4 comments about Queen Victoria.

1. I was expecting a bigger book, so I was surprised when this whimpy little paperback arrived. It reads more like a textbook, but is full of great information. Highly recommend if you are looking for a fact filled biography.



2. I enjoyed reading this book. It gave a good overview of Queen Victoria's life. The information was complete and pertinent.
   
   I also found it to be a very quick read.



3. Actually, I probably shouldn't review this book as I am more familiar with the approximately 600 page biography of Queen Victoria that the Countess of Longford published in 1965. It is excellent. I only mention this as one reviewer was disappointed by the length of this version. Those seeking a far more in-depth account by the same author should search for QUEEN VICTORIA-BORN TO SUCCEED.



4. this book is a good little read with a overview of the life of queen victoria.

1 comments about Gloriana: The Portraits of Queen Elizabeth I (Pimlico).

1. I really liked this book! I enjoy reading about and researching the Tudors (by researching, I mean reading existing research). I have a book "All the Queen's Men: Elizabeth and her Courtiers" by Neville Williams. I loved the reproductions of paintings in that book, and so tracked down "Gloriana" to see and compare as many pictures of Elizabeth as I could. I must say the pictures are great, and plentiful. The text is well written too. It describes the art and explains the purpose of and evolution of the stylised portraits of Elizabeth. It's not the book's fault, but it was missing some things I hoped to find, as follows: few pictures of those close to Elizabeth (I shouldn't probably have expected this, but I like to look for family resemblances, and the looks of her suitors!); little text description of Elizabeth (based on the author's reseach, I hoped he'd tell us whether her eyes were blue or brown, how tall she was etc. Hard to tell from the art - the colors and proportions vary); and finally, some portraits that are described in the text are not illustrated. Not many, but I wanted to see more. That being said, you can't go wrong with this book if you want to study the portraits. I am very pleased to have this as part of my little Tudor library! (My copy is paperback, I have not seen the hardback.)

5 comments about The Kings and Queens of England and Scotland.

1. I bought this book many years ago, and I still pick it up at least once a month. The book gives you the most important information of every king and queen who has ever ruled England or Scotland.

   As I turn the pages, I can see that there is something interesting about every regent, and by the way; this book makes you realize that royal scandals are not a new invention.




2. I read this book cover to cover just prior to my trip to England (along with Antonia Fraser's "The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England"). This was a fun and easy read with nice pitcures. It is nice for anyone looking for a brief overview about the English Monarchy and also for anyone who just wants to have a handy reference.



3. My bible of Royal British successions for almost 20 years, I keep it at my elbow for constant reference. A wonderful thumbnail sketch of each King and Queen, as well as a snapshot of the times in which they lived and the causes of their sucesseses and failures. Great reading--beautifully illustrated.



4. . Informative book which is easy for all ages to follow wether reading it themselves or being read to. My children used it for projects and i myself took it into school to show children the system the English have as many think the Queen is voted in. I also enjoyed this book as i enjoy my country's history.



5. Very informative. Breaks down into an easy to understand timeline and also by the Royal Houses.

5 comments about The Queen's Conjurer: The Science and Magic of Dr. John Dee, Adviser to Queen Elizabeth I.

1. Woolley's book is good-hearted, an attempt to help modern readers see John Dee not at the fringes but at the heart of much that was going on Elizabethan England.

   But the book's execution leaves *much* to be desired. As other Amazon.com reviews have noted, the thread of the story gets lost along the way (especially amidst some of the sordid details concerning Dee's relationship with Edward Kelly). There are a number of interesting facts and anecdotes, but they never quite come together as a coherent whole. And Woolley displays such an appalling ignorance of Catholicism when he attempts to describe the religious background of the period (and in some instances, ignorance of Christianity in general) that I tend to wonder whether he's gotten his facts about Dee's life wrong too.

   While I'll give the book 3 stars for good intentions, in general, you're better off finding a copy of Peter French's _John Dee: The World of an Elizabethan Magus_.




