5 comments about Dragon Lady: The Life and Legend of the Last Empress of China.

1. The life story of the Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi (or Cixi) seems destined to remain shrouded in the fog that surrounds the history of the Forbidden City in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She has been portrayed as a single-minded ruthless ruler who murdered her son in order to retain power, engaged in sexual escapades with her "eunuchs", and wasted precious military resources on personal luxuries. Sterling Seagrave presents a revisionist view of her as being on the edges of power, barely surviving court intrigues, and an almost unwilling political actor.
   
   The first view was perpetrated by Edmund Backhouse and held from the early 1900's until Backhouse was exposed as a forger and con man by Hugh Trevor-Roper in his 1976 book Hermit of Peking: The Hidden Life of Sir Edmund Backhouse (History & Politics). Backhouse had forged a purportedly Chinese diary. In his own memoirs Backhouse revealed himself to be delusional as well as pornographic. He claimed to have sexual liaisons with a parade of famous people including prime minister Lord Rosebery, Oscar Wilde, and Tzu Hsi herself (some 150 to 200 times by his account). Backhouse also is reported to have fabricated thousands of corroborating documents that he donated to eminent libraries in England.
   
   Seagrave takes Trevor-Roper's work as a starting point and then launches into his own history that soon bogs down in minute details of court intrigue. While it seems clear that Backhouse's accounts have no credibility, it is not so clear that Seagrave's account is a fair, full, and true account either.
   
   Trevor-Roper and Seagrave have their own credibility issues. Trevor-Roper initially authenticated the false `Hitler diaries' in 1983, which benefited his employer the Times of London. He later withdrew this opinion when scientific tests proved the documents were fakes. As for Seagrave he wrote the book Yellow Rain: A Journey Through the Terror of Chemical Warfarein 1981 endorsing the claim that the Soviets engaged in chemical warfare against the Hmong peoples. That dispute has never been resolved.
   
   The recent novels by Anchee Min (Empress Orchidand The Last Empress: A Novel) have expressed a view similar to the one presented by Seagrave. Tzu Hsi is presented as more of a victim of political intrigue than a perpetrator of murderous plots. A version of the older view was set forth in George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman and the Dragon Lady.
   
   On the whole I have found the attempt to understand who Tzu Hsi really was, how much power she possessed, and how she exercised that power to be incredibly frustrating. The Chinese imperial court was so absurdly isolated for so long that it appears impossible to ever determine the truth of the matter. My guess, for what it's worth, is that Seagrave and Min version is likely more true and that the portrayal of her as the evil dragon lady conveniently fed into the justification of British imperial aggression.
   
   This review has strayed farther from discussing the merits of this book than I like to do. Seagrave performed a service in exploding Backhouse's false history, but his writing is not particularly good, he loses the reader (this one anyway) in a maze of details, and he asserts facts with far more certitude than appears warranted. I can not recommend reading the book unless you really want to immerse yourself in the mystery of Tzu Hsi's life. This book tells part of the story, but can not be relied upon to tell it all.



2. Until I read this book (and another recent one Empress Orchid) I had been convinced that Tzu Hsi was an evil, scheming witch who survived her successive regencies by having the child emperors imprisoned and murdered, for that is the tale told by Backhouse, the self-proclaimed expert. That theory began to crumble in the 70's when Hugh Trevor-Roper wrote his wonderful Hermit of Peking: The Hidden Life of Sir Edmund Backhouse (History & Politics) which pretty well debunked EVERYTHING that Backhouse said about anything. Backhouse was exposed as a liar, thief, forger and false historian. Why did he do it? Because that was the way his brain was wired, and he was a genius, if a mad one.
   
   During Backhouse's long life there was no one to take him to task over it, since the Europeans liked the excuse it gave them for their terrible behavior during the Boxer rebellion, when tens of thousands of Chinese were murdered by the English, Russians, Japanese, Germans and Americans in retribution for the murders of less than fifty people, most of whom were killed in one place on the orders of one person, and many of whom had it coming. So no one looked for a reason to doubt, and Tzu Hsi took the blame for the evil acts of the occupying powers.
   
   The Qing dynasty was failing during her long regency, due to their inability to fight against the invaders. Every loss of territory to Japan, Germany, England or even Portugal was a knife in the side of the Manchus. Han rebels took Backhouse's story and turned it into a propaganda campaign against the Manchu, retelling the story around the world. The isolated Empress was never to know the full extent of the slander directed against her.
   
   This book is a major work by a great researcher and writer. It makes a wonderful read and should not be missed by any lover of Chinese history.



3. Although a large majority of this book is about China during her time and not a complete biography of the Dowager Empress herself, I found this book a very interesting read. It is one view of one of the most trying times in Chinese history.



