No comments about The venerable Bede (Outstanding Christian Thinkers).

3 comments about Robbie Ross: Oscar Wilde's Devoted Friend.

1. Robbie Ross most certainly deserves acknowledgement for demonstrating true friendship to Oscar Wilde when Wilde was in the midst of deepest disgrace and in direst need.
   As always with biography there is some special pleading in this book.
   It is not accurate to say that Robbie Ross spoke "the first kind words about their father the boys had ever heard." Vvyan Holland, Wilde's youngest son, would disagree with that statement. Vyvan says in his autobiography that Constance, Wilde's wife, said "Don't hate you father. He hated his and that was much of the problem." Also, in fairness to Constance (who seems to get short shrift from the biographers of the men in the scandal) -- her brothers took over. They insisted that she divorce Oscar Wilde and change her name and that of the sons. At that time WOMEN HAD NO RIGHTS and Constance Wilde (who became Constance Holland) had no choice in this decision. Literally, even if she HAD had money she would not have had control of it. That is not the way English law worked. While we are giving Robbie Ross much deserved credit, let's be accurate in re Constance as well.



2. Oscar Wilde was author of some of the merriest jests and plays in the English language and subject of one of the saddest banishments and deaths in literature. Oscar was unfortunate in his enemies, and in many of his friends, but he was very fortunate in the friendship of Robbie Ross, a friendship that displayed itself throughout Oscar's successes and worst trials, and for long after Oscar's death. It cannot be said that Ross was a particularly important figure, but as a friend to Wilde, he influenced Oscar in many good ways. Ross is a footnote, but he was an exceptionally good friend and a good man, and now he has a good biography, _Robbie Ross: Oscar Wilde's Devoted Friend_ (Carroll and Graf Publishers) by Jonathan Fryer. It will be a welcome volume for any interested in Oscar's life.

   As a youth, Robbie met Oscar and introduced him to homosexual lovemaking. Oscar took other lovers afterward, as did Robbie, and Robbie had not the slightest jealousy about Oscar's affections. Throughout Oscar's life, Robbie was there to give him help and good counsel, although Oscar sadly didn't often take his advice. When Oscar wound up in jail, Robbie came back, and made himself indispensable with visits to the jail and with taking up collections from the friends Oscar still had. Robbie received the deserved admiration of Oscar's friends, and of Oscar: "When I see you, I shall be quite happy, indeed I am happy now to think I have such wonderful friendship shown to me," and "Your love, your generosity, your care of me in prison and out of prison are the most lovely things in my life."

   Robbie oversaw the publication of "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" and of _De Profundis_. He was on hand at Oscar's death, and oversaw the temporary internment and the arrangement of the final resting place in Paris. He befriended Oscar's sons, who from him heard the first kind things about their father since they were taken from him and had their name changed. He was determined that Oscar's work would be read and performed again, and that the sons would get the benefit; his efforts to remove Oscar's estate from bankruptcy were eventually successful. He edited the twelve volume set of Oscar's collected works, and the books were a commercial and critical success.

   There is much in this affectionate biography about Robbie's writing career, his running an art gallery, or his becoming an influential art critic. He would be forgotten, however, if it were not for his devotion to Oscar, and it is quite possible that we would remember Oscar less vividly if Robbie had not performed him such faithful service. This book is a fit testimony to that service. He was faithful to Oscar's memory until his own end, and when that end came, his ashes were eventually placed, fittingly and sweetly, in the cavity he had requested in the design of Oscar's monument.




3. Robbie Ross: Oscar Wilde's Last True Friend by Jonathan Fryer is the engrossing story of Oscar Wilde's closest and most loyal friend (excluding of course "Bosie" Douglas who was a more intimate if untrue friend). As well as examining the life of this minor turn of the century writer, Fryer provides insights into the lives of English (and English-Irish) gay men of the comfortable classes in late Victorian and Edwardian society. The story of the Ross/Wilde friendship is very touching and the retelling of Oscar Wilde's odyssey is an engaging one. The years following Wilde's death saw the pathologically immature "Bosie" Douglas descend from selfish lover to vicious loather. His turn to sexual conventionality and his adoption of a shockingly hateful crusade against Ross is a chilling reflection on personal perfidy and the ugliness of social reaction. Douglas was joined in his crusade by horrific anti-gay bigots, and their mad-dog litigation against Ross and others certainly contributed to Ross's ill health and early death at 49.

