5 comments about The Royals.

1. It's a good read, but it's obvious that Ms. Kelley has bought into the woe-is-me victimization ploy used by the former Princess of Wales that nearly brought down the British monarchy. Being an American, I admit to a certain curiosity and wonder when thinking of the Royals. I was almost seventeen when the former Princess of Wales was killed in Paris and while I was sad for the humanitarian and mother who had been in over her head with the royal establishment, I boasted no particular affinity for a woman whose face had saturated every tabloid paper for nearly a decade before that.
   
   Ms. Kelley has a style of writing that's very easy to get through, but once I got through it (having thoroughly enjoyed the experience as well), I found myself with questions as to sources. Ms. Kelley is obviously no fan of the Royal Family, aside from the afore-mentioned Princess of Wales and though she did occasionally refer to Diana's dark side (her continuing vindictiveness toward her ex-husband, her blatant ploys to turn her sons against their father, insinuating that Prince Charles is not fit to be King, her behavior to anyone who dared to call her out on her attention-whoring ways, her treatment of her stepmother following her father's death), she never once deviated from the erroneous supposition that the Princess of Wales was somehow "driven" to that level of vindictiveness in her private life.
   
   It was a very well-done, very enjoyable piece of historical fiction, emphasis on the fiction.



2. I enjoyed this book very much, I travel a great deal and therefore am very appreciative to good authors and only give five stars to those I believe tell a good story, have a great ending and have me wanting more. I don't always need all the sex or blood and gore, sometimes a romance, a love story or a drama is what I need. I highly recommend this book. And have recommended it to our book club in New York and Aspen,..I also recommend reading....The Boy He Loved - Obsession Into Darkness (Gay Suspense), Reflections In The Looking Glass - A Murder Mystery That Will Surprise you (Gay Murder Mystery), My Gay Socks (Gay Romance)and From Boys to Men (Gay Classic), you may also want to read,The Crane & Pelican (Gay Romance).



3. Kitty Kelly collected anecdotes about the Windsors, drawing on everyone who hated them. I bet she got most of the info from the guys who created the "Spitting Image" series.
   
   Kitty Kelly's books are great if you like cheap gossip at the National Inquirer level, and are a little too smart for the Weakly World News. Read this if you're stuck in an airport during a snowstorm.



4. If you ever wondered about how human the "Monarchy" of the U.K. is, here's a great answer. Imagine letting your close cousins die because of the inconvenience, changing your family name to avoid prejudice, and redefining what "integrity" means with "Because I said so."
   Wow- so good to be a mortal in the world and not a figurehead. Perhaps King William, if U.K. survives, will prove to be enlightened and not end up a social/party figure like so many descendants of the former European Royal Families.



5. This is fun and gossipy. Four stars considering the genre. I wish Kindle handled pictures better. I learned a lot of the German history of the family, which I didn't know. A really good history of British royalty is On Royalty: A Very Polite Inquiry into Some Strangely Related Families.

5 comments about The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

1. This book is a must read. I recommend it to anyone interested in Tudor History. Very detailed, easy reading and very intriguing. Excellent!



2. Words cannot express how wonderfully written and interesting this book is! I was cautious when I saw its length but, trust me, it reads very well and will keep you enthralled. Ms. Weir is a masterful writer. I'm almost at the end of the book and I feel as if I'm biddng farewell to a friend!



3. This is my first book from Alison Weir and I could not put it down!! It is so well written and easy to read. She makes sense of some confusing situations. This book is full of detail and I could not recommend it more! 5 stars for sure!!



4. I was interested in reading this since it covered all 6 wives. The first half of the book is Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, since they are probably the most interesting/most well known of the wives. I thought this was easy to read, although it took a while. Not because of the subject or style but that it's a large book. I think it would be difficult for someone with little to no knowledge of the subject to read this as it would be difficult to keep people/stories straight. I think Alison Weir is biased toward/against all of them and I'm not so sure the opinions are factually based. Interesting read if you are interested in this subject though. As for a history book, it's not boring or slow at all. I would gladly read more of Weir's work.



