No comments about Henry VIII (Routledge Historical Biographies).

No comments about Princess Alexandra.

No comments about Queen Victoria.

2 comments about Josephine: Napoleon's Incomparable Empress.

1. My fascination with the Empress Josephine began with "The Emperor's Lady" by F.W. Kenyon. It was published in 1952. Mrs. DeLorme's book sounds like a good complement to this book, with its indepth commentary on Josephine's impact on art, fashion, and her insights into Josephine as a contributing partner to Napoleon's career. If you like historical fiction, you will also enjoy "The Emperor's Lady".



2. This was a Christmas gift from my in-laws and a real treasure that is hard to put down.

   Despite Delorme love affair with the French she is surprisingly honest in this biography of Josephine. There are many interesting insights into this strong female figure, both politically and personally. For instance she is quite a bit like Abigail Adams in that both women were true partners to their spouses political positions and worked deligently on their behalf. Josephine was also a single mother for sometime and realised to late in life that Napolean was the love of her life.

   All in all, this is a comfortable read and a great gift idea.

2 comments about A Conspiracy of Indifference: The Raoul Wallenberg Story.

1. The title of this book is unfortunately an accurate description of Raoul Walllenberg's fate. Why wouldn't (or couldn't) the United States step in to save a man they later named an honorary citizen from the Russian prisons? Or for that matter, why did Sweden abandon a countryman of family stature the likes of a Rockefeller in the United States? This book is part biography, part mystery novel as to what may have happened to Raoul Wallenberg. Gersten explores in depth each possible angle beyond the well-known factors of his life, yet allows the reader to make up his own version of the truth behind his tragic disappearance. One can only wonder how many heroes there would be in the world if they were all treated this way. I did not know who Raoul Wallenberg was before I read this book, and now I will never forget him.



2. Ronald J. Gold, a Chicago lawyer, said this about the book:

   I found the book very interesting. Why did the Russians grab him (Wallenberg)? What was so special about him that they would go to such extremes to keep things secret? Did they kill him or did he just waste away?

   The legal issues were interesting but basically showed that even well-respected lawyers allowed their vanity to get in the way of the objective. Did anyone ever honestly believe that you could successfully sue the Soviet Union in a federal court? The only reason they won initially was because Mother Russia had defaulted and the trial judge was compelled to rule in their favor.

   I think the above shows, however, the value of a book like this. Although I had heard of Wallenberg and saw his name listed on the path of martyrs in Israel, the real issue is that he saved Jews. The book must have taken countless hours of research and the author should be proud of his effort.

No comments about Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth.

No comments about The Emperor Charles V: Volume 2.

No comments about The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell: Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant.

5 comments about Princess Diana, the Lamb to the Slaughter.

1. In my humble opinion, this is a poorly written, poorly researched mess. I am sorry I wasted my money.



2. Since we lost our Queen of Hearts, the books about her by those who claimed to "know" her have proliferated like a bad rash. Rather than going away, they have just gotten worse. Over time, I have become disgusted with these people who are obviously working out some agenda/grudge against someone they either hardly knew, were jealous of, or decided they didn't like--and who is not, to our great loss, here to defend herself. This makes these books not only unfair, but heinous.
   All too common as well, are the "conspiracy books," which claim to expose the "truth" about her death. Since I am as disheartened by these as by the others, I do not buy or read them. It is hard to find credibility there when, every time someone famous dies, the "conspiracy" fanatics come crawling out of the woodwork to tell us all the truth. (If you know so much, then why is she still dead?)
   As a result, I have become so careful that I hardly buy books about the Princess I cherish, unless the title makes it obvious that the book is a loving and respectful tribute, not a bashing, a dissection, or, worst of all, a Charles-and-Camilla suck-up tome.
   (For example, any book by the notorious Charles-sucker, Penny Junor, is off my list.)
   The reason I bought this one is because the title is composed of Diana's own words about herself the night before her wedding, so I thought the chances of it being a bashing were slim.
   (In the Introduction, the author admits she is a fan who followed Diana's life and then became obsessed with her death and her own unaanswered questions--so my instincts were correct there.)
   From the opening paragraph, Joy Jones Damon held my attention, as she drew a scenario of conspiracy and murder, then traced precedents from England's history to say, "This has happened before."
   (She is careful to say that in no way does she accuse Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, or Charles of being part of any plan to murder the Princess of Wales.)
   As unwilling as I was, and am, to believe that Diana was murdered, I finished the book wondering if indeed it were not so.
   (People kept saying Diana was paranoid; well, maybe she was, but maybe with reason. She was many things, but she was never stupid--as Prince Charles and that woman he gave a title, but who will never be Queen of England, or even a lady, found to their cost.)
   There are no sensation-grabbing headlines here, just nagging questions that won't go away quietly.
   Why would smart, safety-concious Diana go without her seat belt? Why was Henri Paul allowed to drive the most famous couple in the world to their destination if he was obviously impaired?
   And, whatever you think of Paul Burrell, why did Diana predict the exact manner of her death--and say in a note in her own handwriting, that Charles was going to have her killed to marry "the other woman?"
   The only "truth" is, it doesn't matter if she was murdered, or who did it, except to see justice done for Princes William and Harry's sake. What matters is that she is gone. And whatever truths she took with her, whatever happened in that car was terrifying beyond description. For that, we may cry many more tears--but we will never know.



