5 comments about Diana in Search of Herself: Portrait of a Troubled Princess.

1. The author had done a substantial amount of research and logically connected the dots together. This book helps me to solve many of the puzzlement I had over Princess Di's behaviors as well as the motivation behind her shocking TV interview and the book by Morton. She obvious had many serious emotional, psychological-mental issues. Mental dysfunction has many levels. Although Princess Di was not a wacky psychiatric case., she was indeed a case in certain degree. She was more unbalanced person than the average people. Prince Charles was just one of the wrong man she had related. Just look at all her love affairs and the lovers she had... as well as the way she "love" them. They all went wrong for her and she had made mistakes with each of them. That's something call a track record.



2. On the positive side I couldn't put this book down. Before I read this book I had never really been interested in Diana, although I was shocked by her death. This book doesn't delve deeply into her death. Instead the detail is about everything that happened to her from 1981 until 1997.
   
   The problem with the book is that it is obvious that despite claims of objectivity, Prince Charles is more sympathetic than Diana. I can't buy Ms Smith's psychiatric diagnosis of Diana that she was a borderline personality. Clearly Diana was troubled. However she may have been in fact been victimized by the royal family during the time she was married, separated from Charles and divorced. Certainly Ms Smith makes an excellent case that Diana showed poor judgment and lived in a fantasy world as well as showing signs of extreme mental disturbance(many details Princess Diana herself was the first to expose).
   
   In any event I would recommend reading this book but judging it with a skeptical eye.



3. This is one of the most boring, tediously written books I have ever read. I am only reading it for lack of another book at the moment. If Diana based her life solely on what ever tattle magazine writes, I would be depressed and bulimic too. I am sure she had other things to worry about besides cheap gossip rags and what they wrote. At least I hope she did. Who cares about all the silly magazines? The book makes it sound like this was her mission, it is tedious and soooo bring.



4. This is perhaps the only serious piece of writing on the late Princess of Wales that I have read. While not presented as a scholarly biography (we'll need to wait years for that), the book does take several steps back from the hysteria and romanticized adulation attending Diana's years on earth and attempts to provide objective analysis rather than breathless, tabloid-style speculation. Diana fans for whom she could do no wrong may be outraged by Bedell Smith's detailed portrait and her conclusions; this is a book only for thoughtful readers who are willing to set aside their preconceptions of the subject.
   
   Although Bedell Smith is by no means the first person to suggest that Diana was suffering from a clinically-defined mental illness, Borderline Personality Disorder (called by some "Emotion Dysregulation Disorder"), her discussion of the subject helps shed some light both on her subject's behavior and the fate of her disastrous marriage. This is interesting material, and the author was brave to include it, given the manner in which Diana continues to be idolized by her admirers.
   
   Reasonably well-written and readable, meticulously-researched and documented. Especially recommended to those who take a jaundiced view of the modern cult of celebrity.



5. While you may not agree with the point of view that Smith takes in this book... it is a well written book. Easy to read and interesting.

2 comments about Terrible Tsarinas: Five Russian Women in Power.

1. Overall an interesting book. Not terribly in-depth but a nice size for an easy read and it is written in a way that makes you want to keep reading. The problem is that it really needs an editor! Whoever translated it from the French to English made lots of errors. Sometimes there are double words; other times words are missing and then there are times when the syntax is a bit strange. Still it was a good book and I recommend it to anyone who would like to know a bit about each of these ladies who ruled Russia during its glory days.



2. At first i wasnt that impressed with the title but i ordered anyway because i wanted to learn about the zars of Russia as much as possible.I am glad to say that this book is fantastic.It is well written and well documented.I love the no non-sense approach of the author when telling the story.The way he describes the characters and the intrigues during that difficult time is excellent.He uses his sources very well and he always explains every necessary detail without fancy or difficult terms.I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in how was Russia under the tsars.

No comments about King Ludwig II: Reality And Mystery.

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!!!

No comments about King Edward VIII: The Official Biography.

5 comments about Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England's Tragic Queen.

