5 comments about Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne.

1. Neither my wife nor I could put this book down with its fascinating description of the challenges of the royal Japanese household, also known as the "Chrysanthemum Throne".
   
   It reads almost like another Princess Diana story, but hopefully with a far better ending. At any rate, the potential is there for Princess Masako to make more of her life and position- it is now down to the royal court to allow this.



2. Think of the word princess, and more often than not there's the image of a lovely young woman, dressed in a long flowing gown, usually with a pretty little crown or tiara on her head, and a smitten prince at her side. Rarely this romantic view ever goes on to reveal what happens when the celebrations are over and the reality of life settles in.
   
   While the monarchies of the western world have managed somewhat to balance the public's curiosity about royal life and the royal's own need for privacy, there is one monarchy that has remained firmly shuttered to prying eyes. This is the last Imperial house in the world, that of the Japanese. Australian journalist Ben Hills takes a look at one of the more tragic stories of royalty gone awry, and tells it with equal measures of compassion and anger.
   
   Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne tells the unusual story of a young woman, Masako Owada, the daughter of a diplomat who grew up in various cities around the world, and seemed to be heading for an outstanding career of her own. She had been educated at Harvard, spoke more than six languages and was a pretty, rather popular girl who was intent to be the very best. While she was certainly very different than the typical Japanese woman, no one suspected that her life would take a very dramatic turn.
   
   That would occur in 1993, when after a rather stilted courtship following a chance meeting, Crown Prince Naruhito was finally accepted by Masako and she married him in a tradition laiden ceremony in Tokyo. And suddenly, Masako found her life surrounded by protocol, religious duties and the overwhelming pressure to have a child -- specifically, a male child, something that hadn't happened in the Japanese Imperial family for more than forty years.
   
   Ben Hills delves rather far into the mystery surrounding this family, at least as far as a Western journalist can dig, given the interference that the Kunaicho, the Imperial Household Agency, a bureaucracy that controls every aspect of daily life for the Japanese royal family. Hills refers to these shadowy bureaucrats as The Men in Black, a rather sinister connotation. And as we see in the story, the pressure to conform, and not to sully the image that the Kunaicho want to project, is pretty potent.
   
   The ultimate tragedy of the story is Masako herself. It's sad to watch this vital young woman being crushed by a system that simply does not care about her, except as her role as royal broodmare and a pretty picture to wave in front of the masses. We watch her struggle to concieve a child -- and after nearly nine years of disappointment, and possibly through the use of In-Vitro Fertilization, finally gives birth to a daughter, Aiko. There is the pressure to remain silent and self-effacing, and the toll that takes on Masako's health. While rumours persist that she may be in the grip of major depression, and Hills presents convincing evidence that she is, nothing can be really certain if she is or not.
   
   Which gets right down to the criticism of this book. The Japanese publishers suddenly pulled out of various publication deals for a translation once it was announced that the Kunaicho did not approve of it, and censorship reared it's ugly little head. Hills has received death threats, and the response to the publication is detailed in the epilogue that is in the trade paperback edition. Indeed, anything that can be deemed detrimental to the Japanese government, morals, or the Imperial family is regularly censored, rewritten or whitewashed by those in power -- a situation that most Westerners won't, and don't, tolerate.
   
   And regularly Hills makes backhanded swipes at his subject. His description of the Japanese ceremonial and dress verges on the Oh, isn't that cute!, and at times his narrative goes as far as mockery. That's something that I tend to deplore in writing of any kind, showing a snobbish attitude that is downright rude. Too, he litters the story with Australian slang, which is unfamiliar to most American readers, and while there is some sympathy for Masako, there isn't much left over for anyone else caught up in the drama.
   
   Besides the story itself, there are two inserts of photos, one in black and white, the other in colour; as well as a genealogy chart, a map, a list of resources, a glossary of Japanese terms, and an index.
   