3. I purchased this book based on its reviews. However, after reading it, I was disappointed in the accuracy, historically and psychologically.Ms Damon's attempt to write a cohesive and intelligient book on Princess Diana's life, before and after her marriage, did not support a solidly researched book. Her speculations of Diana's psychological issues were amateurish and not well researched. Historically, Ms. Damon tells us nothing that we did not know previous to this publication. In chapter 7, Ms Damon makes a reference to King Richard III smothering his nephews to death in order to claim the crown of England and stabilize the House of York. She tries to tie in this proposterous Shakespearian diatribe into the unstable House of Windsor, with the implication that the Windsors had Diana murdered to save their crown. Historically, both are speculative and unproven. The only thing in common between King Richard III and Diana Princess of Wales is their own personal trauma and heartache with betrayal, dishonesty, and treason thrown their way in an unfair manner. Surely they would have been comrads had they lived in the same lifetime. This book does not contain fair and balanced information on Diana and her relationships with Prince Charles and the rest of the royal family. She merely throws alot of suspicious mumblings to the wall and hopes it sticks.I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a solid and concise source on Princess Diana.



4. The title caught my attention! Was this blood shed as a sacrifice? Was the Princess like a helpless lamb that required the constant protection of the shepherd? Did she trust too much and get eaten by the wolves, or did the shepherd actually lead her to the slaughter. What a unique approach the author has chosen.

   Ms.Daymon gives us the background information we need with insight and a deep understanding of the Royal Family, but it's not a history lesson. She uses solid logic in putting together a conspiricy theory, but it's not alarmist (Chicken Little -"the sky is falling") or far fetched.

   As the reader gets engrossed in the life of the Princess, it's as though the author has been granted an omnicient visit into the soul of "the lamb". Where did this insight come from? It becomes very obvious that Ms. Daymon has developed a strong empathic spirit that is able to capture deep feeling and a powerful sense of loyalty and trust. She really understands the strength of love and the devastation of rejection.

   In the end, it all makes sense. It comes together. It's historically a logical conclusion. One closes this book and simply goes hmmmmmmmmmmmmm!




5. Joy Jones Daymon's book, "Princess Diana - The Lamb to the Slaughter" is more than another fan book. I found this book to be an important look at Diana's role in history and much more. Daymon raises some very important questions regarding Diana's life, and death. The book asks if we will ever know how the Royal family of Britain used her, and whether or not her death was truly an accident. The 142-page book is packed with information about British royal history, protocol, and information about the current British royal family. Daymon's book helps the reader to understand what it is like to be a member of the royal family. The book even contains a section on the British dietary concerns of the War Years. This book is a wonderful source of information for anyone interested in British royal history, and customs. "Princess Diana - The Lamb to the Slaughter" is so entertaining I had a lot of trouble putting it down. Daymon seamlessly weaves history, psychology, and Diana trivia into an intelligent, concise, and very readable book.

4 comments about Mad Princes of Renaissance Germany (Studies in Early Modern German History).

1. The piece de resistance of this book has to be the theological memorandum concerning the mental condition of the Duke of Prussia which begins with the unfortunate Osiandrian sympathies displayed by his parents prior to his birth and their possible contribution to the current situation. The majority of the recommendations, however, came from physicians and were medical rather than theological.

   It's solidly researched -- if anything, one would have wished more detail on some of the episodes, such as that of the Duke of Saxe-Weimar in the bath house.




2. This is the book that inspired me for starting my Mad Monarchs Series (http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/madmon.htm)! Before I found this book, I had often seen references to "the last mad Duke of Cleves, married to a sister of the last mad Duke of Prussia". This book has finally shed some light on that odd pair of Dukes.

   The first part of the book focuses on the early 16th century, when mental problems was not regarded as an illness and melancholic Princes were locked up and often neglected. Sometimes they were exorcised. The cases described are, among others, Princes of Hesse, Saxony and Baden. William the Younger of Brunswick is the 1st Prince whose mental state is described in more detail, because unique reports have survived: "He ran out into the streets of Celle half-dressed, [..] spoke unintelligibly and gestured weirdly". He was actually treated by doctors.

   The second part of the book describes Albrecht Friedrich of Prussia, Rudolf II of Austria and the last Dukes of Cleves in more detail. Midelfort describes detailed accounts of their mental and medical conditions and the doctor's crude attempts to cure them.

   The book is a serious and detailed study of 16th century Princes that were described by their contemporaries as "melancholic" or locked up as being "mad". Black and white images of most of the described mad Princes and Princesses are included. An unique book about an unique subject!




3. Although the title initially almost seems like a parody of historical research on incredibly arcane topics (and, as Midelfort points out, there is no particular reasons to believe that Renaissance German royalty were more prone to insanity than anyone else, inbreeding not withstanding), the book in fact uses the unusually high levels of documentation available on these individuals to create a fascinating and detailed study, not only of the medical and religious treatment of insanity during this period, but also of the political implications when a monarch or his heir became "unfit" to rule.



4. Designed to appeal to a wide range of individuals and schools of thought, this book reaches nobody. Midelfort throws a collective bone to feminists, microhistorians, historians of science, etc. but his demonstrates an inability to understand their theoretical underpinnings that borders on disdain and condescension. While working with impressive archival materials, this book seems like the product of market research--all flash and consumer demographics, absolutely nothing of substance, interest or importance. A failure in all respects.