4. Like many other reviewers pointed out, this book deals with general 19th century Chinese History instead of being a pure biographical account of Empress Tzu-Hsi.Carefully researched, it explores the events and myths that surounded this utterly mysterious figure.Futhermore, Seagrave explains how The Empress Dowager has been vilified by racist,looting, lying mediocre pseudo "writters"; Edmund Backhouse and George Morrison.They forever destroyed Tzu-Hsi's image with false accounts of her life, influenced by their own ignorance and Victorian hypocrecy.
   Very little is known about Tzu-Hsi's actual role in the Chinese government since the English, in their endless stupidity, burned the Manchu Court Archives.Indeed, Seagrave describes the disgraceful and shameful role the British had in China, from the destruction of the priceless Han Libraby,the completely unjustified Opium Wars, the looting and destruction of the Summer Palace, the looting of the Forbiden City, to the killing of thousands of innocent Chinese civilians, victims of racist Imperial bigotry.
   Seagrave spends too much time giving biographical information on secondary characters which makes the book tedious at times.Other than that, his book is very interesting and brings light to certain myths about the last years of the Manchu Emperors of China.I wish the Hardcover edition of this book was not out of print, Vintage uses horrible paper quality and this book deserves a better editorial treatment...



5. she was a great evil woman that had appeared in the last Qing Dynasty.
   
   For instance: Like she still had done and used a "Death by a thousand cuts" for all prisoners for 120 years ago, China is one of the highest cultures and oldest civilizations in the world, but the chinese acted like the Barbarians. China is becoming a top record of human right violation until today.
   
   Iam happy cause I was born in Bali not in China.

5 comments about Catherine the Great: Love, Sex, and Power.

1. Empress Catherine II, usually referred to as Catherine the Great, was one of the most fascinating figures of power in Europe. Born Sophie Frederica Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1729, she was Empress of All the Russias from 1759 until her death in 1796.
   
   Ms Rounding has provided a biography of Catherine which, while it is based on the person, covers the history and politics as well.
   
   So, who was Catherine and how did a relatively minor princess who was not even Russian born become the longest reigning monarch in Russian imperial history?
   
   This is a fascinating study in power and politics as well as a personal journey through the life of one of the most intriguing women documented in history. Catherine herself was a complex character: a tireless legislator; a generous patron of philosophers (including men such as Denis Diderot and Voltaire); and an art collector (her systematic acquisition formed the basis of the great `Hermitage' collection). Catherine was a dutiful daughter, a domineering mother and an indulgent grandmother. Catherine was also a prodigious writer, and it is largely through her writings that Ms Rounding has compiled this biography.
   
   This book is not hagiographic. Although Ms Rounding is sympathetic to Catherine, she does not ignore the retinue of lovers, the intrigues and the rumours. If you are interested in this specific period of history, or in studies of female rulers, I recommend this book.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



2. 
   Rounding must have poured over letters and diaries for years to produce this interesting work on the personal life of Catherine the Great. It's quite a story. Catherine's governing and military leadership are beyond the scope of the book. I would have liked more background than what was given, but the personal focus would have suffered.
   
   The highlights for me were the descriptions of her childhood and life as a young woman and wife. In this section Rounding gives the reader a lot of lot of guidance on the character of the young Catherine, her mother, her soon to be husband and the Empress Elizabeth.
   
   As the book progresses, Rounding reproduces an increasing number of paragraphs from original sources. In some cases this adds flavor. Catherine's text (p. 404) upon the death of her current favorite, Sasha Landskoy demonstrates far better than description could, Catherine's self-absorption. Other times, long quoted passages bog down the story. The quoting increases in the later parts of the book, and as a consequence, less guidance is given by the author.
   
   There is a lot of description of the pageantry, who wore what and what they ate. There are lavish parties and "alimony" settlements. I particularly liked the descriptions of how these and other royals traveled. The logistics must have been enormous.
   
   This is definitely a worthwhile book if you are interested in this period.



3. Finally, a biography of Catherine the Great that doesn't turn her in to the scarlet woman of the century, or the loose woman with the heart of gold. She is seen as a woman who tried to do what was best, didn't necessarily always succeed, but never gave up on herself or her adopted country. A very modern woman in a very un-modern time!



4. This well-researched biography does a superb job at giving the reader a look into the world of Catherine the Great and what made her tick. Though she was born a minor German princess and didn't seem destined for much greatness or renown, she was lucky enough to have been in the right place at the right time and to become one of Russia's greatest and most beloved rulers. One of the things that endeared her to the people was her wholehearted embrace of all things Russian. Catherine wasn't anything like her husband Peter III; when she converted to Russian Orthodoxy, she really meant it, and became very devout and observant instead of merely going through the motions but remaining a Lutheran at heart, and she embraced Russia as her own land and the Russians as her own people, complete with quickly learning the language fluently. She was one of them and not just some foreign transplant.
   
   After taking power after the death of Peter's aunt Empress Elizabeth, Catherine lost no time in getting down to business. She had made powerful connections during her time as Grand Duchess, and now began using them in earnest. Besides having the support of the people and members of royal society, she was an educated intelligent woman and had been very much influenced by the ideas and people of the Enlightenment. It was clear from pretty much the outset that she was not merely going to be serving as Regent till her son Paul reached his majority. And during her reign, she saw Russia through outbreaks of bubonic plague, a flood, numerous wars, civil unrest, the beginnings of mass inoculation, many reforms of the legal, educational, social, and religious systems, an improvement in the quality of life for many Russians, and the shaping of Russia into a major world power, a player to be taken seriously on the world stage. She was also the last of Russia's great female rulers, as after her death her son Paul reinstituted the law of primogeniture, prohibiting a woman from ever again taking power.
   
