2 comments about Sweet Robin: A Biography of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester 1533-1588.

1. Mr. Wilson's Sweet Robin is a well-written book that is supported by many facts, but not stuffy and hard-to-read, unlike many other books written about England's history. Most people think of Robert Dudley as a blue-blooded scapegoat that history would be better off without. Most scholars nuture this image, painting him as a black-hearted villan. But Mr. Wilson offers us a refreshing change in perception: that of a nobleman trying to survive the tumultuous times of the era in which he lived. That in fact, far from being an evil knave, he, like his forefarthers before him, was guilty only of an extreme loyalty to the particular monarch which he devoted his whole life to. Sweet Robin opens in the time of Robert Dudley's grandfather and continues through his life, chronicaling all the events that shaped him and the people around him. It finally ends a little while after his death, to show how little real influence he had on the changing times, other than through his special bond with Queen Elizabeth. While Robert Dudley is not the most important man this world has ever seen, he is certainly one of the more colorful personages of his time. I commend Mr. Wildon for writing an excellent book!



2. 
   Wilson shares his appreciation for the Earl of Leicester. His role as a leading spirit of the Reformation and as an early patron of what becomes known as Elizabethan Drama has been overshadowed by his unique relationship with the Queen. The book explains his roots, his passions, his successes and limitations and the personal and financial cost of his association with the queen. The reader gets insight into his character and his relationship with Elizabeth.
   
   This compares well with the new publication Elizabeth & Leicester: Power, Passion, Politics. Of the two, this one, humanizes Dudley such that the reader understands more of what Elizabeth saw in him. Wilson deals more powerfully with the attachment of these two star crossed would be lovers and you feel the loss and disappointment the two shared. Gristwood sticks with the record.
   
   I would give this 5 stars but the beginning is so slow and genealogy laiden that I almost put it down and throughout there are long quotes from original sources. I presume the long quotes are there to give the reader a feel for the sentiments as they are directly expressed, but many are so formal and tortured that they only demonstrate why general readers need historians like Wilson and Gristwood to interpret them for us.

No comments about Saints and Their Communities: Miracle Stories in Twelfth-Century England (Oxford Historical Monographs).

No comments about The Times and Appeasement: The Journals of A. L. Kennedy, 1932-1939 (Camden Fifth Series).

No comments about The Woman Who Took Power in the Park: Mary Robinson.

4 comments about Fearful Majesty: The Life and Reign of Ivan the Terrible.

1. Ivan IV the Terrible a remarkable personality in the Russian history is discussed thoroughly in this excellent book. I found this book extremely informative since not one page goes by without adding more historical facts to your knowledge. The book, not only give facts on Ivan, but also elaborates on Russian history and culture, which I found very useful in understanding Ivan and his role in the Russian history. I think the author has done excellent job in writing a concise, succinct and very fact oriented, yet in a reader friendly and interesting tone. The book gives detailed accounts of Ivan's genealogy, childhood and reign. This book can be very informative for those individuals who seek a quick research on Ivan the Terrible. I recommend this book without any reservations.



2. I could not put this biography down it was so interesting from the first page. There is a lot of technical stuff, but the author weaves an incredibly engaging story of Ivan the Terrible's reign and conquests, emotional, territorial, and spiritual. He was quite the character, rich in eccentricity and poor in basic ethics! The man was both devout and demonic, saintly and monstrously sinful. I loved this biography and would read it again just because I learned so much about Russian in the 1500's.



3. Very accessible bio of Russia's most enigmatic leader. Ivan was brilliant, cruel, and at times cowardly, and all his sides are exposed here. There is much information on his Oprichniki and the horror they brought to the land. The endless campaigns, fought on all sides of the Russian border against Poland, Sweden, Tartars, and Ottomans are given brief but solid treatment. The seige of Pskov, the burning of moscow, the battles with the tartars all make for thrilling reading. Of equal interest are Ivan's theological debates with foreigners, where he clearly shows his intelligence and learning. Ivan's penchant for torture is shown and requires a strong stomach to read. Lets not forget the conquest of Siberia and so many other things happening at this time. Bobrick has managed to fit so much in one volume, with hardly a wasted word. Great book.



