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Average customer rating:
- Excellent!
- One of my sheroes
- One of Russia's most powerful rulers -- who wasn't even Russian.
- A Most Amazing Woman
- A colorful and in-depth look at Catherine the Great
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Catherine the Great: Love, Sex, and Power
Virginia Rounding
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
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ASIN: 0312328877
Release Date: 2007-02-06 |
Book Description
Dutiful daughter, frustrated wife, passionate lover, domineering mother, doting grandmother, devoted friend, tireless legislator, generous patron of artists and philosophers—the Empress Catherine II, the Great, was all these things, and more. Her reign, the longest in Russian Imperial history, lasted from 1762 until her death in 1796; during those years she built on the work begun by her most famous predecessor, Peter the Great, to establish Russia as a major European power and to transform its new capital, St Petersburg, into a city to rival Paris and London in the beauty of its architecture, the glittering splendor of its Court and the magnificence of its art collections. Yet the great Catherine was not even Russian by birth and had no legitimate claim to the Russian throne; she seized it and held on to it, through wars, rebellions and plagues, by the force of her personality, by her charm and determination, and by an unshakable belief in her own destiny.
This is the story of Catherine the woman, whom power alone could never satisfy, for she also wanted love, affection, friendship and humor. She found these in letter-writing, in grandchildren, in gardens, architecture and greyhounds—as well as in a succession of lovers which gave rise to salacious rumors throughout Europe. The real Catherine, however, was more interesting than any rumor.
Using many of Catherine’s own words from her voluminous correspondence and other documents, as well as contemporary accounts by courtiers, ambassadors and foreign visitors, Virginia Rounding penetrates the character of this most powerful, fascinating and surprisingly sympathetic of eighteenth-century women.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-06-02
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!
One of my sheroes.......2007-05-18
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.
One of Russia's most powerful rulers -- who wasn't even Russian........2007-03-22
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.
A Most Amazing Woman.......2007-02-28
One of the more interesting characters in history, Catherine engineered a coup in 1762 that put her on the throne of Russia as she replaced her husband. From here she would rule Russia until her death, 34 years later. Her political accomplishments during those years are spactacular: wars fought and won, reorienting Russia from Asia to Europe, extending Russia's borders, expanding education and the arts.
At the same time her bedroom exploits became legendary around Europe. She had a succession of lovers that also seemed to serve as political advisors. It seems that these lovers were selected by Catherine based on the recommendations of members of the court. It is important to remember that this was a time when in most of the world women were basically considered chattels.
This is a well researched book on a subject that provides a balanced look at Catherine, chronicling her strengths as well as her weaknesses. Her conclusion is that the soubriquet 'the Great' is justified.
A colorful and in-depth look at Catherine the Great.......2007-02-15
The confluence of sex and power politics goes back at least to ancient Egypt. It is doubtful, however, that it was ever practiced more openly or with more decisive results than during the reign of Catherine II (Catherine the Great) over the Russian empire.
In this book Virginia Rounding has tried gamely to balance the two forces by concentrating on Catherine herself and the small army of friends and foes who surrounded her during her reign from 1762 until her death in 1796. It is a long and complex story, told here in exhaustive detail. Rounding freely admits that history has yet to reach a final consensus on Catherine. She lays out the evidence for 500-plus pages, concluding rather tentatively in her very last sentence that her subject does indeed deserve the honorific "Great." But it is, as Britisher Rounding might say, a near thing.
On the plus side, Catherine was a shrewd and resourceful ruler who introduced badly needed reforms into her empire's governmental structure and educational system. She fostered the arts as one of history's great collectors of paintings. She introduced the practice of inoculation against disease into Russian medical practice, corresponded with Voltaire and had the French encyclopediste philosopher Denis Diderot as one of her conversational partners. She had an enlightened attitude on the need to keep religion and politics separate. She was a wit, a fine writer and a canny judge of character. Her subjects in general loved her, and those who did not had the good sense to watch their backs.
But behind all this there lay a compulsive sexual adventurer, unfaithful wife and shameless player of boudoir politics. Rounding lists a round dozen of men who served successively (and openly) as her "favorites." She was at least aware of, if not directly complicit in, the murder of her first husband, and she took great pleasure in ruling arbitrarily the lives of her own family and those in her inner circle of advisors.
Rounding's book gets off to a ponderous start. Up to the time when Catherine becomes empress --- about one-third of the way through the book --- it is a hard slog for the reader, choked with exhaustive and unnecessary detail about court ceremonials, royal pilgrimages and amusements. We learn how many footmen were involved in every trip, what everyone wore and where they stood when in the royal presence. Perhaps Rounding is influenced by her own country's longstanding fascination with such details --- but here the narrative is slowed down unnecessarily.
When the German-born princess finally does ascend the throne, the pace quickens as affairs of state crowd onstage and the parade of royal lovers begins to defile past. Of the dozen "favorites," two seem to have had lasting influence on Catherine's policies as well as on her sexual life. Count Grigory Orlov remained a valued advisor and operative for many years after he left her bed; and the best known of them all was the famous Grigory Potemkin, on whom she depended for political advice until the day he died. And each "favorite," upon dismissal, was handsomely rewarded with gifts of estates, jewels and serfs by the thousands.