   While I was certainly very interested in this story, it comes across more as a gossipy expose rather than a serious study of Japanese court life. So much is left out that all that remains is a damning screed against a culture that seems to be firmly fixed in medieval traditions, liberally laced with restrictions and corruption. It's interesting, but surely, there must be something better than this out there on this topic.
   
   Three and a half stars, rounded up to four. Somewhat recommended, but only to those interested in modern Japanese life and celebrity.



3. It is quite obvious that this author has little knowledge of Japanese culture and he makes many snide comments belittling the sacredness of some traditional Japanese customs. This arrogant style is used throughout the book and is highly disrespectful of Japanese traditions.
   He scoffs at the ancient Japanese religion of Shinto of which the Imperial family follows aspects of, and undermines the Shinto symbolic rites that accompany marriage. For Japanese people, Shinto represents the religious part of Japan's unique history, and many still observe Shinto practices such as visting Shinto shrines to pray etc. The author dismisses all this as archaic and antiquated and presumes it will be laughed at by "modern people such as Masako". I think only the author himself laughs as most people are able to respect the religious traditions of others.
   The author further shows his ignorance through mistaking the Japanese symbol of the crane with the Western Stork. He ignorantly translates the very traditional Japanese wedding symbol of the crane, which symbolises "celebration" to be the stork which only in the West means "Birth" and therefore as pressure on Masako to concieve.
   He also extensively quotes Yukie Kudo, who is of rather dubious repute, and the author has obviously has not conducted a background check on this source.
   I think this is worth two stars, because at least the author has collected a lot of information into one source. But it is only worth two because of the condescending tone he uses throughout the book.
   This book was translated into Japanese, but 60% of the information was deemed unsuitable for publishing and edited out of the Japanese version therefore this book is only available in English. I think part of the reason for this book not making it into Japanese print is not only because of the Japanese wanting to protect the reputation of the Royal Family, but also because this book comes off as ignorant and therefore not completely truthful.



4. the very real story of a princess who is not living happily ever after, why do all royal families seem to attempt to strip princesses-in-training, expecting them to relinquish their creative minds, goals and imagination, all attributes that would enable them to serve a royal family, as well as a country to their highest potential...did they not learn anything from the tragedy of the loss of Princess Diana, who was finally beginning to breathe again...



5. First of all,as a Japanese,I will not sit here and watch as an affair of my country is terribly distorted and misunderstood.Let me start by pointing out the most important fact unbeknownst to Western people:The majority of the Japanese people DO NOT sympathize with Princess Masako any more,because we already know the truth all too well.
   
   Although we used to regard her in the early days as an efficient but "unfortunate" princess just as this book claims to be,now almost every Japanese inwardly thinks that she is just a loathesome,power-hungry upstart with gilded academic backgrounds and a seemingly remarkable diplomat's career who married into a highest and noblest family she never really belonged to.We also think that she should be deprived of her title and dismissed from the Imperial Family as soon as possible--not because she is a "modernized" woman who is alien to our society,but simply because she is not doing her duty at all.In fact,also unbeknownst to overseas media,she keeps on betraying the people's expectation for her to live up to her title by refusing to attend almost all the public functions out of faked sickness,seeking only fun,squandering the taxpayers'money without a reflection.
   
   In other words,all she ever does is to pretend that she's so "mentally ill" that she needs "a long rest" and to "shop till she drops" on the people's back as she goes on needless vacations.(For example,she immensely enjoyed her visit to Tokyo Disneyland with her husband and daughter by riding various attractions this March,and shortly after it was reported in the media,there appeared many weblog entries denouncing her act.)
   As you know,a real patient of depression or of any other mental illness is never able to go out not only to work,but also to play however hard he or she wants to.Even though there is yet no clear evidence that her illness is false,there is a revealing fact that the Princess has never undergone a thorough mental health check by a third-party doctor,nor has her doctor in charge officially held a press conference to announce the proper diagnosis to this day.With all the inappropriate behaviour of the Princess above in mind,we have come to a conclusion that she is an utterly ineligible Crown Princess,a Marie Antoinette-like tax-spender,a sheer disgrace to our nation and to "the Chrysanthemum Throne" in the true sense of the term.
   