5. I LOVE this book! I have had it for about 2 weeks and don't have much time to read but I'm already almost finished. It is very detailed and is written so that the 'average' history lover can still read and enjoy!

5 comments about Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier.

1. I got the book, "Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale Of Princess Grace
   and Prince Rainier." I really liked and enjoyed the book.



2. Arrived as promised and ahead of schedule! Enjoyed the read about Princess Grace, appeared to put her in a "real" light.



3. There are many reviews for this book. I'm a new Grace Kelly fan and this is the first book that I've read about her. Although it was good, it left me wanting so much more.
   
   There are many excerpts from previous books and authors (which I noted, and am now looking for those books to read). I would start with other books and end with this one. Others who knew her (Gwen Robyns and Robert Lacey) interest me more, as they actually knew her, and this book compiles those books and interviews with others into a new book. Good book, very addictive.



4. You can't go wrong with a biography by J.Randy Taraborrelli! Again very well researched and again you get hooked after the first sentences.For all who want to know more about the actress Grace Patricia Kelly who became the Princess of Monaco and her life with her husband and family behind palace walls,I highly recommend this book.



5. Taraborrelli was clearly fascinated by his primary subject, Grace, but it appears it was Prince Rainier whom he truly fell in love with.
   
   He never once mentions Rainier's notorious infidelities, which began as soon as Grace married him, and continued until she died. According to Wendy Leigh's new book "True Grace", she strayed too, but her affairs started off as quid pro quo for Rainier's constant mistresses (and continued from isolation and loneliness).
   
   This omission is profoundly prejudicial to Grace because it makes it look like she was just too shallow to give up her attachment to her movie career and thus made herself morbidly unhappy with her new life in Monaco. In fact, she did struggle with that loss, but her greatest heartbreak in Monaco was that she married a philandering, obnoxious, overbearing, insensitive and dismissive popinjay of a prince.
   
   Taraborrelli should have waited for Rainier's death to write Grace's biography. Maybe then he wouldn't have been so tempted to whitewash Rainier into the caring, tender, appreciative and supportive husband he most certainly was not.
   
   Shame on you Randy.

5 comments about The Duchess of Windsor: The Secret Life.

1. This book was so difficult to read on the Kindle (2nd generation) that I am about a third through and am pretty much ready to give up reading it because of the technical problems with this book in Kindle form. For some reason almost every sentence that begins with a capital H has the H separated into two parts; some on two separate lines. Words are "random-ly" hyphenated and sentences here and there are hi-lighted for some unknown reason. At first I thought it was all some kind of foreign language that I didn't recognize before I realized it was a technical problem with the Kindle type-set. I've seen this before in some Kindle books but not to this extent. This is kind of an interesting book but there are so many characters it's hard to keep it all straight and the author calls the people by one name sometimes and another at others and it's just all pretty confusing. It has interesting parts but overall, I don't think it's worth the effort.



2. At the time, the "romance of the century" was seen through the lenses of love. Behind the scenes, however, Edward VIII of England was a weak man totally in the thrall of a domineering and dangerous woman, Bessie Wallis Simpson. (Thank heaven, she dropped the Bessie.) When he abdicated and became the Duke of Windsor, he and his Duchess became not only roving mooches, seeking out wealthy patrons to pay their way, they were Nazi collaborators. They could have lived within their means, except she had an insatiable desire to live like a queen -- including the jewelry to go with it.
   
   Meticulously researched, this tells the story of how they fell into the thrall of Hitler -- even visitng him and giving the vile salute all over Germany. The Duke of Windsor was not unlike many Englishmen who had been through the horror of WWI. Anything was better than another war, even that horrid little man with the funny mustache. As well, many Brits were afraid that Hitler was the only thing standing between them and Communism, a bogeyman of epic proportions. Besides, he treated them like "royalty" so they were silly enough to fall for him, hook, line and sinker. They thought he's just expel the Jews -- no one really liked them anyway. Much better they go to America. (I kid you not, this is what they thought.)
   
