1 comments about Mary Queen of Scots: An Illustrated Life.

1. Elizabeth I, queen of England and cousin to Mary of Scotland, once referred to the Scottish queen as a "daughter of debate." It is difficult to imagine a more apt description of this enigmatic and ultimately illusive monarch. Was she a vixen or a victim, a canny politician or a tool for scheming nobles, a devout Catholic or a woman more concerned with pragmatism than piety? In this new and beautifully produced biography, British historian Susan Doran acknowledges the variety of opinions but adds nothing new to the discussion. Given the scope of the book--192 pages, over half of that devoted to illustrations and notes--this is hardly surprising. What Doran does very well, however, is provide an engagingly written introduction to Mary's history.
   
   Doran clearly lays out the basic issues of Scotland's 16th century politics: the conflict between kirk and church, the uneasy relationship with England, and the powerful, contentious nobles who bonded together in ever-shifting alliances. Matters became even more complicated when Mary began to seek a second husband, for any marriage alliance she formed had the potential to upset the balance among Scotland's nobles, and between Scotland and her powerful neighbor to the south.
   
   One of the reasons for Mary's enduring fascination is the unsolved mysteries that haunt her story. Who murdered her second husband, Henry Lord Darnley? Was Mary complicit? Was she involved in an adulterous affair with James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell? Was she abducted and raped by Bothwell, or did she marry him willingly? Doran does not address these controversies in detail. She cautiously absolves Mary of Darnley's death, but thinks it likely that Mary had some knowledge of a plot against him.
   
   The author concludes that Mary was significant not because of her achievements--which were admittedly few--but because of her dynastic relationship to the Guises in France and the Tudors in England. In fact, Mary's only enduring legacy was her son, James VI of Scotland and I of England. Yet Mary continues to fascinate, and Doran offers just information to satisfy a reader looking for an approachable overview.
   
   In addition to being a worthwhile introduction, this is a beautiful, high-quality book. The full-sized portraits--over twenty of them--are seldom seen in such rich and vivid color. The illustrations include a number of contemporary sketches, documents, and letters; in fact, there are perhaps a few too many letters--over twenty full page reproductions and ten partial pages. It is interesting to see Mary's handwriting and some of her famous ciphers, but thirty pages out of 192 seems excessive.
   
   Doran's notes for Further Reading, however, are a treasure trove. She mentions several biographies and books on general topics, then suggests books dealing with the issues, events, and people discussed in each chapters. On issues about which historians disagree, she frequently suggests books that give various viewpoints. It is this section, in addition to the well-written overview, that makes this book an exceptionally good starting point.

3 comments about Frederick the Great.

1. Book was a dull read. No insight to the man and why he did what he did. Not very good story telling.



2. Who was Frederick the Great? Where was Prussia? What was the political dynamic in Prussia? What was the interest in Silesia? This book offers everything from the most basic answers to interesting facts to a great military mind on a relentless campaign for national prestige. Not many people know much about Prussia; this book helps you stand out from the crowd and enjoy doing so.



3. This work is the study of a society as reflected in the life of Frederick the Great. The subject of interest is not so much the man per se but rather his interactions with the society he did so much to shape. Ritter's treatment allows the reader to learn about Frederick but not to know him as a man. In fact, the work serves largely to sublimate Frederick the man to the Prussian state. The reader sees Frederick as having succeeded not through divine placement but by luck, reason, and a commitment to the state above all personal and worldly considerations. But despite all Frederick's realism, as revealed by Ritter, he remains an enigma. Indeed, as Paret alludes to in his introduction, certain events of European history and aspects of Frederick's life are not explored in Ritter's European-oriented presentation. Certainly my own lack of understanding of the complicated alliance patterns of early modern Europe detract from my understanding of the book.
   
   Frederick's reign seems to have marked a crucial turning point in history-- one toward the development of the modern European nation-state. Frederick utilized the French designs of emerging nationality to bring to life a state whose purpose was to further the good of all its inhabitants rather than to serve as an instrument of the prince's vainglory. From the mediaeval throes of dynamism was born the modern state. To a large degree, Frederick the Great was Prussia; he raised her to a level of power that would not long outlive him. This is what makes Ritter's biography history.

