5 comments about Envoy to the Terror: Gouverneur Morris and the French Revolution.

1. An expansion and refinement of the author's Ph.D. dissertation on the diplomacy of Gouverneur Morris during very troubled times in Paris.
   
   Gouverneur Morris was an intelligent man of solid good sense, with an obvious love for life. Dr. Miller, as befits one holding a law degree, writes as an advocate for the historical reputation of this important figure from our country's early days. In my opinion, she wins her case.
   
   Anyone interested in the diplomatic efforts of our country in its infancy will enjoy this book.
   
   I hope that the talented Dr. Miller will continue writing graceful books on equally interesting subjects.



2. We learn to see our future by looking at our past, and contemporary French and American relations--as they relate to French censure for America's enlarging foreign policy and the U.S. zeal for "democratization" of the larger world--can be viewed in greater focus by narrowing in on the history of our two countries during the French Revolution and the French `Terror' that followed it. The American diplomat pivotal to this period-the only one on whom Washington could depend for analysis of what was happening abroad-was Gouverneur Morris, today one of the lesser known founding fathers, who as United States Minister to France from 1789-92, during the height of the atrocities taking place there, turned out to be profoundly perspicacious in seeing the terrible future of this, one of America's first adventures in `democracy building,' and its unpredictable, and sometimes terrible results. In Dr. Melanie Miller's insightful revisiting of the historical record of relations between the United States and France during this fateful and terrible period, as set down in her recent biography of Gouverneur Morris, Envoy to the Terror, Dr. Miller tells us much that is relevant to French and American relations today.



3. This well-written and lively book should go a long way in restoring Gouverneur Morris to his rightful place among the Founding Fathers. The prickly Morris has had a pretty bad press over the years, but Envoy to the Terror provides a vigorous, in places brilliant, and ultimately convincing defense of Morris' conduct. Miller shows how Morris energetically defended America's interests under extraordinarily difficult circumstances and successfully disproves charges made both at the time and by later historians that his term as minister to France was a failure.



4. Gouverneur Morris may be the virtually unknown, underrated key to understanding the American Revolution, and this exciting new book tells his story from a fresh viewpoint. Thorough-going scholarship combines with bright and lively prose to bring Morris to life and set the record straight on his role in the establishment of the American Experiment. Dr. Miller shows that the conventional view of Morris has been much too limited and is due for thorough revision. This study is much more thorough than the recent popularizing biography of Morris by Richard Brookhiser. If you liked that book, which acknowledges Miller's ground-breaking research, you should read this one to learn the whole story. This book is invaluable for serious students of the Revolutionary period.



5. Gouverneur Morris has been a long underrated yet instrumental figure during important times. He took a critical part in the constitutional convention in Philadelphia, and he played as crucial a role as his predecessor, Thomas Jefferson, in his position as U.S. ambassador to France during the Terror, when French and American citizens alike sought his intervention, hoping to avoid losing their heads by guillotine. The author provides plausible explanations for this strange obscurity. Melanie Randolph Miller does much to humanize Morris's daily life, times and dilemmas, not to mention the big and small events of the French revolutionary era, deftly weaving into her text original and previously unknown sources, such as his own meticulously kept diaries, letters to and from his mistress, Adele Filleul, comtesse of Flahaut and other paramours, and urgent communications with key protagonists: the falling and fallen royal couple, Danton, Robespierre and the Girondins, among many others. The author's prose is brilliantly precise, enhanced by a dry and intelligent wit, and I agree with reviewers that the book is written with "the discipline of a historian but a novelist's eye," "a page turner." I admit that I found myself dragging my heels as I read along because, truth be told, I didn't really want to finish. In the final stretch, I stayed up way past my bedtime, skimming excitedly to learn what happened in the end, even though of course I already knew. I recommend Envoy to the Terror to anyone with more than a passing interest in the events of revolutionary Paris.

1 comments about Nathaniel's Nutmeg.

1. I loved this book, it was very readable and it covered an area of history which I personally found really interesting.
   
   The title is misleading as the story is not centrally based around Nathaniel. This is more a collection of tales from European age of discovery. These tales are fascinating often hilarious and Milton does not spare us the true picture of the cruelity and barbarity of the time.

2 comments about Eleanor of Provence: Queenship in Thirteenth-Century England.

1. I concur with the excellent synopsis given by the previous reviewer and can only add that Howell has the rare and welcome gift of being able to produce sound scholarship, meticulously documented from the primary sources, that is accessible to the general reader as well as the academic audience for whom the book is primarily intended. This book, while remaining free from tiresome jargon, nevertheless places the subject within current academic discussion very well. She provides a model that I hope will be emulated by future scholars.



2. Son of the troubled King John, Henry III inherited his father's impoverished kingdom when he was but nine years of age. At 28, Henry married Eleanor of Provence in Canterbury Cathedral on January 14, 1236. The match with the twelve-year-old daughter of Raymond Bergengar, count of Provence was intended to forge an alliance that would protect the southern part of Henry's Angevin empire. Eleanor had never met her bridegroom nor had she ever visited England prior to her marriage.

