Product Description
Tells the story of five royal weddings, illustrated with wedding dresses, jewelry, gifts, music, photographs and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

a family
A familly like any other, this little book chronicles the lives and loves of 5 generations. I found it particularly interesting to seethe family resemblances which repeat and repeat. Present day Princess Beatrice is definately a descendant of Victoria!
Personal and family photographs making this a sweet souvenir memento. I would have enjoyed more historical background of wedding paraphernalia such as jewellery and fabrics which have been used for centuries.
All too short, but enjoyable for this fan of history.

A Must for Royal Fan Watchers!
A wonderful book that takes you back in time for 5 royal marriages.I had a splendid time reading and looking at the photos. I have been watching the "Royals" all my life.I remember the day Elizabeth and Phillip were married, and this little book just made those memories much more clearer than ever before!A "must" for "royal watchers"!!

Five Gold Rings:A Royal Wedding Souvenir Album
This Book is a great Wedding,and anniversary Gift for those who're getting Married,and those who're celebrating their Wedding anniversary.

Five royal weddings
There's something irrepressible about a wedding of royalty. Even the most jaded of us is capable of maybe an 'awww' or two as we get to see a bit of a fairy tale come to life. There is pomp everywhere, from the fabulous gown and jewels that the bride is wearing, the wedding cakes and favours, to public displays of the wedding gifts.

This handsome little souvenir album is to commemorate an upcoming wedding anniversary -- that of England's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who will have been married for sixty years, in November 2007. It is also a look at how Royal weddings have changed and evolved from fairly private ceremonies that were witnessed by close family members and courtiers, to now what is a spectacle watched by millions on the television and launching a flurry of books, magazines and various souvenirs from the pleasant to the grossly tacky.

The five weddings themselves occur in a period of time that spans just over a century, from 1840 to 1947, with the criteria that either the bride or groom would be a monarch of the United Kingdom.

The first wedding is that between Queen Victoria and her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, in 1840. Victoria had been Queen of Great Britain for two years when her wedding was celebrated, and public curiosity was intense as to who she would choose to be her consort. With the rise of new printing techniques, there were now ways that the public could observe, albeit from a distance -- there were special prints and panoramas that were printed to feed the curiosity about the event.

About twenty years later, the next royal wedding occured, this time between Victoria and Albert's eldest son, Bertie, the Prince of Wales and the future Edward VII, and his fiancee, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, 1863. Now there was the art of photography to add to the documents; some of these were hand-tinted to create a nearly painting like quality. The gifts were also more opulent, and this time, were described in a special magazine that supplied all of the details from what the guests were wearing to engravings that showed various aspects of the wedding service itself.

Thirty years later, another wedding occured, this time between Bertie's son, George, Duke of York, and his cousin, Princess Mary of Teck, in 1894. This time, celebrations and public notice were high, with various royalties from around Europe visiting to pay their respects. The gifts were put on public display this time, and admission was charged, with the proceeds going to a charity. The bride's trousseau was described in various ladies magazines in lavish detail and illustrations.

The fourth wedding was that of George VI and Queen Mary's second son, Albert, Duke of York, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923. No one really expected them to become sovereigns of Great Britain, and so the celebrations were not quite as extravagant as might be expected. But one notable addition was that this was the first royal wedding to be filmed, and soon there would be opportunity for anyone to see it, all for the price of a ticket to the cinema, and sitting through a newsreel.

The fifth wedding was in 1947, with that of two of Queen Victoria's great-great-grandchildren -- Princess Elizabeth, and Prince Philip of Greece. After the dreary years of WWII, and the troubles of rebuilding, London was ready for a celebration. The outpouring from the public was immense, and it seems that all of England took the day off for a holiday.The marriage proved to be one of the most successful in the royal family, and appears to be still quite solid after nearly sixty years.

