2 comments about The Way Out: A True Story of Ruin and Survival.

1. The Way Out is a book you'll want to read over and over again. It's just too powerful to fully absorb in one reading. As with "The Secret Knowledge of Water", Mr. Childs leads you into the very psyche of Living Land. He bears his soul and humbles himself before a chasm of rock. An absolute master of imagery and metaphor, Mr. Childs doesn't just take you into the majesty of a canyon or the solitude of the desert, he empties you out there so that you might fill again. "The Way Out" is his best work yet.
   
   Susan Haley, Author
   RAINY DAY PEOPLE



2. A two-weep trip through the American Southwest with a good friends turns into a challenge which will test friendship and survival skills in THE WAY OUT: A TRUE STORY OF RUIN AND SURVIVAL. Any with a special affection for the Southwest will find vivid descriptions of its terrain and desolation as they enjoy this memoir of survival, a hit in hardcover and newly available in paperback to provide a hard-hitting account of discovery.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Great Harry.

1. If you're a British history fan, you'll enjoy this book. It's a detailed biography of Henry VIII, and paints an interesting picture of life in medieval times. Henry VIII was clearly a complex, arrogant, spoiled, and, on many levels, insecure person. There is a lot of information in this book, and the author has presented it in an easy to read, entertaining style.



2. Yes, yes, yes! Terrific book. It provides the political and sociological background to Henry's reign as a whole, not limiting itself to the marriages, in vibrant, readable style.
   
   Unusually, Erickson starts in Henry's childhood, giving portraits of his parents, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, as well as his paternal (Lancastrian) grandmother, the dynastic powerhouse that was Margaret Beaufort.
   
   Each of the 45 shortish chapters contributes to the continuum of a life, rather than just the shenanigans with the famous six spouses and various mistresses. Henry's complex psychology is judiciously handled. Plus, the knotty sixteenth-century European and Church politics are rendered crystal clear.
   
   Below I give, within the context of the six marriages, some of the less familiar material that graces this book:
   
   1) Katherine of Aragon - Henry's bright youthfulness, her difficult pregnancies, Henry's ambitions and campaigns in France, including the Battle of the Spurs, the Field of the Cloth of Gold.
   
   2) Anne Boleyn - plague in England and the imprisonment of Pope Clement VII by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, creating difficulties in obtaining Henry's divorce.
   
   3) Jane Seymour - the Northern uprising known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. After her death, Henry's brutal executions of his Yorkist cousins the Courtenays and Poles, who had arguably superior claims to the throne.
   
   4) Anne of Cleves - Henry's search for a politically expedient marriage and his eventual alliance with Lutheran countries.
   
   5) Katherine Howard - how fever almost killed Henry's son (the eventual Edward VI) shortly before Henry discovered Katherine's adultery. Also, Henry's PR tour of the north.
   
   6) Katherine Parr - Henry's miserable old age and the attempts by courtiers to get Parr condemned for heresy.
   
   There is much more here, especially on the magnificent lifestyle, making this an entertainng, enlightening book to savour.
   
   Highest recommendation.



3. Carolly Erickson wrote this fine biography of Henry VIII (1491-1547) several years ago but it is still worth a read. You may want to learn more about Henry by reading the newer works by such renowned historians as Alison Weir and David Starkey.
   Erickson is a Ph.d who writes with the skill of a novelist.
   In this work she lets us join her at the keyhole into the gaudy,
   cruel, brutal, religiously divisive world of England in the 16th century. The medieval world of jousts was ending as the modern age was beginning. In this book we learn not only about Henry but about how people lived in the England of the Tudors.
   Henry VIII was the son of Henry VII who had ended the War of
   Roses and united England under the Tudors. Henry was a brilliant lad who wrote poetry, jousted, hunted for hours, enjoyed studying into the nights reading texts in Latin . Henry also had a fondness for the ladies!!!!!
   Henry married his first wife Katherine of Aragon (daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella) after his older brother and her husband died at the age of 15 (it was never proved if the marriage had left the pious Katherine a virgin).
   Henry went on to divorce Katherine; wed and behead the fascinating Anne Boleyn; wed Jane Seymour who gave birth to his only son Edward VI; marry and quickly divorce the German princess Anne of Cleves; marry and execute Katharine Howard and finally leave Katherine Parr a widow.
   Three of Henry's children ruled England: Edward; Mary (daughter by Katherine of Aragon); and the redoubtable Queen Elizabeth I.
   Henry was a complex man of volatile temper; fierce cruelty against religious dissenters and politcal adversaries and massive
   ego needs. Erickson is good at looking at his younger years before age, disappointment and cruelty seized his soul.
   Henry was a man of his times which were cruel, short and filled
   with religious controversy. He ruled England with an iron fist
   despite his terrible private life. He remains as one of England's most colorful, ruthless and important monarchs.
   Erickson has written three other Tudor biographies dealing with the lives of Mary, Elizabeth and the doomed Anne Boleyn.
   Dr. Erickson's books are always profitable for those of us who love to visit the Tudors and their tumultous times. Recommended.