   This book also cleared up some misinformation I had gotten over the years, though I had never believed that slanderous urban legend about Catherine being crushed to death by a horse she was copulating with; it's ridiculous that I had two teachers who told that story as though it were true. Catherine was an amazing inspiring woman, yet most people who aren't well-versed in Russian history usually remember only one thing about her; that's the type of urban legend that one isn't very likely to forget after having heard it. Ms. Rounding also shatters the urban legend about "Potemkin villages." I had also gotten the idea that Empress Elizabeth and Catherine were a lot closer than they actually were; far from Elizabeth mentoring Catherine and being one of her closest confidantes, she actually didn't get along too well with her on most occasions. This book also gives a more nuanced view of Peter III and Paul; while it's clear that Peter did have some screws loose, it seems as though he were more immature and unaware of the role that was expected of him than anything else. Now it seems more understandable why he acted the way he did, given how he was treated by his aunt Elizabeth and her court. As for Paul, it's probably for the better that he only became Tsar after his mother's death and then only served for 5 years before being murdered, but he was raised much like his (possible) father, and treated in much the same way even after he became an adult. No wonder he resented his mother and was such a weak person.
   
   My only complaint about the book is that it does start out kind of slow and even boring, what with so many unnecessary details, particularly about things like court ceremonies, balls, and carriage journeys. It becomes a lot more interesting and fast-paced after Catherine comes into her own and takes power. And it's great that the book focuses on her personal life instead of being bogged down in a lot of overly academic material, but it would have been nice had the portrait been balanced out by some more coverage and details of her policies, reforms, and Russian history in general. Still, this is a great biography for anyone interested in Russian history in general or Catherine in particular.



5. It's one of those surprises of history that one of Russia's most effective rulers was a woman, and not Russian at all. The Russian Empire after the death of Peter the Great in the early eighteenth century became a 'winner-take-all, free-for-all' between various descendants of his. By the time that the daughter of Peter, Elizabeth Petrovna, seized power and imprisoned the infant Ivan VI in a remote fortress, there were only two claimants to the Romanov crown left -- herself, and her nephew, a teenager named Peter. Clearly, the best solution to further palace coups and possible uprisings was to establish a clear line of succession.
   
   A bride must be found and as quickly as possible. A Roman Catholic would not be acceptable, but a German Protestant princess who would not mind converting to Russian Orthodoxy just might work. And for one princess in particular, Empress Elizabeth had a soft-spot in her heart. Once, Elizabeth had been engaged to a German prince, but when he had died, the marriage did not happen. This princeling, however, had a sister -- Johanna, who in turn married the prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and she had a daughter who was just a year younger than Grand Duke Peter.
   
   Sophie Fredericka Auguste was a lively, intelligent teenager when she arrived in Russia with her mother for a closer look by the Empress. She wasn't exactly pretty, but she had a pair of beautiful dark blue eyes, a quick mind, and a willingness to please. Both the Empress and the Grand Duke liked what they saw, and after some careful negotiations, Sophie converted to Orthodoxy, and became Catherine Alexeyevna, and married Peter. The one problem was Johanna, who kept trying to steal the show from her daughter, dabbled in political machinations, and quite nearly ruined it all for her daughter before being returned to Germany.
   
   But married life wasn't that easy for young Catherine. Not only did she have to deal with Empress Elizabeth's whims and capricious nature, her husband Peter was less than ideal as a spouse. For one, he wasn't that eager to consummate the marriage, prefering to scrape away at his violin, and indulging his whims for playing with soldiers, both toy and real ones. Indeed, as years passed, Catherine found herself in a very unenviable state -- no heir, and an ever irritated Empress, along with a husband who cared nothing for her.
   
   There was really only one solution -- Catherine focused her mind on educating herself in politics and Russia, determined to become entirely Russian, and cutting off her homeland. She also used every scrap of charm and intelligence that she had, slowly gathering a coterie of supporters and finally managing to get her husband to make the marriage a reality. But that didn't mean the battle was over -- both of her infant children, Paul and Anna, were taken away from her and raised by Empress Elizabeth, and Grand Duke Peter started to consider divorcing Catherine. Finally, when Peter became Tsar, Catherine knew she had to act to save herself.
   
   How she took power for herself, and then managed to keep it despite attempted revolts, various pretenders, war with the Ottoman empire, and still managed to be an object of admiration for the time, well, that's what makes this biography so interesting to read. Rounding takes not a political, nor exactly a chronological, look at Catherine the Great's life, but a personal one. Using Catherine's own memoirs and letters, along with the contemporary accounts of those in her life, she gives a very personal look at a powerful woman, who wasn't afraid of taking very big bites of life.
   
   Her passions ranged from her lovers -- Gregory Orlov and Potemkin among them, to the arts -- the Hermitage, one of the most fabulous collections of art in the world, to the palaces of St. Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo are mostly her creation and inspiration. But as well as her enjoyment of the arts, there was also a very ruthless side to the Empress. She may or may not have had a hand in the murder of her husband after his abdication -- how much Catherine was involved is still a question today, and she would discard a lover with a 'customary' present of land, serfs, and fine gifts, with the unspoken understanding that the affair was over.
   