2. Benjamin Woolley's 'The Queen's Conjurer' is the most recent attempt to present the life of the English Enigma, Dr. John Dee. Dee is an interesting character and one that has sadly been much maligned over the centuries. Since his death in 1608, he has largely been dismissed at best as an sorcerer and black magicican and, at worst, as a credulous old fool dabbling in astrology and necromancy. Today, despite his prominent historical role in Elizabethan politics and his great contibutions to many fields, he is hardly remembered at all. This book tries to alleviate that problem.

   Wolley's work is well-researched and attempts to shed light on Dee's life and his many accomplishments as not only an occultist, but also as an astronomer, mathematician, explorer, and spy. Dee was a product of the Renaissance and devoured knowledge and information. He was an avid bibliophile, a voracious author of various works on astronomy, astrology, mathematics, occult philosophy, and was well-respected by many prominent people at the court of Queen Elizabeth. The Queen herself counted herself one of Dee's benefactors and visited him numerous times at his home at Mortlake, taking a genuine interest in his many magical and mathematical works. Today he is largely remembered for his works concerning "Enochian" or Angel Magic, due to the fact that these are the bulk of his writings that have survived the flames of history. Most of the second half of this book is concerned with Dee's European adventures with the mysterious scryer Edward Kelly, who is largely regarded by history as a charlatan and a rake. Kelly is a shadowy and intriguing figure and we get some insight into his character and motivations but he is never truly revealed to us, perhaps he never will be. In the end, Dee finds that despite a lifetime of great works and accomplishments, he is viewed with mistrust and suspicion by the general public and has lost favor with the new court of King James I. He dies a tired and broken man, and history would continue to tarnish his great name until well into the 20th century.

   The Queen's Conjurer is a very readable account of a great and fascinating man.




3. Dr. John Dee is now considered to be the English Renaissance man. This was not always the case, however, because his first biographers, as the author of this fine biography points out, were either `hard-headed rationalist or muddle-headed mystics.' In present time, researchers and historians agree that Dee was a true Renaissance man because he sought to connect or reconcile rationalism with magic, science and the supernatural. This was not unusual for the time. Copernicus cited the mystic Hermes Trismegistus in his Magnum Opus, proposing the heliocentric universe. Isaac Newton began his career as an alchemist, before moving on to modern methods of pure science. John Dee was the most important scientists of the Elizabethan age. But this is only a somewhat recent recognition because throughout the ages he was considered a charlatan, crook, blockhead and "companion of hellhounds". Benjamin Woolley's fine biography combines history, science, espionage and common sense and attempts to answer how a man of genius that had such a major influence in mathematics, astronomy, cartography, navigation and science in general, could die a pauper and in obscurity.

   In 1659, a scholar by the name of Meric Casaubon copied and published a collection of Dee's documents, which contained the recordings of spiritual conversations with angels and archangels, and other dialogues, which could be interpreted dubious at best. After the publication Dee's reputation as a credible philosopher went steadily down hill and has taken centuries to recover. Woolley has done some fine research, using Dee's actual diaries, and has painstakingly pieced together his life and career.

   The Elizabethan age was a turning point in Western history. The Reformation was essentially a battle for power and knowledge and a bloody war in the name of religion. But it also set the stage for the Enlightenment, and Dr. John Dee was a precursor to the Age of Reason. He was a man of `science', collecting and studying every ancient text he could get his hands on, (his library is the stuff of legend) but rational knowledge, he truly believed, would only take him so far - he desired heavenly knowledge and wisdom. And it is possible that his spiritual researches into the divine nature could have been the cause of his downfall. Dee did not seek worldly gain, riches and material pleasure; his only desire was to attain the secrets of the Holy. Did he pay the ultimate price for this activity?

   ~The Queen's Conjurer~ is not a dense historical text, but an informative and enlightening piece of research. It casts some light on an intriguing figure, removing him from modern occult history and in to the mainstream.




4. I have always found Dr. John Dee to be one of the most intriguing characters of Elizabethan times. Yet, there seemed to be so little information available about him, only bits and pieces and rumors- often spread by his enemies. Here is a most satisfying biography that not only gives you a complete look at the Doctor's life, but is also supplemented with a wealth of associated detail and historical background. This book turns Dee from a shadowy character to a real man, a great man.