   So the point here is as follows:She is no "prisoner" to be "liberated" at all;all we have here is one delinquent who would universally be dismissed should she be a princess of some Western country,and that Japanese traditions or "the way of the Kunaicho(the Imperial Household Agency)" has nothing to do with the so-called "unfairness" of the way she has been treated.We only think of her as we naturally do,and the Imperial Household Agency has been only doing its job.
   Suppose an agency of Royal or Imperial affairs did not try to admonish a troublemaker in the Family,or it did not try to defend their lord in the face of a malicious slander,then of what use would it be?Naturally,if it takes the above actions when needed, that would be NO "violation of human rights" or "violation of freedom of speech" as the author Ben Hills alleged regarding the treatment of Princess Masako and the Kunaicho's protest against his book.
   Therefore,all the author's accusations against the Kunaicho and the other members of the Imperial Family are groundless,because those accusations are made on an unsound premise that they should be blamed for their own unique "inhumanity" and "feudalism" that never really exist in this particular case.Needless to say,a tradition should never be judged from an insufficient research or a subjective,narrow-minded viewpoint like the author's,especially when the allegations are untrue.
   
   
   Finally,please DO NOT ever be deceived by this bogus story of some Imperial oppression of a well-intended,"liberated" individual which never took place,not only for our sake,but also for your own sake,because this is apparently a book of propaganda full of intentional errors designed to undermine Japan's and the Imperial Family's reputation.With Japan being a former Axis and a defeated nation of WWII,it is not uncommon for the rest of the world to demonize the Emperor or the Imperial system of Japan by deliberately depicting it as a thoroughly inhumane existence despite its now-pacifistic nature.So,all wise and conscientious readers out there, stay open-minded,for an ignorant,unsuspecting "good intention" misled by malice could lead to true unfairness such as racism and destruction of a culture that is different from your own.

5 comments about Morgan.

1. I have both this book and Sara Boutelle's "Julia Morgan, architect" ISBN 0-7892-0019-8. I give a slight edge to the Boutelle book for the writing, but both books are excellent and each provides information, images, and insight not in the other. I wouldn't give up either one.



2. While this is clearly a comprehensive book at JM's work and the photographs are exquisite, the prose could have used a bit more editing.
   For example, the introduction, written by JM's niece is a stream of consciousness of memories vs. a more concise piece on Julia Morgan's relationship with the goddaughter and the mother (who was Julia's assistant).



3. This book is an exceptional coffee table book for oneself or as a gift. It is one of the most comprehensive books I have seen on Julia Morgan and her architecture with a wonderful compilation of photos.



4. This is a great addition to the Julia Morgan literature. A lovely intro by her god-daughter gives some new biographical information, and there are more pictures and discussion of her private home commissions than in any of the other books I have.



5. Much new primary source material. Stunning photography and much more. Something for the scholar, the architect, the homeowner, the dreamer...and anyone who craves beauty.

3 comments about Women Travelers: A Century of Trailblazing Adventures 1850-1950.

1. 
   "In 1898, Fanny Bullock Workman launched her assault on the Himalayas. Hanging from the handlebars of her bicycle was a tin teakettle. Her pith helmet harbored the badge of the Touring Club of France. A final accessory, one that never left her side and was scarcely less indispensable than her teakettle, was her husband." And as they journeyed, they added such "items as a whip (to drive away the dogs who chased Mrs. Workman's skirts), a pistol (for any men similarly inclined), and a Kodak camera."
   
   This fascinating book celebrates the courageous journeys of thirty-one women from fourteen countries. In addition to Workman, they include Fanny Vandegrift, wife of Robert Louis Stevenson, Nellie Bly, a journalist who went around the world in 72 days, Ida Pfeiffer, Alexine Tinne and Florence Baker and others.
   