   But throughout the story I also got to see some of the personality and vibrancy of Catherine II through her letters and descriptions of her life. One surprise was the relationship that she had with her son, who would become Tsar Paul -- while there isn't much of a maternal love there, she was genuinely interested in what he was doing, and never did seem to wish him hard. On the other hand, she took physical and emotional charge of his two eldest children, Alexander and Constantine, in much the same way that Empress Elizabeth had taken Paul away from her.
   
   Rounding's narrative is full of life and insight, and compared to most dusty and dry biographies, this one satisfies on several levels. I can happily recommend it for anyone interested in either Russian history, or how a woman in what was very much a man's world, managed to become one of its most powerful leaders. And yes, the horse myth is finally put to rest, and I hope, for good.
   
   As well as two inserts of colour photos, there are extensive notes, bibliographies, sources and index to help in further research. A genealogical chart helps to sort out the complicated relationships of the Russian rulers in the eighteenth century. The images are particularly fine in this one, and have several paintings that I have not seen reproduced elsewhere.
   
   Recommended.

4 comments about My Life and Ethiopia's Progress: The Autobiography of Emperor Haile Sellassie I (Volume 1) (My Life and Ethiopia's Progress) (My Life and Ethiopia's Progress).

1. It is a must read for any person seeking the truth and for those of us who are ORthodox Christians.



2. It is of the highest inspiration for I to read the words of His Majesty. Such humbleness, reverence, and clarity in His pure personality. Cast aside all doctrines and dogmas they tell you about HIM and Empress Menen. Find out for yourself, straight up from the source. I and I father is truly devoted to the Most High, to his people, yes I, to his children of all generations. Through trial and tribulation. But don't take it from another. Hear for your self Idren.
   His Words Live
   His Spirit Lives
   Emperor Sellassie I Lives to Infinity



3. This is a book that should be read and studied by all believers in God. It should also be studied by people who are interested in a career in political science or people who eventually want to become a prime minister. And, it should be read by national leaders who still believe that Plato's 'philosopher king' can lead the people of a democratic nation. As President Putin of Russia continues to say correctly that there are many different forms of democracy that will work properly.
   
   This book showed me that Germany's Hitler and Italy's Mussolini were very ugly and inhumane. It also shows that religions can be ungodly when they force a religion onto free people. It shows the origin of today's terrorism.
   
   Emperor Haile Sellassie I was a great developer of the human spirit and Nature's resources. Everything he did was for the benefit of the people of Ethiopia and those nations that joined the League of Nations. His work to unify science and theology was new and should become a 'development' model for all nations today.



4. The whole work of the book is very inspirational, historically it is educational and legendary. The new generations of Ethiopian or the Eritrean will learn from it what they have not been told correctly. History never chnages. The book has it all. It is compiled very well, charismatic and the writer is to be admired for his great work. Everyone must read this book for self uplifting or for your edification.

5 comments about Catherine the Great.

1. i hard to believe a little german priness would become the most powerful woman in europe.but that catherine story .married to a stupid czravish who had no sense. he was determine to stay greman in russian,but katherina made show she learn langauge ,religion and people.she learn the art of policital when the time was right she took over.brought a new age not seen since peter the great.i would had like more about here early life in german but this book was well done.



2. This is one of the very best biographies I have ever read. Troyat has taken a very interesting but not particularly palatable historical figure ( My mother-in law referred to Catherine as "that awful person")and brought her to life with all of her fascinatingly complex character in a well wrought historical background.



3. Bad translation of a mediocre and sappy history. I couldn't stand it and have gone looking for a different biography of Catherin the Great.



4. Prior to reading this book, the only information that I had on Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was that she was an 18th century Czarina of some repute and that she was essentially a nymphomaniac. While the author disputes my clinical characterization of Catherine's sexual prowess, he certainly does take great pains to point out her long list of conquests, right up until her death at a then advanced age.
   
   This book is very informative and quite enlightening as it relates to the political and social mores of Eastern European and Asian aristocracy during the period of Catherine's reign. The tangled webs of shifting alliances during the roughly 50 years covered by the book are many times fascinating and at times hung by the thread of whether a 16 year old heir to a throne was enchanted at first site by a 13 year old princess. Entire nations hung in the balance.
   
   Especially interesting was the author's repeated juxtaposition between Catherine's espoused liberal "enlightened monarch" ideals and her actual rule over, and disposal of millions of enslaved serfs. Her fascination and financial support of many liberal French and Swiss political reformers and philosophers and then her horror when such philosophies actual came to fruition in the French Revolution.
   
   Ultimately, Catherine was a woman of her times and indisputably proved to be a most able successor to the earlier Peter the Great inasmuch as she made Russia a major player on the European stage and greatly expanded the territory under her control. The personalities involved make for a highly entertaining read.
   
   I've seen some of the comments labeling the prose as dry or tedious and tend to disagree. Certainly, writing style of non-fiction historical biographies differs from that seen in fictionalized accounts. In addition, this is a translation which perhaps hinders certain elements of style that others might prefer. All in all, I was not dissatified with the writing or the content. I recommend this book to any seeking an understanding of Russian or Eastern European history and/or culture during the mid to late 18th century.



