No comments about George IV: The Rebel Who Would Be King.

5 comments about The Romanovs & Mr Gibbes: The Story of the Englishman Who Taught the Children of the Last Tsar.

1. Was greatly anticipating this read...here it is, an up-close look at someone who spent significant time with the Imperial Family. Finally, an opportunity to get a real glimpse of Olga, Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia...who else could provide such personal commentary but the one person who spent years tutoring the family?? The promise was there (at least in the title), but the pages never delivered. VERY little at all was mentioned about the daughters, and what little anecdotes offered dealt primarily with Alexei. The most interesting part of the book was his brief description of his confrontation of Anna Anderson, the Anastasia imposter. If you're looking for a biography of the man who tutored the Romanov children...by all means buy this book. If you're looking for personal insight into the Imperial family, don't bother.



2. A very interesting pocket book. A great perspective of the times. For a history buff, a good eye witness biographical account. However, considering the near epic situation of those times and places, the book seems sparse. A noticeable ommission are (the other?) Gibbes' photographs not published in this book. I've seen photographs published elsewhere that were attributed to be taking by Gibbs. A proper mix of these photos and the book would have added much. But still, this book is very much worth reading. For you history buffs, and a complementary account, check out Gilliard's writtings.



3. This book doesn't shed any new light on the Romanovs, but it does give new insight into a man who knew them very well. It is a short book, but very informative.



4. Sydney Gibbes would have been unknown to all except his own family had he not taken the momentous step of going to Russia in the early 1900s. There he sought out work as tutor to the children of various noble families, with indifferent results and gaining a reputation for behavior, which while not all that unusual for the times, definitely raised a few eyebrows (especially his insistence on whipping his students). He strode into history in 1908 when Empress Alexandra Fedorovna needed a tutor to correct her daughters' accents and hired him sight unseen. Gibbes remained with the family for the next ten years through war and revolution, teaching the four Grand Duchesses and then the hemophiliac Tsarevich.
   
   Gibbes doesn't strike the reader as particularly admirable at first. He was definitely a social-climber and not particularly talented as a teacher. His private life was mysterious, involving some mild flirtations with an Englishwoman and some dreams (carefully recorded for posterity by Gibbes himself) which seem classically Freudian.
   
   Gibbes came into his own, and we find reason to respect and like him, with the Russian Revolution of March 1917. As an Englishman he could have easily left Russia and gone home to safety. Instead he chose to remain with the Imperial Family, sharing their captivity in their palace outside Petrograd and then in Tobolsk. He underwent considerable hardship and personal danger, but he was selflessly devoted to the family. Even after he was told to leave by the Bolsheviks who were holding the family in their final prison in Ekaterinburg he remained in the city, walking past the House of Special Purpose and trying to get in for visits. After the family's murder, he assisted the investigators trying to determine what had happened.
   
   After leaving Russia Gibbes lived in China before returning to England. He became an Orthodox priest, adopted a Russian orphan boy, and spent most of the rest of his life in Oxford, maintaining a museum of keepsakes of the family he had served for so long. He was not particularly effective as a priest, but he was sadly missed and fondly remembered after his death, which is a pretty good epitaph for anyone.
   
   This biography makes use primarily of Gibbes'own notes and diary, so that the reader must look elsewhere for historical insight into his life, but nevertheless it does a nice job telling the story of a quiet, somewhat limited man who was a good servant and friend.



5. I enjoyed this book tremendously! It is a real page turner! It follows the incredible life and circumstances of M r. Gibbes, tutor to the last Russian imperial family until his death. Very precise,well researched,with many new facts and information. It is also beautifully written. Will please all the devotees of the Romanov family,as well as all those who enjoy a great story!

2 comments about Cleopatra (Life & Times).

1. This book was informative, entertaining and well written. For someone who wants to explore little known details about ancient Egyptian life, or wants a thorough description of Cleopatra's life and times, this book was great. I purchased it for my daughter, but it piqued my interest as well.



2. I highly recommend Cleopatra The Last Pharaoh by Prudence Jones. If you're looking for a balance interpretation of Cleopatra's life based on the ancient sources and the author's insight into the propaganda that was influential in that day this book is for you. This is not the story of a sexual alluring one dimensional Cleopatra. This Queen is multidimensional and smart. Another plus for the book is the choice of illustrations making this volume particularly attractive. It is an excellent read.