   Many of the journeys had long-lasting effects on the role and status of women in society. Some made important contributions to disciplines as varied as medicine, archaeology and anthropology.
   
   Christel Mouchard is an award winning novelist. She used archival photographs and extracts from diaries, letters and other writings to bring these people alive. This book will appeal to travelers of all types and genders.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008



2. I read a review of this book in an Australian newspaper and felt that I just had to have it. Due to it's popularity it was out of stock, so of course I looked on Amazon and there it was - and even with postage it's cheaper to buy overseas ! My package arrived safely and with excitement I ripped into it to reveal the most gorgeous book filled with amazing women and their stories. These women survived hardship, often with extreme weather and lengthy travel by any means in order to satify their wanderlust in a time when women were meant to stay at home and tend to husbands and children. I love that they remained true to themselves, however they saw themselves, some dressing as men to allow a greater range of travelling experience and others ensuring they travelled with the best goods such as porcelain teasets and linen sheets. If you adore armchair travel then this is the book for you - it takes you back to the time when a journey was dangerous, romantic and exotic and when the fun was in the getting there.



3. I bought this book for my wife as a Christmas present and after she had thoroughly enjoyed reading it , I stared to peruse it .
   A must read for everyone and more particular every woman.
   
   Excellent.

5 comments about Annapurna: A Woman's Place (20th Anniversary Edition).

1. A lifetime ago, when I was a young woman just entering the work force, an all-woman climbing party raised $80,000 (a tremendous sum then) to fund their expedition to Annapurna. At that time this dangerous Himalayan peak, tenth highest in the world, had not been climbed by an American or by a woman. After more than 40 grueling days of laying seige to the mountain, two team members and two Sherpas reached its summit. Those are the facts. They aren't what make this book fascinating, though. It's the story author Arlene Blum (the team's often harried and frustrated leader) tells, of how these pioneers in what was then very much the "man's world" of climbing worked together and achieved their goal.
   
   Blum's writing is frank, humorous, and sometimes deeply moving. In this 20th anniversary reissue of a book originally published shortly after the expedition, she adds an intriguing new dimension by updating readers on the climbers' lives since 1978. If this book isn't considered a classic, it should be. So much has changed, and women like these made it happen!



2. This book describes an important event in mountaineering history - the first women's expedition to Annapurna. It is a gripping story and a must read for anyone interested in mountaineering. This is an especially important book because there are such few books about women's accomplishments in mountaineering - a very neglected topic.



3. I don't know how you can't feel the call of the mountains after reading this book. I wanted to jump on the next plane to India. An excellent documentary style book on women's relationships with each other and men, the image women hold of themselves and how others perceive us, and a moving story illustrating that women can do anything. Excellent.



4. This new release of a 20yo book is a winner. I still have my tattered T-shirt proclaiming women should be 'on top,' that I bought in Berkeley way back then, in support of Blum?s fundraising for her 1978 all-woman assault on Annapurna. By proving to the skeptical small mountain-climbing community of men, as well as to the world at large, that women COULD be leaders of expeditions into the high Himilayas, Blum opened the door to a new vision of women's abilities in sports as well as all other areas of life.



5. Arlene Blum's book is the best mountain-climbing book I've ever read, by far, and as the daughter of a climber, I've read quite a few. This book excels because of its author. Her sensitivity, perceptiveness, and concern for others is evident throughout. She's also a good writer with a good story.

3 comments about 9 1/2 Years Behind the Green Door: A Mitchell Brothers Stripper Remembers her Lover Artie Mitchell, Hunter S. Thompson, and the Killing that Rocked San Francisco.

1. Simone Corday not only provides intimate details about working at the O'Farrell Theater, she kept track of conversations between she and her long-time lover Artie Mitchell, and her compadre Hunter S. Thompson in journals.
   
   In her memoir, you are like a fly on the wall, drinking in so many delicious details about her life with these over-the-top counterculture icons.
   
