No comments about Mrs Jordans Profession IV.

No comments about The Royal Irish Constabulary: A History and Personal Memoir (Classics of Irish History).

1 comments about James Joyce: 2.

1. I was looking for a biography on Joyce and was pleasantly surprised by this one. I picked it up for a very cheap price. Despite the fact that it is brief, it offers the basic outlines of the great man's life and is an excellent introductory work. There seems to be pictures on every page which was a wonderful side benefit as the visual images tell a story of their own. Before reading this, I really had no idea as to how autobiographical Joyce's fiction was. That so many of characters parallel people he knew was unexpected given the unbridled level of creativity he possessed. Upon finishing it, I immediately wanted to read more about his life in Trieste and Paris which I will do in the future.

No comments about Daniel O'Connell (Compact Irish History).

No comments about Excursion to Hell.

4 comments about Brother to the Sun King: Philippe, Duke of Orleans.

1. The story of Philippe, brother of Louis XIV (also known as Sun King) is very exciting and iteresting. The book provides knowledge not only about Philippe, but also about his surroundings and with link to all possible things that were happening in France of that time. The description of his life is not like in most history books - you can even feel the atmosphere as you were there! You can also learn about Louis XIV from it and about their family realtions. The book covers both official and privat aspects of Philippe's life. Great book and very good work of the author!



2. As only brother to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, Philippe, Duke of Orleans lived forever in the shadow of his older brother. Because of the numerous uprisings in France by a younger brother of the King, Philippe was taught from birth that he could never outshine his brother or be given any prominent place in his government. Because of this, Philippe led a fairly "wasted" life, perhaps best known for his flagrant homosexuality. Yet author Nancy Nichols Barker points out that when allowed to shine, the Duke was a competent soldier, lover of fine arts, good father and the founder of the Orleans dynasty which eventually ruled France. While the progeny of Louis XIV died out with the revolution, the descendants of Philippe populated the great Catholic thrones of Europe.

   The author does a good job with source material and especially the "psychological" background of her characters, such as Philippe and his two wives, Henriette of England and Elizabeth Charlotte of Palatine. The first marriage was a disaster but the second marriage flourished for a long time. Elizabeth Charlotte or Liselotte is given a major part of the biography and her background is presented in a very interesting manner. I would recommend this book highly to anyone interested in French history.




3. This book sets out to right a great wrong. The Duke of Orleans comes across as a petty and, at times, annoying figure in the Memoirs of St Simon. Ms. Barker's work does much to make up for what St Simon has done in the past. However, the work is flawed by Ms Barker's use of Freudian psychology to explain the Duke's homosexuality. This is probably the only real flaw in this book, but it is sufficient to undermine an unqualified recommendation.



4. Though I disagree with some of the author's opinions, it's always good to read and learn more about easily misjudged historic characters.

No comments about The Memoirs of John M. Regan: A Catholic Officer in the Ric and Ruc, 1909-1948.

1 comments about Daniel Defoe: His Life.

1. Paula Backscheider is widely regarded as Defoe's leading biographer on the strenghth of this book written eighteen years ago. It is both scholarly and contradictiory. Was Defoe the victim of religious persecution triumphing over adversity ot was he a man of poor character constantly on the run from the law? What we know now was that Defoe was illegitimate and brought up harshly on the margin of things.He was constantly on the run from the law. A homosexual, at a time when this was against the law, he sought the favours and protection of powerful men. He had eight children by three simultaneous wives and ended his life in poverty a refuge from the law. There is little of this in Backscheider's book. But what is there is scholarly and entertaining.

1 comments about Last Dance at the Hotel Kempinski: Creating a Life in the Shadow of History.

1. Hirsch's account of growing up German Jewish in England is wonderful - while his story is often laugh out loud funny, it remains a thoughtful exploration of the repercussions of the Holocaust and the pain in growing up with a difficult father. After Hirsch sets out on adulthood, his own story is not as compelling, but his encounters with elderly Holocaust survivors, as well as his attempts to come to terms with his father, are still fascinating.

No comments about Edward II 1307-1327.