No comments about The Kents.

2 comments about Edward the Elder, 899 - 924.

1. Edward the Elder is perhaps the most neglected of the Anglo-Saxon kings. Overshadowed by both his father Alfred and his successor Æthelstan, he did much on his own to expand the domination of Wessex across all of England.

   This book is a series of papers presented in 1999 at a conference on Edward the Elder held at the Manchester Centre for Anglo-Saxon Studies. Twenty-two papers by some of the most noted experts in their fields explore the archaeology, charter evidence, textiles, dynastic marriages, coinage, foreign relations, scriptorium production, and more of Edward the Elder's reign.

   Of particular interest is the consideration of Edward's activities as king. Was he merely continuing his father Alfred the Great's program of recovering the Danelaw, fortifying the burhs, and incorporating Mercia into a comprehensive "Kingdom of the English"? Or did Edward follow his own policies in light of the opportunities he faced?

   An outstanding multi-disciplinary insight into this much overlooked Anglo-Saxon king's rule.




2. King Edward the Elder (871-924) was the son and greatly overshadowed heir of Alfred the Great. This series of essays attempts to remedy the the absence of published research and prove that he "arguably did as much as any other individual to construct a singly, south-centered, Anglo-Saxon Kingdom." However, the amount of evidence from his reign is almost negligible in comparison to his famous father. And sadly, he is ignored by the Frankish chronicles (who wrote key sources on Alfred's reign) and many other non-English writers as well nor was he praised by his contemporaries.
   
   This essay set contains essays from very respectable historians on this period who explore Archaeological evidence, written sources, coinage, etc for Edward's reign. The essays are arranged in a chronological manner with strategically placed essays that deal with more broad overviews before delving deeper into the facets of his reign. For example the essay 'Edward, king of the Anglo-Saxons' is followed by 'The Coinage of Edward the Elder.' This also has frequent charts, pictures, maps, photographs, and lists that assist the reader and make the read much more interesting. One of the great benefits of having a collection of essays is the ease in ignoring some that deal with an element of history that you might not be interested in and simply move on. Likewise, some essays have extreme detail that may interest someone who actually wants to see how the historians conclusions have been reached. A must buy for anyone truly interested in Anglo-Saxon England. Another great asset are the topics that a single historian writing a book might ignore such as textiles, crafts, and coins. This is a much needed multi-disciplinary resource for a sadly maligned and neglected king who greatly extended the bounds of his empire.
   
   List of essays:
   Edward the Elder's Reputation: an introduction - Nick Higham
   What is not known about the reign of Eddward the Elder - James Campbell
   Edward as Aetheling - Barbara Yorke
   Edward, king of the Anglo-Saxons - Simon Keynes
   The Coinage of Edward the Elder - Stewart Lyon
   The West Saxon Tradition of dynastic marriage: with special reference to Edward the Elder - Sheila Sharp
   View from the West: an Irish Perspective on West Saxon dynastic practice
   Cloucester and the New Minister of St Oswald
   Aelfwynn, second lady of the Mercians - Maggie Bailey
   Edward the Elder's Danelaw - Lesley Abrams
   The Shiring of Mercia - again - David Hill
   Edward the Elder and the re-establishment of Chester - Simon Ward
   The Nort-West frontier - David Griffiths
   A kingdom too far: York in the early tenth century - Richard Hall
   The (non) submission of the northern kings in 920 - Michael R. Davidson
   The Northern Hoards: from Cuerdale to Bosall/Flaxton - James Graham-Campbell
   Edward the Elder and the churches of Winchester and Wessex - Alexander R. Rumble
   Dynastic monasteries and family cults: Edward the Elder's sainted kindred
   On pa waepnedhealf: kingship and royal property from Aethelwulf to Edward the Elder - Patrick Wormald
   The Junius Psalter gloss: tradition and innovation - Mechthild Gretsch
   The Embroideries from the tomb of St Cuthbert - Elizabeth Coatsworth
   Endpiece - Nick Higham

No comments about Life, Letters and Journals of Sir Charles Lyell, Bart: Edited by His Sister-in-Law Mrs. Lyell. Volume 2.

2 comments about George IV: Inspiration of the Regency.

1. George IV has always fascinated me as one of those monarchs who both impress and disgust. He was born George Prince of Wales eldest son of King George III and Queen Charlotte of England. to a world which offered all possible luxury and inherited a country which looked up to its royalty, yet poor george was to die for the most part despised. Mr. Parissien writes a sensitive and readable biography which shows both the causes and results this king's life. Realtionship with his parents were always strained and lacking in complete love or affection. No wonder George was only too eager to enjoy his power as regent when his old father the king was pronounced mad. Geroge's spending habits were phenominal, he would only have the very best no matter what it cost the country. Yet George was respected and loved by those in the arts especially admired by the architects of his time. One only has to look at the enterior of Carlton House or the Brighton Pavillion to realise this man's astetic sense. George's marriage was a disaster and events leading up to his niece Victoria becoming queen was nothing short of a miracle. A true caricature of his own self he gave his name to an era where good taste went hand in hand with infidelity and corruption. A highly readable book with some excellent illustrations.