For the general reader, the most surprising revelation is this: The story of Potemkin erecting false villages along the Dnieper River to trick Catherine into believing that all was well with the peasantry --- the exploit that gave us the still-current phrase "Potemkin village" --- is a myth. Rounding dismisses it with a contemptuous wave of her literary hand.
The process of choosing these "favorites" was very public. Foreign diplomats commented on it at length in their dispatches, speculating on what the ascendancy of one or the other might mean for Russian policy. Rounding makes gleeful use of the comments on such matters by a succession of British, French and other diplomats.
The author threads her way through the vast complex corridors of Russian Tsarist power with practiced ease and often points out parallels to later ages --- she reports that Catherine was, among other things, a master of "spin."
You will learn more than you need to know about a lot of trivial aspects of Catherine the Great's world in this book. But the story itself and its wildly colorful cast of characters are worth following to the end.
--- Reviewed by Robert Finn (Robertfinn@aol.com)
Average customer rating:
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
- Provocative, appealing and controversial
- pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD
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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
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Similar Items:
- History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Provocative, appealing and controversial.......2006-08-02
Fomenko has succeeded to convincingly demonstrate the misconception about what "history" factually is... It is fiction and -like we can read and judge for ourselves- no science. It indeed is "make belief" only. I "discovered" Fomenko while studying the "old" history of Al Andaluz, Spain. Having found too many contradictions in available data, having seen too many forgeries as to pretend the importance of christianity for its decline, I ventured out to find Fomenko, who convinced me that we know little if anything for sure of the epoch before the XI-century. However, the integration of the Arabic-Islamic cultural history into the heavily distorted Western fails... There are some attempts to fit "the budding new religion" (Islam) into Fomenko's scheme, but they are too weak to be taken seriously and too often focussing on Turkey as the region where things started to influence the West, which is untrue at all.
Islam certainly was no "new religion" in the X-century. That the highly cultivated Al Andaluz ruler Mohammed-I could have been "mirrored" down in time into some myth about the "illiterate" founder of Islam itself is highly speculative. Nevertheless, Fomenko convinces me about the processes that were involved in forging a christian history. Intriguing and controversial as his books are, I recommend them as to rethink our current position in time and space and simply verify what was claimed. It is a "good" book, but not for bedtime reading... Mundus vult decipi, the world wants to be cheated. Fomenko's readers will understand why.
pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD.......2006-02-16
Traces of white wine were found in Tutankhamen's tomb however there were no record of white wine in Egypt until the 3rd century AD, 1600 years after the young pharaoh died according to the traditional chronology. http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18925395.400
It can be interpreted as a contribution towards New Chronology theory that pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD.
Average customer rating:
- A must have for an contemporary art student
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Peter Doig
Adrain Searle , Kitty Scott , Catherine Grenier , Hannes Schneider , and Arnold Fanck
Manufacturer: Phaidon Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0714845043 |
Book Description
Whether painting a mysterious bearded figure floating on a flat wash of blue or a winter landscape glimpsed through a thick web of branches, PETER DOIG harnesses the materiality of his medium to create what he calls `abstractions of memories', distilling recollected sensations into frozen moments, like scenes in a series of mysterious narratives. In Gasthof zur Muldentalsperre (2000-2) two costumed figures stand guard at a low stone wall while behind them a reservoir reflects a twinkling starry sky. The young man bundled up against the cold in Blotter (1993) contemplates his reflection in a frozen pond, while in Red Boat (Imaginary Boys) (2004) six men in white shirts navigate upstream through a dense tropical landscape.
Doig's work has been exhibited at the world's top museums, including The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, and has been selected for contemporary art's most important international exhibitions, such as the SITE Santa Fe Biennial (2006), the Tate Terminal (2003 and 2006) and the Venice Biennale (2003). Although his work has had an enormous impact on contemporary painting, paving the way for a whole generation of idiosyncratic figurative painters, his painted worlds are without parallel. Raised in Canada, based in London for two decades and now living in Trinidad, Doig has tallied a wide range of references, not only geographic (from French modernist architecture to the ski slopes of Quebec) but also artistic (from Ernst Kirchner to Philip Guston) and musical (from punk to calypso).
Peter Doig is part of
Contemporary Artists, a series of authoritative and extensively illustrated studies of today's most important artists. Each title offers a comprehensive survey of an individual artist's work and a range of art writing contributed by an international spectrum of authors, all leading figures in their fields, from art history and criticism to philosophy, cultural theory and fiction. Each study provides incisive analysis and multiple perspectives on contemporary art and its inspiration. These are essential source books for everyone concerned with art today.
Customer Reviews:
A must have for an contemporary art student.......2007-03-25
Doig is really one of the best living artist, and this book really does him justice. The book includes older work as well as recent. Reproduction is excellent. I can not give a better recommendation.
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- A FACILE FOLLY
- Windsor "Lite" Indeed
- They actually DO like men!!!!!!
- Same old history, poorly repackaged. It's Windsor 101 (again).
- A Right Royal Good Read
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The Women of Windsor: Their Power, Privilege, and Passions
Catherine Whitney
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
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ASIN: 0060765852
Release Date: 2007-03-27 |
Book Description
Who are the women of Windsor?
