1 comments about Queen Victoria: Fifty Golden Years ; Incidents in the Queen's Reign (English Heritage) (English Heritage).

1. I thought this book was going to be bigger, and less stylized. I came to appreciate it better, though, because of that reason. Its produced very much like it was released in 1887, with that high-Victorian feel, and its size makes it easy to store on a shelf or on a coffee table.
   
   If you admire the Victorian age, or better still, Queen Victoria herself, this is a book that is fun to own and display!

3 comments about Unnatural Murder: Poison at the Court of James I.

1. This book is exhaustively detailed and reads as interestingly as any legal brief -- a snooze! It's like being in a history class where the professor thoroughly enjoys discussing every remote detail while the class is sound asleep. I am half-way through and will finish the book because I can find nothing more interesting about the court of James I. Too bad though because this could be an interesting story if not for the telling.



2. Much more about her husband rather than the supposed "tart" at the center of the conspiracy, Unnatural Murder leaves you wishing to know more about the Countess of Somerset. For a young woman living at a time when women had even less real power than the present, she made some difficult (and, admittedly, poor) decisions in attempting to wrest control of her life from the men around her. And apparently had the courage to take responsibility for those decisions. Tragic story.



3. Anne Somerset has written a comprehensive non-fiction account of the Overbury scandal that reads as if it were fictional narrative. The sources are exhaustive but not oppressive, so that this murder mystery turns out to be one of the best historical "whodunits" I have read. The plot is of the ages: the Countess of Somerset is young and beautiful; the Earl of Somerset is rich and powerful. In the Fall of 1615 the Countess and the Earl of Somerset were arrested on sucpicion of having murdered Sir Thomas Overbury. Does the passion, lust and greed
   that lead up to their arrest turn the plot? This has it all.

No comments about Diana, A Cultural History: Gender, Race, Nation and the People's Princess.

No comments about Gilbert Murray Reassessed: Hellenism, Theatre, and International Politics.

No comments about John Stanislaus Joyce: The Voluminous Life and Genius of James Joyce's Father.

1 comments about The Churchill War Papers: The Ever Widening War, Volume 3: 1941.

1. If you are a Churchill fan, you should get at least one volume of his "war papers" that Martin Gilbert has compiled. That way you can see the sheer volume of output that he generated, plus the sheer magnificence of the things Churchill grasped in his role, and that he communicated to those that he told to do something, those that he asked for help, those that he shared his empathy with, and, may I add, those of us many years later that get a better understanding of his role and his valor through reading his actual words written on a daily basis during the struggle of the war. I've seen where Churchill was born, and where his remains now are buried, but Churchill's words are still alive and available, through these books that Gilbert has been so useful in issuing. A note of caution--they are sometimes tedious reading, since there's over 1700 pages for 1941 alone (can you write almost 5 pages a day as Churchill did back then, for a whole year, way before there was a computer to instantly accept your keystrokes as you type?) An astounding range of material and an astounding range of human communication.

5 comments about The Royal Families of Europe.

1. Every so often, some author or editor suddenly discovers that Europe is still full of monarchies, as well as pretenders to various thrones, and a new, updated book gets written, giving details on the historical background and present-day situation of each royal personage. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though many such books are written too breathlessly to be of much serious interest. Hindley is an unapologetic monarchist who believes a constitutional (as opposed to absolute) sovereign is the "most trouble-free method available of choosing a head of state." He begins with those countries where monarchs are still politically involved, even though their countries are now republics (he's especially partial to royal informality in Sweden), and continues with an assessment of future prospects in constitutional monarchies. (Personal wealth helps; Prince Hans Adam of Liechtenstein probably could buy or sell his diminutive nation outright.) It's difficult to work up much enthusiasm for the various Balkan monarchs, all of whom were overthrown with prejudice, and France represents a singular case, with a history filled with republics interspersed with monarchs. Ranier of Monaco, though somewhat autocratic in his actions, did wonders in making secure the political and economic independence of his state, and the restoration of the Spanish royals was actually a step toward restored democracy. In fact, Hindley is a fan of King Juan Carlos, who took a very strong personal role (for a modern European monarch) in putting down the attempted military coup of 1980. The author's style is factual and highly readable and -- except for a number of regrettable lapses in copyediting and proofreading -- this volume will do very well until the next one is published.



2. I am quite relieved that I borrowed this book from my local library before deciding whether to purchase it for my own extensive library.

   The egregious editing and factual errors (which, in my days in the publishing business, would have led to pink slips!) are unforgiveable.

   Avoid this book at all costs!




3. It can be difficult for Americans to find reliable information on current and former European royal dynasties. The Windsors dominate the scene, obviously, and we monoglots soon discover that English-language media cover other royal families only sporadically.

   Then, once every ten years or so, a book comes out that focuses on once-and-maybe-(or maybe not) future sovereign dynasties, like the Greek, Italian, German, or French royal families. These books, however, seem usually to fall into one of two categories: fawning, or sneering ('Look at these losers who think they're still kings.')

   Fortunately, Geoffrey Hindley's useful resource falls into neither of these categories. And that makes it well worth the read.