   What comes across is the amazing breadth and depth of Dee's interests and scholarship. He was already famed for his remarkable intellect and ability as a student at Cambridge. At a time when most scholars barely processed a reading knowledge of bad Latin, he mastered classical Greek to be able to read the forgotten works of Plato and Pythagoras. He was a personal friend and correspondent to the great men of the age such as Tycho Brahe and Mercator. Dee himself was famed as a great mathematician in Europe (at a time when simple trigonometry was almost unknown in England.) He was offered high positions at the great courts of Europe, but turned these offers down out of a deep seated desire to raise up his country of birth to be their eventual global equal (at this time England was a poor, backward, weak backwater.) Indeed, the first conception of a British Empire, founded upon a strong Royal Navy, was first expounded by Dee.

   John Dee was as close to modern scientist as existed in the 16th century. He independently came to the conclusion that bodies of unequal weight fall at the same rate- before Galileo. He was recognized as England's top expert on optics and lenses. He was recognized as one of the top experts on navigation and chart making of his day. He kept detailed astronomical observations that even Tycho Brahe admired. He based his astrological work upon the heliocentric "heresy" of Copernicus. He was an expert in geology and ores and leased his own tin mine. He also collected the biggest research library of the age in Mortlake, which was a gathering place of the greatest minds of England and the continent. In short- Dee was a competent expert in several areas of natural philosophy and applied technology. He believed in detailed observation and record keeping- in both natural, and supernatural, phenomena.

   The thing is, Dee believed his accomplishments in the more material and practical sciences to be among his lesser accomplishments. Like Newton after him, his real passion was with the deepest cosmic and spiritual secrets. This led to his fame as an astrologer, and an alchemist, and a cabalist. Dee's passion was to discover the ancient, true, original religion of mankind, the "prisci theology." That is why he could walk easily among both Protestants and Catholics- he ultimately considered both of their dogma's to be equally absurd. Dee had a much more open mind that the "scientists" of later centuries- he studied all unknown forces, natural or supernatural. This was why be studied and practiced natural magic (Agrippa's three books were always open upon his desk for quick reference.) He knew that hidden currents influenced the day-to-day world, and he documented his observations even if he couldn't explain them in terms of material cause and effect. This also led to his interest is scrying and the use of natural sensitives to communicate with spirits. It should be noted, that no one at this time doubted the existence of such spirits- it was as self evident as the existence of God. In fact, many powerful lords of the day employed seers and scryers, including the earls of Leicester, Pembroke, and Northumberland.

   All in all, you come away with a renewed respect for Dee. You realize that his only fault was to be born in a society of petty, ignorant, lesser men. It was they that libeled and slandered his image and painted him as a superstitious conjuror. Indeed, the only real mistake that the good Doctor made was to outlive his beloved queen and protector.




5. For 25 years I have read & collected everything on John Dee I could find, even to the point of ordering the Sloan MSS fron the British museum. My only complaint about this effort is that it wasn't longer. It reads like a novel. This is the daily life of one of the most fascinating people in British history. Occultists will get clarity on the nature of the Angelic workings, Alchemists get a glimpse of the nature of the craft, students of history are drawn into the gritty reality of fifteenth century Europe. This book carried me through from beginning to end in only two sittings. I couldn't put it down. Well done Woolley!

1 comments about Suetonius, Vol. 1: The Lives of the Caesars--Julius. Augustus. Tiberius. Gaius. Caligula (Loeb Classical Library, No. 31).

1. This edition has the Latin text printed on the left side, with the corresponding English translation on the right. A splendid resource for Classical students or anyone wishing to see the original text as well as the English meaning.

1 comments about Charles I.

1. A readable and balanced portrayal of Charles, showing his virtues as well as his faults. Charles was the wrong man for his circumstances, but not totally evil or inept at everything. He learned the wrong lessons from his life experiences, and in the end his private virtues such as loyalty to his servants meant he could not compromise when it was necessary. This biography gives good insight into Charles and what went wrong.

5 comments about The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood by her Nanny, Marion Crawford.