   It's a sensual, emotional page turner. You won't want to put it down, and then you will be crying out for more, lingering on that final page, and searching for old Mitchell Brothers' films to get more glimpses on her extraordinary life.



2. An absolutely unmissable read for anyone interested in this bizarre story of two brothers who had the world on a string and then stuck a pin in it.



3. For a realistic, hearfelt look at what it was like to dance at an infamous strip club, have a long love affair with porn king Artie Mitchell, and hang out with Hunter Thompson, this is the book to read! Full of uncanny detail, Corday's story is affectionate, funny, sexy, and a real page-turner. With a searing account of Artie's slaying by his brother Jim and the motives behind it, the murder trial which cost him $1.3 million, and the political connections that helped him get off with serving just 3 years at San Quentin.

5 comments about Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures of a Wannabe Princess.

1. `Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures Of A Wannabe Princess' is the enchanting story of a young women growing up and discovering who she is. The book chronicles the ups and downs that the main character, Jerramy must go through in order to discover the truth about who she is, the person her soul identifies with.
   
   I found the story to be incredibly inspirational and touching. The theme of the story is to never give up your dreams, a testament to following them and the gifts that you can receive in doing so. `Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures Of A Wannabe Princess' is absolutely a page turner, I read the entire novel in just two days, quite a feat for myself.
   
   Not only was the story fun and uplifting but every young adult can identify with some of the central themes: feeling overwhelmed by college loans, being on your own for the first time and seeking true love. Another fun aspect of the novel were all of the interesting facts about London that are sprinkled throughout the book. Jerramy Fine does an amazing job weaving fact and fiction to create an amusing, inspirational and moving book.
   
   A story for the young and young of heart, I recommend this novsel to anyone feeling like they don't belong and looking to find out who they are.



2. Ms. Fine has a fantastically self-effacing sense of humor. The contrast between her upbringing and her desires could not be a more charming contradiction. I bought the book on a whim and read it in one sitting that same day. For anyone who secretly desires fame or dreams of a charmed life, this book has a double gift of showing that a charmed life is what you create for yourself, not necessarily what lands in your lap. And clearly Ms. Fine captures the sense that she has enjoyed the pursuit of a dream and all that unexpectedly unfolds because of it.
   
   The brilliance lies in the premise being at once so absurd and simultaneously believably possible -- and with that it is the true stuff of fairy tales. But of the best possible kind. The real kind.



3. Miss Fine's book was a wonderful read and a true testament to the hardships of following a dream against all odds. I wished for a happier ending (she should have gotten the man, not that Canadian girl).
   
   The only thing I can say is "great job Miss Fine", and wonder if a matrimonial agency for aristocrats might be in your future business plans???



4. I like to vary my reading diet, and this was a great bite in the chick-lit buffet. It was fun, honest and humorous -- keeping me glued till the end. For someone who's looking for a story to keep you happily distracted, this is the book for you. Jerramy Fine was extremely focused and dedicated to her dream, which is always refreshing. I finished it with a smile.



5. I was very impressed with Jerramy's honesty of her story and her ability to laugh at herself. She writes with such intelligence and wit while telling her story that it makes it difficult to put down the book as it left me wondering what was going to happen next. I found it very easy to relate to her story and her desire for something more. I also grew up in a small town in Colorado and found myself reliving my childhood as she spoke about county fairs, pick-up trucks with rifles hanging on the gun rack. I know exactly what she was talking about when she describes moving to a new, strange city where you expect so much right away. I also loved reading about the different men she was interested in and I'm glad to know that I'm not the only girl in the world who didn't get that call after the "perfect evening"! Haha!
   Thank you, Jerramy, for sharing your wonderful story!

1 comments about Sharon Osbourne Survivor: My Story: The Next Chapter.

1. Sharon has a fascinating life and puts it all out in the open for everyone. While some people might not be as open about their misfortunes, Sharon doesn't sugar coat anything; she tells it all. This book was well written and very personal. Her life is very interesting and how she has put up with Ozzy, I will never know. That must be what true love really is. She is such a hard worker and a great inspiration for women everywhere.
   