   This book not only details the romance, the abdication, the involvement with Nazis, but their petty and petulant view that she should have the HRH before her name. This went on until her death!!! Give it up, guys. Not gonna happen. She embarrassed a nation.
   
   Personally, I enjoyed the book and am glad that he wasn't on the throne. He was a weak, insipid and dangerous man. Far better his stammering but clear headed brother -- George VI, Queen Elizabeth's father.



3. I love history, royalty and reading. I have found many good authors here and promote the development of new authors. I find it far too easy to give a bad review, so I don't, I don't need to, but good books and authors, even the developing ones, need the positive input we all seek. I enjoyed this book very much, it was everything I was looking for and at a price no one could complain about. As a member of a few book clubs, I inform our New York book club and our Aspen club about books they should not miss and authors they will enjoy such as this one. Other books recommended are: Obsession Into Darkess (Gay Thriller), The Boy In The Window (Gay Romance), Reflections In The Looking Glass - A Murder Mystery That Will Surprise you (Gay Murder Mystery)and Ride 'Em Cowboy (Gay Cowboy) also recommended is From Boys to Men (Gay Classic) or the revision, From Boys To Men - Revision By Hector Vance (Gay Romance).



4. Sometimes a person just deserves to have a [...] gossipy book written about them... and Wallis Simpson is one of those people! Charles Higham spent his time dredging up all the best bits about this horrid woman and poured them into one great read. We hear about everything here: the rumors of her serial adultery and fooling around (even on the man who gave up a kingdom for her -- "stupid is as stupid does"), the possible lesbianic interludes, the possibility that she was a man (if my memory serves me correctly)... Its all here. Nothing is more hilarious than the description of how much Wally hated thier posting to the Bahamas (where Govt House was filled with sand) - the on time that Wally had the oppportunity to semi-officially play queen. How the Queen Mother must have checkled thinking about it. This is a hatchet job of the highest order, not only on her but on that dining room table of a third husband she married. One thing we can all be thankful to Wallis Simpson is that she got David out of England - where he might have really done some damage.



5. I ordered it without realizing this is the exact same biography on the Duchess of Windsor I read about ten years ago but the book seems to have been so updated with new facts it really is worth buying the newer version. She really was a tenacious and riveting woman...no wonder the King left his throne for her. I would have done the same. I find the authors writing to be very unbiased...he does not seem to approve of the politics or the activities of the Duke and Duchess very much, but he gives a very balanced presentation of the facts. Like most people born after world war 2, anyone who supported the Nazi's was automatically evil in my mind but this book caused me to reconsider such a snap judgement. The arguments presented for why so muchof the European elite and American elite supported Hitler are very sound. Fascism was just another right wing philosophy...most of the royals and aristocrats who believed in Hitler were not interested in committing genocide. Hitler went off on the rails on his own in that aspect.
   
   In addition to being insightful and gossipy, this book made me revise some of my own opinions.

5 comments about The History of the Kings of Britain (Penguin Classics).

1. I haven't had a chance to read this yet, but it arrived in good shape and on time.



2. Although I was told I would receive my books between 28th October and 13th November, they arrived at my door on 14th October...Wonderful! Thank you Amazon.
   As you can see it's been about two weeks since I received my books, nevertheless I immediately started to read "The History of the Kings of Britain" to begin with, the cover is absolutely beautiful; the translation and introduction by Lewis Thorpe, poetic as well as accurate and I'm enjoying every single line of every page of this new old book...



3. This is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Anyone with an interest in Arthurian legend or just a love of the dark ages should definately get a copy of this book. One of the first works of historical fiction, Manmouth's tales of Vortigern or the great Uther Pendragon will keep you thinking about the book long after you set it down. A must read!!