   Ross had a mysogynistic side, which we learn about only in passing: his establishment of a modest scholarship for art students was restricted to males, and Fryer lamely posits an excuse. The retelling of this episode here, and the biography's almost complete absence of comments on Ross's political opinions, leads one to wonder about the broader context of Ross's life that is still left to tell, not that this minor figure will ever get another biography. We get only provocative snippets of another life. We're told that Ross felt very strongly about the intense events in Ireland at the time, but are never informed what these feelings are!

   Ross' mentoring of Wilde's sons and his befriending of the emerging young British poets of the WWI era are also described. For the reader who desires an interesting look at this period in British cultural life, and especially for those not yet familiar with Wilde's story or who seek another angle's view of it, this readable book is highly recommended. Those who wish to learn about Ross and Wilde in a wider social context will find it unsatisfying.

No comments about Oliver Cromwell (Routledge Historical Biographies).

3 comments about Alfred the Great: War, Culture and Kingship in Anglo-Saxon England (The Medieval World).

1. Alfred, being the only English monarch styled "the Great", is a notoriously difficult subject to write history about. The Victorian cult of Alfred made him a marked man for the debunkers of the Dead White European Male focus of history. Attempts at an even-handed review of the Wessex king's life are fraught with peril.

   This book does the job magnificently. Alfred the warrior, ruler, innovator, strategist, and moralist are all presented well within the context of a 9th century Anglo-Saxon world. Alfred the pious and Alfred the ruthless are both shown as parts of the same man.

   While concluding that Asser's "Life" is a legitimate source of biography for Alfred, the author does not limit himself. Extensive use and comparison between versions of the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" is combined with what limited charter evidence survives, archaeological discoveries and an examination of coinage patterns to round out the picture of Alfred and his times.

   One major strength of this work is its very careful comparisons of Alfred and his activities to those of predecessor kings of Wessex and successor kings of the Anglo-Saxons. Alfred's reign is not studied in isolation. How Alfred was both traditional and innovative in contrast to his father and brothers helps place Alfred in the context of his times. The legacy which Alfred left his descendants (to become kings of all England) is given special attention.

   The author is circumspect in trying to get inside of Alfred's head. Alfred's physical afflictions are examined with an eye to a modern medical diagnosis and their effects on Alfred's personality. Using the marginalia in Alfred's own translations from Latin into the vernacular, the author tries to see inside Alfred the man - all the while cognizant that such a review is only speculative.

   This is a great book and a very good read.




2. I enjoyed this book and, unlike some others, was engrossed by the military expeditions of Alfred the Great. The author gives enough information that one can well imagine how incredible it was indeed to fight off the Vikings. Further, the defensive works and the creation of the burghs led to modern economic England, and this point is brought out quite well.



3. I bought this book on the recommendation of a professor of mine when embarking upon my senior thesis this spring, and though Abel's book did not end up playing a large part in my paper, I went back to this book after the term was over. This book was an easy, quick, and absorbing read, while informative, cohesive, and clear in its aims and the points it was trying to express. My only criticism might be a minor one -- As an English major, I am more interested in the ideological, cultural, or literary influence or views of an individual. Naturally, as a history professor, Abels interests were not the same as mine. He devotes a lot of the book to details of Alfred's battles with the Vikings, and at times, this failed to hold my attention. This criticism, as a result, is only the result of a personal preference.

No comments about Sir Francis Drake (Historic Lives).

5 comments about The Georgian Princesses.

1. John Van der Kiste has written a book that is easy to read. He treats his subjects with sympathy whilst not being afraid to point out the less than endearing aspects of their characters.
   With so many of the Georgian princesses having the same name it is easy to lose track of who is who. Thankfully the author has included a useful family tree at the beginning of the book which helps you to follow the various family lines.
   The downside of this book is its brevity. The author has covered over 150 years of history in a mere 221 pages which means none of the characters are covered in any great depth.
   This is a good book with which to gain an overview of these women but if you want an in depth study of them then this may not be the book for you.



2. I really enjoyed this book and found it fascinating to read about so many women who in other books are often only referred to as "wife" or "daughter" of someone else. Finally, I got to learn about who these women really were!

   Some reviewers found the fact that so many women had the same names confusing. It is a bit, but we can hardly fault the author for that! He does use nicknames when that will help to differentiate. And, the family trees were invaluable in keeping everyone straight. I didn't find the names a drawback at all. But, anyone who reads about royal/noble families will be accustomed to this.




3. The Georgian Princesses describes the lives of many of the women of Britain's House of Hanover in the 18th and early 19th centuries. In their lifetimes these women were regarded as mere pawns on the European chessboard of alliances and power politics. They were married off to men they scarcely knew and who in many cases were extremely unpleasant companions and expected to make the best of it. Most of the time all we now know of these women are their names on various genealogical charts. John Van Der Kiste has resurrected these royal ladies and given them new life.

