1 comments about William: The People's Prince: His Life in Pictures (Nunn Syndication Books).

1. I have been following the life of Prince William since his birth (though not fanatically) and thought this book looked like it might bring some new light to the boy who became a man the moment he walked behind his mother's coffin that sad day in 1997. The information in the book covers all of William's formative years all the way up to present day, but the main reason to purchase the book is for the photgraphs. Several are never-before seen (at least by me) and the up-close shots are bright, crisp and clear. You get a feel for this young man who must learn step-by-step on how to handle the press without turning them against you (surely no easy task and one neither of his parents ever fully accomplished, though there may be hope for Charles). I read the book in one day since the early information was not new to me and savored the pictures. I came away with a new appreciation for the unique position Prince William has and a hope that he finds the happiness in life that has eluded Charles and that Diana seemed on just the verge of finding.

2 comments about Little Princesses: The Intimate Story of Hrh Princess Elizabeth & Hrh Princess Margaret As Told by Their Governess.

1. If you love the Royal family then you'll be amazed by this book. I loved reading about the queen and her sister, Margret's, childhood. Its a wonderful book with funny parts as well as sometimes when you feel sorry for the girls. It tells of the future queen saying if she was Queen she wouldn't let people work horses on sundays, because they deserve a day off too, or something close to that.



2. My mother owned a first edition of this sweet book and as a child I was enchanted. The pictures in the book let you see the now queen and princess as little girls, playing and horse riding and being royal. I treasured the book and named my oldest daughter Elizabeth because of the glitter I saw with the little girls. My mother gave the book to me when I was a teenager and I had kept it for 40 years. I loaned the book to a friend and it was lost. I am now 55 and only lost it 5 years ago. I am very anxious to own another one. I think all ages of girls would love to read this book of another life that few of us can ever know.

1 comments about The Three Richards: Richard I, Richard II and Richard III.

1. For those unfamiliar with the reigns of the Richards, this book provides some useful points of comparison in an accessible way. Those who want to look at any one of the Richards in more detail will need to read other books.
   
   The strength of Saul's book is that while it provides observation and interpretation, it allows the reader leeway to form his or her own views.
   
   While I'm not convinced that the name alone is a strong enough thread to connect these reigns, I enjoyed the way this was done. Recommended for those 'dipping a toe' into this period of history.

No comments about Scottish Queens 1034-1714.

No comments about Queen Victoria.

No comments about George III and the Mad-Business.

5 comments about The First Scientist: A Life of Roger Bacon.

1. I found Brian Clegg's biography of Roger Bacon to be a good introduction for anyone wishing to understand the great man's life and work, and the times in which he lived. However, this book seemed to me to be too focused on Bacon as a precursor of the Scientific Revolution, and at times I would question the depth (although not necessarilly the breadth) of Clegg's understanding of ancient and medieval science. Whilst the author has obviously done a lot of research, and his admiration for his subject shines through at every page, this is not a truly scholarly life of Bacon that would be of great use to academics. But, having said this, I would still recommend this book for anyone coming at Bacon for the first time.



2. The great thing about this book is it's not over-academic like practically everything else I've seen about Bacon, but rather gives a real insight into the man and his times. If you are at all interested in science, where it comes from and the people who made it happen this book should be on your have-to-buy list!



3. This is an excellent work for historians and science buffs.
   It describes a friar who lived in the 13th century. Roger Bacon
   predicted horseless carriages and telescopes. He is one of the
   first scientists to link science with the experimental method.
   Early in life, he studied astronomy, grammar, mathematics,
   music, logic and rhetoric. He presented a fairly detailed
   earth map. The work describes his incarceration for teachings
   contrary to the orthodoxy of the day. This work would make
   a perfect class project for students in grammar or high school.



4. I really wanted to like this book: Mr. Clegg obviously has a deep respect for his subject and is eager to share it with the reader. Unfortunately, a combination of sometimes sloppy writing skills and a dearth of information add up to a mostly mediocre biography. When I say information is scarce, I mean it: very, very little is known about the specifics of Bacon's life; the vast majority of this book is conjecture. We know Bacon went from A to B to A to C, and that's more or less it--Clegg sees fit to fill in the details again and again. This would be okay if it weren't pure guesswork most of the time. On top of this, particularly toward the end, the writing style becomes strained and stretched out like a college term-paper. It's as if the author is grabbing at straws to convince you that Bacon was indeed the first scientist. It's a shame that these problems overshadow what is otherwise a very interesting book on a very interesting subject from a very interesting time period. I hope one day we'll see a major biography of this strange, precocious man with the proper research to back it up. Until then, The First Scientist will do, if you keep in mind its flaws.
   
   Although I really do love the book design.



5. So little is known about the real life of Friar Bacon that the author is obliged to make up many details of his life, based on speculation and inference. The stories feel like they could be credible, but one is reminded that the subtitle of this book is "A Life of Roger Bacon" not "THE Life of Roger Bacon."
   
   In order to fill out a scanty bushel of facts the author delves into Medieval politics, alchemy, early church struggles et cetera, giving the reader a fairly good grounding in the times of Roger Bacon. Nevertheless, I think it would have been very possible to delve deeper into Bacon's five known works to dissect where he anticipated Renaissance science, where he hewed to Bible-based orthodoxy, and where he went off on flights of fancy. The analysis of his works -- which ARE known -- is a bit light in the loafers.

No comments about Memoirs of the Courts and Cabinets of George the Third.

No comments about Prince Phillip: His Secret Life.

No comments about Talking of the Royal Family.