1 comments about North Carolina Women: Making History.

1. This is a mcuh needed area of focus. Information of the contribution of women is difficult to find in history. Hopefully this book will provide ideas in future research at national or local levels.

No comments about The Magnificent Monarch: Charles II and the Ceremonies of Power.

2 comments about Moura: The Dangerous Life of the Baroness Budberg.

1. Based on the book's description as "...a complex and compelling tale of political upheaval, espionage, sexual passion, and all the suffering wrought by war, poverty, oppression, and exile... told brilliantly with empathy and panache.", you might think this would be a fascinating read. But this book wasn't quite the read I thought it would be.
   
   Berberova really needed a strong editor to help her tighten her writing. There were too many people mentioned and the story tended to take so many tangents into other people's lives, making it difficult to get a strong sense of who Moura was.
   
   But you can get a sense of who Moura wasn't. She wasn't a great mom (but to her defense, that was probably the case of a lot of women in her situation), wasn't a great friend, and not too devoted to anyone except herself.
   
   The repeated name dropping made the book frustrating as well. Whether they were in her life for a week or a decade, it seems that Berberova mentions everyone Moura ever met. The index in the back of the book was necessary just to help distinguish the characters as there is little way to keep them all straight.



2. You've got to take this one in the right spirit. Berberova isn't a terribly good writer--discursive, disorganized, fatally susceptible to digression from almost any direction. Morever she doesn't seem particularly to like her subject--a failing perhaps more common among biographers than you might at first guess.
   
   So, as biography, not a delight. But as conversation--my, this is wonderful. Stick with it a few pages and let yourself hear the voice: you get the sense that you are in her kitchen, beside the samover, while she rattles on conjuring up ghosts, settling old scores, and generally jabbing the ribs of a whole generation of Russian emigres and their friends.
   
   The "Index of Names" at the end gives you some hint of what you are up against: some 60 pages, perhaps 600 names of all the people who wandered in and out of Moura's life, or cast a shadow over it. Who /did/ this index, anyway? It is a quirky marvel, not quite comprehensive but close enough that you want to keep it around for consultation in reading any number of other emigre works.
   
   Oddly--okay, not so oddly--the dominant figures in this tumultuous cast are not the author herself but two of the men in her life: Maxim Gorky and H. G. Wells. And what a pair of gasbags they turn out to be: writers of moderate talent and immoderate self-enchantment, too blinded by the mirror to understand anything about the dreadful world they lived in. Wells once tried to lecture Stalin on the state of the world; Stalin wasn't interested. Gorki actually moved back from exile into Russia, convinced he could make a difference; he died (or was murdered) somewhat the wiser.
   
   The Russians do seem to have a knack for memoir: think Herzen, think Nadezhda Mandelstam, think Trotsky's autobiography. In fairness, Berberova's memoir of Moura isn't a patch on any of these three, not in insight or imagination or literary skill. But it's its own self, and judged on its own terms, it makes a compulsive read.

1 comments about Diana, Princess of Wales: How Sexual Politics Shook the Monarchy (Diana Princess of Wales).

1. I'm not quite sure why I decided to purchase this book; ...I thought this would provide a different look at an exhaustively covered subject.

   First, I would not recommend this book to a "casual fan" of Diana. There is some deep reading here, it's not a book that can be skimmed and understood. You have to *read* it. ...

   Ms. Campbell seems to pull much of her book from other sources, with extensive quoting being quite a bit of what you are reading. She then takes these quotes and excerpts and adds her interpretations and opinions. Sometimes these were spot on, other times I felt that she was stretching a bit to prove her point. I also feel that the title is somewhat misleading; the book wasn't entirely what I expected. The author's repetitive claims of Diana being "penetrated" by the media's cameras, the world's eyes get rather boring and made for some eye-rolling on my part. There is no doubt that the media were invasive to Diana, but I also believe she played them at times--it was a give and take. Maybe if I were a "feminist" I would be more inclined to agree with this observation.