Each wedding goes into some detail about the clothing, providing pictures and closeups of the brides' gowns, showing some of the intricate sewing and decoration that went into the making. As was traditional, all of the clothing worn were made from British materials and designers. What I found especially beautiful were the samples of lace and embroidery, often with monograms and special designs incorporated into the designs. A very brief history of the couple is also included, talking a little about their childhoods, and what happened after the weddings. At the end of the book, there is also a listing of what music was performed at each wedding, with a few surprises tucked in.

What may surprise you is what you will not find in this book. There isn't any mention of Lady Diana, or of the notorious wedding of Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson.

For anyone interested in royalty, and how what started as a private celebration soon became an opportunity for public celebration, this is a lovely, well-made and designed book. The photographs and pictures are unusual, many of which I had not seen before, and gave a sense of intimacy.

The author, Jane Roberts, is the Royal Librarian, and has compiled a beautiful little volume on the lore of royal weddings. For anyone interested in the English monarchy, it would be a nice addition to their collection.

Five stars. Recommended.

Royal Wedding
A wonderful display of that special wedding.It was like the Queen was showing these momentos to me herself. ... Read more

Product Description
Discover the fascinating world of British commemorative produced for a variety of royal events--coronations, jubilees, marriages, wedding anniversaries, births and visits. You will see china and pottery commemorative mugs, plates, cups and saucers, loving cups, covered boxes, tea services and figurines. Also shown are tins, jigsaw puzzles, enamel boxes, fabrics and silks. Glass and crystal items include goblets, paperweights and bowls. Fascinating tidbits on the events and the royalty are sprinkled through the book. Anyone with an interest in British history and the monarchy will enjoy collecting British royalty commemorative. The authors give you tips on pursuing the exciting hunt for commemorative and provide a value guide containing more than 2,500 black and white photographs and descriptions of these commemorative. This newly revised edition features almost 300 new photographs and up-to-date pricing information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The most definitive Royal Commemorative book I've seen.
This is the most complete Royal Commemorative book I have yet to come across. It shows color and black and white photos of Royal Commemorative collectables past and present. With descriptive information and value. I ama avid collector and I consider this book to be my Bible. A must have foranyone who collects or is simply interested in the British Monarchy.

Well researched and illustrated.Worth 3 times the price!
If you have any interest in the Royal Family, in history, or in items commemorating significant events relating to the Royal Family, then this is a book you simply can't do without.Whether you're a collector, anenthusiast, or simply curious about the vast spectrum of items available,you will find this book a sheer delight. Color plates and an extensiveblack & white collector and price guide make this book invaluable forcollectors, appraisers, or anyone interested in the growing fascinationwith the Royal Family - and the investment opportunities associated withcommemorative items.Doug Flynn and Alan Bolton have set a benchmark thatothers will struggle to ever improve upon.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
The reign of Richard III was one of the shortest in English history: yet the King himself was one of the most enigmatic personalities to have occupied the throne. Only 31 at the time of his death, Richard in his brief career demonstrated an extraordinary range of contradictory qualities - staunch loyalty and dissimulating perfidy, dignified generosity and ruthless self-interest, scrupulous honesty in government and a cynical manipulativeness. From the later 18th century onwards, he has been a hero for those who are drawn to lost causes. ... Read more

Product Description
During my travels I came across the story about an American Princess. Oh yes, there are a good many real princess's and several Queens (Nora) who are or were American's.
In this case, the story was about an young woman from China who'd moved the the USA. I had never heard of this person but after reading her acounts of China and her life, could not allow her to pass from our memories, nor allow her history or that of China to be forgotten.
Here then is the re-telling of he story. ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of quotations provides a glimpse of royal lives and loves throughout history. ... Read more

Product Description
Alexander the Great - Ancient Greek Military Commander is the biography of Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander III. He was an ancient Greek king (basileus) of Macedon (336-323 BC). He was one of the most successful military commanders in history, and was undefeated in battle. By the time of his death, he had conquered most of the world known to the ancient Greeks. Prior to his death, Alexander had already made plans for military and mercantile expansions into the Arabian peninsula, after which he was to turn his armies to the west (Carthage, Rome, and the Iberian Peninsula). His original vision had been to the east, though, to the ends of the world and the Great Outer Sea, as described by his boyhood tutor Aristotle. Alexander the Great - Ancient Greek Military Commander is highly recommended for those interested in the history and story of Alexander the Great. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

not bad, not great
I've had this book for a while now, I would guess it to be written at a teenage level. The photographs are interesting but usually well known, if you collect much British Royalty material you will already have most of them. I do like it better than the video Prince William: Behind the Headlines.