Queen Elizabeth: Born to duty, adored by her parents, she swore as a teenager to serve her country above all else . . . and she has lived up to her promise, even when her crown has been a burden.
Elizabeth, the Queen Mother: Hitler was afraid of her, the English people adored her. Her kind, sparkling blue eyes and cheerful manner belied a backbone of steel.
Princess Margaret: Beautiful, talented, vivacious, and complex, the Diana of her day. But the promise of her youth was destroyed when she was betrayed by her sister, now the queen, who needlessly forced her to give up the man she loved.
Princess Anne: Hardworking, hard-headed, and hot-tempered, arguably the most intelligent of the queen's four children and her father's favorite—yet she is forever forced to take second place to her older brother, Charles.
Catherine Whitney takes readers behind the palace doors to give us an intimate glimpse into the private lives of the women of the British royal family—four women who have shaped the world, each in her own way. Now, at last, their stories can be told.
Customer Reviews:
A FACILE FOLLY.......2007-06-17
THE WOMEN OF WINDSOR has numerous inaccuracies...to confuse this book with a carefully researched history would be a major mistake for the serious reader. It is not true that Edward VIII "took the name of Edward when he came to the throne", Edward was the first of his given seven names, David being the last and employed by the royal famiy. The author tell us that the Duke of Edinburgh had Michael Parker stand as best man at the wedding...no indeed... the best man was a Mountbatten cousin, David, Marquess of Milford Haven. The Duchy of Cornwall is NOT amongst the Queen's estates...her income derives from the Duchy of Lancaster...Cornwall belongs to The Prince of Wales. Barbara Cartland is not "the step- grandmother of Diana's step- mother, Raine"...Cartland was Raine's mother, thus Diana's step grandmother. The author indulges in a tirade against the eulogy given by Earl Spencer at Diana's funeral, omitting the fact that the congregation and thousands gathered outside the Abbey cheered his words. This poorly researched book was a disappointment. This book is facile, it is a folly.
Windsor "Lite" Indeed.......2007-03-21
Having said that, and speaking as an Anglophile, I still found the book hard to put down. It doesn't purport to be an in-depth history of any of these women and the only revelation that was new to me was the fact that Princess Margaret could indeed have married Peter Townsend after all by merely giving up her place in the royal line of succession. I did note with dismay, however, that the author stated Prince William's birthday as June 22 when in fact it is June 21. Might that mean there are other, more serious, errors?
If you're looking for juicy bits of gossip, this is not for you but if you want a short walk through the House of Windsor, I would add this to my reading list.
They actually DO like men!!!!!!.......2006-11-08
As an English Expat I thought the book quite well written and all in all quite fair tho I think this author did not do full justice to our hardworking Princess Royal by dragging up the old chestnut about her not being attractive. I saw Princess Anne in her 20,s and she was stunning, not chocolate box pretty like Princess Diana but a truly regal beauty and of course like most of the Windsor Women she does not photograph well.She was and still is very attractive to men. speaking of which I really do think Ms Whitney did a total hatchet job on the Windsor men especially The Prince of Wales whose Princes Trust is one of the best charities in the World, He is a wonderful man.
Same old history, poorly repackaged. It's Windsor 101 (again)........2006-10-18
Don't be deceived by the cover of this book. This is the same old Windsor tale, written in a light and breezy manner. The idea of focusing specifically on these four women is an interesting idea, but the author only seems to remember the point in the last chapter. Instead, what we get is a pretty good portrait of the Queen Mother's early years, and then plow right into Windsor Lite-- standard fare, but certainly nothing new. A good book for starters, but don't be deceived here-- Princess Margaret and Princess Anne are not studied to any degree of depth, nor is Queen Elizabeth II probed and examined as any solid biography would demand.
Interestingly, Diana is in full force throughout the second half of the book because of her obvious impact on the Windsors. Also examined to some degree is Wallis Simpson, and this is important-- although she's an ambiguous character, her impact on the royals was perhaps greater than any other woman in that she literally shifted the course of the accession-- assuming Edward VIII was capable of fathering children, in which case the crown would have fallen to Elizabeth II anyway (as George V well knew).
Nearly invisible in the book is the indomitable Queen Mary, very much a Windsor, and largely responsible for setting the tone of the royal court in the first half of the 20th century-- and for moulding her granddaughter, Elizabeth, into the monarch she is today. This was probably some sort of marketing scheme-- the idea of putting the most well known women on the cover must have been too appealing. And sadly, the intelligent, complex and duty-bound Princess Anne, who truly does deserve a body of work dedicated to her own life, gets little more than superfluous treatment (as does Princess Margaret, who is basically written off as misunderstood, but superfluous in her own right-- haven't we heard all this before?).
Think of this book as Windsor Lite, a current "simple history" starting with Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon's youth and teen years, through her marriage to Bertie and ultimate accession to Queen Consort, through the highs of the coronation and declines of the 80s, ending with the death of Princess Diana. Nothing new here, and disappointing treatment of women who should be examined far more closely, but a decent job for those just getting to know the history of the royal family in the current century. Otherwise, move on.
