No comments about The Life Of King Alfred.

No comments about Memoirs of Spain during the Reigns of Philip IV. and Charles II., from 1621 to 1700: Volume 2.

No comments about Inheritance.

1 comments about Phoenix: King Charles I (Phoenix Press).

1. In this book, Pauline Gregg does a magnificent job of painting a multifaceted picture of the life of King Charles I, from his birth in Scotland in 1600 to his death on the scaffold in 1649 after losing the English Civil War. Gregg presents an evenhanded narrative of Charles's life, mostly sympathetic but not glossing over his faults. The changing political landscape in England over the course of Charles's reign is presented very well and in detail, including the financial and turbulent religious aspects that make his reign a most interesting one. Much treatment is also given to the English Civil War and its causes as well as to the life of Charles as a private family man. Whether you are interested in the English Civil War, English ecclesiastical history, the British Monarchy, or just history in general, you will find this book informative and entertaining. Far from being a ponderous historical tome, it maintians a steady pace throughout that keeps the reader well informed but never bored. I would recommend this book to any history buff, and it's a must-have for any enthusiast for English history!

1 comments about Edward & Sophie: A Royal Wedding.

1. Lots of historical background here for the royal couple. The wedding photos are interesting but I found the best part to be the photos of Sophie, many of these I hadn't seen before and some were very flattering to the lady.

2 comments about Anna of Denmark, Queen of England: A Cultural Biography (New Cultural Studies).

1. I almost gave it 2 stars but decided in all fairness it did deserve 3. After all the reason I didn't like the book is that it was very dry, a lot of facts, and Anne isn't mentioned in ways that allow you to get a lot of info on her, as herself.
   However, it DOES say it's a cultural biography so my disappointment is my own fault.
   I wouldn't reccomend it for anyone looking for a biography or for light reading. However if your looking for info on Anne, you'll have to make do since there are very few other resources on her.



2. A biography of Anne of Denmark, wife of King James VI of Scotland and I of England, is hard to come by. Those who read this book expecting a conventional biography might well be disappointed.

   The author points out, however, that this is not intended to be a biography, but a "cultural biography." What this amounts to is an extended essay arguing that Anne, far from being the shallow and flighty woman described by most historians, was actually an intelligent, ambitious woman determined to make her mark on the politics and the culture of her day. It is an interesting argument, if not an entirely convincing one.

   Some of the arguments fall flat, such as the author's insistence that the hysterical temper tantrum that triggered a life-threatening miscarriage was an example of the queen's resolve and power. Despite the occasional jarring note, an interesting pattern does emerge, revealing Anne as something more than the frivolous queen who glorified herself with extravagent masques (allegorical plays with elaborate costumes, scenery, music and dancing.) Despite the stated focus on the "cultural biography," what I found most interesting was the political turmoil Anne managed to create during her years in Scotland.

   The author makes extensive use of primary sources in the 170 page essay. The notes are interesting, but for some reason, the author declined to include a bibliography. Some might find the frequent intrusion of the author's voice to be irritating. Observations such as these abound: "I have saved for this final chapter..."; "I will be arguing..."; "It is apparent to me that..." But since this is consistent with the author's style and stated purpose, this pattern is easier to overlook than it would have been in a conventional biography.

   Recommended for serious students of Jacobean history and culture.

5 comments about Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark.

1. This book is a decent entry into that genre of entertainment called "READ GOGGLE-EYED HOW ONE GIRL IN A MILLION GOT LUCKY!" It's decently written, wholly positive, not to say nearly hagiographic, and has nice photos. The outlines of the story of how the erstwhile Australian real estate/marketing executive met the Crown Prince of Denmark in a Sydney bar during the 2000 Olympics, and actually made it to the altar with him and is on her way to becoming Queen Consort of Denmark, IS remarkable. Unfortunately, it's the ONLY remarkable aspect of the book, because the two people involved couldn't be less interesting or more ordinary. The only thing extraordinary about Prince Frederik is the circumstance of his birth, and the only thing extraordinary about Mary Donaldson is the circumstance of her marriage, a mind-bogglingly successful grab at the matrimonial brass ring as ever was.
   
   Unlike the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Mary Donaldson (as well as the handful of other commoners who wed European Crown Princes in the last few years) had some maturity and world experience before catching HER prince, and thus seems to have been able to make the most of her tremendous opportunity without paying for it later with misery and disappointment.
   