4. Erickson is a great biographer, and her Tudor quartet are lively and throughly enjoyable. But one of her strengths--her ability to write as a novelist--makes her inevitably biased to her hero or heroine. In Great Harry, it's clear that she has no great love of the man, perhaps a grudging admiration, and certainly a good deal of pity as relates to his later years. That said, this is still an excellent bio, highly recommended to Tudor enthusiasts more interested in Henry's wives than his statesmanship--but they would be better served reading Alison Weir.



5. Carolly Erickson's Tudor and Stuart biographies are all splendid affairs. "Great Harry" attacks the personality of this man and the issues with which he graplled in a compelling and well-researched fashion without ever losing the reader's attention. Henry VIII was as big and grand as the Tudor age and this book captures both well. I also recommend Erickson's other biographies, especially "The First Elizabeth," about Henry and Anne Boylen's (she was the second wife, the first to lose her head) daughter. Truly one of the best popular historians writing about this period.

3 comments about The Jewels of Queen Elizabeth II: Her Personal Collection.

1. If you love royal jewels like me then you need to get this book... the pictures are fabulous. There is not a whole lot of text and explanation about all the pieces you view in the book but there is enough for you to get a general history of most of the pieces. I highly recommend this book!!!!!



2. "Amazing" is the only word to describe the impressive array of jewels in Her Majesty's collection. Tiaras, bracelets, earrings... all delicately made and intricate in their structure. Whether they are gifts from other heads of state, inheritance, or personal presents from her parents, the Queen's jewels will take your breath away.
   
   Now when you see pictures of the Queen and her female relations - whether on television or in magazines - you'll be able to name the tiara, place the bracelet, identify the earrings, and swoon over the plate-sized gems pinned to dresses. Brilliant!
   
   © 2005 www.mandysroyalty.org



3. A well written guide to QE II's elaborate collection of precious stones. Comes complete with her family tree as a reference, which you may find handy to refer to as the author traces back how most of the pieces came to the Queen through her ancestors. Many pictures, however, there are almost as many of Queen Mary as there are of Queen Elizabeth II! I especially liked the way it was discussed how some older pieces have been taken apart, reset, and reconfigured to make them do duty in the 20th and 21st centuries. A very well researched book that any royal watcher will enjoy. I would love to see the author devote a publication to the jewelry (real and paste) of the late Princess of Wales.

5 comments about Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade.

1. I've actually been planning to read this book for years and finally picked it up off the shelf at our local library. What I had hoped for was an education and understanding of this pivotal period of history.
   
   I would say I did learn things I had not previously understood but I believe I had to do so with care given not to swallow hook, line and sinker. I find, as other reviewers have mentioned, that the author seems to prefer or have taken sides with the Muslim "defenders". They are rendered in a glorious and patriotic light while the "offenders" are small and trivial people.
   
   Considering the amount of time I've wanted to read this book, I'd have to say I was a little disappointed. To credit where credit is due, I did enjoy the flow of the near storybook style of writing employed. I found there were times I wasn't sure I was reading a good historically inspired novel or the real thing.



2. I refer to this book a lot in my quest for knowledge. It provided an insightful look into the character, morals, and religious convictions of two main figures of the Third Crusade. There were many references of key battles (the venues, weapons, plans, time frame, and tactics used) even of minor skirmishes, which are difficult to find from online sources. I enjoyed the details of King Richard's military strategies, and troubles in the Plantagenet family. I didn't find it dry like some scholarly pieces can be. A very pleasant and informative read!