A Right Royal Good Read.......2006-05-31
The book highlights the Queen, the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Princess Anne. And don't worry Diana fans. She is sprinkled in the pages also. Highly recommend this book.
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- Sympathetic Look at a Tragic Queen
- THE ORIGIN OF THE HOUSE OF TUDOR...
- The Queen's Secret
- This is the best book by Jean Plaidy ever!
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The Queen's Secret: A Novel (Queens of England)
Jean Plaidy
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ASIN: 1400082528
Release Date: 2007-04-24 |
Book Description
Katherine of Valois was born a princess, the daughter of King Charles VI of France. But by the time Katherine was old enough to know him, her father had come to be called “Charles the Mad,” given to unpredictable fits of insanity. The young princess lived a secluded life, awaiting her father’s sane moments and suffering through the mad ones, as her mother took up with her uncle and their futures became more and more uncertain. Katherine’s fortunes appeared to be changing when, at nineteen, she was married to King Henry V of England. Within two years, she gave birth to an heir—but her happiness was fleeting. Soon after the birth of her son, she lost her husband to an illness.
With Joan of Arc inciting the French to overthrow English rule, Katherine’s loyalty to her adopted homeland of England became a matter of intense suspicion. Katherine had brought her dowry and borne her heir; what use was she to England? It was decreed that she would live out her remaining years alone, far from the seat of power. But no one, not even Katherine herself, could have anticipated that she would fall in love with and secretly marry one of her guardians, Owen Tudor—or that a generation later, their grandson would become the first king of the great Tudor dynasty.
Customer Reviews:
Sympathetic Look at a Tragic Queen.......2007-05-09
The Queen's Secret is about Katherine of Valois, queen to Henry V and secret wife of Owen Tudor.
Katherine tells her story in the first person, beginning with her miserable, insecure childhood in France with her mentally ill father and her corrupt mother and ending with her forcible separation from the love of her life, Owen Tudor.
Plaidy's depiction of Katherine's childhood and its effects on her as a woman gives her a certain psychological depth, and though Katherine is ultimately helpless to prevent her fate, she preserves a certain dignity and strength about her that keeps her in the reader's sympathies. Plaidy also is good at conveying the mixed feelings that Katherine has as a French princess married to an English king, a situation that makes her position in both countries difficult.
I did find the structure here--it's one of those novels where the narrator looks back upon her life as she prepares for death--a bit limiting. Although we know from history what was to become of Owen Tudor and Katherine's children after her death, the novel leaves their stories unresolved, so there's still a sense of being left hanging when the novel ends.
From what I've read after reading this novel, little is known about how the relationship of Owen Tudor and Katherine came about. I thought that Plaidy's version of it was plausible and that Katherine's willingness to risk all for love showed an appealing, and believable, reckless streak in her character.
All in all, a worthy addition to your Plaidy shelf, either in this spanking new version or in one of the older ones.
THE ORIGIN OF THE HOUSE OF TUDOR..........2002-08-12
This is the seventh book in the Queens of England series by the author, a masterful storyteller, who is also known as Victoria Holt to her fans. It is a well written novel of historical fiction that tells the little known story of Katherine of Valois.
She was a French Princess, daughter of King Charles VI, the gentle, but mad, King of France, and Queen Isabeau, an evil, self-absorbed libertine, who cared little for her children. After the famous battle of Agincourt in which King Henry V of England vanquished France, Katherine found herself married to this warrior king and living in England. She was to become the mother of King Henry VI of England.
Shortly after their son's birth, King Henry V died a premature death. Young Queen Katherine saw their son Henry taken from her to be raised by others. Retiring to the countryside, she fell in love with a Welsh squire, Owen Tudor, who had faithfully served King Henry V, and now served Katherine as part of her household. Theirs was to be an illicit love, carried out in secret, as the alternative was to be the recipient of charges of treason.
Try as they might, no amount of secrecy could prevent the vicissitudes of life from raining down upon their happiness. Political intrigue would serve to bring their illicit love to light. It would act as the catalyst for a turning point in history. What happened to Katherine and Owen would give rise in the future to the house of Tudor, one of the greatest dynasties ever to rule England.
The book grounds their love story in the context of the period, which saw England as the conqueror of France. It covers that turbulent time in history that saw Joan of Arc rise from the remote French countryside to ensure the crowning of the Dauphin of France as its rightful King. It is a spellbinding account of the struggles between England and France and those who would rule these two countries. It is a book that will be enjoyed by all those with a fondness for well written, historical fiction.
The Queen's Secret.......1999-12-27
There are many great love stories in the history of English royalty, but this is by far the most touching. From a wretched childhood, she is forced by her scheming mother Queen Isabeau to marry the conquerer of France. However, she grows to love her adopted country of England. When King Henry V dies, her son, Henry VI, is taken from her. But she finds true happiness with Owen Tudor, her Welsh servant, and they marry and raise a family in secret. They live in fear of discovery by those who think her children by Tudor might seek the throne. She died not knowing that her enemies' fears were justified, for she gave rise to the glorious House of Tudor, which produced Henry VIII, "Bloody" Mary, Mary Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I.