5 comments about The Sun King.

1. This book is an absolutely amazing piece of work. I was introduced to it while looking for audiobooks on ITunes. The audiobook was so enjoyable that I felt compelled to purchase the actual book to read along with it.
   
   Mitford makes each of the historical figures come alive, and makes an opulent and enclosed society accessible to readers of any age. The work is gossipy enough to be interesting, but not to such a degree as to detract from the historical accuracy. I would recommend "The Sun King" to anyone who wishes to learn more about the age of France's greatest king and the people that surrounded him.
   
   The only drawback is that for one to fully appreciate the book, they should have a very basic knowledge of French and European history (at least as far as names and dates are concerned). Having long been interested in history, I did not find this a problem, but I can see how one who was not familiar may find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Otherwise, this book is about as close to perfection as I've seen.



2. Ok, I will freely admit that this may not be considered by some to be a scholarly historical assessment. I have been interested in the reign of Louis XIV since childhood when my mother purchased for me a coffee table book of photographs of Versailles. I wondered what could possibly have taken place at such a monstrous and wonderful palace. Since then I have read at least a dozen books on the period which tend to focus on the development and impact of absolutism in 17th century Europe. But this little book is a gem because of its author. Nancy Mitford was the daughter of an English Baron and spent her life as both an academic and a socialite. Her telling of the lives that swirled around Versailles palace is authenticated by the impression one gets that she would have been completely at ease in that setting. This book was written in 1966, just 7 years before her death. Her style sounds more like gossip than history, but is generally regarded as very well-researched. I warn you that if you read this book or one of her other historical biographies, you are in danger of becoming hooked on Mitford and will probably seek out some of her other well-loved books. This was a very enjoyable book and I find myself going back to certain chapters from time to time. One of the most memorable portions is the end where she describes a ghoulish sacrilege; the looting and desecration of the tombs during the revolution. As any good book will, it fascinated me and left me wanting to know more.



3. Nancy Mitford is best known as an author of witty, elegant novels like The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. In the 1950s and 1960s she also produced a number of historical works, of which The Sun King is one of the best.
   
   The Sun King is a personal biography of Louis XIV. It does not deal in great detail with the political, military, or economic issues of Louis XIV's reign but primarily focuses on his personal life and that of his family. Louis married his double first cousin Marie Therese of Spain (she being his genetic sister for all intents and purposes, the reader is amazed that his family turned out as strong and healthy as they did). He also had three major mistresses and a string of casual acquaintanceships which produced a number of illegitimate children. His numerous relations also produced a quantity of children and had many extramarital relationships.
   
   A major part of the book deals with the construction of Versailles. Indeed the book seems almost to be a biography of the chateau. The profuse illustrations, including many photographs of the chateau and its grounds, add immeasurably to the pleasure of reading this work.
   
   But the most compelling reason for reading The Sun King is to enjoy Mitford's elegant, witty, prose style, which is as much in evidence here as in her novels.



4. Here's "Lifestyles of the Obscenely Wealthy and Powerful"! I admit I'd never read much about this period of history (I'm fond of joking that my in-depth knowledge of politics and history more or less ends with Elizabeth I's death), but the bit I read at the bookstore made this book irresistible. I passed up an Alison Weir for this, but I don't regret the choice at all. It is both charming and knowledgable, with a witty, personable, almost gossipy tone.

   There's a lot of information here, packaged with lots of pictures and glossy pages. It is a lovely book to look at purely on an aesthetic level. But do take the time to actually read it! Though sparse in areas, it is a rich look at the life of Louis, and at the lifestyle of a courtier of his day. The creation of Versailles is gone into in much detail, as are sexual politics and wartime attitudes. Mostly this focuses on Louis' personal life and that of his court and how Versailles came about, so there isn't much here about actual wars or about international politics. But what there is is just stupendous. I'd call this a must-have for a beginner in French history. I'm very glad I got it.