Boy Who Would Be King
This is a very informative book about William. He's one of the most famous people in the world and this is a great book! I LOVED it! William is so gorgeous and very intresting. William is a gorgeous human being inside andout! If you have an intrest in the royal family particuarly William thenyou should definetely read this book! ... Read more

Product Description
Royalty and Politics is the fascinating autobiographical account of a life rich in controversy, leadership, service, achievement and innovation. Born 1925 into the prominent and influential royal family of Mankon in the Bamenda Grassfields of Cameroon, Solomon Anyeghamotü Ndefru least expected becoming king, only to find himself the chosen one following the death of his father in 1959. As Fo Angwafo III of Mankon, one of the most educated 'traditional rulers' at the dawn of independence, he succeeded into Parliament first as an independent, and subsequently as a member of the Cameroon National Union. He has served as First National Vice-President of Paul Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement since 1990. In this unique, analytical and insightful reflection 50 years into his reign, Fo Angwafo III discusses growing up in colonial times; his surprise appointment as king; the 1961 Cameroon Plebiscite and his initiation into politics; being king and politician; coping with the hostility of the modern power elite towards his active involvement in politics; churches, schools and politics; life as an agriculturist; and investments in tending the Kingdom of Mankon. He argues that the best way of consolidating traditions is to make them modern, and that modernity can only make sense to the extent that it is firmly grounded in traditions. In many ways he feels his life encapsulates this negotiation and reconciliation of continuity and change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"I am what my father was not, but I clearly couldn't have been without what my father was"
Royalty and Politics, by Fo Angwafo III and published by Langaa, 2009

At the age of 84, the 20th Fon or King of Mankon - in north western Cameroon - relates in 70 pages his life from colonial times to tending the palace and treats us to another 70 pages of "My life in photos" - from the young prince to awards and recognitions. From the telling, the listener learns what it takes to lead, build community, and shape the future. Threads of thinking on land, culture, agriculture and education run throughout the text, leading to lessons in rooting, opening, and growing.

The story begins with Anye, who went to primary school under missionaries and took the civil service exam with an option in agriculture, before addressing broader questions of community and national development. Anye worked as a record keeper "travelling to all the farms in and around Buea... I was in the office keeping records, and out in the farms seeing the plots, and seeing the people..." (p. 10). Once he received his Senior Cambridge Secondary School certificate and was to be transferred to the School of Agricultural Techniques in Ibadan, Nigeria, his co-workers said, "Why you no been tell we say na so you know the book?" (p. 10). In 1951, he attended the Ibadan School of Agriculture, and - imbibed with a love for the land and for self-reliance - just as he had grown tomatoes and cabbages when in primary school, he did numerous small jobs to earn money to buy books and cover other expenses.

One would think that the one having been away from home for so long might be forgotten when it comes to local governance. But the big surprise came when Anye went home to solicit the name for his third child and was asked to be king. Despite his desire to return to his work, he had no choice, in the hands of his mothers. At the age of 34, he was confirmed Fo Mankon and began his journey from Solomon Anye to Fo Angwafo III. The elders appreciated their new king, steeped in tradition and the ways of the land and also exposed to ideas from school, visiting scholars who traveled to Mankon, and people from various backgrounds who settled and did business in Mankon. His abilities to marry the best of multiple worlds appealed to the elders.