3. I got a hold of this book to do some research for a story on Robin Hood that I am going to be writing to get some background information on the Third Crusades and on Richard himself. I thought this book was good until I got to the paragraph that concerned Robin Hood. If you've done your homework about Robin Hood, you would know that Robin Hood was described as a yeoman, not a disposed nobleman, and if you do your homework, most researchers on Robin Hood like to point out that the king mentioned in the Robin Hood tales is "our comely King Edward" with no defining number. That alone put the rest of the information in the book in question, if you ask me. There are some other things about the book I found questionable, but I will leave my review at that.



4. The authors skill at the narrative style made this book a pleasure to read. While the writing style is the works greatest strength it is also its greatest weakness. By personalizing the third crusade in the actions of King Richard and Saladin the reader is drawn into the story. The book is not weighed down by the verbose language of a heavy academic work. Unfortunately the book lacks the intellectual weight to make up for its clean writing. At times I felt like I was reading a screenplay vice a historical work. The focus on dialogue and action at the expense of analysis caused the book to feel light and empty.
   
   While it weaved a good tale, I felt like I was missing out on many of the details and nuances of the 3rd crusade. The author also seemed to have a distinct bias against the Christian forces. The Crusades always painted in a negative light, while the Islamic forces were brave and devout.



5. James Reston is one of those rare historians who can also tell an extremely good story. He just sucks you into the life and times and has given me a fascination for the historical period in this book. I wish historians wrote this well all the time.

3 comments about George III: America's Last King (The English Monarchs Series).

1. I am not a historian; I am a fan of history. I know enough modern history to recognize skillful writing, accomplished research and craftsmanship. Jeremy Black's book qualifies in all these categories. William Hays excellent review of this biography in the Wall Street Journal is a wonderful, concise summary of Mr. Black's book. Since it is unlikely I can match his fine description, I will confine my comments to cautious criticism rather than perform an academic dissection.
   
   American readers should be warned that this is not an easy book to read. Mr. Black, who is a professional historian, write to an audience familiar with British politics that understands title inheritance (sixth earls), peer promotions (and name changes), Parliamentary procedure (ministerial nominations and dismissals) and English history (the Glorious Revolution). It is unlikely that American readers, who rarely have this kind of grounding, will understand these conditions upon opening his first chapter. Nor had I managed to greatly expand my knowledge base when I closed his last chapter. The biography would gain greatly from a brief introduction to late eighteen century British politics, even at the risk of boring our English cousins.
   
   It is also not easy to read because Mr. Black's sentences are occasionally confusing and his paragraphs disjointed. Tighter editing should have corrected this problem. Perhaps his editors were intimidated by his academic position. I am not. A competent reader recognizes good grammar. A sentence that requires three readings qualifies for either better editing or waiting until one is sober. This doesn't happen often but it does with regularity.
   
   I was quickly lost upon encountering the different orders of the King's bedchamber. A search through several internet sources was no help. Is the lord chamberlain superior in rank to the master of the groom? Perhaps it makes no difference. However, being curious about such matters left me cast ashore without resources. The Order of the Garter placed me in a similarly abandoned state. And I must say, at a minimum, I wondered why offices were named for intimate adornments (robes and garters). This are not meant as great criticism. It is simply that unsophisticated readers such as me are disadvantaged and would appreciate a brief introduction to the Georgian political world.
   
   American readers will be slightly disappointed in Mr. Black's discussion of how Colonial politicians related to George III. Thomas Jefferson is mentioned occasionally as is John Adams. Both spent time in London and left original source documents. Yet I wondered if they were indeed snubbed. I find it unlikely although the same stories continue to be told. Jefferson is known to have manipulated truth to suit his purposes, and Adams is a prejudiced, judgmental and sometime unreliable journalist. I wanted to know if George III did, in fact, slight them, and if so, why. He would likely have left a note of such a performance I would appreciate Mr. Black's comments.
   