   Howell's biography of Eleanor of Provence looks at both the public and private aspects of Eleanor's life offering new insights into 13th century English history. Although it began as a dynastic match, Henry found in Eleanor a loving and supportive wife. She bore him nine children of whom four survived to adulthood. Yet in spite of the strength of their family life, Eleanor is remembered as one of the most despised of the English queens; in 1236 Londoners mobbed her barge and drove her to flee to the bishop of London's palace of St. Paul's. As she grows from child to woman we see Eleanor use the available avenues of power-patronage, arranged marriages, and ceremonial events- to benefit her family and her loyal corps of retainers who, throughout her life, formed the base of Eleanor's political strength. Indeed it was family relationships that were to be both the strength and weakness of Eleanor's queenship. Her devotion to her family and her single minded efforts to promote her foreign-born Savoyard relations put her at odds with the English nobility and eventually with her husband's family, all of whom were in competition for lands, titles, and lucrative marriages. As Howell comments, Eleanor "made intercession an art." However, throughout their marriage, Eleanor's support and connections to the French monarchy remained a key factor in Henry's ability to hold on to his throne. Howell gives a full picture of Eleanor of Provence; a woman of culture, complexity, loyalty and intelligence; but one unloved by her subjects. I would highly recommend it.

5 comments about My Story.

1. I liked this book, although it did seem Ferguson seems to be feeling sorry for herself and putting herself down through most of it & making lots of excuses for her behavior. However, it was very interesting to hear a behind the scene perspective from one who used to be part of the royal family & how the courtiers try to rule the palace and court. A good read for those who love bios or books on Britian's royal family.



2. Highly readable and I came away with a new respect for the Duchess. Too bad Andrew can't come to America, re-marry Sarah and live incognito. A must read for anyone who sympathizes with the Duchess.



3. As a lover of biographies this one was not about a person who achieved greatness through some great talent but was more a chronicle of the ups and downs of life in the house of Windsor. I think that red headed exuberant Sarah caught our attention twenty years ago when we watched her walk down the aisle with her prince and we all thought it was sort of neat that a real person was in this situation. I think that this is a lady who is VERY media savvy and knows how to market herself but there is still something rather refreshing at her forays into writing, her ability to fly a plane and her trek across the deserts of Quatar on horseback. I am not an unabashed fan but I was interested enough to read this book. It was enjoyable but also a little self absorbed. Like it's subject, a bit contradictory.



4. Unlike the previous reader, I really enjoyed this book and came away with real affection and admiration for the Duchess of York. Admittedly, certain things are left out, but that's probably as much to do with protecting others as about Sarah's own feelings. Let's face it, a no holds barred 'kiss and tell' story would hardly be dignified coming from a former Royal Duchess.
   
   I've read the two books by Starkie and vasso, and even if everything they say is true, I still see Sarah as a flawed but fundamentally decent person. She may have been a little naive about the demands of her position, but royalty would be an alien condition to most people who are not born into it. She's made mistakes as we all have, and its how you learn from them that counts. Though extra marital affairs are not to be treated lightly, we should remember that Andrew spent months away from his wife, abondoning her in an environment in which her Royal status isolated her from emotional contact. Her romantic encounters can be seen as a search for support and self-affirmation.
   
   The suggestion that she is in any way a bad mother I find incredible. One thing that comes over loud and clear in the book is Beatrice and Eugenie mean more to her than anything - she loves those girls. Sarah has been constantly victimised over the years and deserves some sympathy and understanding. Her charity work alone demands respect, and her work with Weightwatchers makes her a constant inspiration to many people. She has turned her life around and good luck to her.
   
   To read Sarah's point of view, read this book. Approach it with an open mind and you'll find an engrossing and inspiring story of a woman struggling againstlow self-esteem, press hostility and the demands of her Royal status. Look at her now - I think she won the battle.



5. If you're going to tell "your story", then you should tell the whole story, not half of it.
   
   Fergie would have us believe that in a country where prominence and position mean EVERYTHING, that it meant nothing to her from going to an unattractive, overweight, needly, penniless NOBODY to becoming a Royal Duchess. Give me a break girl. While there's no doubt she really loved Andrew, she most certainly also loved all the perks of being considered "royal". Unfortunately, she didn't like the self-discipline and responsibility that went along with it.
   
   She was, and is to this day, a TERRIBLE mother. It seems to run in her family: her grandmother was a lousy mother, Fergie's own mother took off with another man half way around the world and literally abandonned her own children. She tells of skiing down a "black run" when she was 5 months pregnant with Beatrice and falls down. What kind of person would ever risk miscarrying their child by doing something so insane??!! In this book she tried blaming the Grey Men for her decision to leave Beatrice when she was 6 weeks old for her trip to Australia, but by her own admission, she never listened to them when they gave her any other advice, so why did she listen to them then? Obviously she didn't WANT to take the baby with her, another indication of her extremely poor mothering skills.
   