Having just been initiated into royalty, it did not take long for Fo Angwafo III to venture into politics, where he served for 25 years. He was elected into the Cameroon House of Assembly and later the National Assembly, serving until retirement in 1988. Criticised for assuming incompatible roles, Fo Angwafo "refused to subscribe to the dichotomy between Fon and politician" (p. 29) and led a life in which he traveled between and linked traditional authority and the modern state.

In his turn, he criticised those who rushed rather than thinking development through and insisted that "[w]e should study our traditional institutions side-by-side with the imported system we are trying to implement" (p. 40). He argues that chiefs would have been relegated to tokenism and auxiliaries of the administration had they not taken things into their hands. And he implores other chiefs to negotiate and evolve their positions so as to be relevant to modern political processes. He asks, "If chieftaincy was that incompatible with modern politics and bureaucratic state power, why then should they so desperately need recognition through traditional titles?", and gives the example of the title of "Fon of Fons" conferred upon President Paul Biya (p. 41).

The place of education and of land in this autobiography, as mentioned earlier, is prominent. According to Fo Angwafo:

"[E]ducation is the key to any meaningful achievement... Although education necessarily comes with new values, I believe that a thorough grounding in our own ways best prepares us to adapt the values we adopt through education... Only by producing something does the degree become a meaningful achievement... Our education must reinforce rather than diminish our humanity and community spirit. It must yield togetherness, not individualism." (pp. 52, 63 and 65)

Land also is "central to everything" (p. 59). Fons are known for catering for education and the interest of the community by having donated land for the first schools in Cameroon. Royal lands were given in trust, to be harnessed, not owned. Fo Mankon explains the need, even in evolving to a system of land ownership, to ensure that land be used for community empowerment. This may be achieved for example by ensuring that Fons as cultural authorities continue to serve on school boards. The "ability to negotiate as a collectivity is tied to a certain authority over land" (p. 54), which should not be relinquished. Land should not be given up but handed over as a cultural resource to be judiciously used in the interest of the collectivity.

Fo Angwafo III is seeking to put science and research at the doorstep of Mankon's children and grandchildren through a university and to "enrich our culture though encounters with others" (p. 68). In running the kingdom, he decided to keep Mankon culture across and crossing borders and far from home close to home and to facilitate "feeding from and into developments at home" (p. 60) through written memorandum and two visits to the United States in the 21st century.

What will become of kings - chiefs or Fons? What of the worlds of Palace and Parliament? Are they separable, incompatible, overlapping, intertwined, intertwine-able? Do Fons have a role in collective approaches to claiming national power and resources? What will be their role in supporting movements toward larger scale communities and unions, knowing that "big unions can only function to the extent that they are well grounded in the various localities which constitute them?" (p.44). Answers will be found in reading and foreseeing, in adopting and adapting, in dialoguing and making choices about the shape of things to come. The future is to be found as much in the rear-view mirror as is in the encounters in the journeys of life, so we learn from Anye, Fo Angwafo III of Mankon.

by Kathryn Toure, see [...]

Royalty and Politics
Fon Angwafo has produced a rare behind-the-scenespeek at the profoundly secretive, convoluted world of Cameroon politics from the position of an involved Monarch. Politics in Cameroon is essentially identical to politics in virtually all of Africa - intensely secretive with enough intrigue and mischief to make Niccolo Machiavelli envious. Virtually all highest echelon members of the political class leave behind no revealing documentation in writing about their public lives except for occasional boiler plate pap. By Cameroon standards, Fon Angwafo has gone much further. There is a great deal we would like to see the Fon flush out; many of us are salivating for more and more. I am certain beyond any reasonable doubt that The Fon has released less than a miniscule fraction of one percent of what he knows. How I wish some of the Founding Fathers (who preceded The Fon into politics) such asJohn Ngu Foncha, E.M.L Endeley, Augustin Ngom Jua as well as the veteran colossal political leader and statesman S.T. Muna (all of whom The Fon mentions in his book), had given us as much of a peek in writing prior to their passing.