This is the best book by Jean Plaidy ever!.......1999-11-27
This book has touched me the most out of all the Jean Plaidy books I have ever read and the end made me cry. The way that the romance is tied in with true history is what makes this book so great. It is about how a queen dared to love someone far below her rank and how they loved and lived in secret until one heartbreaking day when the guards arrived to break up Katherine's family; imrison her husband (who's only crime was in marrying the Dowager Queen of England) and take Katherine to a convent where she will die of grief. I highly recommend this book to all that have not read it and enjoy reading books in this genre.
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- Christy: An Enjoyable Read
- A wonderfully inspiring story-very spiritual!
- CHRISTY
- A Way in Life
- Christy
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Christy
Catherine Marshall
Manufacturer: Zondervan Publishing Company
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ASIN: 0310241634 |
Amazon.com
When Christy Huddleston leaves a life of privilege and ease to teach in the impoverished Smokey Mountains, her faith is severely tested by her pupils, the love of two men, and the curious customs of the mountain people in her community. Yet she grows to love these people and the simple, fulfilling lifestyle to be found in the heart of God's country. First released in 1967, Christy is based on the life of author Catherine Marshall's mother and was the inspiration for the recent television series of the same name. Beautifully told, this is a charming, timeless tale of love and faith that will appeal to romance readers of all ages. --Maudeen Wachsmith
Book Description
At nineteen, Christy Huddleston left home to teach school in the Smokies--coming to know and care for the wild mountain people, with their fierce pride, terrible poverty, and dark superstitions.
Customer Reviews:
Christy: An Enjoyable Read.......2007-02-05
Christy is a heart-warming story of a 19-year old girl who yearns to find fulfillment in life. The book covers approximately a one-year period beginning with Christy leaving her comfortable life for the incredibly challenging task of teaching at a mission school in the Tennessee mountains. While there is romance, I see it more as a (spiritual) coming-of-age book where the events and people lead Christy to find meaning in life and to claim her Christian faith as her own. The book is very well written with interesting characters and thought-provoking situations. I found it hard to put down and highly recommend it!
A wonderfully inspiring story-very spiritual!.......2007-01-20
Christy was just a young 19-year-old when she leaves her home and parents in Asheville to pursue a career in teaching at Cutter Gap. This was an area in the smoky mountains where there was terrible poverty and hardship among the people there. And there was scarcely any money to fund a school. What Christy found there was a lack of so many needed items, no textbooks or anything to teach with, and the children there did not even have shoes to wear!
There were families that lived in filth, and hardly had food to eat. Christy felt so discouraged, and homesick and in tears almost gave it up. That is-until Miss Alice, the matriarch teacher, and a woman with a lot of wisdom helped Christy discover what it was she had to pursue. She helped her pray about it, as Miss Alice was a christian woman. Then there was also David, the preacher, of whom stuck by Christy all the way. David falls hard for Christy, and later wants to marry, but time will tell this story.
So as Christy continues on, she gains ideas of writing to business people, asking for help on her mission for the school. And one by one, donations come rolling in from shoes, to a horse for transportation, to textbooks and school supplies for the kids. It was from here on that the school flourished well. But throughout the story, there was much tragedy that happened.
Dr. MacNeill, the country doctor also fell for Christy. But he and Christy always had run-ins with each other, and could never seem to get along. Dr. MacNeill once had a wife who passed away-so that made him a bitter man sbout everything-and the fact that he was an atheist didn't help matters any. Dr. MacNeill was a wonderful doctor though, and saves many lives throughout this story. Christy learns later that Miss Alice's daughter was once married to the doctor, and had a tragic death. So the doctor has never quite gotten over it-and has felt the pain of loss ever since.
Christy makes many friends, all except for Miss Ida, the snotty housekeeper who is jealous for some reason, and never liked her. The kids love her dearly, and when there is a typhoid outbreak, Christy comes to lose a best friend, Fairlight, who she has taught to read. The two formed a special bond, and when this happens, Fairlight's children are left without a mother. This is also where Christy steps in and takes over, and as others fall ill or die, she is up day and night until the end of the epidemic.
The book is very biblical and is based on faith. As the story goes on, Christy develops a strong faith of her own as she overcomes the tragedies in the Quaker Town, and helps others come to faith as well.
CHRISTY.......2006-04-16
I am quite amused by two of the customer reveiws which I have recently read by people who favor David for Christy over the Dr. First of all, allow me to say that this superb example of Christian literature is not, by definition, a romance novel. This is a 'maturing' plot. This book is about trusting in God for your needs, and for guidence. It is about giving of yourself. Finding purpose, and meaning, in life. And helping others to find their faith. I believe that is one of the reasons Catherine Marshall tossed Dr. MacNeil into the drama. His love for Christy showed him that God must be real . . . because love must come from somewhere . . . or, rather, from SOMEONE. I like Neil. It is hard for me to grasp why some people don't. Though, like Christy, my feelings about him are often divided, my more noble feelings win out in the end. Who wouldn't think highly of a man who pours all of his streangth out for a people ravaged by poverty and disease when he could have been rich, and famous? Christy also kissed a comfortable life goodbye, in order to be of service. They were soul mates. As far as David goes, I like him, too. In the end, it seemed Miss Alice had discovered the core of his weakness. At this piont, if the story had continued, his charactor might have been developed to full advantage. Recognizing our problem is half of the solution. And there ARE plenty of really great things about David that certainly deserve commendation. But the fact does remane that he was, evidently, using his relationship with Christy as a means to escape the pointlessness in his life. This may be an opinion, but I believe we should never turn romance in order to escape from reality. We should find joy and meaning in being who God meant for us to be . . . and THEN, through that heart spilling over with the Holy Spirit, though that life touched with redemption, God will bless us with a love that GIVES more than it TAKES.