   Yet this book is extraordinarily instructive. A careful reading of Mr. Black's biography yields an excellent assessment of George III. He ultimately appears as a steadfast, conscientious man thoroughly devoted to his wife, religion, country and duty. In short, he is the consummate royalist, and Mr. Black goes to great extremes explaining exactly why. A Freudian analysis will probably explain more. Surely some internal medicine specialist will eventually diagnose why this uniquely admirable and unfortunate man suffered so terribly and how he might have been more humanely treated in his declining years. After all, if we do not try to profit from our mistakes, reading history is a useless exercise in arrogant commentary. I highly recommend Mr. Black's biography and only graded it as four stars based on some minor concerns about my lack of preparation and his writing style.



2. I was very well satisifed with the book. It was very enlightening. It was Hard cover and made very well. Thank you so much.
   
   Sincerely
   
   Diann Geary



3. It is not a book for someone who doesn't know anything about George III.
   It is not for begginers. But it is very good book to get to know George very well. What he was thinking about politics, religion, etiquiete . But especially very well is described his relationship to his ministers.

5 comments about A-Train: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman.

1. I had the opportunity to read this book. From the moment of the first word to the very last word, the book draws you in to read more. The graphic descriptions can take you to the other side of the world and stand next to the author on his travels. You know what it was like be black during the "Jim Crow" days on the trains in the south. Granted that my 25 years never saw the ugly side of America, his visual imagery is just so vivid that I seriously think they should dump "Scarlett Letter" and place this book on the reading lists of High School Students.



2. Charles Dryden's book forces people to see the trials and tribulations encountered by black servicemen and women during WWII. I was shocked to read about the different encounters with 'Jim Crow' that Dryden and his peers waded through during their service years. A must for anybody curious about WWII, the Tuskegee Airmen or about the fight for civil rights in America.



3. I meet Col. Dryden when he gave a talk about his experiences and his book. I then read the book a felt a tremendous respect for the author and all the Tuskeegee Airmen. Col. Dryden tells his personal story in a way that made me feel as though I was there with him the whole time. The challanges of blacks in America in his story left a powerful impact on me, the courage the author displayed is an insperation. A-Train is very well written and reads easily. It is an powerful story that left me feeling inadequate and ashamed to be white. I had the oportunity to meet Col. Dryden again and sought him out just to shake his hand again, knowing him from his book, it was hard to hide my emotions.



4. Every young African American boy should read this book. It is an inspiration.



5. I initially bought this book expecting it to be similar to the other slew of WWII books out there ( The ME-109 dove at me out of the sun with guns blazing...). Instead I got an honest account of a man who wanted to fly for his country and be treated with the same respect as any other pilot. Dryden's memories and descriptions of his voyage through training to be a pilot as well as the segregated and de-segregated Air Force are interesting and honest. Dryden't narrative is not the heart-pounding, can't-put-the-book down type but rather the story of a man who, faced with tremendous adversity from his own society and country, persevered. There is no bitterness in Dryden's story, and I put the book down tremendously impressed by his belief in himself, in his religion and his friend. It's a good book

5 comments about Bastard Prince: Henry VIII's Lost Son.

1. Dying at the age of 18, Henry Fitzroy is, in the end, a person of little or no historical significance. There was the potential that he could have become historically significant, but he didn't; this may make him a little interest to general history readers. On the other hand, as the king's acknowledged son, there is also considerable documentation about his life, and it did intersect with some of the flashpoints of history. For the reader interested in the period, his story fleshes out the life and upbringing of a high-ranking male. Murphy also checks upon some of the minor, disputed details of the question of the succession.
   
   What is very interesting about biographies like this is that they bring out the details of the period better than biographies of the famous. The latter are so filled with political and social events that very often the subject isn't developed as a person, even when there is copious information. In a way, that is a shame. It would be nice to have "personal" biographies of such people where the already heavily documented major historical events are a background to their daily life. I had read a great deal of information about the Tudors before I learned that Henry played cards with (and lost to!) his cellarer, or that Anne Boleyn, obviously a woman after my own heart, insisted that he move his fighting cocks so that she could sleep in in the morning.
   