4. I wasn't impressed by this slow read. It is very dull at most points which one would think would be hard to do considering the antics and terror that encompassed Ivan's reign. I think there are better biographies, keep looking.

No comments about Eminent Victorians: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Arnold, General Gordon.

5 comments about U2: Faraway So Close.

1. This book allows you to do what every U2 fan has always wanted to do: go on tour with U2. It is told through the eyes of someone who is doing just that, in a plain, day to day format. Although the arrangement is a bit random, it lets you peek into the offstage life of the band. The pictures alone are worth the price of the book.



2. A book about U2 with pictures included seemed to me a chance to find out more about U2 than I ever wanted to know. In some cases that was true, but I came away from this book wanting to know more! I wanted to scream, "Where are more pictures? Where are more stories?" B.P. Fallon gives us a glimpse of life on the road for U2,and after reading this book I wish that I could have seen it through his eyes. It is a quirky diary, however, and the time sequences change enough to drive you batty. You wil be page flipping back and forth. But the craziness was worth it. While the book uncovers U2 on tour, the pictures provide more mystery than ever about the world's greatest band.



3. I can't see why every U2 fan wouldn't have this in their collection. The pictures in this book are amazing. It is by far the best behind-the-scenes photo's collected in one book for U2, if not any band. If you love the band (especially the 'Zoo TV' period, in which this book thoroughly chronicles) then grab this book.



4. A warning: If you are looking for an easy-to-read book to enjoy on a nice afternoon or before bed, this is not for you. While the content of "U2 Faraway So Close" is nothing short of absolutely fascinating, the book's layout is highly stylized and can be visually assaulting and rather difficult to read.
   
   BUT...
   
   If you want fabulous pictures and fun, often hilarious, anecdotes about the greatest band in the world (U2...duh!), track down a copy of "U2 Faraway So Close" and snatch that puppy up as fast as you can!
   
   "U2 Faraway So Close" takes you on the Zoo TV tour with U2, as seen through the eyes and camera lens of B. P. Fallon (before he got kicked off the tour, but that's a story you can learn more about in "U2 at the End of the World" by Bill Flanagan). Fallon shows us the band in concert, partying, relaxing, with friends. He captures a couple of great shots of Adam in his famous skirt, as well as some faboo pictures of Bono's wife (she's gorgeous!), The Edge's Morleigh (she's gorgeous too!), and Adam's then-fiancee Naomi Campbell (no comment from me on her). All the photos are accompanied by entertaining, sometimes roll-on-the-floor-laughing hilarious, stories from the tour, offering some juicy tidbits for people who just can't get enough U2.
   
   While its format doesn't lend itself too well to bedtime reading, "U2 Faraway So Close" does make a great coffeetable book, gift or obsession-feeder for U2 lovers. Go snag a copy and enjoy!



5. what can i say? um...yes i am a U2 fan. U2 fans like glossy covered books with the "four lads from dublin" inside and on the cover...books that put them up on the rock n' roll pedestal (is that even how you spell it?). so...what i'm saying is...well YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING if yer a fan and to quote Bono (just cause i want to) "rock n' roll dooggie!!!"

1 comments about Caesar's Vast Ghost: Aspects of Provence.

1. Durrell's long experience in the region allowed him to discuss many of the more obscure aspects of Provence and its history. It is part history, part memoir, part poetry.
   
   The book should be read for its value as entertainment and to gain a sense of Provence & its history, but I do not feel that it would be a suitable source of accurate historical information. Upon furhter investigation of many events that Durrell talks about, I discovered that he presented only one side of a situation about which there is no current consensus or agreement among academics/historians.
   
   Finally, I found the last chapter of the book quite bizarre, and admit that I got very little out of it.
   
   Citing the above qualifications, I recommend this book for those interested in Provence (with the added bonus that Durrell's writing is a thing enjoyable in itself).

No comments about Echoes of War: The Story of H2S Radar.

No comments about Samuel Beckett: Overlook Illustrated Lives.