A Way in Life.......2006-04-04
Most people find thier way in life by going to college, getting married or moving away.BUt Christy Huddleston found her self in many hardships from moving to a small mountain town known as Cutter Gap. Here, Christy came across many situations many people would never even think of. she came to Cutter Gap not knowing anything about the traditional or superstitious ways of the mountain people. Some ways she found to be very offensive, and others were surprisingly more beautiful more deep then anything she saw in life. But in the end, Christy found the mountain people gave more to her then she first expected to give to them.
Everyone is searching for their purpose in life, what they were made to do, how to make a difference. for Christy, it came fro mteaching in a secluded mountain cove. She was a missionary and was paid very little. But she wanted to help the children, and thier parents. Most of the people lived in extreme poverty, took no sanitary precautions, were illiterate,and murdered other people from superstitions, pride of grudges. Christy came and, with the help of the other missionaries, set up a general store, asked for supply and moeny donations, and helped families with their personal problems. But, with the friends she met, she found they told her how to live, how life should be, and that they had made more of an impact of her then she had on them.
Throughout the story, Christy had to encounter death, gruesome operations and the cruelty of people. Many times she was discouraged, feeling unqualified to be a school teacher that doubled as a role model for the proper, good Christian girl. but she found that it wasn't her responsibility to show the people a moral life. Most of them were already completely satisfied. She discovered just by showing the students love, they would learn better. SHe learned that you should not jugde an adult that seems uneducated, because they may turn out to be alot more of a person than you expected. They may actually be smarter and more beautiful then you on the inside, and become your best friend. In all the relationships she made, she found her heart, the way anyone should live life, and the purpose and place for her own life.
Christy.......2006-03-07
This was my favorite book as a child and even now when I reread the story it still affects me in such a positive way. Christy's decision to be a teacher for the poor community of Cutter Gap in the Smokey Mountains puts you on an emotional rollercoaster because of all the trials and frustrations she has to overcome to succeed there.
Christy reads very fast for such a lengthy book and it's inevitable that you will grow a strong attachment to the characters.
Average customer rating:
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The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume E: The Victorian Age
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
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- Hard Times
ASIN: 0393927210 |
Book Description
Read by millions of students over seven editions, The Norton Anthology of English Literature remains the most trusted undergraduate survey of English literature available and one of the most successful college texts ever published. Firmly grounded by the hallmark strengths of all Norton Anthologies—thorough and helpful introductory matter, judicious annotation, complete texts wherever possible—The Norton Anthology of English Literature has been revitalized in this Eighth Edition through the collaboration between six new editors and six seasoned ones. Under the direction of Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor, the editors have reconsidered all aspects of the anthology to make it an even better teaching tool.
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- Informative History
- excellent and thorough, but quite dry
- Catherine the Great
- In Love with Russian History
- Fantastic look at a misunderstood Woman/Ruler
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Catherine the Great
Henri Troyat
Manufacturer: Plume
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ASIN: 0452011205 |
Customer Reviews:
Informative History.......2006-08-17
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.
excellent and thorough, but quite dry.......2006-05-29
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.
Catherine the Great.......2006-05-22
I visited the Catherine the Great exhibition at the Beaux Arts Museum in Montreal a few weeks ago and was quite impressed with her legacy as a liberal humanist, Russian nationalist and creator of the Hermitage. Catherine penned her own memoirs and many state documents. I was so impressed with her trenchant and revealing prose that I ordered the Troyat biography. Monsieur Troyat takes the gilt off some of Catherine's glory, but he writes as well as his subject and dispenses opinion as freely as she did.
So, is there anything to her reputation as a nymphomaniac? Not in a clinical sense- though she did cause plenty of scandal by always keeping a vibrant young stud in her bed. Many of them were rewarded with government positions they were unqualified for and Russia had to bear her folly. All her ex-lovers were handsomely retired with huge settlements of money, estates and serfs. Consequently, her liberal idealism suffered when it squared off against bodily passion.
The complete tale unfolds like a soap opera. On balance, Catherine meant well, worked diligently and often did the right thing. She was certainly the most significant woman leader of the times.
In Love with Russian History.......2006-04-14
I finished this thick book in four working days. This story of one of the most efficient Autocrat of All Russias is extremely compelling.
I'll leave aside all moral judgement but, there is no question that Catherine the Great had tremendous ambition and the means for it. This biography of hers helps readers understand an important chunk of Russian history at a crucial time of wars and revolutions.
Troyat's writing is crystal clear in style. Having read it in French, if it is translated as well as it should be, it will be excellent in English as well. I recommend all his books. A good follow-up, if you don't mind the 1200 pages or so: "War and Peace" by Tolstoy for the context during the napoleonic war.