   I also highly recommend Sharon's first autobiography "Sharon Osbourne Extreme: My Autobiography" and the book "Understanding: Train of Thought".

5 comments about In My Skin: A Memoir.

1. I didn't care for this book. It was very slow starting off to me. I probably wouldn't have even finished it if this had not been the only thing I had to read on a road trip. Way too boring!



2. I admire Kate Holden for sharing such a personal set of experiences, and I appreciate that it would have taken effort to feel into a troubled period of time in the past and make a memoir of it. Unfortunately the key ideas and themes of this book i.e. drug addiction and prostitution to pay for the habit are by no means original, there are plenty of stories just like this one. The whole perspective that she had come from an unbroken middle class family, received education and then fell so far shouldn't shock people, it happens a lot. In society we misunderstand prostitution, not all are addicted to drugs as this books notes (obviously Kate Holden was addicted). Plenty of workers are there for a quick dollar and I'm pleased that this book made reference to such circumstances. I would have liked better direction in this work, it felt like that the chapters were more like breaks for the reader, rather than a necessary starting or ending point of particular themes. The big test for Kate now is what next? Most people are capable of a memoir, does she have a follow up novel or new work for us?



3. I knew nothing about heroin addition before reading this book. Why on earth would anyone try it? Why don't the junkies just stop? Who cares about them anyway?
   
   In a clear, well written story Holden answers these questions and more. She goes from a bored uni-student from a happy home, to hanging out with "the wrong crowd", and sinks slowly, inevitably into heroin addiction. Her days become obssessed with a single goal - "Do I have enough money for a fix?" Most heartbreaking of all is her repeated abandonment of her family, whose agony she sometimes mentions, but is never important enough to make her stop. Eventually, penniless, she turns to prostitution. The contrast between the dangerous, dirty world of streetwalking compared to the safe clean environment of a legal brothel is striking.
   
   As a Melbourne resident it felt chilling to think that I walked the same streets of St. Kilda as Holden did. I occasionaly glimpsed street walkers with amusement, but knew nothing of who they were, or why there were there. This book taught me a lot.



4. I found it sad that an obviously bright young woman could derive self-esteem from a) being "brave" enough to shoot heroin and b) being "adored" by men who were paying her for sex. It seems rather backwards. Why not derive your self-esteem from your education, intelligence, talents and loyal family? Apparently these things are what drove her into the seedy world of drugs and prostitution? The writing style got tedious - how many times can she refer to the light as thin??? Or shooting up as a "taste?" I also felt like the book lacked credibility. How much of the details can be authentic if she was using heroin four to six times a day? I imagine she would have been more like a zombie than the energizer sex bunny she portrays herself to be.



5. I am in two minds about this book. On one hand, I absolutely loved it. On the other, I felt it was lacking.
   
   Bad news first: The memoir seemed to lack in emotion. Surely with long term heroin addiction and prostitution there would be more... hard hitting pain. It sounds insensitive, but when I was reading, it seemed as though the author drifted into this world and drifted out. I found it hard to understand the desperation of her situation. When I read, I felt detached. Perhaps this was deliberate? I could certainly understand the author isolating her feelings from her memories. It must have been a difficult period in her life, and difficult to write about. What I'm trying to say is that I felt disconnected. I couldn't get into the story.
   
   Now for the good stuff: I absolutely adore Kate Holden's writing style. It seems so melodic and lyrical. It was so easy to read and understand. Without being simplistic. Her writing is so beautiful, almost serene. I would be very happy if I were able to write so eloquently. I found her memoir somewhat frightening. The way she described herself before she became an addict, is very similar to how I see myself. Her descent into addiction and prostitution seems understandable. I could see myself in that situation, and it did frighten me a bit.
   