   There was a certain ambivalence evidenced in Frederick's conception of warfare. He only pursued war to further the state, and he learned from war--especially his initial invasion of Silesia. Always, Prussia in the end seemed to prosper from her ruler's military actions. Central in Frederick's conception of the state was the need for a vigilant standing army. To oversee this grand army, Frederick developed a program for proto-modern statehood--in all aspects to be overseen by him personally. In his state, he sought to utilize the nobility in a paternalistic system. Patriotism was his goal; his military leaders were not to fight for him but for Prussia. Frederick was deeply involved in military strategy; as a soldier-king he demanded discipline and controlled aggression among his men. Significantly, over time he came to see the value of statecraft over military action; after his Silesian invasion, his wars seemed more defensive in nature; often no decisive victor emerged from battle. He came to realize that warfare was constrained by the state's national resources. As Ritter describes it, Frederician warfare was defined by maneuverability and limited aggression. It is the birth of patriotism in the form of Frederician absolutism that lies at the heart of Ritter's study. Compelled by the rise to power of Naziism, Ritter seeks to show how such German nationalism had originally been born.

5 comments about Becoming Victoria.

1. her father died when she was a baby ,her mother was determine to keep her to herself by controling her ever move and thought.she even had victoria sleep ing everynight in her bedroom.victoria didn't get any freedom until becoming queen.



2. I think the thing I found most interesting about this book was the total screwiness of Victoria's mother, the Dutchess of Kent. I admit that the Dutchess was in kind of a rough spot: She was raising a monarch after all, and yet wanted to raise her to within the standards of ladylike behaviour. Can't have her going around refering to herself with male terminology like Queen Elizabeth I did, y'know.

   But in the process, the thing the Dutchess seemed to always have her eye on was the possibility of a Regency. She *wanted* to be Regent. How screwed up do you have to be to *want* to be Regent? All the responsibility, none of the adoring crowds. Yuck!

   So she was torn between the necessity of producing in Victoria a princess who could eventually take the throne (because if she failed in providing an appropriate education and upbringing the King had made it pretty clear that he *would* ensure Victoria received same, even if it meant removing her from her mother's tender care) while wanting to keep her daughter from being *able* to take the throne at 18 (there was a possibility of a regency until she reached 21), all the while hoping that King George would hurry up and die already. Which may in part be the author's spin on things, but the good Dutchess did *repeatedly* write about the possibility of a regency until Victoria was 21 even *after* Victoria was declared competent to take the throne when she reached majority at 18 (said declaration taking place several years ahead of time), which kind of points to having some serious hopes caught up in that regency.

   Victoria herself just seems like a kid caught in the middle and kept from having much fun. She got to read a lot of "improving" books, which are those sort of kids books that beat you over the head with the idea that you should always do what Mommy tells you and never, ever, talk to strangers and aren't a lot of fun, and the rest of her childhood really does fit with that choice in reading material.




3. Princesses have become an item of interest in the past few years. Possibly they always have been, but series such as The Royal Diaries--fictional diaries by true life princesses-- are filling library and bookstore shelves.

   In this aristocratic climate, Becoming Victoria by Lynne Vallone stands out. Becoming Victoria examines the girlhood/teenagehood of the young woman who became Queen Victoria and consequently, the enduring symbol of an era. Ms Vallone has undertaken the remarkable task of examining how Victoria was reared, comparing her upbringing to the upbringing of contemporaries (not princesses), chronicling Victoria's relationship with her mother and illustrating the gap between the portrayal of Victoria's youth, both at the time and retrospectively, and how Victoria herself truly felt and acted.

   The reader leaves this book convinced that truth is indeed stranger than fiction or at least as strange and as remarkable. Although Becoming Victoria is not necessarily geared towards teens (and is more expositive than books such as The Royal Diaries), the insight into a princess' curriculum, familial relationships, day-to-day activities should fascinate the readership that delves into Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries and Gail Levine's The Princess Tales.

   Becoming Victoria ends, rather disappointingly, at Victoria's ascension to the throne. This is, however, in accordance with the task set by the author. Victoria the child and teenager is Ms Vallone's focus, and she ends once her subject passes into a different stage. Consequently, the reader's appetite is whet to do further study on a most fascinating woman and queen.

   Recommendation: The price is not too bad. It is a beautifully bound book and may be worth buying new. However, if your interest is in the content, not the appearance, try used.




4. This work was full of interesting facts, but was written more like a college text book. It paints a picture of a very charming child and gives the reader insight into the influences in Victoria's early life and the early formation of her character as she grew into the roll of Queen Mother. The facts are nice, the subject is great, but the text book feel is dull and dry.



5. I was expecting a biography on Victoria's early life, but I would not classify this book as such. It was more a dissertation on how the child rearing practices of Georgian England ultimately affected the personality of the future Queen Victoria.

