No comments about The World of Mary O'Connell (1778-1836).

1 comments about Family Romance: A Love Story.

1. Most families have secrets. Sometimes those secrets are held BY family members; other times they are held FROM family members. And sometimes a bit of both. John Lanchester explores the circumstances and consequences of these dynamics in this genuinely wonderful book.
   He begins with his grandparents, and takes us on a complicated journey through the generations that followed. The geography of the book is broad and interesting in itself - Africa, Ireland, England, Australia, Burma, even Brunei, and - perhaps especially - Hong Kong.
   Lanchester tells his mother's story, then his father's, and then the story of their marriage and his childhood. It is as interesting for the things he didn't know about and/or took for granted as it is for the chronology and analysis of his early life.
   We know from the book's jacket that his mother took on a new identity after leaving the convent. The ease with which she managed this early case of identity theft is staggering and, in an odd way, admirable.
   However, there was for me a major twist as the story developed; it involves Lanchester himself, and the struggles he has had coming to terms with life, with writing and just being in the world. I found his story intensely moving and honest - almost a story within the story, but still fitting the overall context.
   By chance, I read this book while on holiday, and the other book I read was Bill Bryson's memoir, "Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid." Bryson announces that "growing up was easy. It required no thought or effort on my part." This is a long way from the experience of John Lanchester, and while Bryson is a witty jotter, Lanchester is a deeply insightful and (yet?) very readable author.
   Fans of his fiction will love Family Romance, and new readers will warm to him very quickly. I hope he gives us more of himself in the years ahead.

No comments about Andrew Bryson's Ordeal: An Epiloque to the 1798 Rebellion. (Irish Narrative Series).

No comments about Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ivarr to A.D. 1014.

3 comments about Assassination at St. Helena Revisited.

1. This book was not exactly what I expected. I thought it would be a focused look at the reason the authors thought that Napoleon was assassinated, but much of the text is actually his campaigns and political life. It almost seems that they were trying to make the book look big by adding information that you can easily read in other texts. I really thought this one was going to be different but it fell a little short in my opinion.



2. This formidable story brings us to the magnificent life of one of the greatest heroes ever existing on earth, and of his mysterious death. It all begins on a lavish sofa at Ajjacio, Corsica, on August 15th 1769,when the second child of the Buonaparte family was born.Then it continues with his becoming general, emperor of France, and conqueror of Europe, until his disastrous attack at Moscow, his abdication, the hundred days,and his exile to a little island in the middle of the Atlantic. It culminates with his poisonment of arsenic and goes through a great detail in his last days before his death.It expands new evidence of his intoxication behind the miserable and tragic life inside the walls of Longwood. Was he really poisoned? Who was really the culprit? How can the author be sure of that? Is there a possibility that Napoleon comitted suicide? You can find all of it in this book. If you're a great admirer of this Eagle of France, I'm sure you won't regret.



3. This is a wonderful book for anyone who likes history and/or true crime stories. It's amazing that so little has been known about Napoleon's last days, and that so little attention has been paid to such a wonderful book that seeks to explain Napoleon's demise. Through a mix of science and story telling, Weider and Forshufvud weave a tale of intrigue and murder. Their analysis and conclusions are so compelling, and their evidence so convincing, that it would seem impossible for anyone, after reading this book, to believe anything other than Napoleon was poisoned. As someone who is trained in these same forensic sciences and investigative principles, this is a fantastic and accurate book.

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.

2 comments about The Diaries of John Dee.

1. The very good working book to work with spirits. Recomendet



2. The Diaries of John Dee edited by Edward Fenton has really impressed me as a student of philosophy and history. The author was able to take a portion of John Dee's diaries and not only modernize the wording and name of places but also translate some of the Greek and Latin passages. Hence it creates a down to earth but yet scholarly edition of John Dee's Diaries. What really impressed me about this book were the references at the end of the chapters. Not only does Fenton list numerous sources where to gather more information but also goes a bit more in detail about what is going on in the life of Dr. John Dee. At the end of the book there is a "biographical guide." This part of the book is not only interesting but also invaluable. It lists all the major characters that were involved in John Dee's diaries and shows when they were born, died, and gives a brief description of the person. The only thing that kept me from giving this book five stars was the author's attitude towards Edward Kelly. Edward Fenton often portrays Kelly as a trickster (which he may very well have been) but seems to add his opinion at the wrong times when there appears to be no real evidence suggesting his opinion. Other than that one minor flaw I recommend this book to the student, teacher, casual reader, philosopher, & even to the mage. It has made a great addition to my library & again I highly recommend this book.

No comments about Tragic Knowledge: Yeats's Autobiography and Hermeneutics.

No comments about The Harbor Boys: A Memoir.

No comments about A Royal Affair: George III and his Troublesome Siblings.