No comments about The Time of the Corncrake: an Irishman's memories of his life in the 1940's and 1950's.

2 comments about The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby.

1. Lady Margaret Beaufort was the Countess of Richmond and Derby and the mother of a king, Henry VII, whose coronation put the finishing touches on the War of the Roses. Looking at her life is a wonderful way to examine this pivotal period in English history as she was a pivotal person, herself, during this period. Sometimes she was a pawn in the plans of others but often she created her own destiny, while all the time remaining a creature of politics and a survivor at a time when very many did not. The authors have done their research well and provide a very detailed account. Often the financial details can be very revealing and occasionally monotonous to the casual historian but always important. This is a very good study of an important woman.



2. Let's face it, women of the medieval times aren't too well known, and those that are, such Eleanor of Aquitaine, are hidden behind shadows and are really only noticed through the male figure(s) in her life.
   
   That being said, Jones and Underwood did a great job in illustrating just who Margaret Beaufort really was. Not only do they capture the influence that she had and the political maneuvering that she had to do, but they also capture her life after her son became king, showing her role in religious houses and orders as well as the universities.
   
   A great bio for a great woman. Anyone studying the Tudors should read this book. Anyone, for that matter, interested in England in the fifteenth century must read this book. Margaret Beaufort's role was just too important.

No comments about Prince of Europe: The Life of Charles-Josephde Ligne.

5 comments about Lord of the Dance: My Story.

1. I am a recent Michael Flatley fan [within the last five years] and I was so pleased to read about his life. I had pictured him as a flawless, untouchable/unreachable star person, born to be great, and not at all like a real person. This is a real human being who has lived a real life, and who has an amazing story to tell. This reminded me of My Left Foot. I love real human-interest stories that tell of both struggles and triumphs. I don't think this is a book just for dancers or fans of dance. I think many people would enjoy reading about a life like this. Highly recommended!!



2. My opinion of Michael Flatley is now less than zero. The vast majority of this book is just very descriptive accounts of Michael's extreme promiscuity and sexual addiction. It made me sick. He adds some emotion to it for effect, but I don't buy it. Most of the book is spent bragging about himself. I can't tell you how disappointed I was and I really wish I had quit reading the book when I realized it was all about his escapades with women-- many of whom were in his shows. Yes, he'd wake up some mornings with several of them in his bed!
   
   There is a little worth reading though. I got his side of what happened to Riverdance. But mostly, I felt sick to my stomach at his pervertedness and felt extreme sorrow for how he treated his first beautiful wife.
   
   This may be an updated version to what I've read, but he is married to a different girl than the one he was with and was engaged to in the book I read, and he now has a son. Poor kid.
   
   I wouldn't trust this man with MY daughter!



3. You can't beat his talent...when the whole Riverdance fever took the world over a decade ago I tired of his stardom. However watching him in Lord if the Dance reminded me of his superb talent. It truly is an amazing show to watch and well worth every penny



4. This film will have you getting out of your chair and dancing along. It is truly a remarkable film with the great dancers like Michael Flatley and Gillian Norris and all the other dancers who were truly remarkabe. You have to purchase this film, you and your family will watch this film over and over. I have had the film for about 9 years and I still watch it like I just purchased the film. It is worth the money.



5. Tres bon DVD ( Michael Flatley - Lord of the Dance (1997))
   J'aime beaucoup ces danses

1 comments about Lancaster Target.

1. What can I say, awesome, captivating, fantastic. We owe a debt to Jack Currie for recording this terrifying part of history. We also owe a debt to Goodall publishing and Airdata for still printing it !....

5 comments about The Last Days of Henry VIII.

1. This book was extremely disappointing, especially for a person well read in Tudor History. The title is very misleading. I thought this book would examine in depth the final years of Henry's reign. Theses final years were full of scandal, intrigue and death but the book read like a summary of his whole reign. There are plenty of other books that do this and do it better (Alison Weir for example). It's pages and pages of he said, she said quotes followed by summaries of crucial events that surely deserve more description. If you are looking for a thorough historical analysis of the final years of Henry, save your money.



2. This book does a remarkably good job of presenting the facts about the final years of Henry VIII, a time when political and religious factions were vying for control over the course England would take after Henry's imminent death. I've read a lot about Henry over the years but this book taught me many things about him that I never knew before. This book contains an overview of the political and religious situation towards the end of Henry's time and also presents many interesting new findings and details you probably won't read anywhere else. It's written in an erudite yet relaxed style that is easy, even entertaining to read, and feels like listening to a lecture by a skilled history professor with a sense of humor. This book is a valuable and very welcome recent addition to the world's historical knowledge of Henry's time. I heartily recommend it to anyone who shares my fascination with Henry VIII or English history in general.



3. In response to the fellow that gave this book a 1-star, one cannot possibly understand the important political maneuverings in the final days of Henry without explaining details of his reign, of which I feel was the point of the book. I also did not mind the review of other parts of his reign because it included interesting primary sources.
   
   This book is a good starting point to understanding the Tudor political atmosphere and why it is how it is in the wake of Henry's death, backed with good solid sources of letters and financial records. It is also remarkably readable and interesting.
   
   The only thing I didn't prefer are the conjectures of Henry's ailments. At this point it's just a guess - and I'd prefer to just have the symptoms stated instead of a guess stated like a fact.



4. I found this book was not very reader-friendly. It was interesting, but not interesting enough for me to finish...



5. This book is a great comprehensive look at the last few years of Henry VIII's life, which is often overlooked due to the scandals of his earlier years. It explores in depth his last three marriages, the conspiracies and rivalries abounding in his inner circle, the religious climate, his volatile temper, his waning heath and final illness, and his majestic funeral. We see some familiar characters like Cromwell exit the scene in Henry's familiar tyrant fashion, and we become more familiar with others who filled large rolls behind the scene. I would recommend this as a great supplement to the collection of any Tudor enthusiast as a readable and straightforward account of Henry's final, tumultuous years.

No comments about Mistress of the Arts: The Passionate Life of Georgina, Duchess of Bedford.

No comments about The History of King Richard III (Hesperus Classics).

No comments about The Assassination of Princess Diana.

No comments about From the Bottom Up: The Story of the Irish in Kansas City.