   Most of these women turn out to have had fairly sunny and mild dispositions. They were rarely given much education and had few inner resources to fall back on when their lives and marriages soured, as they so often did. Nevertheless they seem to have borne their lot with dignity most of the time, and sometimes they were able to find consolation in religion or in extramarital affairs. I felt the sorriest for Caroline Matilda, sister of George III and known as Denmark's "Queen of Tears" for the suffering she underwent at the hands of a schizophrenic husband. I liked George II's consort Caroline of Anspach and Electress Sophia of Hanover (the progenitress of the family) the best for their sharp intelligence and senses of humor.

   Because so many of these women have similar names it can be confusing separating the Sophia Dorotheas and the Sophia Charlottes from the Carolines and Louises, but the genealogical charts at the front help a lot. Also, I felt some of the women got short shrift and were barely mentioned at all. Nevertheless, Van Der Kiste has turned out a very satisfying volume.




4. I thought the author did a remarkable job of writing about so many princesses and queens. I didn't find it hard to read at all and for those who did the family tree was very clear, all you had to do was turn back a few pages.
   I was very impressed and delighted by the amount of information you recieved without making it dry. One of my favorite books.
   Definately buy this book because you'll never see other books on some of these Queens. When was the last time anyone saw a biography on Queen Adelaide?
   If you liked this book you should read Victoria's daughters to pick up where this one left off by Jerold M. Packard.



5. I somehow finished this book because I felt challenged but I couldn't tell you one fact about any person described in this book with certainty. True, their names were alike, but the author jumps from one Duchess, Countess, Princess, Queen in the same paragraph and you can't tell who he is talking about. There was certainly research done, and I applaud that, but I still don't know who was what, when, or where. There were at least 10 people mentioned on every page, half with the same names so you just have to laugh and do the best you can.

No comments about The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Vol. 3: 1662 (Diary of Samuel Pepys).

No comments about The Picturesque Prison: Evelyn Waugh and His Writing.

3 comments about With Love from Diana: the Princess of Wales' Personal Astrologer Shares Her First-Hand Account of Diana's Turbulent Years.

1. I'm not saying that people don't have spiritual gifts, but I do question much of Penny Thornton's vision. I must agree with the previous "critic", however, regarding the dream about the car: it shocked me so, that I read it over and over and got tears in my eyes; (if this part is pure fiction, I would have a terrific bone to pick with Ms. Thornton about lies and playing with another's emotions!).The book is a good enough read, but nothing spectacular.



2. Author Penny Thornton describes 2 dreams she had in 1986 or '87, in which Diana is seen with "a white car moving ahead, leaving the black car behind." Consider that this book was published two years BEFORE Diana's accident, and this is nothing short of phenomenal!! Several other parellels occur in these 2 dreams, as well. This is a book worth reading for those who can't get enough of Diana.



3. I feel that Andrew morton protrayed Princess Daina as the Angel that we all knew of that helped those in need. I espesially enjoyed the chapter "My cries for help" talking of her problems with Prince Charles and her marriage. And that of her Bulimia. I would like to take this moment to thank Andrew Morton. For his kind words, and his honesty about Princess Diana. Sincerley, Catherine M. Catron

2 comments about Henry VIII and the English Nobility.

1. While I did not love this book, it is well-researched and makes a solid contribution to a relatively under-researched area of Tudor history. Given the extent of the shadowy way in which Henry VII came to the thrown influenced Henry VII and Henry VIII's actions, you would think there would be more books written on Henry VIII's relationship with his nobles.
   This book is relatively bland but it gives real insight in to the pressures of faction politics in HVIII's court, discussing how some nobles refused to participate in the trial of Anne Boleyn, how Henry VIII's succesful "judicial murder" of Buckingham cowed the nobles and encouraged Henry in his other outrageously tyrannical prosecution of nobles, and how some nobles would be complicit in these actions since they occasionally benefited if the victim's land was divided amongst the jurors.



2. Whatever his personal and political faults, Henry VIII was astute in the art of government, weaving a network around the throne, and around the dynasty he was setting out to create, of old aristocratic families and newly created noblemen. By examining the way in which the king selected "new men," created new titles, promoted existing peers, and saw to it that the extinction of a title was always to his own advantage, Miller shows how Henry's attitudes, policies, and use of patronage reflected his dynastic insecurities.