4. With details of troop deployments and excerpts from speeches kings deliver to their men before battle, it becomes obvious it is unlikely that the details are historically accurate. Little time is spent discussing personal relationships; most of the stories revolve around battle. The book is easy reading for the most part. Some of the details offered before any given battle are hard to understand, but they rarely have a significant impact on the course of the plot. The price is more than fair, considering the volume of the book itself and the multitude of fantastic stories. Despite the fact that the work cannot be considered a true source of history, there is still a great deal of educational value.



5. I had to read some parts of this book for class and there were times when I was so confused by the writing that I had to reread parts three or four times. At other times I had no problem understanding what was going on. Overall, it is an enjoyable read if you are interested in how biographies were written in the middle ages and if you don't take every word seriously since the author wasn't very faithful to history.

5 comments about Emperor of China: Self-Portrait of K'ang-Hsi.

1. This book was a good read; it showed a glimpse of 17th/18th century China in a very unique way: through the very words of the emperor at the time. Although it was interesting, it was not exciting or captivating and it became difficult to keep track of who was who in parts. I would recommend it, but only because it doesn't take very long to read so the benefits outweigh the costs.



2. A remarkable portrait of a Chinese emperor. I have read few other books on Chinese history by Spence, and they inform the reader in an engaging style that is a true genius, and this, I think, is one of his best.
   
   Don't miss the selection of letters in the appendix - it hits home the portrayal of the emperor as a real person, not a historical fiction cooked up by the court historians.



3. Ordered several books which I received faster than expected in perfect condition. great job!



4. This is an excellent book of absorbing interest. Not only does it open a wondow on Chinese history as told in the first person by one of its greatest emperors, it sheds light on the nature of power and the way absolute monarchs exert their power. It is a unique book, touching at times and terrifying at others. Being an absolute monarach wasn't easy, even for an enlightened emperor. The book is essentially a collection of the writings of a Mogul emperor describing in detail his life and the way he exercised power, including the decisions he had to make about his use of capital punishment. This book has something for everyone who is interested in the world about them.



5. Spence deserves his wide reputation as America's foremost China scholar. In this book (which I admit that I had to read for class) he tells of one of the most famous emporers from the Qing dynasty. Spence wrote this book using scraps and notes found from this era. Sometimes it's hard to see where the line is between hard fact and Spence's conjecture, however, given the quality of his other research, I'll trust his conjecture even if he doesn't always offer up the evidence to support it. Read it carefully though, so you know what's what.

5 comments about The Life of Elizabeth I.

1. Book was received in excellent condition and as I love the Tudors I really enjoyed the author's perspective based on historical fact, expanded where necessary by fiction.



2. My wife and I have very different tastes in reading material but we both enjoyed this book. I have read it several times and we both refer to it from time to time when a 'period' movie prompts us to check a fact or two. The work is obviously very well-researched but there is a novel-like quality to the read that is very refreshing.
   
   Weir does indulge in a bit of speculation occasionally, but never to the point of being far-fetched. She addresses the issue of whether Elizabeth was, in fact, the virgin queen she is reputed to be (ie: actually a virgin as opposed to simply a lifelong spinster). Weir concludes she was and considers why this might have been. Her conclusion is, as I say, speculative but still reasonable.
   
   The aspect of this book that makes it so good is that the reader is able to get the sense of Elizabeth as an actual person, not just a larger-than-life historical figure. I rather found myself feeling a bit sorry for her in some ways.
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   C.John Thompson



3. I initially bought this book to educate, not to entertain, myself, about UK's royal family; however, I found it very interesting, better than some of the well plotted novels I have. I can't put it down now.



4. Another of Weir's books on the Tudor period. Great starting place for people interested in Liz I, though not the greatest for a professional historian.



5. I thouroughly enjoyed this biography from start to finish. Alison Weir has an obvious passion for history that is evident in her writing. I highly recommend this book.
   