5. Troyat needs no bolstering from me: his credentials as a well-known documenter of Russian monarchic history are legion. I relished every page of Troyat's documentaries on Ivan IV, Pjotr I, and Aleksandr I (ranking in strict chronologic order). However, his bio of Yekaterina II--while unquestionably meticulously researched--is dry. For one thing, it is quite overlong, which one must question right out of the starting gate insofar as Henri Troyat's book on Pjotr I--also a fabulous monarch of critical importance to the emergence of the empire, arguably even more so than Yekaterina II--was brief and swift. (Indeed, every paragraph literally burst with fascinating facts and characterizations.) Troyat goes on and on and on about every minor detail to the point where the essential message is basically lost amid the sheer volume: a crystalline example of forest-amid-trees overpowering. As a basis for research, for high school papers, etc., "Catherine the Great" is to be most highly commended. However, as an armchair read for the history devote [only one 'e': I can't render accent aigu through this medium, and devotee is the feminine form--Ed.], it plays marked second fiddle to Henri's Ivan, Peter, and Alex.

5 comments about Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII.

1. I agree with another reviewer who felt that this book sets a tedious pace that is frequently bogged down by constantly rehashing the ups and downs of Henry's divorce trial, first from Catherine of Aragon's point of view and then Anne Boleyns. While the amount of material regarding Catherine of Aragon is enormous the writer does stop often to compliment himself (tasteless) and by the time Anne Boleyn comes on the scene the reader is exhausted.



2. I agree with unsolved fan and J.A. Miller, this book was by far the best book about the wives of King Henry than any others I've read.
   Starkey presents facts in such a way as to keep the reader thouroughly engaged, and looking forward to reading the next chapter.
   This book is quite fascinating. I've learned so much more from Starkey's book than from any history course.
   I recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn some of England's history and, to enjoy doing so.
   I wish he had spent more time on Katherine Parr, who seems to have been the most influential in bringing about reform in the churches of that day. That wife, Henry's last, was probably the most interesting and of a deep-thinking mind, than all his other wives, except for Catherine of Aragon, his first.
   I also totally disagree with the popularity of Anne Boleyn, now, in the movie theatres. Boleyn was not as worthy of attention and study, as are Catherine and Katherine.
   READ THIS BOOK! You'll be glad you did!



3. There have been numerous books written on the lives of Henry VIII's wives both as a complete history and on an individual basis. Starkey's book is an interesting read if you want to have a very in-depth understanding of just how incredibly political each of his marriages were. There are complaints that most of the book is spent on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn but in looking at the history of these two women, they were the beginning of the making of Henry as well as England's history to come. Catherine of Aragon has been painted in some books as being a complete victim to be sympathized with for the harsh cruelty of Henry while he pursued Anne Boleyn. Starkey is not the first to intimate that she was actually a political machinist in her own right but he likes to present himself as being the first. Catherine's situation is no different than any other woman's reaction to "the other woman" so to imply that Catherine was not so obedient and submissive as she appeared is merely to say that perhaps she was at one point but came into her own as she progressed as Queen of England. That's psychology 101. Regarding Anne Boleyn, there's really nothing new painted about her specifically but there's a great deal of information presented about the true complexity of the divorce proceedings. This is truly the first book I've read that goes into just how many people were involved, what they actually did and how the hand-offs took place from person to person. In other works, only the most prominent figures in the picture are brought to light. The other wives did figure prominently in Henry's marriages from a very political standpoint. However, many authors outside of Starkey have indicated that there is little recorded information on each the successive wives especially in regards to Anne of Cleves. The one extreme criticism I have for Starkey and all the other authors regarding Catherine and the "consummation" of her marriage is the supposed evidence. Starkey follows the same path as all the others. I was hoping to see something more plausible. Every author states that the marriage must've been consummated based on two points of evidence. Arthur's boasting the following day of marriage being thirsty work and that he'd been amongst Spain and Catherine's silence on the subject. Why is it that every author does not take into consideration that Arthur was a 15 year old boy who carried the weight of an empire and was expected to perform his marital duties and therefore may have bragged because he couldn't state the other possibility....that he didn't perform? Regarding Catherine's silence on the subject and the question of "why didn't she complain?", she was a born princess. What princess/Queen who was 17 years old, in a foreign land and married to a King would complain that the marriage had not been consummated? To do so would be the equivalent of denigrating and humiliating her husband and a nation. The question is always left that only God knows whether the marriage was consummated or not. I beg to differ. There is one other person who would know if Catherine was a virgin and that would've been Henry. He was not sexually ignorant when he made Catherine his wife and where were his boasts? I recommend this book more for the political information surrounding the wives and what raised them and who truly took them down. Henry may have had final say but his court was very powerful in manipulating him. This book points this out more than any other out there.



4. I have never been able to put a book down before on Henry the VIII and his wives. After struggling to finish this book of exhausting but uninteresting detail, I thought I would sell it on Amazon, a first for me. But then, after checking, I learned it was only going for 87 cents. Why am I not surprised?



5. Excellent and entertaining book about the Queens of Henry the XIII. The best book I have read on this subject.

5 comments about Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I.