   There is some fascinating history in regards to past Princes of Wales, their behaviours and relationships, in particular that of George IV and Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Ms. Campbell points out amazing similarities between Caroline and Diana, and for that alone this book is worth delving into. Although I am reasonably well-versed in the recent past and current happenings of the House of Windsor, what I read was news to me, and sheds some light on the Royal Family, Prince Charles, and a marriage that was, unfortunately, doomed from the start.

3 comments about The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain.

1. My 8-year-old history buff loved this book. He read it very carefully. As he was reading, he would get out other history books to read about whatever he was reading about in this book. When he finished this book, he bought a biography of Elizabeth I. He frequently goes back and refers to this book when reading other books about history. I highly recommend this book.



2. This is a beautifully illustrated, interesting book. Most rulers receive a 1-2 page treatment (although later monarchs have more pages dedicated to them) complete with ancestral charts, timelines, and other helpful additions to the main text. I'm sure this is meant as a coffee table or reference book, but I sat down, read it cover to cover, and then bothered my family and friends with all the facts I'd learned for the next month. A great book.



3. so great book the best book about british monarchy ever published . a lot of photos and paintings which make an atmosphire let you live in the old ages moving to the middle ages and to the victorian . beleive me you will live the british monarchy , live with queens and kings walk throw the history of uk as no historymania did before

5 comments about Counting My Chickens . . .: And Other Home Thoughts.

1. The Duchess has that touch of Mitford wit that can also be seen in Nancy & Jessica's writings. Filled with pithy observations about aspects of life in Britain and history, I was laughing out loud at her recountments of ancestral adventures (brothers sharing one hotel room with a dead body, everyone crying at the birth of another girl) and encounters with the general public ("Saw the duchess in the garden, she looked quite normal."; "That's the Dowager Duchess. It was taken the year she died.")



2. The Duchess of Devonshire is of course the youngest of the 6 Brilliant Mitford sisters born early in the twentieth century, and she is the only surviving one now. This book is really two things, a collection of her various writings and collection of her memories both of friends and of family.
   
   I got this at the same time as I bought her Chatsworth Cookbook, and I have to say I think the other was a better buy - maybe in food I find more relevance, but the anecdotes relating to food and people seemed more real and interesting. I don't think the Duchess is a naturally good writer. When talking about herself I found I was interested - she revealed things like her favourte books (including Beattrix Potters Ginger and Pickles) to her love of chickens and hwo they are looked after. I found the anecdotes about her friends and family less easy to read. It wasn't like she was name dropping - these people really were her friends and family - but I found the writing felt more stilted, more formal and less easy to read. Her various writings for papers have been reprinted in collection here and are of interest for their subject rather than for their eloquence.
   
   There have been better memoirs of the Mitford family, and better writing, but I have never seen a memoir of the latest Ducehss of Devonshire and given her acheivements and interests I think one is long overdue.
   
   Personally while this was 'nice' I would be more inclined to purchase the Chatsworth cookbook which has lots of nice stories in it and seems to flow better - but if you are a hardened Mitrodite then don't walk past this, it is enlightening and I really would like to know more about this youngest mitford's life.



3. Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire, shows to the world the emotional warmth and range of interests which have endeared her to her family and friends for over eighty years. Extolled by James Lees-Milne throughout his life, Debo, the people at Hatchards tell me, is their favorite author when it comes to book-signings. When I bought a copy of this book there the clerk remarked "Ah, the Duchess, bless her." And so she has been, and is, by all.



4. Counting My Chickens is a collection of newspaper and magazine columns by Deborah Freeman-Mitford Cavendish, the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. "Debo" is the youngest and only surviving Mitford Girl, the fabulous daughters of Lord and Lady Redesdale who scandalized and delighted the British and the world from the 1930s onward.
   
   Although this is a very short book cut into many small, fairly unconnected segments, there is nevertheless much that charms. The celebrated Mitford wit,most clearly displayed by Debo's sisters Nancy and Jessica, is in evidence, particularly in the sections that deal with Debo's childhood and early adult years (she once traveled by train from Scotland with a goat, milking it in first class waiting rooms on the way.)
   
