3 comments about Darkling I Listen: The Last Days and Death of John Keats.

1. Love may not kill, but it can certainly give you a smart shove down that road. Walsh's vivid, neatly researched book gives us a new look at the one whose name was writ on water and his curious agonies over the girl he would have married. Keats, impassioned, gifted, doomed, is even so not gilded here; from the surviving materials he is revealed as intense, a bit obsessive, and never more so than concerning Fanny Brawne. This is one of the most famed loves in history, freshly examined with the fairest look to date at Fanny's equally complicated character. Whether they take place in British rooms or Roman, the dramas within are drawn with lively and poignant detail. Special care is taken, too, to give Joseph Severn the full credit due for his constant vigil at Keats' long dying. To me, Severn's character was by far the most appealing, and Walsh's story left me certain that a steady, loving heart is genius of its own kind.



2. This book really is a little jewel -beautifully researched and written and incredibly moving. Keats is vividly portrayed, and , as the previous reviewer noted, Joseph Severn is given his due as the best person Keats could have had with him in his dying days. Severn was a devout Christian, according to Walsh, and his life after Keats' death exemplified the Christian belief that if you give selflessly, you will receive... Just have a box of tissues handy while reading this book...



3. It is so amazing that in a career lasting only four years, John Keats established himself as English poet who best embodied the sense and ideas of Romantic poetry. That his short life was cut off at such a young age was a tragedy in the sense of all the unwritten works that could have flowed from his pen, but even so, he achieved his life ambition of being "one of the English poets".
   Darkling I Listen is an incredibly moving account of the last days of this most tragic (and most romantic) of poets. From his passionate letters to Fanny Brawne to his last moments under the care of his truest friend Joseph Severn, this story will wring your heart.

4 comments about Two Queens in One Isle.

1. By focusing on Elizabeth and Mary, and the national and international events that influenced them and their actions, both independant and in relation to one another, Alison Plowden beautifuly illuminates "the deadly relationship" between Elizabeth and Mary. Her writting reads like a novel, rending the history alive and vibrant. An excellent book.



2. I was a little disappointed with this book because it didn't cover any new ground for me. But more importantly, the style began to grate on me about half way through the book, to the point where I just wanted to get it over with. I felt Alison Plowden relied too heavily on extracts from comments and speeches made by people of that era. These were popped in every now and again which, for me, meant I would "lose the plot". I'd have to re-read sections because I couldn't remember what point was being made. And, not being an expert in "old English" (despite the fact that I was born in England, and my daughters keep telling me I'm old!), I'd sometimes struggle to understand what was being said. Still, this is only the humble opinion of one reviewer, and I'm sure that there would be a great many people to whom this style would be perfectly acceptable. Having said all that, it wasn't a "bad" book. I'm pleased I bought it, and wouldn't like to have missed out on reading it.



3. I love both of these women and their place in history, but Plowden's work leaves me cold. This could have been a fascinating, gripping, dynamic fiction tale of love, ambition, politics, history and royalty such as Susan Kay's "Legacy". Despite the alluring title, it's not. Not worth buying.



4. I read this book for a British History class and loved it. Plowden makes the history of the relationship between Elizabeth and Mary come alive with many anecdotes. She describes in such detail the way the two lived and the era that the reader can almost visualize it.

   I've read a few of her other books and they're all wonderful. But this one gives you more than just the stereotypical story you hear "Elizabeth felt threatened. Elizabeth had Mary beheaded." Plowden goes into great depth to show why the decision was so hard on Elizabeth and gave more than just the cursory examintion of Mary's character.

   Wonderful read - not just for a class but for pleasure-reading as well!

5 comments about In the Footsteps of Robert Bruce.

1. Robert the Bruce was a legendary figure: a man who led his nation in victory and overcame odds to win power in Scotland. Packed with black and white and color photos and drawings is this survey of Robert the Bruce's life and times, presenting history in an attractive package which lends life and interest to the result.



2. The review given here by "A Reader" from Washington DC is virtually verbatim (only one word was omitted) from the blurb for this book as shown at QPB! I would assume that blurb came from either the publisher or the author, which means so did the review here! It appears that someone is padding the reviews! Oh, heavens! Is nothing sacred? What next, crooks buying pardons from outgoing presidents?

   To confirm this you need to see it on QPB.com but you can't unless you're a member since they don't offer this book as a premium for joining.




3. "A Reader" (which is debatable) from Troy, New York" says, "Oh, heavens! Is nothing sacred? What next, crooks buying pardons from outgoing presidents?"...what in the world does this have to do with anything about a book about Robert the Bruce? It never ceases to amaze me the places that the dittoheads find to take a shot at the last legally elected POTUS (Bill Clinton.) Perhaps the "Reader" from Troy would prefer the current Commander in Thief's favorite book, "The Hungry Caterpillar" to a serious work of history.