I have the highest recommendation for The Fon'sbook


T. Bah Tanwi,IV, MD ... Read more

Product Description
The Queen Mother and Her Century presents the life of a remarkable woman. A Canadian perspective on a sovereign who created and cultivated a special relationship with Canada, it is the portrait of a queen who always evoked passionate reactions. Whether it was the anonymous soldier who vowed "to fight for that little lady," Adolf Hitler who described her as "the most dangerous woman in Europe," or the Canadian journalist who coined the expression "the Queen Mum," the Queen Mother seldom left people unmoved.

Opening with the royal tour of 1939, during which Canadians first felt her personal magnetism, The Queen Mother and Her Century describes Elizabeth's background and development, relating how she made a marriage that brought her to the centre stage of public life. It traces her tender support of her shy husband, a reluctant king, shows how she began her Commonwealth role, and recalls her shock at the sudden and unexpected call to wear the Crown.

Faced with the never-ending duties of a queen, Elizabeth proved capable of providing inspired leadership for a society faced with the stark prospect of destruction in a war to save the world. On the premature death of her beloved husband she became Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, a role that has shaped nearly half her life, and one in which Canada has always played an important part. The authors analyze Her Majesty's successes and failures, both public and private, against the background of a century of violent disruption, material achievement, and incredible change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Queen Mum
Very interestingwith many colored pics.Info from her birth ,about her family to her death. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Women; Health ... Read more

Product Description
Henry II is the most imposing figure among the medieval kings of England. His fiefs and domains extended from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and his court was frequented by the greatest thinkers and men of letters of his time, besides ambassadors from all over Europe. This readable and accessible biography offers both a study of his character, and an estimate of his work as a ruler, work which is in a sense the history of his life, since it occupied his entire energies from his accession at the age of twenty-one to his death thirty-five years later. Nor is this the mere routine of government; from the desolate and lawless anarchy of Stephen's reign, and against the opposition of the great magnates and the Church, he built in England a stable and prosperous realm, and welded his diverse inheritance overseas into a single, and by the standards of the time, peaceful, unit. Only the folly of John dispersed his empire, and his work in England left an enduring mark on the institutions by which we are governed today.RICHARD BARBER's other books include Tournaments, with Juliet Barker, Edward Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, The Life and Campaigns of the Black Prince, The Knight and Chivalry and books on King Arthur; he is currently working on a study of the legend of the Holy Grail. 1154-1189 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great take on a great king in the devil's own times
Richard Barber published his first book at the age of 20, followed by this title in 1964 when he was 23. That may be why "Henry Plantagenet" reads and moves well, as if narrated rather than written, with the youthful enthusiasm of a young scholar not yet burdened by the need to justify every fact to academics. Barber released his current edition in 2003.

He does a fine job of breathing life into Henry II's 34-year reign, which needs his touch because Henry II may be the most under-appreciated king in English history. This formidable, life-long warrior is eclipsed by his son Richard Lionheart's military feats. A decisive man with extraordinary energy, Henry is upstaged for glamor and charisma by his consort through 36 years of love and hate, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Even as a villain - women by the score, anger-management problems to rival Zeus, a tirade that may have ended Thomas Becket's life and a rampage that exiled Eleanor to England for fifteen years - even as a villain, Henry II is upstaged by his youngest, King John.

What did Henry do well? Apart from winning wars and battling prelates, he made major, enduring changes to English law and jurisprudence, including property and contract law, moves that stimulated commerce. But that makes poor press. Barber captures the moods and actions of the young king and his maturing reign of constancy amidst constant strife and domestic chaos. He integrates Henry and a large supporting cast into their turbulent times very well.

In addition to writing about Arthurian legend and medieval history, Barber has been a publisher of medieval studies for almost four decades. His breadth of knowledge shows. "Henry Plantagenet" makes subtle links across time and dynasties that might escape a lesser historian's art.