5. Nancy Mitford came to me by way of this book and, ignorant of the incredible talents that lie with her, her sisters and the aristocratic family into which she was born. Since then, I have devoured Nancy's fiction, her personal history and I have much more to learn. However, it is her talents as a biographer and historian, perhaps best exemplified with this book, that I believe she achieves the realization of her greatest gift; that is to send life into the dead hand of history. In "The Sun King" history comes alive as I have truly never experienced. Here is a book that takes heretofore one dimensional characters and fills their frames with humanity, giving them dimemsionality, life. She uncovers the perspective that sheds light on each characters good and bad side, turning Louis XIV, Monsieur, The King's wives, his children, in fact the whole of the court at Versailles into a vision in one's head that makes it easy to understand why the Ancien Regime in France can still provide relevance to a contemporary world that approximates it so little. Relevance and topic interest, to be sure, is the most amazing feat for a historian to achieve. Nancy Mitford with "The Sun King" stands among rarified company in such an achievement.

1 comments about Charlemagne's Courtier: The Complete Einhard (Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures , Vol 3).

1. This wonderful volume provides a holistic collection of Einhard's writing with a detailed and indepth introduction. Dutton provides a solid historical background for Einhard and the society he lived in. Einhard's works offer a wonderful view of life in the middle ages. His biography of Charlemagne is stylized, yet demonstrates the concerns of state, the expectation of an emperor's subjects, and the role of the courtier in Carolingian Gaul. Einhard second major work, a treatise on the holy martyrs, brings the faith and practice of medieval Christianity to life. All of the works are tied together by Einhard's touching letters. These letters bring the man's character to life. They demonstrate not only the responsibilities of a courtier, land owner, and abbot, but also his love for his family, his faith and the religious crisis he experienced when the two clashed. Every student of medieval history will benifit from reading this book.

5 comments about Prince Henry the Navigator.

1. Prince Henry 'the Navigator' provides the reader an intricately detailed account of the life of this crusader, geographical visionary, and aggressive entrepreneur. Seeking an end around the Saharan caravan trade, Henry pushed maritime exploration down Africa's Atlantic coast into a region shrouded in myth and mystery. Ostensibly claiming a crusader's fervor for the conversion of the barbarous, Henry initiated the Afro-Atlantic slave trade, charted Africa's western shoreline, commercially developed the Azores, battled desperately for control of the Canaries, and, as time and events allowed, launched invasions of Morocco with varying degrees of success.

   Henry thrust medieval Europe into the Atlantic providing the impetus for empires to come. Like any mortal, he was imprisoned by the consciousness of his times, yet unfettered in his drive to explore the unknown. Both flawed and famous, P.E. Russell's Prince Henry is placed firmly within the chronological context. He can be detested for his commerce in flesh, his cynical exploitation of faith, and his innate impulse to conquer, but he would then be measured not by the standards of his day, but of our own. In settling this score, Russell admirably adheres to objectivity.

   Despite spotty source material, P.E. Russell has presented a comprehensive, entirely readable account of Henry the Navigator. This is a solid and satisfying book which easily merits a rating of 4 stars.




2. Mr. Russell's book is superb in many ways: the prose is very elegant, even to a French speaking reader, the author's erudition is impressive and any amateur historian will find here a fascinating introduction to a side of European history which he or she is most unlikely to have been familiar with prior to acquiring Mr. Russell's book. That "the navigator" hardly ever set foot on a ship of any kind, I must confess I didn't know! His cupidity, pettiness in certain ways and magnanimity in other are very intriguing. The context is beautifully described. In other words, here is a splendid book by a very gifted historian. One word of caution, though: this is not an easy read! Don't take Mr. Russell's book to the beach after a stressful few months at the office. It takes a relaxed and attentive mind to really enjoy the book. I read it whilst in a yoga camp on a carrot juice fast. Both were perfect!



3. In 1385, when Henry the Navigator was born, Europe was a Eurasian backwater--fragmented and poor, inferior to China in marine technology, and far behind the Islamic world in geographic scope and cultural achievement. Two centuries afterward, Europeans dominated the world. Henry was one of the individuals at the root of this turnaround.

   As Peter Russell's biography is at pains to point out, Henry himself had no such grandiose vision. As a younger son of King John I of Portugal, he helped lead an attack on the Moroccan port of Ceuta in 1415, and was given responsibility for governing and supplying the enclave afterward. In the course of this work he seems to have devloped an appreciation for the special capabilities of Portuguese sailing caravels, and to have seen how they might be used to promote Portuguese expansion overseas.