   Catty as that sounds, they look like a well-matched couple and Miss Mary, who seems to have quite a bit of backbone, has gone on to adapt to a new country, new religion, new language, new public role, while giving the Danes the next generation's male heir AND the first little princess born to the Danish royal family since 1946, all within the first two years of marriage. Except for a few bumps, most notably some difficulty mastering Danish (she has continued to improve here, and it IS a notoriously difficult language to learn as an adult), she has adapted well and is reasonably popular among the Danes.
   
   The book does give lots of detail about how the couple kept the relationship going while separated by continents between summer 2000 and October 2003, when Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe, finally gave her consent to the marriage. If you enjoy those sorts of details, and those describing Mary's adjustment leading up to the couple's sumptuous and, I must admit, quite gorgeous wedding in May 2004, you'll enjoy this.
   
   This book is already outdated. As Frederik and Mary approach their fourth wedding anniversary, they already have two children, foreign tours under their belts, and Mary's hairdos and wardrobe have undergone some noticeable shifts. However, I'm sure other books will follow to catch everyone up on the doings of one of Europe's latest Golden Couples. Meanwhile, tuck this into your purse as you ride the bus, or into your tote as you head for the beach - that's about its level of insight.



2. informative first info of Princess Mary and her courtship and marriage to the Crown Prince of Denmark...



3. I have to agree with the one-star reviewer, in one aspect of her review: this is definitely a somewhat shallow, lets-generate-good-PR, type of biography. There's no real story here. The facts of Mary's life are presently blandly, but then, maybe there's nothing really exciting about her either. Mary seems like a nice enough person from a nice family. Frederik also seems like a nice person from a nice family. But there's no in-depth analysis of their characters, or their very different backgrounds. (You have to wonder, what did Queen Margarethe really think about her son's choice of an Australian commoner? But you won't get that kind of question in a "loyal" bio such as this one.)
   
   The book is already a little out of date, since Mary and Frederik have had two children as the date of this review, and this biography only covers up to their marriage. I don't dislike this book -- it's informative about the basic facts of Mary's life, and has several nice photographs -- but yes, it is disappointing if you want an in-depth, thoughtful biography of this person.



4. Unfortunately this turned out to be merely a public relations book for Mary Donaldson of Tasmania, Australia...who became the Crown Princess of Denmark. Falsehoods, exaggerations, and omissions about Mary's history (dating relationships, friends, live-in lovers, unstable job history, her hanging out with Crown Prince Frederik in the Slip Inn "pick-up" bar in Sydney) made it shallow reading. It reads like a public relations campaign, with a false "edge" given to the reader to try to make it appear that the real Mary is in the book. However, the real Mary Donaldson is missing. It may well be that Danish journalist cannot research and write objectively about the royalty they support with their taxes. Pehaps in such a small country it is not "wise" to write truthfully about the royal family if you want to get ahead and/or keep your job. But it was certainly a pretty book and pleasant coffee-table reading. Perhaps that is the real purpose?



5. This is one of the best royal biographies of the year! The authors stick to the facts and do not reley on untrue rumors; at the same time they fully describe the personalty of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

No comments about Elizabeth: The Scandalous Life of the Duchess of Kingston.

2 comments about KING CHARLES II.

1. antonia fraser does full justice to the topic so that you come away with a new clear and unbiased picture of a very approachable english king she uses exelant language and has a skill to keep her reader interested this book is well worth the read antonia frazer does an amazing job as usual



2. This is what popular historical writing is all about - a readable, knowledgeable, enjoyable book. Fraser provides a superb introduction to the varied life and dramatic times of king Charles II. Her background information is clear and reliably accurate, she provides a great deal of insight into the person of this most personable of kings, and her bibliography is a launching place for further explorations. One could only wish to be able to submit a list of suggestions for new books...

1 comments about Beside Me Still: A Memoir of Love and Loss in World War II.

1. This is the most beautiful and powerful description of the impact of WW II on an American family that fought in WW II yet written. Truly a magnificent memoir and recollection of pre-war America, the War in the Pacific, the war years in America, the terrible loss that was sustained, and the ability of an extraordinary woman to reconstruct her life--after her husband, an American Naval Officer, was killed in action. It is far better than any novel I have read about WW II.