Fantastic look at a misunderstood Woman/Ruler.......2005-11-08
Catherine as described by Henri Troyat is a total complexity of virtues. Born into a noble family with little chance of rule she pounces at the opportunity to marry into the Romanov family. Described as more of a marriage of convenience than one of any true affection Catherine marries Peter III but before long had him murdered and took the role of Czarina for herself. While this murder in many ways defined the rule of Catherine it was on her part a calculated effort for the growth of the monarchy and strengthening of the Russian Empire. She further looks over her son Paul as a worthy heir to the throne and only after much reluctance does she allow that him to take rule upon her death. She does much to also ensure that her grandson Alexander is raised properly to take rule of the country and acts more like a mother to him than his actual birth mother. Besides this she is also an ardent follower of the enlightenment (before the French revolution) and imbues a sense of liberalism in her grandsonas she considers the thoughts of the philosophes in her decisions. Troyat also brings up the issue of her many lovers including the upstart Plato Zubov. These lovers did cause a great deal of controversy during her rule but by no means were they and all consuming passion of Catherine's as many believe.
This biography is very well written and serves as a great account of a Ruler who is widely known but very misunderstood. The works upholds the belief that Catherine was an able and strong ruler who did more to build the power of the Romanov dynasty in the 19th century. It is clear that the author did ample research and while he is not totally revisionist he is very apologetic of Catherine as he paints a balanced but overall favorable picture of the Empress. This is a very fine work and is definitely worth reading. After this you may wish to read his follow up "Alexander of Russia"
Average customer rating:
- Fabulous Historical Novel!
- My Favorite Wives
- Reads like a bestseller.
- Evocative and moving
- Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard
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Murder Most Royal: The Story of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard
Jean Plaidy aka Eleanor Hibbert
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1400082498
Release Date: 2006-01-24 |
Book Description
One powerful king. Two tragic queens.
In the court of Henry VIII, it was dangerous for a woman to catch the king’s eye. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were cousins. Both were beautiful women, though very different in temperament. They each learned that Henry’s passion was all-consuming–and fickle.
Sophisticated Anne Boleyn, raised in the decadent court of France, was in love with another man when King Henry claimed her as his own. Being his mistress gave her a position of power; being his queen put her life in jeopardy. Her younger cousin, Catherine Howard, was only fifteen when she was swept into the circle of King Henry. Her innocence attracted him, but a past mistake was destined to haunt her.
Painted in the rich colors of Tudor England, Murder Most Royal is a page-turning journey into the lives of two of the wives of the tempestuous Henry VIII.
Look for the Reading Group Guide at the back of this book.
Also available as an ebook.
Download Description
Jean Plaidy is the pen name of Eleanor Hibbert; she was also known as Victoria Holt. More than fourteen million copies of her books have been sold worldwide. Visit maidenscrown.com for a list of other historical novels available from this prolific author.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous Historical Novel!.......2006-11-16
I have read many Plaidy novels, but this delves deeper than the others and represents, in my opinion, absolutely the best of Plaidy, and probably the best on the period. What I don't like about modern historicals is the way they play with history. Plaidy sticks to the facts as they are known and provides insights and details that make the story come alive. The characters are real people, and the facts can't be disputed. In this book, she gives a fairly graphic portrayal of the torture used to extract the false confessions of Henry VIII's hapless victims, and after reading it, I found Plaidy gave me a new understanding of what this era in history, and this dynasty in particular, stood for, and it is even more horrific than I ever imagined. Plaidy's Henry VIII goes about his grotesque and bloody deeds with a good conscience, patting himself on the back for being such a fine and righteous fellow, which makes him even more appalling to our civilized mind. It is a look into the black mind of a serial killer, and a gripping read. Once you pick up the book, you can't put it down again until you're done. Despite the graphic parts, I recommend this novel even for teens, because they won't get a twisted view of history, and besides, Catherine was only a child when this ogre chose her for his queen, so this book would appeal to them. I think everyone who reads it will probably pause and give thanks for being born at a time in history when a monster like this can't roam the highest echelons of power stuffing his bloody mouth with the flesh of saints and sinners alike. That is the beauty of a great historical novel. It makes us understand the past, and appreciate our present even more.
My Favorite Wives.......2006-06-02
I was drawn to this book in the bookstore because the title said that it featured two of my favorite wives of Bluff King Hal, aka Henry VIII: Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. It tells their sad stories and is a pretty good book.
Reads like a bestseller........2006-03-01
I loved this book. Very easy to read and difficult to put down. The story of Anne and Catherine from what may have been their point of view. Tragic and fascinating.
Evocative and moving.......2006-01-28
I first read this novel when I was thirteen and I found it utterly evocative of the Tudor period and it began a long love of all historical novels. I have devoured every book I could find about Anne Boleyn since and this is still the best. Plaidy created a spirited, proud, desirable Anne and the scenes in the novel really bring her to life. The way she weaves the lives of the two cousins together is very clever and I think it is a very well written piece of fiction.
Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.......2004-02-29
I really love Jean Plaidy's books, but this one wasn't the best. I am a huge fan of Anne Boleyn so I was excited to read this book. I was a little disappointed in it though.