   And she out and out lied about her relationship with Steve Wyatt. In this book she says that they were "just friends" which is simply not true. Madame Vasso, Lesley Player, Allan Starkie, John Bryan among other all verified independently that she had an intense sexual relationship with Steve Wyatt. She glosses over this fact in her book when she claims that "a friend" asked her to receive Dr. Salaman Rushdi for a brief drink at the palace. She neglects to say that this "friend" was her lover, Steve Wyatt. And if they were "just friends" as she claims, then why did she have to have his apartment (or "Flat") "searched from top to bottom" when he moved out? She said that it was the "danger of a frame up" and indeed there were more than 100 pictures taken of her and Steve Wyatt that proved to be her downfall found in the apartment. And if she was "just friends" with him, then there should have been absolutely NOTHING that would indict her in an extra marital affair.
   
   I think the answer lies in Allan Starkie's book "Fergie--Her Secret Life". He tells of her lying to anyone and everyone about everything and this is her greatest weakness: she's a liar.
   
   Once again, it's not surprising really, given her upbringing. Her mother abandons her, her father was a complete loser pig, so it's no surprise that she turned out this way too.
   
   Fergie was a disaster for the Royal Family and is still, to this day, nothing more than trailor trash.

1 comments about Life in the Vatican with John Paul II.

1. This book is an enjoyable, and intresting book to read. If you are as intrested and/or curious about the Vatican as I am you will love this book! I am a Catholic and that is probably 1 reason why I love this book but if you forget about religion I would find this book great for Non-Catholics also. The book takes you from the necropolis under the Vatican to the Pope's own library. As well as great stories about the Vatican this book also has great photos within the Vatican's walls. Great book for all people, and every age of people!

No comments about Swift, Volume 2, Dr. Swift (Swift Vol. 2).

2 comments about Sir Francis Drake.

1. I thought this was a fairly easy read, chocked full of well reasearched facts. However when hard documentation was not available, well argued reasoning is injected to make the intended point. I've read many treatments on Drake and find this to be the most definative.
   While there are many missing pieces to Drakes life, the author really gives a good picture of the man and his times without putting him on a pedestal or dragging him through the mud as many authors try. In other words this book is not based on just trying to get another "ANGLE" to Drakes story.
   I think you be pleased you read it.



2. The author has a healthy respect for Drake without becoming too enamored. The author points out at near the end of the book that Drake was the right man at the right time. On Drake's later expeditions (that were failures) the Spanish had fortified their holdings in the new world to a point that made it more difficult for privateers. This, however, does not detract from Drake's earlier success which would not have been accomplished by men of lesser genius.

No comments about Enchanted by Dreams: The Journal of a Revolutionary.

No comments about William and Mary (Very Interesting People S.).

4 comments about Illustrated Life of Michael Collins.

1. Ever since I saw the outstanding 1996 Neil Jordan film "Michael Collins", I have been fascinated in the story of Collins and the violent early years of the IRA. This excellent pictorial history gives a brief but concise summary of his life, along with dozens of extraordinary and rare photos. From his growing up in West Cork, Ireland, to his tragic death at the age of 31, this book explains his amazing life in a simple, straightforward way that will please both experienced Irish history buffs and "rookies" who're looking for a good place to start.
   
   What I find most tragic about Collins is that after years of fighting the British to achieve Irish independence, he was ambushed and killed by his own countrymen during the Irish Civil War of 1922. There are photos of his fiancee Kitty Kiernan, his best friend Harry Boland, and various IRA associates, and of course photos of his enemies, both Irish and British. There's a particularly chilling photo an R.I.C. Constable alongside two Auxiliaries (known for their brutal methods), all with evil grins and guns drawn. This book is an absolute must for any Irish history buff!



2. For anyone interested in getting to know more about Michael Collins and Ireland's finally successful struggle for freedom from Britain, this book is an excellent, easily read introduction. It depicts in words and photos a terrible and critically important period in Irish history and introduces the reader to one of the most fascinating and compelling figures in that history or any other. Highly recommended.



3. Everyone has heard the cliche "A picture's worth a thousand words" and Connolly proves it is true. History comes to life beautifully as the reader is enveloped in headlines, photos, drawings and letters of the time. As well as eye candy, The Illustrated Life of Michael Collins provides an accurate, easy-to-read biography and a palatable political analysis. Unlike some other historical profiles, Connolly stays away from melodrama and hero worship, telling the facts as they were and leaving the observer to make his own choices. A worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in Michael Collins and/or Irish history.



4. Being a fan of Irish history and in particular the life of Michael Collins I was very impressed with the content of the book.This book show's the man as he really was to the Irish people.A hero who died in the persute of freedom for his people.