   All in all, I found it to be a good memoir. Definately not the best I've read, but certainly not the worst. I think that Holden's writing style may be better suited to a novel, rather than a memoir. After all her columns in 'The Age' newspaper are always interesting to read. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

5 comments about Mistress of the Elgin Marbles: A Biography of Mary Nisbet, Countess of Elgin.

1. Mary Nisbet was the definition of an aristocrat. She lived a life most people dream of: She was good looking, charming, intelligent, extremely wealthy, and was admired and respected by some of the most powerful people around.
   
   So what will you get out of by reading this book? Your be put into the shoes of Mary Nisbet and her extravagant lifestyle. Your get to know her spendthrift husband and his preoccupation with marbles from Parthenon. But really not much else.
   
   The book is based off of Mary's diary, which really helped give the book life.
   So, I'm giving the book 3 stars because the book was written fairly well, but the story was a little boring.



2. I just finished reading Susan Nagel's wonderful Biography of Mary Nisbet, Countess of Elgin. Rarely do I read Biographies and feel so intimately close to the subject as I did with this well researched piece of work. I felt as if I had lived right along with Mary through her travels, adventures, exploits and tragedies. Packed with Romantic locals and historical people. An intimate peek into a fascinating life, who was Mary Nisbet, Countess of Elgin.



3. Quite a Girl! We have this vision of the women of a century ago being totally subservient to the men. It has been the men who made history. Where there have been women in the story, they are often viewed only as a companion to the men, as examples, the recent biographies of Washington and Nelson. In recent years we've begun to see well written biographies of women who certainly led fascinating lives.
   
   Mary Nisbet was smart, rich, beautiful. She took smallpox vaccine to the Middle East, brought classical marbles from the Parthenon back to England (before Napoleon could get them). Then she 'replaced' her husband with his best friend.
   
   Quite a Girl, Very interesting character, well written book.



4. "Remember the ladies" Abigail Adams charged her husband John -- that's what Nagel does with "Mary Nisbet"; she fills in fascinating and colorful details of the world of the women of society in England during the war against Napoleon. All the teasing glimpses we get in O'Brian's masculine epic are fleshed out, as it were; the opulence of the Bey's court; Emma Hamilton's manipulation of Admiral Nelson; the impact of the war with Napoleon on life and travel -- all the dinner parties O'Brian glossed over in passing come springing to vivid life as we read from Mary's actual letters. If you loved Master and Commander or the whole series, pick this up and treat yourself to a richer picture of the period.



5. Susan Nagel's biography of the Countess of Elgin makes history come alive in a dramatic, romantic page-turner. You'll be transported to a land of wealth and privilege, where egg-sized emeralds are exchanged as small tokens of affection, where cannons salute the arrival of dignitaries into new ports and where love of art and love of man mixes to create a heady and destructive combination of emotions.
   
   
   
   This book is perfect for a day at the beach or an evening curled up at home - if only all history could be this fun!

5 comments about Under the Duvet: Shoes, Reviews, Having the Blues, Builders, Babies, Families and Other Calamities.

1. In Under the Duvet, Keyes talks about her (somewhat dysfunctional) life in a series of essays, most of which were published in the Tatler. From her loathing of gardening to her dark days with alcohol abuse, she unveils her thoughts and feelings about the terrors and bliss of living, in a very Irish way. It's not only the language that's different (crisps instead of chips, boot instead of trunk, etc.), it's the mindset of being a woman in Ireland. Typically, the women in the essays are more fleshed out than the men, which makes the poor men always sound dense and unenlightened, while the women put up with it because that's just the way it is. Despite the cultural differences, it's easy to relate to many situations she's gone through: learning to drive, going through house renovations, spending Christmas with your family (when you'd rather be elsewhere, like in Groenland).
   
   Okay, Under the Duvet is not literature. But it's fun, and a touch of levity in life has never hurt anyone.



2. In my book, Keyes' best work was Watermelon, her first novel. Anyone who's ever tried to pick up the pieces after the sudden end of a relationship can instantly identify with Claire's heartbreak and dilemma, and Keyes does an excellent job mining all the sad, gory details of a love lost and found.
   