   One problem that I do have with Murphy is that she struggles so hard to make him seem more important. If his neighbors were bringing him gifts when he was 12, I think it is more likely to ingratiate themselves with him and his father, not because he was personally doing a fabulous job of managing his estates. His life wasn't one that was eccentric or fascinating or wittily told that I would recommend it to everyone, but I think that people really interested in the period will find it improves their general understanding.



2. I love Henry...love any book about him, his wives, his children, I have all of them. This one caught my eye because it was written about one of his children you rarely hear anything about other than his mother's name and that he died relatively young. I was excited to start reading, but found the presentation wasn't grabbing my attention, and I found myself not being as interested in the information presented as I thought I would be. I suppose you could call the presentation as text-bookish. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy non-fiction, especially historical non-fiction, but this one just didn't keep me interested.



3. Among the more grandiose plans amongst the ministers of Henry VIII's administration was to legitimize Henry FitzRoy and marry him to his legitimate half-sister Mary (i.e. Bloody Mary). It has been rumored amongst historians that this idea was in fact direct from the King's mouth. According to 16th century standards, siblings who shared the same father (but perhaps not the same mother) were considered 'full-blood' siblings. Siblings who shared the same mother but different fathers were those considered "half". Just a little tidbit of historical nonsense.



4. Henry VIII while famous for his six wives, did not stop there: among his many extracurriculars was Elizabeth Blount, a young lady who bore him a son, Henry FitzRoy, who was later made Duke of Richmond. The Bastard Price was born well before Ann Boleyn had come on the scene, was publicly acknowledged as the "natural son" of the King and showered with titles and offices. As such, it would not have taken much - or at least it would have taken less trouble than it might have seemed, certainly less trouble than Boleyn marriage brought - to "legitimize" Richmond and thereby solve the most pressing crisis of the late 1520s and early 1530s, namely, Henry's failure to sire a male heir. Murphy does a reasonable job of walking us through the permutations and combination of this would-be scenario, and one is left pondering the possibilities: could the English Reformation have been averted through a bit of subtle intrigue and a quick marriage to Blount? Though the story is interesting, the book itself is a bit slow and assumes quite a deal of background knowledge.



5. This book is a must read for those interested in Tudor Royalty.It reveals an entirely different view of Henry VIII and the problems[real and imagined]he faced concerning his desire for a legitimate male heir to the Throne of England.The politics surrounding Henry VIII and his Court are well researched and presented in a clear way which involves the reader with the Duke of Norfolk and Anne Boleyn's backers and Family[Seymour] as they fought for power and the favor of the King.

5 comments about After Diana: William, Harry, Charles, and the Royal House of Windsor.

1. I have read everything that has been published about the British Royal Family, past and present, for years. I have read a load of Diana books but this is my favorite. It is almost like talking to someone who was there.



2. I am offended by the new term "Diana fanatics" to describe people around the world who believe Diana was treated poorly by her royal husband and royal in-laws as well as courtiers. We merely suppport her and feel she was abused by a cold unfeeling royal system. Naturally any woman who exposed her husband as a cheat would be described as "mean or a trouble-maker" by her husband, her in-laws and the other woman.
   In this book I sensed the author is padding the truth so as not to offend the royal family. Like many authors, the writer of this book went to great links to recognize that Diana, Princess of Wales was no longer a member of the royal family and that the Spencers were her next of kin.
   Yet I am puzzled why no author to date has explained why Diana's ex-mother-in-law and ex-husband were the first to be notified!
   Diana was not a member of the royal family any more so any excuse that protocol demanded the Queen to notified first does not wash.
   If it was because of the boys, the decision was to let them sleep. And they were minors and had no say in the decisions concerning Diana body or anything else.
   The proper adults to notify would have been Diana's brother, sisters or mother.
   After all this, the Windors decided Diana being a commoner again was the Spencers' responsibilty and she did not deserve a public funeral.
   There has always been too many inconsistancies surrounding Diana. She gets a bad rap for being inconsistant with her life but she cannot hold a candle to the media or the royal family.



3. After having read at least 8 Diana books, which were starting to get repetitious with the same information, this one was refreshing with new information and more information on topics I read previously. After Diana......and what transpired was very interesting. I personally can't see how anyone would be disappointed in its details.