Robert Fripp, author of
"Power of a Woman. Memoirs of a turbulent life: Eleanor of Aquitaine"

The life and times of Henry II of England.
This is a average summary of this great King of England.It summarizes the challenges Henry Plangagenet faced when he assumed control of the Kingdom and his consolidation of his holdings in France.Henry II was one of the true great rulers
of his time, defying the Church and France to lead his realm.Since Barber wrote this book back in the sixties, it is not up to date on new research into Plantagenet rulers.Also Barber confuses the reader with the names of many people that were not a central theme of the King's time.The names are the most confusing aspect of this book, and thus the rating of three stars.

Engrossing, lively account of Henry II's life..........
In Henry Plantagenet, Richard Barber has produced a short, lively, commendably readable account of Henry Plantagenet's life and reign.The book never drags and is related in a novel-like narrative that keeps one's interest through every page.Henry II was one of Englands most intriguing rulers at battle with France and family.The husband of Eleanor of Aquitane, the father of Richard the Lion Heart and John Lackland, his story is one to behold and Barber's effort is a top notch resource with which to do so. ... Read more

Product Description
Peter the Great (1672-1725), tsar of Russia for forty-three years, was a dramatic, appealing, and unconventional character. This book provides a vivid sense of the dynamics of his life-both public and private-and his reign.

Drawing on his letters and papers, as well as on other contemporary accounts, the book provides new insights into Peter's complex character, giving information on his actions, deliberations, possessions, and significant fantasy world-his many disguises and pseudonyms, his interest in dwarfs, his clowning and vandalism. It also sheds fresh light on his relationships with individuals such as his second wife Catherine and his favorite, Alexander Menshikov. The book includes discussions of Peter's image in painting and sculpture, and there are two final chapters on his legacy and posthumous reputation up to the present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great book
The best single volume biograghy of Russia's Westernizing Tsar. If you don't want to spend weeks Reading Robert Massie's "Massive" tome, this is the book for you!

Scholarly jargon
This book is good for historians, no doubt, but probably not the the rest of the people, like me.I read paragraphs without knowing what I read, and it's hard to glean any interesting information.Consider, for example, this paragraph:

"In an attempt to recover Russia's prestige, gain a stronger bargaining position with the allies and ward off Turkish attacks on Ukraine, in 1695 Peter reopened hostilities inacampaign against the Turkist coastal fort of Azov at the mouth of the River Don.He dispatched two armies, the joint force of Boris Petrovich Sheremetev and the Ukrainian hetman Ivan Mazepa to the Dnieper to delfect the Tartars from the mouth of the Don and a smaller unit consisting of the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky guards and strel'tsy on river craft down the Don to Azov itself."

I understand it, but I am not excited by all this information.The description is just too dry for my taste.I am very interested in Peter the Great because I know he went around Europe, and even worked as a carpenter.I'll find another biography elsewhere.

Good Introduction
Overall a very nice, concise account of the life of Peter the Great.A very good introduction to those who wish to learn about this period of Russian history but have little starting background.I did think the last chapter which focuses on monuments to Peter since his death was a little dry and could easily have been edited out without affecting the overall quality of the book ... Read more

Product Description
Published to celebrate Prince Charles' 40th birthday, this is a pictorial biography of him as created by several cartoonists including contributions form Trog, Griffin, Giles and Marc. 11 sections cover all aspects of his life from his youth, marriage, home, hobbies, philosophies and his relationships with family and press. All royalties go to Inner City Aid. ... Read more

Product Description
In this major re-examination of her public and private life, Wanda Larson recreates and interprets one of the most interesting of 20th century lives. Queen Elisabeth of Belgium was not only a predominant factor in Belgium life through two world wars, she was one of her generation's most brilliant musical organizers and patrons. Elisabeth has had a profound influence on contemporary piano competitions and she was crucial in the revival of Vivaldi, Mahler and others. The author discusses the historical context for this unusual life seen against the backdrop of her Bavarian Wittelsbach ancestors, her "accidental" queenship, her popularity with her people and, most of all, her refusal to give up her musical career despite enormous family pressure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful prose but on shaky ground psychologically
Elizabeth and Essex is perhaps the finest example of Strachey's incomparable style. More poetic than prosaic, ripe with imagery and atmosphere, Strachey's elegant, vigorous prose is a treat to read.