   The beginning of the book picks up from the end of The Children of Henry VIII (which, in turn, picks up from The Wives of Henry VIII). I had read both books prior to this one and found this to be by far the best. Ms. Weir has a compelling way of presenting the facts in an interesting fashion, almost as if it were a novel. The pictures in the center were helpful because you could picture in your mind what was happening.
   
   My one criticism is that she spent a bit too much time on political issues, but I suppose that was necessary to completely understand Elizabeth.
   
   Overall, a very compelling book.

5 comments about Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire.

1. A nice cursory light read but not for the serious history buff! Facts are a bit muddled on some accounts.



2. This book goes into some of the more interesting royal marriages of the last 1000 or so years.
   
   There are many, many marriages that are discussed. While not all the information is exactly new to people interested in royalty or history it is chock full of very interesting storys of royal marriages.
   
   The book starts with the marriage(s) of Eleanore of Aquitaine and ends with the marriages of Prince Charles of Wales.
   
   During the intervening years she details the notable marriages of people such as
   1. Isabelle of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon
   2. Juana la loca and Phillip the hansome
   3. Catherine of Aragon and her marriages to Arthur and Henry
   4. Mary Tudor (the sister of Henry VIII) and her marriages to the King of France and Duke Charles Brandon
   5. Henry II of France and Catherine de Midici
   6. Henry VIII's marriages to Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and Catherine Howard
   7. Mary, Queen of Scotts and her three marriages
   8. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
   9. Franz Joseph of Austria and his cousin Elisabeth
   10. Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Tsarina Alexandra
   
   and many more that will keep you entertained for hours.



3. I cannot stop reading and re-reading this book! Well written, well researched, and one of the greatest books I have read in quite some time. One of my favorite features about this is that although it is organized chronologically, you can still read this book in sections and skip around to your favorite stories. The author presents her opinions in an appropriate manner, which I believe causes the reader to engage further with the text. You will not be able to put this book down. I especially appreciated the juicy bits on Grace Kelly and Wallace Simpson.



4. This is not what I'd call overly-researched and the author throws her own personal opinions around a bit more than I am used to in a work of non-fiction, but each chapter is a quick and dirty ('scuse the double entendre) overview of a different period in European history with a lot of juicy tidbits about the marriages and affairs of various Royals tossed in to spice things up. I can forgive the various assumptions the writer makes, such as calling Jane Seymour a mealy-mouthed Milquetoast and Marie Antoinette a bubbleheaded spendthrift, because after all, who really knows? At least she didn't repeat the tedious "Let them eat cake" myth.



5. Overall, I enjoyed this book tremendously, it covered several centuries of royal marriages in various countries of Europe. Its series of accounts of royal marriages began with Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine through Prince Charles' and his first and second wives, Lady Diana Spencer and Camilla Parker Bowles. All six marriages of Henry VIII are chronicled plus include chapters on legendary matches of Victoria and Albert; Ferdinand and Isabella; Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; the Duke and Duchess of Windsor; and Napoleon and Josephine. Readers should also appreciate the chapters on the stormy marriages of George I and Sophia Dorothea of Celle; Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley; George IV and Caroline of Brunswick as well as the true love matches of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville; Nicholas and Alexandra; and the love gone sour marriage of Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth. The author's writing makes this book absorbing and a must for historians and royal watchers. Carroll includes a bibliography for further reading.
   
   I hope that future books about other royal marriages will be written by this author--there are many others that would be worthy subjects: for example Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh; George V and Queen Mary; Edward VII and Queen Alexandra; Charles I and Henrietta Marie; and Louis Napoleon and Empress Eugenie.
   
   One quibble is the fact checking/editing. For instance: Andrew Parker Bowles is called Tom Parker Bowles at times; Guilford Dudley was not Edward Seymour's son; Princess Diana married at age 20 not age 19; and Prince Charles said "whatever in love means" not "whatever love means."
   
   An excellent book for those already familiar with the royals and to those who are just starting their research on royal couples throughout history.

5 comments about Mistress of the Monarchy: The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster.