   Also in evidence is the extraordinariness of Debo's life as wife of a Duke and as chatelaine of one of England's great mansions, Chatsworth House. She casually drops names like Harold Macmillan and John Kennedy (both of whom were indirectly related to her husband) and at the same time records some of the merriments and aggravations that come with having your home on display to tourists several months each year. Occasionally Debo will drop a barbed comment or two on the silliness of some politicians and visitors, but for the most part she is soft spoken and accomodating.
   
   Few Duchesses have written or revealed much about their lives, so its nice that one has done so now, at a time when the House of Lords is being democratized and the aristocracy must seem more anachronistic than ever.



5. For someone who claims to be the "illiterate" Mitford, this charming little book is a well-crafted lark into the world of a 21st century Duchess. It is very light and entertaining, filled with anecdotes about her and her life. Also featured are stories about her family, but this is not the book to read if you are interested in a tell-all expose of the Mitfords. Most of the book concentrates on the Duchess's family, and home. Chatsworth is one of the finest home in England, and one of the first to become a self-sustaining tourist destination. Anyone who has visited Chatsworth would enjoy reading about the "other side" of that house.

   Fans of the Mitford family will be delighted by the stories, most of which don't appear in other Mitford books and biographies. Even if you're not familiar with the Mitford family, this book provides a fascinating picture of the worldview of someone who has lived a long and extremely interesting life. I really hope to see more from Debo.

5 comments about Catherine the Great : Life and Legend.

1. This is a good book to read to get a handle on the reign of Catherine the Great and late 18th C. Russia. Alexander covers the court intrigues, the attempts at reform, the complexities of foreign policy. He also avoids treating Catherine's personal life in a sensationalistic way.

   So if you read this book, you will learn a lot. On the other hand, the book doesn't really come to life in the way Massie's "Peter the Great" or Avrich's "Russian Rebels" did. It is recommended only to those with a serious interest in the time of Catherine, such as students, and not the casual reader.




2. I have read several books on the history of Russia, like Peter the Great, and the Romanovs, but this book frankly bored me. The author definetly knows his stuff about Catherine, but I got so tired of reading about all the political stuff in this book. I wanted to know more about her personal life, more details about her comings and goings, not about how she ruled her Russian cabinet officers. Also the use of vocabulary was way over my head, so it made it hard to enjoy reading because many times I needed to get the dictionary, and I feel I have a fairly good vocabulary. I would not recommend this book unless you want to know about Russian administration in her time.



3. I have read history books more interesting than this book. When i purchased the book i thought that it would be an interesting work. The book started off interesting. Then, as it progressed it got worse. Rent the movie. It would be much better. Trust me.



4. Alexander does a marvelous job retelling history without sensationalizing it. Many past biographers undertaking the job of writing about Catherine the Great have often focused too much on her sexuality, rather than her political prowess. John T. Alexander, however, thoroughly examines the political and cultural context of her life, and refuses to insult the reader's intelligence by dishing gossip or repeating long-held opinions. Having read four other biographies of Catherine the Great, I can assure you this one is probably the best. Impartial, informative, and interesting.



5. First of all, contrary to the review now on line, this book was not written by John T. Williams, whoever he is, but by John T. Alexander. This biography is a much more serious and learned biography than Henri Troyat's, which I read in 1987. This book has dull parts, but the story it tells is an incredible one. Catherine had an amazing career, and of course her parade of favorites is legendary. I found this book to be good academic history and it well deserves reading.

No comments about Corgi and Bess: More Wit and Wisdom from the House of Windsor.

5 comments about Elizabeth: Grand Duchess of Russia.

1. i really wish this book would had talk more about her marriage to grand duke serge a closed homosexuality who married the most beautiful princess in europe.but deny her a normal marrige or the childern she wanted so badly.i enjoy the part were she gives up her world things to take care poor/sick,how she found peace in religion.to me she would had been a better csarina than her sister alix.