2. This book is not for everyone. If you wish to understand, as I did, the politics and economics of the era, you will be disappointed. You will learn more about George's amours and clothing than you ever wanted to know.

No comments about Elizabeth I: Religion and Foreign Affairs (Access to History).

No comments about Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii: The Monarchy's Last Hope.

No comments about Queen and Country.

No comments about The King of Thailand in World Focus: Articles and Images from the International Press 1946-2006.

4 comments about The Diana Years(Commemorative Edition).

1. Diana, Princess of Wales, was a favorite for the cover of People Magazine as he was with many other magazines throughout the world. This is a marvelous book which captures the late Princess in some of her most glamourous and elegant moments. This could easily be called a photographic-biography, and, it is a book which I have looked at and read many times. As far as I am concerned, Diana is a person who is glamourous whether she is wearing the most expensive dress or a simple pair of jeans.

   "The death of Princess Diana on August 31,1997, was one of those rare and terrible events that so jars people that they never forget where they were when they hear the news. It was inconceivable that the glamour, the goodness, and the verve that was Diana could have been erased in an instant. The void left by this remarkable woman whom William, 15, and Harry, 12, called Mummy and British Prime Minister aptly annointed 'The People's Princess ' was huge. Its dimensions could only be grasped six days later when the 36-year-old Princess of Wales drew millions of mourners into London's streets and another 2 billion people to their TV sets. The world had lost a patrician with a common touch - a beacon, a magnet, and a friend." p.9

   I watched her funeral services just as I watched her marriage in 1981. I think the most poignant picture of her funeral was that of her former husband, Charles, Prince of Wales; her son, Prince Harry; her brother, Earl Spencer; her son, Prince William; and her former father-in-law, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; as they walked behind her cortege the last mile of its journey to Westminster Abbey. Who can ever forget Prince Harry's roses with a simple card with "Mummy" written on it as it topped her casket.

   On the stroke of 11am on September 6, the chords of "God Save the Queen" sounded in the Abbey as the Welsh Guard entered to place Diana's casket on a catafalque between the Spencers and the Windsors. This was followed by Diana's favorite hymn, "I Vow to Thee, My country," which was chosed by her son, Prince William.

   After the services, Diana's casket was placed was placed in the hearst for its long journey to Althrop, her ancestral home. At times the windshield wipers had to be turned on to wipe away the floral tributes which were thrown on the hearst. Many floral tributes were left at the gates of Althrop. These were taken by her brother the next day and placed on the island where she is buried.

   P.19 begins a chapter ABOUT FACE. I liked the following which appears on the same page - "Her genius was a figt for projecting mood while preserving mystery...

   "How many times could we look at that face? Infinitely, it seemed. In 16 years, Diana never lost her power to fascinate. How did did she do it? Hers was certainly not conventional beauty. The nose, for example, was too long and broad. But the generous scale of her smooth features formed a perfect stages for her distinctly and enchanting unroyal bredth of emotions. Diana was a woman of a thousande espressions, each a tantalizing peek into her soul, Whe could be bashful or brazen, somber or sultry, poised or playful. Like Greta Garbo and Jackie O., Diana kept back part of herself, mainntaining the mystery. Perhaps that was the basis of her seduction. She made us think we knew her so well; yet we didn't really know her at all."

   On pages 24-25, the lovely picture of Diana taken at Highgrove, while she was sitting on the steps, is elegant. She is wearing a pair of red checked pants, a red sweater, a white blouse, and casual shoes - very simple, yet beautiful. On p. 38, there is a picture of Charles and Diana as they meet the press for the first time after their marriage. Diana had already witnessed pictures of Camilla Parker Bowles fall out of her husband's diary. Yet, when reporters asked her about married life she replied, 'highly recommended.' She kept the picture incident to herself even though she must have been hurting deeply.

   "At age 19, when she first blinked for the press, Diana was unsophisticated, but nontheless naturally shrewd - always listening, watching, learning. Bereft of guidance from the royal household, Diana gamely set out to carve a role for herself that went far beyond producing the requisite 'heir and a spare.' As she redefined royal glamor, championed unchic causes, and opened ger heart to people the world over; she reshaped the creaky role of princess for a celebrity-worshipping, mass-media age; in the process, she left behind an incomparable album of absorbing images. Though divorce ended Diana's chance of becoming Queen of England, the phenomenal outpouring of grief and affection that attended her death made it evident, to commoner and royal alike, that she'd earned the title she once said she coveted: Queen of People's Hearts."