1. After reading (and thoroughly enjoying) The Queen's Handmaiden by Jennifer Ashley, I chose this book. As I read this biography I enjoyed the portraits, explanatory drawings and maps included throughout the book. I referred to the "Cast of Characters" many times, much easier than making my own list, it had all the information I wanted. I easily finished this book in time for our monthly meeting. After recognizing the depth it added to our discussion, several of my book club friends borrowed the book and also enjoyed it. Begin with this book if you are reading biography, continue with this if you are reading historical fiction, change genres with this if you are watching films.



2. This woman was the greatest monarch England ever had. Ever. The book, however was a bit disapointing. It is a bare-bones just-the-facts telling of a great women's life and didn't near do her justice. I wanted more.
   
   If general facts and a fast read are all you want, this book is perfect. Just not for me.



3. Take a look at the cover of this book for just a moment. Just a single solitary moment. Maybe the last thing you want to do is read a young adult biography on England's greatest queen, and I can understand where you're coming from. But take a good long look at the image presented on the cover here. This portrait of Queen Elizabeth was fashioned in her time and is commonly referred to as The Rainbow Portrait. It is, to my mind, the most flattering painting ever made of the ruler and it hasn't been touched since she posed for it. When you first look at it, it seems pretty standard. There she is with the high forehead (considered attractive at the time), the bright curly red hair, and the ostentatious finery. In fact, let's take a closer look at that finery. If you look carefully you cannot help but notice that her gown is covered in ears and eyes. You heard me right. Honest to goodness ears and eyes are all over this thing! You don't notice it at first, but once you've seen it you can never forget it. Such is the case with Thomas's book itself. It may not look like much at first, but once you take even a glance at the text you immediately become transfixed by the lives of Elizabeth, her crazy family, suitors, and enemies.
   
   Elizabeth was born the second child of the (in the words of the great comic Eddie Izzard) "big fat hairy king", Henry VIII. Fond of killing off his wives when they either displeased him or couldn't produce male heirs, Elizabeth was the daughter of the soon-to-be beheaded Anne Boleyn. Her life was touch and go from the start. One minute she was treated as a prized pet and the next she was sent to royal grounds far from court. What followed soon after was a series of deaths and accessions to the throne. When Henry VIII died he was followed by Elizabeth's little half-bro Edward VI. When Eddie died he was followed by the Lady Jane Grey (for nine days). After she was tossed out came Elizabeth's older half-sis Mary (Bloody Mary to you commoners). Finally, Mary kicked it and Elizabeth rose to the throne. She was only 25 or 26 at the time and extraordinarily canny in the choices she made. Refusing to marry (and thereby give up her ruling power) Elizabeth remained sexy and single. Over the course of her life she dealt with assassination attempts, the continual threat of Mary Queen of Scots, an invasion of England by the Spanish Armada, excommunication, and all sorts of fun stuff. The result? Elizabeth remains perhaps the best remembered Queen of them all, making her an excellent subject of bios and bio-pics.
   
   I'm easily bored. If I pick up a children's book that won a Newbery Award pre-1950 to read, you'll probably find me curled up in a corner fast asleep in five minutes time. Non-fiction is therefore one of the banes of my existence and I heap large helpings of praise onto any author that can make a realistic subject even halfway interesting. Not being familiar with Jane Resh Thomas, I was understandably nervous when I confronted this tome of a book and its 16th century subject. To my vast relief, my fears were more than unfounded. Here is a history book that has plumbed every interesting tidbit, rumor, factoid, and story for the eager ears of the reader. Want to hear how Queen Elizabeth would expose her chest to foreign diplomats (to put them on edge, you see)? Read it here. Curious about her six foot tall rival who was a queen that disguised herself as a boy to gain English sanctuary? It's a great tale. None of this is to say that Thomas neglects actual informative facts about the Elizabethan era and its people. In fact, this kind of information is so plentiful that it fills each and every page without ever drawing undue attention to itself. I think I learned more about ancient court life within these pages than I could have hoped to anywhere else.
   
   In addition to fabulous factual storytelling and a wonderful ear for narrative, tension, and intrigue, Thomas has filled the book with numerous paintings of the characters involved, even going so far as to include Elizabeth's life in portraits as a color filled section of seven portraits that follow her through the years. To help the easily confused (like my pretty self) there's a fabulous opening section that names and describes many of the book's major players. There's also a portrait gallery of Henry VIII's wives and description of their mostly shortened lives. The back of the book contains a useful chronology of events, a well-cited bibliography of every source Thomas used or even thought of using, and an index. You're in safe hands with this thorough researcher.
   
   Thomas attempts in this book to show the life of Elizabeth without commenting on her too much. Yes, Elizabeth could be as cruel and calculating as her predecessors and she wasn't afraid to "Off with their head" a couple of her closest compatriots. In the end, however, she comes off as a remarkable woman. Thomas leaves plenty of room for speculation on lurid topics that cover everything from Elizabeth's sex life to her love of sweets for dinner. Nothing here is written in stone, but this is probably as good a teen biography of this great woman you're going to get for at least another one hundred years. As someone who looked upon reading this book initially as a chore, I can tell you honestly that it was a joy to go through. A biography that deserves remembrance.