4. This is a gift which has not been given to the person yet. It would be premature to rate it until it has been viewed.



5. I found this book to offer an interesting perspective less on the death of Princess Diana and more on the way that this death has changed the Monarchy and the way the media has reported on it. The book also reports in some detail on the lives of the two princess and offers insights into how their behavior may have been different, or not, had the Princess not died so young.
   
   Still the work is weak because it relies on too many third party news article sources as well as unnamed parties. This in turn makes this work one of the weaker ones as the London tabloids are well known for being exploited by palace intrigue to bash one member of the Royal family for benefit of another. Not a bad read but basically fluff and not even close to a good biography or journalism.

4 comments about Queen Victoria.

1. this book is a good little read with a overview of the life of queen victoria.



2. Actually, I probably shouldn't review this book as I am more familiar with the approximately 600 page biography of Queen Victoria that the Countess of Longford published in 1965. It is excellent. I only mention this as one reviewer was disappointed by the length of this version. Those seeking a far more in-depth account by the same author should search for QUEEN VICTORIA-BORN TO SUCCEED.



3. I enjoyed reading this book. It gave a good overview of Queen Victoria's life. The information was complete and pertinent.
   
   I also found it to be a very quick read.



4. I was expecting a bigger book, so I was surprised when this whimpy little paperback arrived. It reads more like a textbook, but is full of great information. Highly recommend if you are looking for a fact filled biography.

5 comments about Diana.

1. If you're like me and just want to know Princess Diana's whole story, this is the book you need to read. It tells her life story in such an intertaining way that i just couldn't stop reading it until the very end. Sarah Bradford's work is remarkable. I highly recommend it.



2. I wasn't sure about "Diana" by Sarha Bradford when I picked it. I thought that it would be a Diana hate fest or love fest. But this book was either. I was a balance book about Princess of Wales. Ms. Bradford should that Diana was just everyone else in the world. She had her up and downs with family and friends and all that she was looking for was her place in world, but unlike the rest of us the whole world was watching her do it.
   If you are a fan of the late Princess of Wales this may be the book for you.



3. Bradford sounds like a fan of the Princess. She gives Diana the benefit of the doubt at every juncture. In a way, this makes for a pleasant and poignant read. Diana is portrayed as misunderstood and misused by "the establishment," the press, her family and most of her lovers. The only ones who didn't let her down were us (her public) and Hasnat Khan, the Pakistani surgeon who loved her dearly but couldn't/wouldn't marry her. Diana's more destructive impulses are portrayed as being the flip side of her strength. The thing of it is, though, very little of this information is new and much of it is hard to believe. Diana did bring much of her heartache onto herself. As Tina Brown's superior book exhibits, Diana's real story -- objectively told -- is just as compelling and heartbreaking as this more rose-colored version.



4. I've read many biographies of Diana written by the usual suspects and wasn't going to read this one. It was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad I bought it.
   
   It is a very well written biography by an author who obviously knows her craft. She touches on some events that are well known, but treats them in a different way---crisply and to the point. I'm learning some new things, too.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a good book about a subject that seems will never be over.



5. Ms. Bradford is a celebrity biographer! She certainly did not bring anything memorable to the enigmatical Princess but she dragged it out forever. As Americans, we know little of the British system of royalty or those priveleged to be titled. I'm not certain that dragging every name and title connected with the late Princess brought anything at all interesting to this writing but it certainly filled pages with useless information. The only fact that was of any interest to me was that Diana Spencer's English lineage is absolute while that of Prince Charles is notably flawed! Diana's ideas concerning Prince William's elevation to King in place of Prince Charles has much value to the British people if the sequence of events reveal themselves to be in the best interests of the Monarchy. Diana would have liked William to be 'a very English King' who brings the Monarchy into the 21st century with she taking on the role of Queen Mother and aiding him in this huge endeavor. The Princess wished William and Harry to be a part of comtemporary English life by knowing his people and not reigning from afar in isolation. She wished him to be a democratic King to the people he would rule and to the extent that she was able, already had William and Harry on the road to that end. After reading almost 400 pages of information, this was the only enlightenment I came away with. I much preferred the biogaphy written by Paul Burrell to this one although the comparison is, more or less, one of apples to oranges.