1. Ms Dennys unfortunately, through what can only be a very biased view, makes all her seemingly excellent research go to waste. She distorts it all to fit her point of view. I have few doubts she uncovered new evidence to prove that not all was "black and white", but with her determination to make Anne and her father true saints it just does not read true.
   And agreeing with an excellent review I read here, to argue that Catherine of Aragon was a shrew (aactually treacherous!) for not accepting her marriage as not valid and her daughter as bastard, right at the beginning of the book, just makes one want to close the book and go do something more interesting.And somehow I also do not believe the idea that Boleyn also married the king in order to bring forth the new religion sticks, not with all that was known about Henry and his court



2. So many biographies already of this fascinating woman, & I'm always happy to read one more. Perhaps Anne appeals to us as the most modern of Henry's wives, with her wit, intelligence & ability to make a life for herself as best she can. I enjoyed this book, probably because the author presents her views so firmly that it makes you think through all the alternate ways of analysing the information. I agree with her conclusions about Chapuys, the Spanish Ambassador, & I've never been a fan of Thomas Moore. Anne with auburn hair? All the historical descriptions I've seen say she was very dark, with swarthy skin. I thought a very good case was made for Anne truly believing that Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon was invalid, for genuine religious reasons. It is of course genuinely tragic that Catherine was also a deeply religious woman, with a diametrically opposed view. This book also happily confirms my personal opinion of Jane seymour - you only have to look at those mean little eyes in her portrait! Do buy this book - its very readable, whether you agree with all the author's opinions or not. It's a great addition to the shelf for those of us who are Anne fangirls.



3. Joanna Denny provides the 'white legend' of Anne Boleyn. Anne had deep religous scruples, therefore, God used her influence on King Henry to bring England out of the clutch of Rome -- and therefore, Anne could do no wrong and all who opposed her influence opposed God. That seems to be the premise of the book. Katharine of Aragon was a liar and perverter of truth. Thomas More was a persecuting pervert. Henry was a tyrant before he married Anne; but he was coming closer to grace until he was duped by the Seymours and Cromwell into falling for Jane. Anne had to be labelled an adultress to soothe Henry's ego, and a witch because she was a Protestant, and she had to be killed because 1) she was a threat to the Catholic party; 2) she knew that Henry wasn't so virile; 3) Cromwell saw political advantages in mending fences with the Holy Roman Emperor and the supplanter of the Emperor's aunt was a liability.
   Now, Anne did a lot for the 'new religion' by encouraging reformist preachers, promoting their writings to the King and protecting them from Chancellor More at home and the Inquisition abroad. I don't see that she was as radical a Protestant as Denny writes. She sponsored them mainly because they were pro-King and anti-Pope as religious shepherd, and thus supported her over Katharine. That Anne saw her queenship as a divine mission makes some sense to her conduct toward her former mistress and the Princess Mary. But Anne was not 'Saint Anne' with the Sword of the Spirit in her hand. Denny plays down that she bedded the King before she wedded him. She plays down her invective against Katherine and Mary by accusing the one of living a lie about her chastity (and this living in sin) and accusing the other of being disobedient and rebellious because she refused to brand her mother a whore and her faith idolatry. Denny is hostile to all the Catholics in this story. For example, I grant that Thomas More was a zealous persecutor of 'heretics'. He was proud of it. Of all people, I would have expected him to see another person's point of view; but he did not. He was so concerned that these heretics would not corrupt other, more ignorant souls, and damning them to hell that he would not see their sincerity or the good in their different beliefs. I warn Ms Denny she is much like him by despising other views of the faith than that of the radical Protestant. [I'm from the Anabaptist sector of Christianity. Sir Thomas would have burnt me alive, so I have no brief for his brand of Catholicism; but I appreciate his concern.]