4. Alan Young and Michael Stead's "In The Footsteps of Robert Bruce" is a well-written and lavishly illustrated account of the life of Robert Bruce, who overcame long odds to restore independence to Scotland in the 1300's.
   
   Alan Young's account of Bruce is remarkably even-handed, describing Bruce's legendary fortitude and battlefield skill against invading English armies and his rivals in Scotland while acknowledging that Bruce was a master of the cut-throat politics that were the custom of his age. Robert Bruce rose from marginal malcontent to revered King of Scotland; this account places his career in context for the casual reader. Alan Young has done a remarkable job making sense of the twisted dynastic conflicts of the day. Michael Stead's superb photographs document locations in Scotland and England that were important in the life of Robert Bruce. They capture the rugged beauty that was and is Scotland, and would have been worthy of a book in their own right.
   
   This book is highly recommended to the reader with an interest in Scottish history and to the visitor to Scotland looking for some historical background.



5. Alan Young gives us a great political bio of Robert the Bruce but without as much bias as other books. Michael Stead's pictures make it all the more real with the reader. One can imagine the ruins of the castles and churches as they once were. This is a great book for people newly interested in Scottish history and Robert I. Young's story uses many sources and attempts to not fall into the trap of making the Bruce the ultimate warrior of freedom and the Comyn family the evil traitors. They were both competing families with dynastic plans. Young shows Bruce as a man who started on his path by protecting family interests and forwarding his families dynastic goal for the throne after the death of Alexander III. Sometimes he was with the English and sometimes back to the Scots. Once the Crown was claimed Bruce fought his Rivals, the Comyns, in a civil war he then took on England to separate Scotland from its political grasp. The fence sitting nobles with lands in both countries were forced to choose and help lead to a new National pride and Independence. The Comyns get a fairer image as rivals not traitors but still trying to push their own family agendas. They ended up the losers so were painted in a poor light by history. Bruce suffered some amazing tragedies with the deaths of his brothers, wives and even his daughter but ended as an amazing leader and King saving Scotland from a fate similar to Wales. This book is a great companion to "In the footsteps of William Wallace" by the same author and photographer. Braveheart may peak your interest but these guys set the record straight and give us some enjoyable and believable history.

5 comments about The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady.

1. I bought this book years ago and foolishly gave it away. I recently repurchased it and am glad to have it back. I give it four stars instead of five because I figure five stars should be reserved for John James Audubon.

   For the most part I like the older edition (ISBN 0-03-021026-7) better. It is printed on yellowish paper with darkened edges, purposely made to look a bit aged. The colors are darker and the detail on the illustrations shows up better. But this 2001 edition has its good points too. It's printed on pure white paper so even though some of the pictures look a little washed out, the colors look clearer and brighter, not so muddy. So some people might prefer this new edition.

   There's a biography of Edith Holden, out of print, that I'd be interested to read. (Edwardian Lady: The Story of Edith Holden, by Ina Taylor.)




2. When i found out that the Country diary of an Edwardian Lady was to come back in print after more than five years in the wilderness, i remembered feeling elated, why, because Ms Holden and her talents was the best thing ever to have happened to the book world,and this new edition showing what the diary looked like at the time it was written is the best ever, she put rural warwickshire on the map in a way no other author could have or will do, the book is not only a teaching of nature (remembering that Edith was a teacher) but also a portable art gallery of in my opinion some of the best surviving examples of her artwork, i have long been a holden devotee (the word fan is reserved for rowdy pop stars)i have and always will treasure this beautiful book and its sister publication the nature notes of an edwardian lady, we love this book perhaps for its nostalgic charm for all things turn of the century, but more importantly because most of ediths beloved nature trails around her home in Olton Hollow, solihull now no longer exist, so my advice, buy this book and give it pride of place in the cabinet



3. I became drawn to the work and life of Edith Holden after I saw the TV series that was made of her life. I became very intrigued and even bought and read the Ina Taylor biography. Her bizarre and mysterious death intrigued me almost as much as her life. Although there was no sign of struggle, and the inquest ruled her death an accident, I'm not entirely convinced that Edith died accidentally. I'm somewhat convinced that she may have committed suicide. Even if she couldn't swim, it's hard to believe that a woman can drown in 4 feet of water that close to shore unless she did it intentionally.

   This is an enchanting book full of nature illustrations by Edith Holden, with excerpts of poetry by great poets, and nature diary entries and observations by Edith, about about birds, insects, flowers, rural places she visited, that sort of thing. Very appealing for those with a nastalgia for country surroundings and the country life.