   You can tell after skimming just a few pages of this book that a huge amount of research went into it (there are more that 40 pages of footnotes and references), but I found it very difficult to read and even harder to follow. It concentrated almost exclusively on the mundane facts of how she lived, rather than on who she was. There are hundreds of detailed descriptions of the clothes she wore, the books she read, the food she ate, and the toys she played with. There were even more descriptions on how the people around her influenced the food she ate, the books she read, the toys she played etc, etc.

   So don't get this book if you are looking for a biography about Victoria's early life, but check it out from the library if you want to see some truly beautiful illustrations (some by Victoria's own hand) and some outstanding photographs.

2 comments about Queen Victoria: An Eminent Illustrated Biography.

1. This book was sloppily produced. Typographical errors permeate. There are distracting mistakes in some of the captions, too, such as that for a picture of a gray bearded, corpulent Prince of Wales supposedly taken in 1863 when he would have been a man in his early twenties (p. 205). The author -- and his subject -- deserve much better. The publisher deserves a spanking.



2. This book is a "must have" for anyone interested in royalty or history in general. It's a lovely book in a scaled down coffee table format.

3 comments about The Dragon Empress: Life and Times of Tz'U-Hsi, 1835-1908, Empress Dowager of China.

1. Any book which purports to use information having been supplied by the well known liar Sir Edmund Backhouse, is just the same old rehash of lying and deceit that so called "China scholars" have used for far too long. There is nothing new here to shed new light to an old mistake. Tzu Hsi was not the trerrible ogre that both Western and Eastern scholars to have been. Do we really need to keep up with the relentless stream of Tzu Shi bashing? If you want the same ill informed nonsense please read this book but if you want to learn something new you would do well to look elsewhere.



2. I was doing my report my Tz'u Hsi and this book has a lot of information, probably more information than people need. Half of the time, it tells about war and China's situation at the time instead of Tz'u Hsi herself. For me I'm very interested in Chinese history and this book really satiated my thirst for it. This book can be a bit boring at times, but for the most part, it's interesting. It gives people an insight about chinese traditions and of course, the empress dowager herself. I recommend reading it!



3. The best-written and most accurate biography of the Empress-dowager Tz'u-hsi. Although Marina Warner never studied Chinese, her account almost always tallies with the vernacular sources. She offers a shrewd, plausible and perceptive analysis of Tz'u-hsi's character. Her appraisal of the period has more insight and balance than Sterling Seagrave's jaundiced politically correct approach. An excellent introduction to the late Ch'ing dynasty.

5 comments about The Mad King: The Life and Times of Ludwig II of Bavaria.

1. I really enjoyed reading this book. Poor Ludwig, even when you feel irritated by his childish immaturity when it came to matters of governing his kingdom, you still can't help feeling fond of him and his limitless enthusiasm for beauty! While others rejected his decisions to pour fortunes into art and architecture, the world is a better place for the jewels he left us.
   
   If Walt Disney did any research on the life of Ludwig II, he surely was paying homage to his very essence by modeling the Disney Castle after Neuschwanstein and creating another fantasy world where Ludwig would have thrived!



2. I would highly recommend this book -it is well-written, remarkably documented and presents varied and much interesting facts and circumstances about the tragic life of Ludwig II. I truly enjoyed reading it. A must for anyone interested in the King, the Wittelsbach house or Richard Wagner.



3. As a big fan of the Bavarian King Ludwig II, I have read several books about the "Swan King", including the remainders of his secret diary. Still, I was quite charmed by this biography by Greg King. I was touched by his description how awkward the relation between Ludwig and his parents was. They felt hopelessly awkward in their children's presence and knew nothing of their interests and could never make more than the most shallow conversation with them.
   In Chapter 30, "The King's Friendships", Greg King poses a theory that the Catholic Ludwig struggled with his homosexuality and that he hid himself in his artificial world in a desperate attempt to fight against his longings. Through repeated pledges and vows to remain chaste in his secret diary, he tried to appease his troubled soul.
   Chapter 34, "The King's Illness", is about Ludwig's eccentricity, describing Ludwig's brother Otto, their aunts and other eccentric and insane relatives. He concludes the chapter with: "The question of his alleged insanity [..] should be one of degrees of eccentricity rather than complete mental illness."
   In the final chapter, "The Crime", Greg King poses his own theory of Ludwig's mysterious death. The hard cover contains some black-and-white pictures and a simple family tree. Of all books I have read about Ludwig, I would recommend this one. It gave me some interesting, new insights into Ludwig's private live. It is well-written and fun to read!