4. Anne Boleyn (1501-1536) was the second of the notorious Henry VIII's wives. She was the first of his wives to be beheaded (Katherine Howard was the second and final wife to die in this manner). Anne was the first crowned Queen of England to die by the executioner's sharp blade as a public spectacle, Her often told story is retold by the late Joanna Denny. Denny published this book in 2004.
   Henry VIII became infatuated by the seductive, highly intelligent and multilingual Anne as his marriage to the dour Catherine of Aragon turned sour. Anne refused to give in to the old king's sexual desires until she had a wedding ring on her pert finger. Henry divorced Catherine claiming she had engaged in sexual intercourse with his older brother the late Arthur Prince of Wales. Henry believed this sin was based on the statement in Leviticus that it was evil to wed the spouse of a deceased brother. Henry believed this was God's curse on his inability to sire a male heir to the throne. He did not want Mary his female child by Catherine of Aragon to sit on the throne. Mary was a devoted Roman Catholic as was her mother. Henry did not want England to become a part of the Holy Roman Empire. As a result of Henry's marriage to Anne the English national church was established and the tie with Rome broken. Anne was an evangelical Protestant whose downfall was engineered by Henry's Lord Chancellor the evil Thomas Cromwell. Anne was accused of adultery with her own brother and several other young bucks at court. She died in 1536 but not before giving birth to Elizabeth I who would reign following the deaths of her half sister Mary and half brother Edward VI. Elizabeth would become one of the greatest rulers in British history.
   What are the problems with Denny's biography of Anne?
   a. She is an advocate of Anne who in her eyes can do no wrong. This is a viewpoint contrary to the assessment of many other scholars who saw Anne as a schemer seeking power for herself, her family and her faith.
   b. The Roman Catholics are all portrayed as bad. Denny has bad things to see about Thomas More who was executed when he refused to agree to the wedding of Henry and Anne. She did prove to me that More was a bigot who sought the death of as many heretics to Roman Catholicism as possible.
   c. Her style is dry reminding one of a textbook account.
   The book can be read but the biases of the author need to be noted. I did learn things I didn't know about this well documented tragic tale of love and death and betrayal in Tudor England.



5. After reading "The Other Boleyn Girl," I wanted to learn more on Anne. Somehow I had reached twenty-five years old without knowing much on Tudor history. This book happened to be on sale here on Amazon, and I bought it. After reading many fiction and non-fiction stories of Queen Anne, I still go back to this book.
   
   It explores every aspect of her life, from before her birth to after her death. It includes many pictures. It is a little heavy to read all in one sitting, and I usually just take in a couple chunks at a time.
   
   Many of the other reviewers hated it for opposing the "facts" that have been known about Anne. Denny does a wonderful job of stating how Anne was most likely tarnished after her death, leading to the many negative things still being written on her. The truth is, we will never the all the facts about Anne, or anything in history, as we were not there. Something that happened yesterday could be told from a friend, and you would get their point of view, as it is told from a person.
   
   What Denny does is give other possible explanations of Anne's life. This book is not for those that have an opinion of Anne as a whore who destroyed England and who only wish to remember her that way. If you have an open mind about events we will never know the whole truth about anyways, pick up this book.

1 comments about The African American National Biography: 8-Volume Set.

1. The African American National Biography comes close to its promise - a single, definitive source for biographical information about every significant African American. Each of more than 4,000 entries include citations for further reading and obituaries, where available. Many also include photographs. The entries themselves are well written, and long enough to explore the lives in detail.
   
   There are two significant problems, however.
   
   Many entries have already become dated, and in the process, lack critical biographical information. For instance, the entry on Sam Gilliam fails to mention his 2005 retrospective at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the massive accompanying catalogue. That catalogue is the most detailed look at his life and work. This may be related to the considerable amount of time it has taken for this work to be published.
   
   The binding of this set is glued, not sewn. For a title that retails for $100 a volume, and that will be heavily used in public libraries for the next couple decades, this is simply unacceptable. I'm sure that I'll be sending my library's copy off to the bindery in five or ten years at the most.
   
   If not for the above issues, I'd give this title five stars. I just hope that the second edition, these issues are resolved.

4 comments about Royal Panoply: Brief Lives of the English Monarchs.

1. As a lay person, I found this book a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the British Monarchy. Most of my exposure to them has been through plays or movies, touching on a short vignette or period of time. Having recently seen "Henry V," I was interested in reading what happened to him after Agincourt. And "The Lion in the Winter" was a majestic play that left me wondering which of Elinor's sons would become king. This book is easy reading and a delicious look at the royalty.



2. "Royal Panoply" is an indispensible book for anyone wanting a good, well-written overview of the British monarchy. From William the Conquerer to Elizabeth II, author Carolly Erickson covers the good, the bad and the plain incompetent. It is all of English Royal history in one volume.
   
   Carolly Erickson began her career writing about the Tudors and the Stuarts, so it is not surprising that she is at her best when writing about those reigns. Her brief analysis of those characters who limned the golden age of the English renaissance are the best in the book. She is on less sure, and more gossipy, ground in the chapters on the more modern kings and queens of Great Britain.
   
   Erickson's later writing has suffered in comparison with her first efforts at historical biography, especially "The First Elizabeth" and "Great Harry." She has even condescended to write historical fiction, a "hidden" journal of Marie Antoinette.
   