   David Rehak
   author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"




4. I borrowed this book from the library and fell in love with the delicate watercolors of plant and animal life, the occasional quotes from poetry, and the rare observations about the weather, etc. Then the book went out of print but it has returned and remains a treasure on my bookshelf, a book I will not lend out to anyone lest it not come home again. A resonant reminder that there is so much going on if only the train would break down and leave us free to walk a while.



5. I have the 1977 version and I think it is far better than the recent one. It's lovely to follow the months day by day, learning facts about trees, flowers, insecs. The artwork she drew is enchanting.....
   
   A precious not much heard of book....

No comments about Sir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings.

No comments about Henry VIII: Court, Church and Conflict.

5 comments about Daphne du Maurier, Haunted Heiress (Personal Takes).

1. Although the HAUNTED HEIRESS attempts to instill in the reader the notion that Daphne du Maurier's works do not fall into the "romance" genre, she fails to convenience the reader of this. Even drawing comparisons to du Maurier's grandfather and contrasts to the great Brontës, all is lost in her attempt to move Daphne du Maurier out of this shallow genre and into one of a more academically acceptable category. Her supportive arguments are grotesquely silly and oftentimes clouded by an awkward, pompous writing style.



2. This book is a great complement to du Maurier's fiction. Auerbach has written a very personal account of du Maurier's life and its relation to her writing. I liked the intimate tone of the book, as if you were talking to Auerbach over coffee; there is nothing over-blown or haughty. Auerbach's analysis of how du Maurier's stories were (mis-)adapted for film is brilliant, as well as Auerbach's discussion about du Maurier's sexuality and prejudices. Quite enjoyable.



3. Du Maurier is the author of almost twenty novels, articles, plays, memoirs and short stories; yet is known for a relatively limited handful of popular works. Daphne Du Maurier: Haunted Heiress analyzes her lesser-known volumes and their characters, providing a strong literary analysis of metaphors in her writing, and ethnic and social observations of her choices and times. The result is a revealing, absorbing study.



4. Auerbach, a professor of literature at University of Pennsylvania, dazzles the reader with her fascination for the writings of Daphne Du Maurier, the writer unfortunately best known for the so-called Gothic novel, 'Rebecca'and various film adaptations like Hitchcock's 'The Birds' and Roeg's 'Don't Look Now'.
   As a young summer camp participant in the early 50s, Auerbach found herself both entranced by Du Maurier's vicious protagonists and repulsed by her label as a 'romantic' writer of escapist woman's fiction. Her analysis of Du Maurier's work vehemently disputes Du Maurier's dismissal by critics; Auerbach finds her male centered stories brimming with fully drawn characters that derive their strength from a violent/murderous reaction to the females who enter their lives. Du Maurier's female narrators (1st person or otherwise) depend upon their omnipotent male counterparts for identity; the so-called romances of Rebecca, Jamaica Inn and Frenchman's Creek are not driven by love as they are erroneously depicted in the corresponding movie adaptations, but revolve around the transition of the female acquiescing to the strength of the male and becoming dependent on him for identity and definition. These female protagonists, like Du Maurier, herself, initially possess the characteristics of young boys and only become women by losing their independence. Above all, Auerbach describes Du Maurier's haunted inheritance: the necessity of keeping of her heritage alive as initiated by her grandfather George, author of 'Trilby' and her actor father ,Gerald.
   
   This is not a biography of Daphne Du Maurier, but rather a literary critique of her many novels and fantastic short stories. As it relates to Du Maurier's fiction, Auerbach eludes to Du Maurier's penchant towards lesbianism, citing Margaret Forster's book, "Daphne Du Maurier: The Secret Life of the Renowned Storyteller" as her source. She analyzes the movie adaptations, finding Hitchcock's 'Rebecca', 'Jamaica Inn' and 'The Birds' inferior to the original thoughts as penned by the author, herself.
   
   As I have found myself compelled over the years to reread Daphne Du Maurier's lesser known masterpieces, like 'The House on the Strand', 'The Scapegoat', and 'My Cousin Rachel', I fully understand Auerbach's fascination with the author and the strange almost spellbinding hold she has over her readers. I recommend this book to anyone who has been under the Du Maurier spell and realizes that she is much, much more than just a escapist romance writer. Like Patricia Highsmith, her amoral comments on male/female relationships wickedly define the 20th century.



5. If you are looking for a biography on Daphne Du Maurier, I would not recommend Haunted Heiress. This is a rambling, free form work of literary criticism. You would do better to check this book out from the library rather than paying the steep price.
   
   You can learn more about the story of Du Maurier's life by doing a web search.
   