   The chapter titled SHE COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT is my favorite. "On a magical evening in 1985, Diana proved to be one singular sensation." Diana had asked the famous Britsh dancer Sleep to choreograph a routine for her to perform at the Christmas benefit for the Friends of the Covent Garden at the Royal Opera House. It was to be a surprise for her husband and diana chose Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl." For about two thirds of the program Diana sat beside her husband in the roual box. Then, Diana slipped out and changed into the dress which she had chosen for this event. Wayne Sleep said he remembered walking on stage and there was a big round of applause. He recalls, 'Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet.' He said he told her to walk on for eight counts and then stand for eight more counts because the people aren't going to believe it. She did so and was very nervous at first. Sleep said, "Every step we took was followed by a huge round of applause and everything else, Diana was performing for an audience of one - her husband - whose box was right over the stage. Sleep says, 'She kept looking up at Charles. there was an enormous sense of fun between them...He was very happy and smiling the whole time.' The routine lasted four minutes and Sleep and Diana took eight curtain calls.

   Of Dians's many roles, it is clearly the role of Motherhood which she enjoyed the most. She took all her roles seriously, but once they began school, Diana always planned her schedule around the school calendar, She was very much a hands-on Mom.

   "As captivating for her flaws as for her glamour, Diana remains an intriguing riddle. Magical in life, tragic in death, the People's Princess has entered the real myth. Paradoxically, even as admirer exalt Diana, it was her flaws and vulnerabilities that made her the most widely loved royal of all times. Her special gift was making the people she met feel special." p157

   This book is filled with beautiful pictures and must be read to be truly enjoyed. This refers to the hardback book which contain 161 pages and measures 81/4x11inches




2. This commemorative volume celebrates the unique magic of the Princess of Wales. The book features a superb collection of photographs of Diana and her life, that was updated and expanded after her death. Major chapters are: Farewell, Shutter Bugged, Once Upon A Time, Hands-on Mom, The Princess at Peace, and much more. A sufficient amount of text accompanies the wealth of large, full color, sharp, candid photos. A must for fans of Diana. Completely indexed. A welcome 5-star addition to your home library.



3. This is a beautiful tribute to Diana. Although Diana's years have ended she will be remembered for many years to come.



4. Obviously, this is not the life story or a novel about Princess Diana. For what it is (basically a coffee table book) this is a gorgeous collection of photos. I am a collector of such portrait books, so I didn't see many pics never before published. But for the reasonable price, this is a worthy purchase.

2 comments about The Life of David Brainerd (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 7).

1. This is a rare, almost forgotten document depicting life in pre-Revolutionary America during the period when religious enthusiasm swept the colonial frontier. From 1743 to 1747 Brainerd had been a missionary to the Indians. Riding alone, thousands of miles on horseback, he kept a journal of daily events that he continued until the week before he died, at the age of twenty-nine, in Edwards' house. First published in 1749, the book became a spiritual classic in its own time. As the first popular biography to be published in America, it went through numerous editions and has been reprinted more frequently than has any other of Edwards' works. But what has not until now been known is that Edwards made drastic alterations in the original text. He shaped the narrative events to fit his own needs, presenting Brainerd as an example of a man who by example and deed opposed the rationalist, Arminian stance. Because the Yale edition is the first to print that portion of Brainerd's manuscript that survives, set in parallel columns with Edwards' text, these alterations can readily be discerned.



2. David Brainerd's recorded life speaks my heart and breath--my longings for my heavenly home. This is a must read for all as it washes away the deceiving beguilement of trendy Christianity.
   
   Traveling through his pages of life, you witness his true mission that of only knowing Christ and Him crucified, 1 Corinthians 2:1-2. He was one of few who despised this vile world with its entertaining ways.
   
   His soul displayed was that of a faithful, humble, loyal pastor who ministered to the natives in isolated areas of New England. He never set himself above these socially rejected ones who he found to be quite refreshing in contrast to snobbish white folk. He became known among fur trappers as "the man who trapped Indians with love."
   
   Below are experts from David Brainerd's diary. The initial are the quotes of "His Heart." The following are observances of "His Natives."
   
   His Heart:
   
   "I know I long for God and conformity to His will, in inward purity and holiness, ten thousand times more than for anything here below."
   
   "God was so precious to my soul, that the world, with all its enjoyments, was infinitely vile. I had no more value for the favor of men, than for pebbles."
   
   "Spent the day mainly in conversing with friends; yet enjoyed little satisfaction, because I could not find but few disposed to converse on divine and heavenly things. Alas, what are the things of this world, to afford satisfaction to the soul! In secret, I blessed the God for retirement, and that I am not always exposed to the company and conversation of the world. Oh, that I could live in the secret of God's presence!"
   
   His Natives:
   
   "Discoursed from John 4:13, 14. There was a great attention, a desirable affection, and an unaffected melting in the assembly. It is surprising to see how eager they are to hear the Word of God. I have oftentimes thought that they would cheerfully and diligently attend divine worship twenty-four hours together if they had an opportunity so to do."
   
   "I never saw any appearance of bitterness or censoriousness (being critical) in these, nor any disposition to `esteem themselves better than others.'"