   With this valuable volume in hand, the eager student of English history will find fascinating facts and tidbits on all of England's Majesties.



3. Dr. Carolly Erickson is a prolific author of historical fictin as well as excellent nonfiction works. Her area of expertise is in medieval and Renaissance literature. Nevertheless, she does a good job of survey all the English kings and queens from William the Conqeror in 1066 to the reign of Elizabeth II.
   Along the way the reader will read of countless murders, cabals, plagues, wars, adulteries and dynastic battles for power.
   There is nothing new here for the serious British historian;
   the book is written for a popular audience in need of getting
   the basics of British history in their heads. The book would be
   an excellent resource for courses in English history and literature. It is well illustrated and is a worthy addition to the library. It can be read from cover to cover or a particular
   monarch can be studied to coincide with the reader's interest.
   No matter how many biographies and history of England I have read this book is valuable because it:
   a. Refreshed my memory on key events that have become murky.
   b. Reminded me of how the fight for constitutional liberty in
   a democratic nation was a hard, bitter and complex struggle.
   Well done and worthy of your time and money!



4. Starting with William the Conqueror and finishing with Elizabeth II and including every English monarch in between, Carolyn Erickson provides an intriguing overview of the royals and their spouses in a chronological fascinating sweep. Each ruler receives somewhere in the range of seven to twelve pages regardless of historical importance or length on the throne. By going chronological, the reference is easy to read and follow, but repetition also occurs as death marks the end of an era (chapter) and the beginning of the next reign (next chapter). The epigraph that starts each royal provides an interesting perspective on that personage and is especially fascinating with the more famous as the audience sees a somewhat differing view than the textbooks or romance novels. Still the lack of analysis of overarching trends takes somewhat away from a fine look that will elate those who prefer their look at the English monarchy based on facts not tabloids.
   
   Harriet Klausner

5 comments about William's Princess: The Love Story that will Change the Royal Family Forever.

1. Prince William and Kate Middleton had dated for many years and actually lived together for a while also, but considering the track record of the royal men up till now I think that the author should have waited to see if this relationship would lead to marriage (which it oviously did not) before writing a book with this title.



2. I didn't think it was necessary to write this book until - and if - William and Kate are married. I enjoy reading about Diana, William and Harry, but it just wasn't as interesting as I expected.



3. WILLIAM'S PRINCESS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ROMANCE THAT WILL CHANGE THE MONARCHY is a pick for any who love the British Royal Family and want to know the latest. Such an audience may already be aware of Prince William's love life; but WILLIAM'S PRINCESS delves deeper into the romance and what it will mean for the monarchy overall, and is a satisfying exclusive account of how it happened. Public libraries will find it a popular leisure lend.



4. As an American living in London, I am treated to Robert Jobson's Royal coverage in the Evening Standard. Now, after reading his book, I am really looking forward to his articles covering the surely soon to be royal marriage of William and Kate. I hope before long he will share with us his speculations on her engagement ring. Will it be an heirloom or a new design? The intrigue of a Royal Wedding!



5. At the time of writing this book, the author was taking a punt on an impending marriage between the subjects, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Seasoned royal watchers would know that a book of this kind is unusual in that there has been no engagement announcement. Regardless, the title is a misnomer since only around 10% of the books 250 odd pages relate to the relationship! The rest is a rehash of old ground. The author tops and tails each chapter with a Kate and William sum-up and then proceeds to write about Charles and Camilla or Charles and Diana. There are a few snippets in the book about the W & K relationship, but not enough to sustain a whole book. Only for the real British royal fanatics. Wait until there is a marriage before writing another book, Mr Jobson and then you may have some material to work with.

5 comments about Richard I (The English Monarchs Series).

1. Gillingham does it again. John Gillingham, again,provides us with another superb account of a remarkable ruler of England.



2. I was sceptical getting started on this biography. Certainly, the early parts were fact-laden, slightly uninteresting and slow going.
   
   I am very glad I did not give up.
   
   This is one of the few strictly historical books that restores one's faith in objective research and non-agenda, non-ego driven truth finding.
   
   One might wish for a bit more of a picture of Richard's persona, but from the remove of nearly a millenium, this would be fudging anyway. The facts that there are are clearly and neatly laid out regarding all of Richard's attributes, and some of the modern fadist mythologies (so many of which have their underpinnings in a given academic's desire or need for attention) are dealt with fairly and thoroughly.
   