   Hindley is an unabashed monarchist, and takes the position -- sadly rare these days -- that monarchs and their dynasties really do have something useful to offer their nations and their people. In a wide-ranging discussion of currently reigning royals, he shows how the various monarchs relate to the day-to-day business of their nation's governments, and measures their degree of influence, or outright power, both in public and behind the scenes.

   His coverage of the pretenders is also thorough and informative. He wrestles with the questions of the Russian and French succession, the constitutional position of the never-abdicated King of the Hellenes (aka Greece) and his family, and reports on what may well turn out to have been the first steps toward restoration in Bulgaria.

   As other reviews have noted, there are a few minor errors in history and genealogy. But these are more in the nature of typos, not serious flaws in research or argumentation.

   The late Austrian writer Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn wrote of the natural inability of a North American to take monarchy seriously, either as a system or a philosophy. Yet for millions of Europeans (to say nothing of Asians and Africans), monarchy plays a central role in their history, their present, and most likely their future too. This very useful book helps us understand why, and perhaps makes it a little easier for Americans to overcome our natural barrier to something that is, after all, part of our history too.




4. This is an excellent summary of the present state of European royals at the beginning of the 3rd millenium. Its nice to have information on which Hapsburg has married which Oldenburg and what the present state of the monarchist cause is in various countries in Eastern Europe. Historically the book is somewhat flawed by some sloppy research and/or editing. For example, the chapter on the Belgian Royal Family is fraught with errors. King Albert I is referred to as Alfred at one point, and there are numerous genealogical mistakes (Albert I was nephew, not son, of Leopold II). I don't regret buying the book for its information on present day royals, but I would not rely on it for research on their predecessors.



5. Mr. Hindley's book is an excellent introduction for novices to the Royal Houses of Europe. Unfortunately, for those who have studied the subject, especially the genealogical side, it is fraught with errors which detract from the better aspects of the book.

No comments about Word From Wormingford a Parish Year.

5 comments about Looking for Jimmy: A Search for Irish America.

1. Great book! Well-written tales of growing up Irish American; NYC based, but rang lots of Boston bells too.



2. A big fan of Quinn's historical fiction novels "Banished Children of
   Eve" and "Hour of the Cat," I knew I was in the hands of an expert
   author and historian in "Looking for Jimmy." Quinn gets personal in
   this collection of essays about the Irish in America. As he shares
   stories of his family, I'm reminded of my own, or the lack thereof.
   The older generations didn't speak much about Ireland or the trials
   and harsh tales of their immigration and integration into the new
   world. Quinn notes the silence and dearth of artifacts. The phrase
   "Watch the quiet ones" comes to mind. May as well say, watch the
   Irish ones. Thankfully, Quinn is not quiet. He watches them all,
   researches, studies and considers, takes account and conveys the story
   and motivation of a people across generations.
   
   It's all too common for modern society to neglect its ancestry. The
   melting pot warrants, yet makes it harder to figure identity. Quinn
   bravely and enthusiastically explores one important and special
   ingredient in that pot, the Irish. He takes us to the movies with
   James Cagney, to the legendary story of hero Michael Corcoran, to many
   places the Irish permeated and permeate. What it means to be
   American, has a lot to do with what it means to be every other
   culture. Quinn's "Looking For Jimmy" helps us find him and appreciate
   the Irish element in the fabric of America. If we're lucky, there's a
   little bit of Jimmy in all of us.



3. The great Irish labor leader and 1916 rebel James Connally once said,"It's easier to explain socialism to the Irish than to explain the Irish to the socialists." I've always found depictions of Irish Americans--even more that the Irish in Ireland--to be riddled with stereotypes, both favorable and unfavorable. Why, I've wondered, couldn't anybody "explain" Irish Americans to their fellow Americans--i.e., capture all the confouding complexity of this people in their long day's journey from famine and rural serfdom to the top of the New World? Maybe no one story can ever capture the whole journey, but for me "Looking for Jimmy" comes as close as anyone will ever manage. I was deeply moved by this book, and though, unlike the author, I no longer have any association with organized religion (I describe myself as a "disorganized Christian"),I found his observations on faith to be filled with truth. If you're not Irish American but want to find out about them, read this book. If you are Irish American and want to find out about yourself, do the same.



4. This book answers the question once and for all; Are all the NY Irish dead and buried in Calvary Cemetary??? Not so.....Quinn's book riveted me from the first word written. So many of the reflections were identical to my own family and their experience in New York. The silence of our past, the quest for respectability, the fierce fidelity to the faith. I was torn between laughing and crying at the similarities.
   
   Besides the magnificent analysis and brilliant prose, I appreciate Quinn's indebtedness to the parochial school system; I too am a product of a Christian Brothers high school, then Fordham (much to the dismay of my high school teachers, no Manhattan College in my future...my father had the Jesuits at Xavier and Georgetown)
   
   If you are a New Yorker of Irish descent, this is a must read. Too few of my generation appreciate the sufferings and sacrifices of our ancestors; we have succeeded upon their shoulders. This book crystalizes that fact, and challenges us to keep faith with that past as we look to the future



5. Peter Quinn is a master storyteller and with his prose he tries to keep alive the enduring and rich legacy of Irish-American contributions to the history and foundations of American life.

No comments about Lady Margaret Beaufort and her Professors of Divinity at Cambridge: 1502 to 1649.