early death, really did very little of much worth. They were all immensely rich due to inheritance from a rich American mother, socially privileged because of their father, and had not a care in the world.
   
   The oldest sister at least seemed to be a warm hearted auntie to her neglected nieces and nephews, but was otherwise a sort of sad, slightly hysterical stick. The youngest was a domineering, bossy and selfish woman who inexpicably managed to fascinate a multitude of men, who must be squirming in their graves from their simpering love letters being aired to the public after their deaths.
   
   It really reminded me strongly of reading about people like Paris Hilton and other 'debs' or 'socialites' or whatever with no reason for being written about except that they are rich and not ugly, and wondering why people care. I guess some do. So...if you want to read about the Paris Hiltons of the early part of the 20th century, you'll enjoy this.



3. The Curzon sisters, daughters of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of india, were famous society beauties in the 20's and 30's, swanning their ways along gilded paths of privilege, as was common among the daughters of the aristocracy, especially during this particular era which was known as "the Long Weekend"...the era between WW1 and WW2. Lord Curzon had married an American heiress who died young, leaving him with the care of their three daughters and access to their huge fortunes. The eldest Irene, never married and in her earlier years, devoted her time to fox hunting and charity works. After the death of her sister Cimmie, she took on the responsibility of raising her children. Cimmie married Tom Mosley, an ardent Fascist leader who was a fervent follower of Hitler, and shared her husbands passion for Fascism. The youngest, Baba, was a typical spoilt and supremely selfish heiress, with all the morals of a female dog on heat, even to the extent of sleeping with (among others)her brother in law. Baba was an intimate of the new King Edward 8th and Mrs. Simpson and was present at their wedding and at most of the goings on of the Cliveden set who represented the "in" crowd in London society at that time. It's a fascinating look at the social history of the 20's and 30's, warts and all, and a thoroughly enjoyable gossipy read.



4. Unlike the Mitford girls, the Curzon sisters were essentially useless creatures, though one could base a really good revolution on their cosseted existence and horrid antics. Upper classes in every land produce people like them, but the English do it particularly well. I remember at lunch one day hearing a well-known older titled lady, refer to a deceased -and very grand- noblewoman, saying, "Yes, and _________ made the Curzon sisters look like nuns!" After reading "The Viceroy's Daughters" I now know that the 1920s and '30s were much more wild than I ever imagined... and I was a teenager in the 1960's!
   If you enjoy the perfectly dreadful, really meaningless, but drama-filled lives of some of society's sacred monsters, Anne de Courcy's superbly written and meticulously researched book is just the thing.



5. Curzon himself was no prize, surely one of the most vainglorious men ever to walk the earth, and his position as Viceroy of India fairly turned his head. His first wife, the American heiress Mary, died too soon and had she lived a bit longer her influence might have prevented her three daughters from going on in the profligate way they did. Or is that mere sentimentality? Whatever it is, it's the crux of Anne de Courcy's listless group biography.

   The author's research, while it makes for pleasant reading, hasn't uncovered anything really new about the three unpleasant Curzon sisters. The reader ultimately feels sympathy for the UK novelist Elinor Glyn, who wrote "It," with whom Curzon dallied after Mary died and whom he betrayed as cavalierly as he served the people of India.

   I suppose there are readers who like Diana Mitford and who will be interested in the other women in her husband's brutish life. They will lap this up like lackeys.

No comments about Lord Lloyd and the Decline of the British Empire.

3 comments about Five Rounds Rapid!: The Autobiography of Nicholas Courtney, Doctor Who's Brigadier.

1. This is the sort of autobiography you would expect from The Brigadier. Solid, dependable, traditional...but Nicholas Courtney isn't the Brigadier, and this also tells the story of his off-screen life, and life before Doctor Who stardom.

   The first part of the book tells the story of the actor's early life, his parent's separation. Then follows the customary section on National Service, weekly rep, meeting Donald Wolfit and John Geilgud. It's good to hear Nick tell the familiar "actor's autobiography", because his style is friendly, humorous, and honest. This makes the book so enjoyable that the pages zoom by. We learn about the author's successes with the ladies, and, to his credit, his failures, and the breakdown of his marriage is dealt with in what seems to be a very honest manner.

   The section on his Doctor Who work is well-written, and leaves out a lot of familiar material. This could be due to the work of Courtney's editor, John Nathan-Turner. For whatever reason, this remains fresh and exciting even thirty years after the fact.

   The last part of the book details the post-Doctor Who work, and it is remarkable to see that since Courtney stopped being a Doctor Who regular in 1974 he has played the Brig no fewer than seven times. His work continues of course on the Doctor Who audio adventures, but this book was written before they had been established.

   The large format suits his story well, allowing space for many rare and well-researched photographs. There are a few too many blank spaces for my liking, and some unnecessary tributes from those who have worked with him. He could also have cut down the number of references to Equity, the actors' union. Other than that, this is a first class read, and tells a more interesting story than the well-worn convention anecdotes, or sections in general Doctor Who books.




2. An excellent book by the only man who has really seen the series from the very beginning. He is the only actor to have worked with all the actors to have played the Doctor. Thanks to the Big Finish audios he has appeared with the 6th Doctor and will be appearing with the 8th when Paul McGann returns to the roll next year. He rarely does conventions any more and, when he does, refuses to tell some of the stories he's famous for.



3. All of my life, I have been a no-nonsense man, who knows nothing but work. In 1986, I began to watch Dr. Who, just as a whim in a miltary barracks, on a TV set in the barrack day room that was chained to the floor so no one would steal it. At first it seemed rather cheesy, but then I found that I could not miss a single episode and if I had to miss it, I would record it. Once, I brought a VHS out to a live fire gunnery tank range, where we were to fire all day and all night for two nights.

   In one of the tents where the crews were de-briefed and rested, I set up a small TV and the VHS and powered it up by using a military 15kw gas generator. We and the tank crews of my battalion watched Dr. Who.

   My first experience with Dr. Who were the Pertwee years and the Brigadier played a large roll. I enjoyed these immensley and bought each one for my collection...and I am still watching them today..(In fact "Planet of Spiders" parts three and four are on tap this weekend).

   In short, buy this book. By any book associated with any character who played in this marvelous series.

   Thank you Brigadier for your part in allowing an ordinary man,for a few moments anyway,to escape the inescapable life of medocrity.

No comments about Charles the Second: King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.