   Beginning in the 1420's, Henry sent out a series of state sponsored voyages of exploration and commerce. As Russell relates, his motives were not always clear and were sometimes contradictory. At various times his captains sought uninhabited land to colonize, pagans to convert and enslave, allies to fight against Islamic North Africa, and new markets in which to trade. At times Henry seemed to relish fighting for its own sake, since the medieval culture in which he had been steeped required worthy enemies against whom to perform chivalric deeds of valor.

   In the 1430's Henry's captains began charting the coast of Africa south of Morocco, which had previously been unknown to Europeans. By his death in 1460 they had reached as far as Sierra Leone and had established profitable trading relationships with many of the kingdoms of West Africa--with slaves, sadly, as one of the principal commodities. After Henry's death the project continued until Portuguese ships had rounded Africa and reached India and the Far East. Henry took time off from these endeavors to sponsor further (unsuccessful) attacks against Morocco and to intrigue against his fellow Christians in Castile and Aragon.

   Russell, however, emphasizes Henry's medieval mindset so much that he almost misses what was unique about Henry's life and work. No other ruler of his time thought to direct state resources to maritime expansion. No other prince required his captains to keep such careful charts and records so that discovery might be cumulative. No one else, a century before Columbus, saw the potential for improved sailing ships to revolutionize commerce and warfare.

   Nevertheless, for all its flaws, this is a ground-breaking and carefully researched biography, marked by judicious evaluation of source material. One only wishes that Russell had not been so anxious to debunk his subject as to make him seem like just another medieval grandee, rather than the remarkable innovator which he was.




4. A fascinating book for history buffs and professionals, although maybe hard going for the general reader. It's wrong to criticize an author for not writing a different book, and this is a biography rather than a history of maritime technology but I felt shortchanged in the scientific history department. Why were the Portuguese able to make these voyages at this particular time? He mentions the caravels as better able to sail close to the wind than were purely square-rigged ships but does not say when and where they were developed or what the evidence is that this was a major development. Did anyone in Portugal possess any kind of sextant? Did the King really have "a court astrologer" ? Did Henry have access to the Majorcan maps? I'd like to have known more about these, and how they were circulated.
   Sir Peter's main message is debunking. He wants to show that Henry was a narrow-minded incompetent, literally Quixotic, medieval bigot and not a scientifically curious Renaissance man. He holds no punches about his involvement in the slave trade.
   Without endorsing post-mortem psychanalysis it seems strange that the author so resolutely withholds comment on Henry's celibacy and relationship with his adopted heir, while freely speculating about his motives in other areas.
   I was puzzled about the fate of Henry's brother Don Pedro. Regent of Portugal. The table at the front shows that he was killed in 1449, and on page 357 of my paperback edition we are told that Henry contributed to his death, but no details are given. Did I miss something?



5. Don Henrique, younger son of Portugese royalty, represents the cusp between the medieval and the Renaissance; the 14th and 15th centuries. As Russell's life of Henry shows us, he was a passionate crusader whose stupefyingly backward prejudices fueled a succession of costly wars against the Arab world (and won only one prize: the Moroccan port of Ceutes, still technically part of Europe). He founded his own religious order and lived a wholly ascetic life. Yet he was also an extremely risk-happy entrepreneur, funding exploration to the Azores, Madiera and the African coast as far as Guinea. Henry is not to be glorified, and in fact Russell's portrait is quite damning; he was a stubborn, greedy, violent man responsible for killing and enslaving countles Africans. But he was a force of history, and can be argued to have pioneered Spanish and Portugese expansion, even if, as Russell shows us, he may not have been fully conscious of this.

1 comments about Magic Moments: The Greatest Royal Pictures of All Time.

1. The subtitle says "The Greatest Royal Photographs of All Time" which is difficult to imagine since they were all taken by the author, a photographer for The Sun. There are some good photos here; I wouldn't classify any of them as `great.' The choices are limited to the last 30 years which eliminates the exquisite photos of Cecil Beaton, for example. Of redeeming grace are the cutlines (photo IDs) that share private and off-camera moments between the Royals and Edwards. Separate sections on both Diana and Camilla in addition to Charles, Philip, the Yorks, surround a justifiable emphasis on the Queen.