   Example: Richard was not a homosexual, as "The Lion in Winter" would have a viewer believe. The evidence against it is clear and plenary. It isn't that one doesn't wish him to be, it's just that this notion has its roots in a modern attempt to overlay ancient male and political bonding customs with a template of modern behaviours and modern conclusions which would stem from modern interpretations of those behaviors.
   
   All in all, Richard emerges from the historical record as a great warrior King, who was grossly treated following his exertions during the Crusades, and was forced to try to reclaim the lands that Phillip of France stole while Richard was away. He was therefore forced to stay away from Britain, because the Angevin and Acquitainian and Norman parts of his empire were on the continent. He did not stay away from Britain by choice or by neglect (another myth debunked), but because he was forced to by the duties of his Kingship. Also, Britain WAS part of continental Europe as well in those days. (Or vice versa, if you happen to be English.)



3. A great introduction to those curious about this legendary monarch. Gillingham pulls off a bit of a hat trick here. While he does have strong opinions of surrounding figures, particularly Philip and John, he lets the facts speak for themselves about Richard and does not argue one particular point of view. With one exception, his sexuality. This also one of the few times where I found the primary historians, both Arab and Norman, becoming "characters" and their presence is missed when they die or no longer are around the King. The very difficult task of giving all of the counts of Normandy, the Vexin, and the Aquitaine distinctiveness is handled incredibly well. In the hands of a less skilled author this would have been very dry reading and frustratingly convoluted. Also, bit of a heads up to the future reader: This is Gillingham's second book on Richard the Lionheart and he has written numerous articles and essays on the monarch. He has no problem using himself as a reference and he flat out lifts an entire chapter from his previous work and places it in this one. I found this shrewdly entertaining. It does benefit this volume and since the older version is no longer in print, no harm done. After reading this you come away better informed, entertained and with a desire to pick up another book on this era and this king. I can't think of much better praise than that. An essential work for a medieval library.



4. This is the most balanced royal biography I've read to date. Gillingham begins by tracing Richard's reputation through the ages, beginning at it's peak in the 12th and 13th centuries, when he was considered one of the great leaders of his time to it's nadir in the 1950's when academics began to consider him a "Bad son and a bad king..." who spent far more time on the continent than he ever did in England, leaving it in terrible financial straits when he went off to fight in the crusades, and began to conjecture about his sexual preference. Gillingham explores and discounts these and other myths about Richard and his reign simply by letting the historical record speak for itself and allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions, rather than stating his own opinions as facts and then selectively using the historical record to back them up. He also isn't afraid to admit that he can't be sure of something when the historical evidence is either too thin or simply obscured by the mists of time, which is refreshing. The author is among the first to rely heavily on contemporary Muslim sources in constructing his portrait of Richard, because he believes they are less biased in their evaluation of Richard's character than a European chronicler might be. These sources are, for the most part, complimentary, and add great perspective and depth to the reader's understanding of Richard as a warrior. Gillingham strikes the perfect balance between academic research and popular history, making the book very readable. Whether you're interested in Richard himself, or merely seeking an introduction into reading further about his fascinating family dynamics, or the crusades, this is the book to read!



5. Richard the Lionheart's life and personality may be the stuff of legend, but they are hidden by the mists of time -- or rather the paucity of relevant documents. Gillingham does a brilliant job of breathing as much life as possible into rather arid fragments without stepping beyond what is warranted by the evidence. For his understanding of the king, he draws as much on contempory Arab sources as European ones, arguing convincingly that the Arab writers may have had fewer axes to grind in talking of Richard. Gillingham goes so far as to place his evaluation of Richard's character at the point where the evidence ends -- following his captivity in Germany -- rather than at the end of the book. Instead the book ends with a well reasoned argument that it was John (and John alone) who lost Normandy whereas Richard was winning the war against Philip Agustus of France. Gillingham also points out that, had Richard lived to complete that struggle, the empire of Henry II might still have disappeared with his death.

   Inevitably, some of the work is frustratingly dry -- especially for the process of Richard's development into a strong ruler and military genius against the background of one of history's most disfunctional families. But that dryness arises from the lack of evidence, not from immersion in trivia at the expense of substance.

   The book itself is a delight, with strong narrative supported by a myriad of footnotes which are where they should be -- at the bottom of the pages. All in all, a good story well told with insightful analysis based on the record.