I have to agree with Lady Jane Grey's opinion. It would have been way better if Anne hadn't of slept with Henry in the book as in real history she didn't. How could someone like Henry keep interestest in them by giving in? Maybe they could, but he certainly wouldn't go as far as to make them Queen of England.
I also think that how she discribed Jane Seymour was a little harsh. Calling her mousy and stuff. I think that she must have been a very brace woman to marry Henry.
I think that Jean Plaidy does a wonderful job portraying Catherine Howard though. She had everything accurate with the room and the people pressuring her into intercourse. I also like how she shows Henry. One of the best things was at the beginning it something like "If all of the patterns of merciless tyranny were lost to the world you could find them in this prince."
Still it was an interesting book. It kept me interested despite its faults.
Average customer rating:
- simple plot perhaps but a brillaint read nonetheless
- Veddy, veddy British
- fine golf mystery
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Hole in One
Catherine Aird
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312342292
Release Date: 2005-07-14 |
Book Description
Detective Chief Inspector (D.C.I.) C. D. Sloan works in the deceptively quiet town and county of Calleshire, where for many years he's endured the pressures of his demanding, unreasonable boss and the company of Constable Crosby, Sloan's all too constant but not very helpful sidekick. He's also solved a series of complex murders in Aird's long-running series long praised for it's literate wit, style and charm. In her first new novel in almost two years, Hole in One, a death occurs on the links, a death that is nearly impossible and is, quite improbably, is murder. But improbable is a Calleshire specialty and as far as D. C. I. Sloan is concerned, impossible is merely par for the course.
Customer Reviews:
simple plot perhaps but a brillaint read nonetheless.......2006-01-31
It's always a pleasure to read one of Catherine Aird's Inspector Sloane mystery novels: they're full of mischievous and witty asides and engaging dialogue, cleverly executed and just a joy to read. So that even though "Hole in One," mystery-wise, was a little less cunning and intricate than usual, it still was an excellent read, and well worth a 4 star rating.
Inspector Sloane's wife has been trying to get him to join the local golf club, sure that his chances of being promoted would be greatly enhanced if he joined -- especially since Sloane's boss, the demanding and irascible Superintendent Leeyes is a member of the Berebury Golf Club. So far Sloane has stood firm: he's not about to give up his beautiful rose garden in order to saunter about taking pot shots at golf balls! Unexpectedly, however, he does find himself at the golf club, investigating a murder when Leeyes calls him up to report that a body has been found buried in a bunker (sand trap). With Leeyes breathing down his neck, and the aid of the ever obtuse and unhelpful Detective Constable Crosby, Sloane must somehow identify the murder victim and discover who committed the murder and why. Time is of the essence and when one is dealing with golf club members who are rich and powerful, one must be careful as well, especially when there is a lot of money at stake...
Unlike earlier Inspector Sloane mysteries like "Henrietta Who" and "Some Die Eloquent," "Hole in One" is not that complex a read -- one is able to figure who the murder victim is fairly quickly and the motive as well. Nor was it that suspenseful a read -- the identity of the killer becomes a little obvious about two-thirds through the book. why then my high rating? Because "Hole in One" entertained me from beginning to end. I enjoyed Sloane's wry inner thoughts (esp the way in which he'd compare horticulture with golfing) and Catherine Aird's dry, mischievous humour. I found myself sniggering all too often. Also, in spite of the fact that the plot was written along simple, basic lines, this was still a very elegantly executed novel with some truly brilliant character portrayals. In the final analysis, while "Hole in One" may not be the most intriguing read of one's lifetime, it still was a very enjoyable and absorbing, and one worth a 4 star rating for excellent writing.
Veddy, veddy British.......2006-01-20
When one of those pesky lady golfers uncovers a body in the 6th hole bunker, Superintendent Lees, who is also a club member, is not best pleased. What follows is a romp across the course by Old Boys, caddies, business developers, greenskeepers, a member's beautiful young daughter, detectives, and sundry other characters, some bent on solving the murder and some on covering it up (again). The audio version of this most British of mysteries is deftly narrated by Bruce Montague, a master of the wide variety of English/Scottish/ Cockney accents. The mystery is solved within 24 hours, with another life lost and one saved. Not a bad day's work and everyone's happy to get on with the game.
fine golf mystery.......2005-07-27
At the Berebury Golf Course, female "Rabbit" Helen Ewell plays with her friend Ursula Millwood when she sinks a shot into a bunker on the sixth hole. As she struggles to dig out of the sand trap she uncovers the head of a dead person. Hysterical she tells Ursula she thinks she may have stroked an eyeball out of the trap.
Calleshire County Police Superintendent Leeyes is at the links on his day off. He calls his chief of Criminal Investigation Division Detective Inspector Sloan to get over to the country club "quicker than soonest". Sloan begins to investigate the homicide with the help of dimwitted Crosby and astute "pretty Polly" Perkins.
The pastoral setting of the country club in which the two ladies slowly (and the plot like wise) play a poor woman's brand of golf lulls the reader into expecting a serene village cozy. However, once Helen makes her chip shot, the British police procedural moves through eighteen fast holes. The story line is humorous at times but never loses sight that first and foremost is that there is an official investigation into who killed and buried the head in the sand. Catherine Aird's latest Sloan story is a fine entry in a strong series.
Harriet Klausner
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