   Also, if you are interested in visuals, there are none in Haunted Heiress, save for the cover. The text did conjure up some mental images of Ms. Auerbach, though... (narcissistic, cranky, and snobbish) but none of Daphne Du Maurier.
   
   I did very much appreciate Ms. Auerbach's observations on Du Maurier's affinity for the way men can live their lives, with more freedom and flexibility.
   
   I wish Ms. Auerbach would have done more research on Du Maurier's life and interwoven it with her pop-up thoughts on this book or that.

5 comments about George Harrison (Beatles).

1. All i can say is that this author is some bitter hack, who tries to reduce George Harrison to the level of mediocrity. Very boring with no real insight or focus. Also it just left me with a bad taste in my mouth, brain, & heart.



2. Not The best George Harrison book out there. Very tough read due to a lot of meaningless detail.



3. This intense biography of the youngest Beatle is rich in facts and information. This work traces George Harrison's life from his youth in Liverpool to his meteoric rise in fame as a musician and his tragic demise in 2001. People who knew George Harrison as well as the backdrop of events and issues of the times are richly expounded upon, thus making this work exceptional.

   I like the way many details are included in this work because it gives readers a multi-faceted look at the man who would set new standards among lyricists and guitarists. This unique individual, George Harrison stood out among his peers including the other Beatles. Clayson does him justice in portraying him in his natural state. He has a rich supply of sources and is able to account for each documentation. I really like the chapter Clayson included about George's 1963 trip to America to visit his sister, brother-in-law and their children. The impact the young Beatle had on the people he met in Benton, Illinois is well chronicled in this work.

   This is work well worth the read and I am the proud owner of it. Try Some, Buy Some and enjoy this book. It is very riveting and intense.




4. Having read the 1996 and updated 2001 editions of this book, I think it's the worst book on George Harrison I've ever read (and there are more books about him out there than you would think). It just never seemed to talk directly about him, but around him and at times seemed very negative towards him. The only part I really enjoyed was Appendix 1 in both editions about George's sister. "Behind Sad Eyes", "Harrison", "Dark Horse", and even George's "I Me Mine" (even though he doesn't give a lot of personal information) are better books. Of course, if you are a great George fan (like me) you may still want to own it (again, like me) in order to have all the books written about him.



5. Thankfully I received this book as a gift - I would be upset had I paid money for this drivel.
   
   Clayson's knowledge of George Harrison's life is comprised mostly of information that has been hashed over a million times and recollections of people who had nominal contact with Harrison. However, write-arounds are not unusual in journalism; what is unusual is that a book with this little substance coupled with an alarming number of inaccuracies was published at all.
   
   My favorite "error," as such it is? Clayson refers to Robbie Robertson of The Band as "Jaime Robertson." Now why, I ask, would someone who knows enough about Robbie Robertson to know that his first name is indeed Jaime refer to him as Jaime, also knowing that few but the most rabid fans of The Band would even recognize Jaime Robertson as Robbie Robertson?
   
   Pass this up. I wish I had a recommendation for a better Harrison biography, but alas. Guiliano's (spelling?) "Dark Horse" is no better, and in fact may be worse.

No comments about Beaufort: The Duke and His Duchess, 1657-1715 (Yale Historical Publications Series).

1 comments about William Wilberforce: Exceptional Lay Leaders (Heroes of the Faith).

1. No book that mentions the dawning of Darwin's theory of evolution is complete without a story of the debate between Thomas Huxley and William Wilberforce. Thomas Huxley used a devastating one liner to Wilberforce's detriment and so it seems Darwin's theory of evolution was unleashed to become a commonly accepted fact or so these books seem to suggest. When I saw this book I just had to read it. I discovered that William Wilberforce had a long political career as a MP in England. Mr. Wilberforce devoted most of his political career, over 40 years to abolishing slavery. Wilberforce was almost single-handedly responsible for England's repudiation of slavery within its empire and forbidding British ships to engage in the slave trade. He is also credited with creating a religious revival in British society as a result of his policies based upon a high moral code. Wilberforce's life ends with a Hollywood flair, receiving news of his political success within hours before his death. But what about the debate? Darwinism, evolutionism, and the Thomas Huxley debate? It was not mentioned at all. I was a little disapppointd that the debate was not mentioned, but on second thought in the perspective of Wilberforce's life it probably does not rate mentioning. This book is well written, compact; it is this reader's type of book, short and to the point. The author explained Wilberforce's accomplishments and his guiding principals. More importanltly the Author in outline form sums up Wilberforce's life achievements in the last chapter, a very good technique that more authors should use to help instill the major points of a text. The appendix consists of the a chapter of a book that Wilberforce's wrote. This book had a great effect upon the British upper class and gives the reader a chance to sample the personal style of Wilberforce himself, in case the reader wants to read some of his original works. Very well done.