1. This book is very well written, informative, and especially good for those seeking genealogical information associated with the aristocracy of the time. While the main character is the thematic source, she is surrounded by the history and people of the time. I found the book very entertaining as well as a good reference for personal genealogical interests.



2. It was always going to be hard to write a book about a woman largely forgotten by history. Obviously I don't mean that literally, but rather the sheer lack of evidence of her existence is enough to make anyone shy away from Katherine as a topic for a non-fiction historical book. Alison Weir has yet again chosen a 'heroine' of history, a woman vilified by the public at large for questionable moral scruples and who on several occasions has been the victim of character assassination. Presenting the facts, or lack thereof, Weir has come up with some logical and at other times questionable conclusions as to the life of this fascinating woman.
   
   This book has been reviewed several times already and so I will only rehash the basics. Weir has looked through history and found anything and everything to do with Katherine Swynford and like any historian has tried to piece the puzzle pieces together. She relies heavily on John of Gaunt's records, as well she should, afterall, Katherine was his mistress for a quarter of a century, eventually becoming his wife and the Duchess of Lancaster, thus it is only natural that she would be mentioned in varying degrees in his records. However, it is important to note that although interesting, reliance on a single source above all others can severely impact ones bias and objectivity. Having said that, the records of John of Gaunt practically hold the only surviving accounts of Katherine Swynford, and so you can see how anyone attempting to write about her life will have a difficult time.
   
   I think Alison Weir has done a fairly okay job here. With the limitations she faced, she has managed to write a fairly readable account of Katherine's life, filling in the blanks as much as possible. Of course, most of her theories are unsubstantiated, but at the same time, they quite probably never will be, and so any biography of Katherine Swynford must be taken with a grain of salt. One can only surmise, and fill in the blanks with likely scenarios, basing those opinions on what is known about the period and the role of women of her particular status. I am no historian, nor do I know a great deal about Katherine's life, thus I cannot argue for or against the evidence provided, however I can say that for better or worse, of all Weir's non-fictional works, I have found this one to be the most interesting, accessible and attention-grabbing.
   
   Thus, for this reader, this book is a solid 3.5 stars, it is interesting and readable, yet I learnt nothing new and I have read better.



3. Although I have an MA in ancient history, I have to admit that I actually became interested in this era when I read some murder mysteries by Candice Robb, The Cross-Legged Knight, that were set in it. I was so taken by the historical characters and the social background to the fictional story that I decided to follow up on some of them. This led me to books on Edward III, the Black Prince, Isabella, Roger Mortimer, and others. In following up the threads leading from book to book, I discovered some of those by Alison Weir.
   
   Alison Weir's works illuminate some of the lives of influential women. While one might label her a "feminist" historian, and some have, the wise reader will look upon her with a respectful attitude as one who has filled in the "blank spaces" left by earlier, predominantly male historians who seem to see no place for women in history--to read some histories of ancient Greece is to suspect that there were no women in Greece. To some extent this oversight arises because of a lack of documentation with respect to women at all levels of society in some periods and cultures; it's simply difficult to get at their lives. This doesn't mean, however, that we shouldn't make every attempt to learn about them and their effect on the history of their time. Trying to explain some of the events of the Plantagenet rulers, for instance, would be totally impossible without referral to the character and behavior of Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life (Ballantine Reader's Circle). Similarly an understanding of the disastrous reign of Edward II needs a good close look at the life of his queen, Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England, while the lives of Richard II and of the War of the Roses is much forwarded by a look at the lives of some of the women present at that time in this and other volumes, as for instance The Wars of the Roses. By undertaking a study of these individuals the author has filled important lacunae, making far clearer the realities of the times in which these women lived.
   