4. This biography is interesting, but for a reader who does already know the basics of Ludwig's life, it provides nothing. Upon reading that King spent an entire six years researching Ludwig, I anticipated a highly informing and interesting book. . . I was wrong. One may be inclined to believe that King read a solitary encyclopedia entry and expanded his newly acquired "knowledge" into a 300 + page biography. I recommend this book to someone who has never read anything on Ludwig II before; it will prove to be an informative and interesting book. If, however, you already know something, ANYTHING on Ludwig II's life and times, then by purchasing this particular work it will be a waste of about $17 for a reinforcement of what you ALREADY KNOW!



5. What a disappointment! This is little more than an ill-concieved romance novel. The style is so dependent on purple, lush descriptive passages. King is at best, a meagerly competent writer with an extravagant royal obsession. His analysis and observations are superficial. The facts that he has gathered - only part of a fascinating story waiting to be told by a skilled author - are lost in a swirl of lavishly overdone prose, showy and boring. The book leaves one smiling at the irony of the title and the author's name.

3 comments about Invitation To A Royal Wedding.

1. Received this item well before the due date and in excellent condition and well packaged. I would definitely do business with this seller again. Very satisfied with the overall transaction and speedy shipment. Thanks.



2. great book, beautiful pages.
   bought for $20
   and sold at auction for $65.



3. I really liked this book a lot!

   It's beautiful!

   Splendid, too.

   Barbara A. Rainey

No comments about The World's Greatest Royal Scandals (World's Greatest).

No comments about Charles D'Orleans in England, 1415 1440.

4 comments about Olga Romanov.

1. 
   Read the discussion board on Olga Romanov.....
   I had several things to say...



2. I agree with the reviewer on Amazon.uk who said that this is the best book ever written about the Romanov family. When this book first came out in 1999 it received rave reviews from all the major newspapers in Canada, including The Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, the Montreal Gazette, the Winnipeg Free Press, etc.....and for good reason. The book reads like a nonfiction novel. It was never meant to be a stodgy historical tome filled with endless digressions about who was related to whom. It's a book with a heart, and soul. Most historical biographies, especially about the Romanovs, are unreadable primarily because they are so dense with detail that a compelling story never emerges. Patricia Phenix knows how to use research in the form of letters and photographs to tell a story and keep a reader transfixed. It could be argued that no historian or writer of popular history knows every detail of a person's life, even if the author has interviewed the subject. That is why there are ultimately dozens of books written about a person's life, because new information is always being found that contradicts other information. Put simply, newspaper critics are right; this is an excellent book; it humanizes Olga Romanov without deifying her. For more excellent reviews of this book, check Amazon.uk.



3. I found this book to be disappointing because of the lack of family geneaologies. There's a one-page chart showing the Duchess Olga's immediate family, but none of the relationships to the British or German dynasties. And yet, the author mentions Olga's referrals to "cousin Georgie", meaning King George V of England, with no explanation of why they are cousins; in another section the author tells us that the Queen of Greece attended a family function leaving the reader to wonder why a monarch from Greece would show up at a Russian family affair. Also Duke Ernst of Hesse is mentioned frequently but we don't know where he fits into the picture - is he a friend, admirer, or relative? For anyone only interested in what happened to the Grand Duchess Olga and why she emigrated to Canada, this book would suffice. For anyone else interested in the European dynasties and how they were complexly related, this book is devoid of all information. Pages are devoted to the alleged disappearance of the Romanov jewels and fortune in England but we aren't told of the English connection. Olga's brother, the Tsar Nicholas II was married to one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters and this is an important fact . Either the author wasn't interested or didn't know the relationships herself.



4. Years ago Ian Vorres wrote "the last Grand Duchess", which was a biography of the life of Grand Duchess Olga based on a series of personal interviews he had with her before her death. It was hard to imagine at first why this book was written and what it could cover that the first book didn't.

   I found this book very easy to read. It approaches Olga's remarkable life in chronological order and it never looses track of the fact that this book is about Olga's life and not that of some of her more famous relatives.

   Olga was a very adapable woman. She was born to Czar Alexander 3rd and his wife Marie when they were on the throne of Russia. She lived a life in palaces surrounded by servants and guards. Despite this she always carved out an independant niche for herself and this stood her in good stead when the old russia was engulfed in revolution.

   Olga moved from the life of a pampered princess and society woman to that of a nurse at the front line and from there to a refugee, with her family in Europe and Canada.

   This book fills in some of the areas glossed over in Vorres book. It deals with the later problems with her brother Michael, and the heartache her children bought her later in life. It also deals with lingering mysteries like the sale of her mother's jewels to Queen Mary of England.

   I would have to say this is not a minute by minute account of Olga's life but it does bring her life into perspective and presents a woman who wasn't afraid to take life by the horns and run with it. It's book worth a read, especially if you are interested in the old imperial russia or the life of refugees afterwards.