Thisis all the more unusual given that Strachey is a historian. In most cases,his style doesn't get in the way of the story; his subjects are usuallyrepresented accurately and with respect.

Unfortunately, he doesn't quitesucceed in this case. Strachey's Victorian sensibilities and Freudian viewof his subjects often take him on wild flights of fancy that fail the testof Occam's razor. For instance, he asserts that Elizabeth was sexuallydisorganized based on a smattering of rumours which, he claims, prove thatshe had a deep-seated fear of sex and perhaps a hysterical block whichprevented her from engaging in intercourse. Pretty convoluted reasoning,especially considering the fact that Elizabeth had perfectly soundpolitical reasons to remain single.

Strachey's portrait of Essex islikewise suspect. He turns the proud scion of an ancient family into amanic-depressive basket case, but his evidence for this is scanty and hisreasoning difficult to follow. Again, is it really likely that Essexplotted to overthrow the government because he saw himself as the true Kingof England, when a much more simple explanation (he was angry and feltinsulted) comes to mind?

Yet even through the flights of psychologicalfancy and the wildly improbable motives, Strachey's portrait continues toenchant. I cannot stress strongly enough how enjoyable and entertainingthis book is. Yes, one does have to take Strachey's explanations with agrain of salt, but the journey itself is a lot of fun and should not bemissed.

I highly recommend this book.

A nice introduction to the personality of QE
If you are interested in the personal details of the latter half of Queen Elizabeth's life, this is an excellent book to read.Her wars and reconciliations with the headstrong Lord Essex (many years her junior) are covered in just the right level of detail, so that the reader is nevergorged on nor starved for insights into what made Gloriana such aremarkable figure.Strachey's first chapter gives a particularly adeptplacement of the Queen's personality within the court of England and thefield of late-16th century Europe.Following chapters contain lesspolitics and more humanity.(The slow, initially frustrated but inevitablerise of Francis Bacon's star is interesting.) ... Read more

Product Description
Endlessly entertaining, these albums of mad miscellany abound with true tales of history's strangest characters and events—from potty potentates to dotty inventions. A mind-boggling excursion through the byways of the bizarre. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Royalty's Strangest Characters
I love old royalty.They are so fun to read about, and
make me thankful that I am not from their bloodlines.=)

Highly recommended
A panorama of the demi-mondo a la royale.
Colorful characters, and historic oddities served on a silver dish.
Funny too, depiste the gloomy portraiture and macabre aura surrounding historical celebrities. I recommend this book.

Juicy details!
For history buffs, this is a great read. For the novice looking for a bit of gossip, this is a great read. For the average American who's afraid to commit to buying a book because they don't have time to read it through, this is a great read.

This is a cheeky overview of some of the more interesting 'movers and shakers' of history and all before the 24/7 coverage offered today. It's fun, fast-paced and factual...enjoy.

PEOPLE ARE STRANGE
Let me be honest, I love these types of books, they are so much fun to read.This book is not only interesting on many levels, but the author is also witty and this is a must for a book of this sort.It's incredible to believe people like this existed and ruled countries, though I have a feeling the poor subjects of these nuts didnt find all this so funny.

A Fascinating and Irreverent Romp Through History
In this remarkable book, fifty royal individuals are briefly profiled, spanning a period from the third century BC to the present day. In these profiles, the author has gone to great pains to focus on these individuals' various types and degrees of weirdness: from having odd but notable quirks to being stark raving mad. But what makes this book so enjoyable is the author's irreverent tongue-in-cheek writing style. On several occasions I found myself laughing out loud at his careful, well-thought-out choice of words and witty descriptions. This book should be of interest to everyone, but especially history buff who are looking for light historical narrative with a most pleasant twist. ... Read more