   Mistress of the Monarchy, the biography of Lady Katherine Swynford, must have been a difficult one to write. There is apparently little documentation, but what there is was well used. The author is reduced to almost continual inference with respect to much of the lady's life, drawing out of basic knowledge of the period, its architecture, land tenure, economic structure, etc. what she can to illuminate what her subject's life may well have been where there is no actual information. While I'm not always satisfied with some of her deductions, I am able to follow the logic and have to agree that many of her observations are probably correct. My main complaint is that because of this dearth of information, Katherine comes out as a somewhat "soft," "shadowy" character hovering in the background. I'm not sure that this is because she was as mild and gentle as she seems or because we don't know enough about her to paint her in a more realistic light. The story comes across as very nearly a romance, but it is very definitely a realistic romance. It partakes something of the sense of time and the reality in time that the play Into the Woods by Steven Sondheim does. The latter is something of an adult fairy tale, because it points out the importance of time in "happily ever after" by revealing what happens after the "happy ending." It's one of my favorite plays for this reason.
   
   In reading this and other histories, I find my story-telling self trying to identify the "good guys" and the "bad guys." I'm forever trying to root for the "righteous," a very modern concept and not a very realistic one at any time, all things considered. Although Katherine as a character is written with a great deal of sympathy by Ms Weir, there are points where her behavior is characteristic of her age--that is to say not nice--as when she ignores the issues with the locals in Lincoln over her enclosure of property and her unwillingness to clear a canal on her property. However, when put into the perspective of the behavior of the period, she definitely comes out the "heroine" of the piece, since everyone else is so much worse. More than anything else, the reader comes away with a very clear understanding of what happens when everyone in society simply looks only to their personal good. It reminds me of Matt Ridley's The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature, which explains why so much inevitably goes wrong despite the fact that everyone knows it will if they pursue their present course, and of Jered Diamond's COLLAPSE: How Societies Chose to Fail or Succeed which points up different historical outcomes for alternative societal decisions. I just wished we'd "get the point" of these histories, because modern society is not immune to the evil outcomes of the same types of behaviors.
   
   For those of you with an interest in Medieval History, this is the period of Edward III, the Black Prince, and John of Gaunt; a very "active" period in English history and one that sets the stage for an even more active period during the War of the Roses that follows it. Reading piecemeal about the period as I have so far, I found that some of the politics of the era seemed haphazard and confusing--certainly the recurrent use of titles as opposed to personal names makes it seem so. In reading this book the issues that arose at the end of Richard II's reign made much greater sense. Katherine and her liaison with John of Gaunt, which produced a number of "bastard" children related to the royal house, created a sea of cross currents in personal and national history, a sort of "perfect storm" situation, that didn't resolve itself again until the death of Richard III and the ascension of Henry Tudor as Henry VII.
   
   Illuminating.



4. I was really looking forward to reading this book. I read Anya Seton's historical novel of Katherine Swynford years ago and really enjoyed it. I was hoping to discover a lot more about Katherine and her life. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.
   
   Almost nothing is known about Katherine Swynford. Her mother is unknown, as well as when she was born. No one knows exactly how many children she had and their birthdates. The only solid records of her are John of Gaunt's (her lover and then 2nd husband) household registers for a few years that record gifts he made to her and a few historical documents. One granting the Pope's dispensation that Katherine and John were allowed to marry, another making her children by John of Gaunt legitimate after they married, and one from John of Gaunt himself in regard to Katherine's property.
   
   Most of the time her whereabouts and what she was doing at the time are nothing but pure speculation. Even contemporary resources are of little help because they don't even agree on dates or events. Many of these sources didn't like Katherine because she was John of Gaunt's mistress and a "fallen woman", so they were probably biased against her.
   
   This book really isn't about Katherine Swynford, it's about all the famous people that she had connections with at the time. Her lover and then husband, John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, Geoffrey Chaucer (he wrote The Canterbury Tales) who married her sister Phillipa, the kings, queens and other royalty of the time, etc. If you condense all the information that is actually about Katherine herself, it might cover a few pages, less than 5% of the book. I would say this is more a biography of John of Gaunt than anyone else.
   
   I enjoyed reading it, because it was interesting, but it shouldn't be called a biography of Katherine Swynford.