5 comments about Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark.

1. This book is a decent entry into that genre of entertainment called "READ GOGGLE-EYED HOW ONE GIRL IN A MILLION GOT LUCKY!" It's decently written, wholly positive, not to say nearly hagiographic, and has nice photos. The outlines of the story of how the erstwhile Australian real estate/marketing executive met the Crown Prince of Denmark in a Sydney bar during the 2000 Olympics, and actually made it to the altar with him and is on her way to becoming Queen Consort of Denmark, IS remarkable. Unfortunately, it's the ONLY remarkable aspect of the book, because the two people involved couldn't be less interesting or more ordinary. The only thing extraordinary about Prince Frederik is the circumstance of his birth, and the only thing extraordinary about Mary Donaldson is the circumstance of her marriage, a mind-bogglingly successful grab at the matrimonial brass ring as ever was.
   
   Unlike the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Mary Donaldson (as well as the handful of other commoners who wed European Crown Princes in the last few years) had some maturity and world experience before catching HER prince, and thus seems to have been able to make the most of her tremendous opportunity without paying for it later with misery and disappointment.
   
   Catty as that sounds, they look like a well-matched couple and Miss Mary, who seems to have quite a bit of backbone, has gone on to adapt to a new country, new religion, new language, new public role, while giving the Danes the next generation's male heir AND the first little princess born to the Danish royal family since 1946, all within the first two years of marriage. Except for a few bumps, most notably some difficulty mastering Danish (she has continued to improve here, and it IS a notoriously difficult language to learn as an adult), she has adapted well and is reasonably popular among the Danes.
   
   The book does give lots of detail about how the couple kept the relationship going while separated by continents between summer 2000 and October 2003, when Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe, finally gave her consent to the marriage. If you enjoy those sorts of details, and those describing Mary's adjustment leading up to the couple's sumptuous and, I must admit, quite gorgeous wedding in May 2004, you'll enjoy this.
   
   This book is already outdated. As Frederik and Mary approach their fourth wedding anniversary, they already have two children, foreign tours under their belts, and Mary's hairdos and wardrobe have undergone some noticeable shifts. However, I'm sure other books will follow to catch everyone up on the doings of one of Europe's latest Golden Couples. Meanwhile, tuck this into your purse as you ride the bus, or into your tote as you head for the beach - that's about its level of insight.



2. informative first info of Princess Mary and her courtship and marriage to the Crown Prince of Denmark...



3. I have to agree with the one-star reviewer, in one aspect of her review: this is definitely a somewhat shallow, lets-generate-good-PR, type of biography. There's no real story here. The facts of Mary's life are presently blandly, but then, maybe there's nothing really exciting about her either. Mary seems like a nice enough person from a nice family. Frederik also seems like a nice person from a nice family. But there's no in-depth analysis of their characters, or their very different backgrounds. (You have to wonder, what did Queen Margarethe really think about her son's choice of an Australian commoner? But you won't get that kind of question in a "loyal" bio such as this one.)
   
   The book is already a little out of date, since Mary and Frederik have had two children as the date of this review, and this biography only covers up to their marriage. I don't dislike this book -- it's informative about the basic facts of Mary's life, and has several nice photographs -- but yes, it is disappointing if you want an in-depth, thoughtful biography of this person.



4. Unfortunately this turned out to be merely a public relations book for Mary Donaldson of Tasmania, Australia...who became the Crown Princess of Denmark. Falsehoods, exaggerations, and omissions about Mary's history (dating relationships, friends, live-in lovers, unstable job history, her hanging out with Crown Prince Frederik in the Slip Inn "pick-up" bar in Sydney) made it shallow reading. It reads like a public relations campaign, with a false "edge" given to the reader to try to make it appear that the real Mary is in the book. However, the real Mary Donaldson is missing. It may well be that Danish journalist cannot research and write objectively about the royalty they support with their taxes. Pehaps in such a small country it is not "wise" to write truthfully about the royal family if you want to get ahead and/or keep your job. But it was certainly a pretty book and pleasant coffee-table reading. Perhaps that is the real purpose?