4. This is a wonderful and very detailed book on Queen Elizabeth I of England- it explains everything from the divorce from Catherine of Aragorn to her reported affairs with Robin Dudley. If you want to know more about English history, this is definitely a great place to start.

   This is the best biography on Elizabeth I that I've read so far, and it has pictures of the portraits that she appeared in in her life. And you'll learn pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about Elizabeth the First- from what her three nicknames were (Gloriana, Good Queen Bess, and the Virgin Queen) to the last lie that she every told her sister, Mary.

   This is a great book, and I recommend it to everyone!




5. While the publisher touts this book as appropriate for children 10 and up, I think the School Journal recommendation of Grades 8 and up is much more appropriate. My eight year old wanted to read this book for a class project. I mistakenly thought it would be an excellent choice, but by page 17, I'd forbidden her to continue. By that time, I'd been asked to define ýprostitute,ý ýcastration,ý ýdisemboweling,ý ýliaison,ý "skin ulcer," and ýdeformedý as she read passages that included subjects like the corruption in the priesthood (priests living openly with prostitutes), the adultery charges against Anne Boleyn (including explanations of how the fact that her third child was born stillborn and deformed might have led to rumors about Anneýs morality, as deformity was believed to stem from the woman participating in witchcraft or sexual intercourse with the devil) , and Henryýs persecution of those who refused to accept his new authority as head of the Church of England (including the execution, castration, and disemboweling of priests who defied him). While all the information is accurate and well-researched, this gritty detail (much of which I didn't have to deal with until I was a sophomore in college) seems inappropriate for a child's introduction to the fascinating life of Queen Elizabeth I or Tudor England. It is much more likely -- especially for a sensitive child -- to put them off both subjects forever!

5 comments about Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution.

1. I found this book to be a fantastic read! Out of the many, this is the book I chose to read first when I became interested in Marie. Caroline Weber did a beautiful job destroying (if you will) old stereotypes that are associated with this woman.
   One reviewer stated," Not sure whether it wants to be a biography or fashion."
   I respectfully disagree. I'm not sure you can have one without the other. I'm very pleased that I chose this book to be my first. It made me want to know more about this courageous woman as well as the fashion of the 18th century, the French Revolution, and all who were involved.
   Just recently I pick this book up from my shelf, dusted it off and decided to read it again, only to realize that there were things that I had either dismissed or forgotten, and am now studying them further.
   
   All in all, a fascinating and fast paced bitter sweet telling of how fashion and Marie Antoinette are intricately entwined.
   A must read for those who are just starting to learn about her as well as the seasoned expert.



2. Beautiful, informative, interesting. The famous queen comes to life, as well as her notorious wardrobe. Her ability to express her feelings through fashion and how it eventually lead to her downfall really makes you think about how much of a victim she was, especially from the jealous and arrogant courtiers of France. A must read for any Marie Antoinette fanatic or someone who just wants to know who she was.



3. Wonderful new viewpoint on the age old subject of Marie Antonette. She never really said "Let them eat cake..." but she did a lot of other interesting things!



4. I bought this upon reading the recommendations. I've read some of the other books mentioned and loved them. This one, not so much. For me, it seemed somewhat like a text book. I didn't finish it.



5. Webber explains as she only can why Marie Antoinette and her wardrobe continue to fascinate us in the 21st century.

5 comments about Royal Babylon: The Alarming History of European Royalty.

1. Be aware that Karl Shaw seems to have a very strong anti-royalist agenda, which he makes fairly clear from the first page to the last. Every time he says anything good about one of his subjects, he makes sure to overbalance it with several bad things. In fact, his relentlessly downbeat portrayals of several royals are very much at odds with those of other recent writers in the field (for example, compare and contrast Shaw's slashing attacks on Russian Czarinas Elizabeth and Catherine the Great with Eleanor Herman's much more sympathetic and nuanced portraits in her recent "Sex with the Queen"). Shaw seems bent on hammering home his theory that royals are actually _worse_ than just about everyone else, physically, mentally, medically, morally, socially. One might therefore expect him to close the book with an all-encompassing blast against the institution of monarchy, but instead, he basically wimps out with a limp few paragraphs about how the mystique of royalty still captivates people.
   
   Short version: entertaining nasty gossip, but you need to go elsewhere to get really fair portrayals of the people written about here.



2. I don't know why I bought this book--hoping to be entertained and informed I guess. It was an absolute waste of time and money. The book content was boring and repetitive. The author kept saying the same thing over and over. I couldn't finish it because it was such a dull read. I have read other babylon books and have found them interesting. This one, however, was not. I read the reviews before I bought it, but I should have passed on this book.



3. I read this excellent book, here in Brazil.This book is very fun.Kings, queens are the focus of this excellent book, but counts, barons, lords and even artists are also present.
   This very fun book tells about three centuries of madness, debautchery, drug adiction, sex, adultery, gays, lesbians,etc. among kings, queens, lords, ladies, nobles in Europe.
   If you want to read history and to laugh, this book is an excellent choice.As is book concludes and also shows that monarchy can be laughable, but as an institution it is far from dead worldwide.