2. What the heck happened at Carroll & Graf Publishers? Where were your fact checkers, your editors, who vetted this material? Dates and genealogies are very important when reading history concerning the Romanov's and grandchildren of Queen Victoria.....Mager....eh....what happened to your history?
   
   Mager wrote with a strong voice and the story had a since of urgency. Even though the facts were waaaaaay off, it was a nice read. For those interested in Ella, start with "Education of a Princess."



3. If you are looking for the story of St. Elizabeth's life, this book is a good starting point. Do not be deterred by the snob reviewers here who apparently knew everything about Elizabeth's life before they read the book. Is it a perfect book? Is there any such thing? Of course not, but Mager does cover the relevant details of Elizabeth's life in an engaging manner.
   
   Some of the reviews here are absolute snobbery, penned by people who want everyone to know that they already knew everything there was to know about Elizabeth so this book was a waste of time. The first reviewer states that Mager never gave reason for Elizabeth staying in a sexless marriage. What drivel! It was her belief that marriage was an irrevocable institution, which Mager states several times. The reviewer states that the divorce was rare in those days, but it did happen. Did you even READ this book. Mager goes at some length at the rise of royal divorce at the time, giving example after example who was divorced and how it disturbed Elizabeth.
   
   My point is that this is good treatment of Elizabeth's life, her conversion, her trials and struggles. If you interested in the Grand Duchess, don't let the snobs keep you away.



4. Hugo Mager makes many of the same errors as other biographers of royal persons. He understands neither royal geneology nor royal titles. In one chapter, he identifies Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914, as the son of the Austrian Emperor. In fact, Franz Ferdinand was the Emperor's nephew. In another chapter, Mager identifies Felix Yussupov's wife as a grand duchess and calls her "Irene". Her name was Irina and she was a Russian princess. Her mother was the Grand Duchess Xenia, sister of Nicholas II. Her father was Grand Duke Alexander Mickhailovich, cousin of Nicholas II. Emperor Alexander III laid down the rules for Romanov family titles. Only the children of an Emperor, along with the grandchildren of an Emperor through the male line, could by styled a grand duke or grand duchess. Irina was the granddaughter of Alexander III, but only through her mother, Grand Duchess Xenia. Irina's father was the grandson of Alexander II and therefore could not pass the grand ducal title to his children who were instead styled prince or princess. It's details like this that expose poor scholarship and a lack of understanding of the subject matter.
   
   As for Grand Duchess Elizabeth (Ella), the author does not provide much insight into her character. What, for example, made her stay with Grand Duke Serge who is commonly thought to have never consummated their marriage due to his homosexuality? Royal divorces at that time were rare, it's true, but they happened. Victoria Melita, wife of Ella's brother Grand Duke Ernst of Hesse, divorced her husband, refusing to put up with homosexuality. This was never mentioned by Mager. Ella must have known her brother's nature and homosexuality was something she at least knew existed. Yet she stayed with Serge in a sexless marriage. The author never gives a valid explanation for this.
   
   Grand Duchess Elizabeth was one of the more enigmatic players in the great drama surrounding the fall of the Romanovs and the Russian Revolution. Nothing in this book answers the fundamental questions about this woman.



5. Elizabeth was a truly remarkable Princess, and unfortunately this
   book does not do her justice. Mager has an irritatingly smug
   writing style, no feel for his subject, and a way of making sweeping generalizations about which he knows nothing. For
   example, in a footnote he declares Nicholas II and his siblings
   to have been stupid, "because their mother was probably rhesus
   negative." This is nonsense. If Empress Marie was Rh- (not
   known) her Rh+ children probably would have died at birth. Throughout the book, I could never see Elizabeth as more than a
   shadow. One question: why was such a stunningly beautiful woman
   photographed so often from the back? Mager never tells us this,
   or so many other things, and the saintly princess keeps her
   secrets.

No comments about Maharajas: Resonance from the Past.