5. This is one of the best royal biographies of the year! The authors stick to the facts and do not reley on untrue rumors; at the same time they fully describe the personalty of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

5 comments about In the Royal Manner : Expert Advice on Etiquette and Entertaining from the Former Butler to Diana, Princess of Wales.

1. I'm sure the Royal Family would not apporve of Paul Burrell's "cashing in" on his relationship with Princess Diana. Having said that, people in the USA love this kind of thing. We can hold our noses in the air if we read this book, we feel priviliged. We are special. Burrell, however, may be a nicer version of Martha Stewart. She wins the prize for cold psycho-perfection. Paul Burrell, like Martha, has now gone on to merchandize furniture, wine, rugs, and just about anything else in this world. I am waiting for him to open a "royal theme park" in Florida. I must add a post-script to this review as I just recently purchased a copy of this book from E-bay that was signed by Paul Burrell. I too am now guilty of joining the curiosity seekers who want to have an inside look at the so-called "royal life". So hit me with a large blancmange and call me snobby.



2. If you recognize the name, then you know this was the butler who almost went to jail for supposedly stealing personal items belonging to the late Diana. He was saved by a timely intervention from the Queen, who suddenly recalled being told that he was intended to have the stash. Speculation on why she waited until he was on trial abounds; especially since he immediately walked off the stand and over to the tabloids and sold his story there.
   
   But if you can overlook that blatant act - it's simply Not Done to expose your employer, even if she is dead - this book is a pleasent and colorful glimpse into serving royalty. But it is just a glimpse - nothing very substantial, nothing complete. The pictures of food served at a few different social occasions are delicious by themselves, but any coffee table cookbook will offer more of the same with more recipies as well. This one might be a good second hand purchase, if you like this sort of thing.



3. Move over, Miss Manners and Emily Post! Mr. Burrell's devotion to his princess and her reliance on him are well known, which only adds to his credibility as a new author of etiquette and entertaining! Mr. Burrell tells we commoners how to set a table with style and entertain our guests with elegance and ease. He also includes tasty recipes, some of which were favored by the late Princess of Wales. Highly recommend to any hostess or anyone wanting to learn more about real etiquette.



4. I have to say that at the beginning I didn't want to get the book but now I think that is one of the best books about etiquette I've ever bought, and I have lots of them.
   The recipes are incredible and very easy to prepare.
   The elegance and the exquisite taste is really unique, and the flower's centrepieces awesome, is something that anybody can do without a professional training.
   I think is a MUST TO HAVE BOOK.



5. This lovely little book discusses the many aspects of elegant entertaining -- from perfect table setting, to eye-catching flower arrangements. Burrell's passages on entertaining and party planning are peppered with touching stories about his employment as former butler to Diana, Princess of Wales.

   Burrell demonstrates his knowledge and class on each beautifully photographed page. No wonder he was held in such high regard by the royals!

   A Few Notes:
   - I would not call this an "Etiquette" book, as it deals much more with proper table setting and party planning. As such, I think it would be better labeled as an "Entertaining" book.

   - The range of party/theme ideas is impressive. Some of Burrell's examples include a sit-down dinner, afternoon tea, and childrens' party.

   - For those interested in the life of Princess Diana, this gives you a tasteful and telling behind-the-scenes look. Frankly, some of Burrell's Diana anecdotes were some of the best parts of the book...

   Enjoy!

3 comments about Las Hijas de Sultana (Biblioteca).

1. Just love the Sultana trilogy, compelling,shocking,funny..its a must. I cant wait to read more of Jean Sassons books.



2. This book blew me away its the last of 3 books and I can tell you that I personally cried very much but I also learned the value of freedom and choice. Sultana should write more about her life.



3. Sultana, una mujer decidida, nos enseña con este relato la cruda realidad de lo que vive este pueblo Saudi. Aqui no hay nada escondido, la narradora de este relato quiso que conocieramos detalle a detalle lo que viven estas mujeres, y que a veces el dinero no compra la felicidad ya que si de dinero se trata esta familia lo tiene casi todo. Es un libro facil de entender, no tiene palabras complejas y aquellas tipicamente arabes , el libro nos trae un pequeño traductos para no quitarle la esencia, despue que lo terminen, yo lo hice en dos dias tiene que leer LAS HIJAS DE SULTANA. Que lo disfruten!!!