   "Under the Duvet" is her first nonfiction book, and while it's an entirely different reading experience, it's still not a bad way for a Keyes fan to get her fix. A collection of columns she wrote for various magazines and newspapers, as well as a few previously unpublished pieces, this book is vintage Keyes, mixing laugh-out-loud observations about her shoe fetish and her large, very Catholic family, with poignant reflections on overcoming crippling alcoholism.
   
   Never fear, though -- you're not going to be subjected to a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Save for a dark, somber chapter about her struggle to get and stay sober, "Under the Duvet" is primarily a happy, skippy romp through the landscape of Keyes' life and times, introducing us to Himself (her husband Tony), her wise Mam, hapless Dad, and her memorable band of siblings and friends. Keyes spent eleven years living in 'Swinging London' before moving back to Ireland for good, and each country gets its share of gentle teasing about its eccentricities and colorful characters. But her finest pen is reserved for her affectionate look at Ireland then and now: she waxes nostalgic about the Dublin before the specter of the Celtic Tiger, and marvels at the remarkable transition its made in these increasingly secular and materialistic times.
   
   Fans and children of Erin will find much to love here, and chick-lit aficionados will love Keyes' brief, charming musings on dating, parties, growing older, getting married, Botox, losing weight, and the Holy Grail of twentysomethings everywhere: Keyes' short-lived but glorious stint as beauty editor for a national women's magazine. Would-be writers seeking advice on the craft and business of novel writing and publishing will best look elsewhere, as Keyes touches only lightly on the subject.
   
   There are a good many Irish-isms that may stump the American reader, but not enough to prevent one from enjoying the book. Part memoir and -- surprisingly -- part cultural study of the author's beloved Ireland, "Under the Duvet" is a pleasing way to pass an afternoon. Make sure you have a cup of Bewleys Irish Breakfast and some soda bread.
   
   MRA



3. Marian Keyes is one of my favorite novelists, so I was very excited to read her articles. Most of them were very entertaining and witty, as one would expect from Keyes. Read one after another, however, some of them didn't quite make the mark. What I did enjoy was getting to know a little more about Marian Keyes, the person. I also enjoyed reading about Ireland (as I usually do). My favorite essays/articles were Catholicism: Cheaper Than Prozac, but Is It Good for You? (about the a la carte attitude to Catholicism many modern cradle Catholics tend to practice in their 30's), Have you the Green Food Coloring? (about Marian and her Irish co-workers celebrating St. Patrick's Day in London), You Can Run, But You Can't Hide (about life-long friends), and Time's Arrow (which very much mirrored my thought on how you are the last to know you are in deed one of them -- an adult). In any case, it's an enjoyable, easy read that I'm sure all fans of Marian Keyes would enjoy.



4. I adore Marian Keyes. Totally. When I excitedly buy Marie claire every month, I skip to her column first! In fact, I'm so desperate to get it before it comes out in the shops, I subscribed to it. Tragic, I know.
   
   But anyway.
   
   I bought "Under The Duvet" because I bought "Further Under The Duvet" first which I know sounds mad, but I bought the latter because it'd just come out and had a couple of quid off, so that's my excuse. Anyway, I purchased "Under The Duvet" after reading her novels. For you Yanks, "Further Under The Duvet" is under a different title, but don't ask me what as I haven't a clue!
   
   I like the fact you can just dip in and out of it. I have a habit of reading more than one book at once, therefore I end up losing the storyline because I've got confused. Why do I do that? I keep asking myself the same question. Marian Keyes is warm, witty and real. She's down to Earth and so damn likeable. And when she talks about her alcoholism, she does it without self pity which is endearing, if you ask me.
   
   So, yeah, just buy it.



5. Cute book but a bit repetative in places. The house buying stories were the most amusing just because we've recently gone through that ourselves. My husband also enjoyed the book, so while it's clearly marketed at women, men who enjoy humorous essay style memoirs will also enjoy Under the Duvet.