5. Like most reviewers, I read the Seton novel when I was 20. It left me so interested in John of Gaunt that in college I wrote a research paper in which I defended him to those historians who accuse him of plotting the throne for himself.
   
   I had high hopes for Weir's biography because I hoped she would bring Katherine alive to her readers. I was disappointed because I really didn't learn anything new about Katherine or John of Gaunt. I understand that Weir conducted extensive research, but there is very little remaining factual information about Katherine. Anyone who has delved into Katherine's life knows these tidbits already.
   
   I was disappointed.

5 comments about The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty.

1. This book is being advertised as a complete history of the Tudor dynasty. That's hardly true. Meyer skips ahead to the "good parts". All of Henry VII's reign and the first twenty years of Henry VIII's reign are quickly run through in the first chapter and the narrative really begins with Henry's decision to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. This book then hits the highpoints of the next seventy years: divorces, executions, rebellions, martyrdoms, etc.
   
   Overall, this would be a good book for anyone who's watched any of the many movies and television series set in the Tudor court and wants to read some historical background. But it won't take you much deeper than that.



2. I'm a fan of Tudor history and I was very hopeful that I'd thoroughly enjoy this book. I'm used to reading the detail oriented accounts of Tudor history written by Alison Weir and was anticipating a book that would be equally informative. Instead I found this book to be a watered down version of Tudor history and the writing style wasn't nearly as captivating as the accounts written by Weir. For someone who is serious about reading up on Tudor history I would highly recommend he or she checks out Weir's non-fiction book on the Tudors.



3. This book is a refreshing counter to the typical views of the Tudors. It challenges the reader to understand how the Tudors are as historically famous and remembered as they are. As the author repeatedly notes they are a dynasty that had a very tenuous claim to the throne in the first place, spent most of its time and huge sums of the Kingdom's wealth on staying there and essentially took control of the law and religion. All the usual stories are there, though like many histories they focus more on Henry VIII and not enough on Henry VII or his children.
   
   Having read many other histories of these times, this book presented a graphically different view that was enlightening and also illustrated the apparent biases in other books on the period. I found it an easy read and very entertaining. Highly recommended to anyone interested in this period of history.



4. This is a very detailed history of the Tudors and is quite readable for those of us who are not historians as well as being an enjoyable read for those who are. Jam packed with details and plenty of background you can get a real feeling and understanding for the period. The Author does not sugar coat things and writes without the romanticizing often found in works about the Tudors. My husband, (who is an amateur Historian) found it to be excellent though he did point out a few minor errors in dates. This was the ARC so those that will probably have been corrected by now.



5. This is an excellent book. Meyer writes well and has certainly compiled a lot of fascinating and somewhat confusing history into a single source that helps you understand much better the history and reign of this brutal family.
   What most interested me about the book is the fact that Elizabeth is shown to be a brutal queen. We all sort of knew this, but the movies and other books have shown her in a much more favorable light. It was especially interesting that after the defeat of the Spanish Armada, Elizabeth and Cecil were relieved that so many of their sailors took sick and died, thus not requiring payment for services rendered.
   Henry VIII was a monster. All this switching around wives, chopping off heads, turning on the Pope and starting his own church (which by the way, generated a lot of revenue since most of the Catholic church property and lands were confiscated by the government.)kept the little monster busy busy busy.
   The runt Edward didn't live long enough to create too much trouble, but when he died and Mary was queen, boy did she help make up for it. Mary just loved the smell of cooking out, unfortunately most of the entrees were subjects that would not accept the Catholic faith and were burned at the stake. She only reigned a few years, rather unhappily and died young. Then Elizabeth takes over and rules until her death in 1603.
   There was not a lot of detail on Mary Queen of Scots, but the author did cover it and I felt well enough about it since that story has been told so many times.
   
   I would highly recommend the book. This author writes very well and speaks to you clearly and facts are woven into the progression of the book in a masterful way. BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!