4. ...I found it at my local library. It's like reading news from National Enquirer! The author sounded like a cheesy tour guide:
   * Louis XVI was mistakenly referred to as Louis XIV's great-grandson
   * Louis XIV's sister-in-law was an English princess, somehow the author decided to move her birth place to Austria
   * Perhaps the author felt sorry for Louis XV, an only child orphaned at age two, so he made Louise de la Valliere, the well-known mistress of Louis XIV who left Versailles to become a Carmelite nun, his sister
   ...there are just too many obvious and laughable errors, makes you wonder if the author has ever heard of the word 'Google'!



5. This book was not at all what I had expected. What I thought I purchased was a book with amusing anecdotes about European royalty. What I ended up buying was a book filled with gossip, rumors, and just plain old trash. I could not even bring myself to finish it. Why taint the memory of anyone who is not alive to defend themselves? What ever happened to respect for the dead?
   
   This book is not worth the paper that it is printed on. Period.

5 comments about The Private Realm of Marie Antoinette.

1. i always thought marie antoinette was a empty headed selfish woman,but i find her to be a strong-willed ,compassionate and beautiful woman who loved her kids and her husband ,family.she showed great courage meeting her death.



2. After reading the reviews on this book I was expecting so much more than what I got. Some of the pictures in the book are beautiful, but most of them are grainy and shot at strange angles. The pictures of the petit trianon, which were the pictures I was looking forward to seeing the most, were all shot in black and white and there are only 6 pictures of it total. You get absolutely no feeling for it whatsoever and this was the place Marie Antoinette loved the most and spent most of her time. Overall I was very disappointed and would not recommend this book.



3. Beautiful book with nice pictures of several places on where Queen Marie Antoinette left her signature. Her rooms, gardens, Hameau, bodoire are beautifully described in this nice work. I recommend it for all who are interested in Marie Antoinette.



4. If you wish to be propelled into her realm, then look no further. I have read many books about Marie Antoinette and this is one of my favourites. The basic text is accompanied by the most wonderful photographs, portraits and furniture details that I have seen anywhere. Highly recommended.



5. This book is fairly small but it has some interesting tid bits about Marie Antoinette. The focus of this book is mainly on the royal's furniture and accessories. It doesn't go too much into Marie Antoinette's history. An interesting book for any Marie Antoinette fan.

5 comments about Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe.

1. The beginning of this book is engagingly written, but, as it goes on, it becomes a grind to read. By the middle of the book, the engaging, personal style is left behind; it's replaced by a dull recitation of events with scattered speculation thrown in. Yawn.
   
   Others have commented on the factual errors in the book, so I'll just mention that the author's comments on her research methodology explain how she made such errors. She says, for example, that she relies on Giovanni Villani's chronicle--despite its late date--because Dante had used it and "what was good enough for Dante was good enough for me." Oh, okay. Apparently, Ms. Goldstone doesn't understand the nature of Dante's work. I also found myself wondering what in the world were her sources for events in Germany because she didn't seem to have any grasp at all on medieval German culture. She doesn't mention what her sources for Germany were.
   
   Generally, popular history is fun to read. Not this one. It's dull, inaccurate, and written like a book report. That's too bad, because the subjects are fascinating.



2. Although I have read less than 100 pages of this book, and initially was quite pleased with the subject matter covered, some inaccurate details have lead me to agree with the more critical reviews.
   
   Specifically, the geographical errors are blatant. The most obvious one is on page 83 where Ascalon is described as being "about 30 miles east of Jerusalem", when on the map (which is very handily placed on the facing page) Ascalon is not east but west of of Jerusalem!!! Two others that I found referred to Flanders being on the western coast of France (page 60), when it is most definitely to the north and east of France, and less incorrect, but still not quite accurate enough for me was Britanny being referred to as being "immediately south of Normandy" (page42). Yes, it is south, but it is much more to the WEST of Normandy as well as south . . . Not good for less than 100 pages into a non-fiction historical work.
   
   Is this a case of nit-picking? Well, all I know is this: if these basic facts are not correct, then there may be more that I would not know about and so I am less likely to accept other interpretations/conclusions the author presents this book. When something as basic, and simple to verify as a city's geographic location is not correct, I wonder about the research done in the first place, and the veracity of sources, or just simple double checking of facts.
   
   Other reviews that are so glowing are worrisome as well. It really does seem that the general public knows very little about geography!
   
   Enjoyable to read, yes to a point. It is like the 1940's movie version of Pride and Prejudice that was entertaining, but not true to the original book. I'm not sure I'll finish the book, but then again maybe I will.



3. A fabulous history of the 13th Century and the part played by these beautiful and savvy women-behind-the throne in matters great and small. The to-and-fro between England and France, the English King vs an incipient parliament, the European Crusaders vs the Middle Eastern Muslims -- all searing, high drama. Uniquely telling research of the role these women played, often overlooked in "HIStory" books.



4. I think this book is very well written. It is very accurate about the facts. Not boring at all.



5. This book is an angaging, well-paced read. From the ambition of Beatrice to the revolts Eleanor faced to the crusades that Marguerite endured to Sanchia, who I felt sorriest for... these women led fascinating, closely interconnected lives.