1. A lovely portrait of royalty as it used to be, painted in the words of a woman who devoted years of her life to royalty's service. "Crawfie," as a very young Princess Elizabeth nicknamed her new governess, had no idea when she accepted the post that she would be staying for more than a short time. She'd come to help the Duke and Duchess of York begin their little girls' education, after which Miss Crawford fully intended to take up the classroom teaching career of which she had always dreamed. She wasn't planning on growing to love Elizabeth and Margaret as she did. Nor had she any clue that one of her charges would someday sit on England's throne.
   
   The interlude Miss Crawford planned to spend with the Yorks lasted until after Princess Elizabeth's marriage. As a member of their household, she experienced history first hand when the abdication of King Edward VIII - otherwise known as "Uncle David" - forced her employers to give up their private, comfortable, family-centered life. She kept their daughters out of harm's way during the frightening war years that soon followed; and after the war's end, helped the family that by now considered her indispensible in guiding its "little princesses" from adolescence into womanhood.
   
   Charming, but in no way saccharine, this recently re-released book provides invaluable insight into the character of the woman who has reigned for more than half a century as Queen Elizabeth II. Not by any means just for "royal watchers"!



2. absolutely fascinating story of Nanny Crawford which brings to life how the Royal Family live. I cannot understand why the Royals thought it was disrespectful to write this and cut Nanny Crawford off for the rest of her life. I wonder what the real reason was?



3. Truly, this book is a national treasure and even the Queen should cherish it (apprently, she does not). After reading it, I have new-found respect for Elizabeth II and her family. No where else would you find such wonderful detail of the lovely lives these little girls led. Its also very revealing to see another side of the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII. I couldn't put it down and was left wanting more!



4. For fans of the British royal family, this book is a must-read. While it may be a trifle dated and decidedly unsensational, the book holds a unique place in the now vast array of books about the royals because it was the first to break the rules and reveal details of life behind the gilded doors of Buckingham Palace. "Crawfie," who cared for Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret for 17 years, was completely cut off by the royal family after the book was published, but the book itself lives on as a kind of time capsule of royal life before the press declared open season on the royal family.



5. I enjoyed reading this book. Crawfie (as she is nicknamed by the princesses) uses a chronological framework to look inside the royal family. She shares about their daily routines and relationships within the extened family. It starts around the time Elizabeth is 8 or so and goes through her teen years. It gave me a better understanding of Queen Elizabeth than I had from only seeing Helen Mirren in The Queen (2006). It's not the kind of book you'd read to a child who loves princesses. It is written from one adult to another, but a young teen on up would probably enjoy it.

4 comments about The Unforgettable Maharajas: One Hundred and Fifty Years of Photography (Roli Books).

1. This is an extraordinary book, with fantastic pictures, some very famous, other belonging to princely familly collections, never seen before.Much better than most of the others on the same subject.
   
   I highly recomend it for anyone interested on Imperial India and the maharajas



2. ..from a surreal era of Indian history. It was a totally ostentatious and absolutely over the top lifestyle. The pockets of the sub-continent that were these states of princely India were to a degree remnants of the Mughal Empire. It truly must have been a painstaking process to put together all the photographs. But what a collection! Going through this book really takes you back in time, some superb rarely seen photographs. Some of the photographs are from private collections and national archives.



3. Love to look at pictures of this misterious culture and enjoy imagining their lives before the English arrival. Highly recommend it.



4. A truly enchanting book. After reading it I was on the Internet for hours, researching all the various people whose pictures were in it. Highly, highly recommended.

1 comments about Sex Lives of the Kings and Queens (Sex Lives).

1. Nice easy read, quite entertaining but way too many inaccuracies. James, Duke of Monmouth was NOT James, Duke of York's son, for instance. I'm not a history professor by any means, but it seemed like nobody proofread this book. If you want something just as entertaining with no factual mistakes, buy Eleanor Herman's Sex With Kings.

5 comments about The Bodyguard's Story: Diana, the Crash, and the Sole Survivor.

1. Although somewhat hard to follow ; this is a book definitely worth reading.An indepth look , from the only survivor of a car crash that changed history!What could be more exciting.Somewhat rough around the edges;but ,nevertheless honest and telling Never knowing how these fateful events would unfold as they left the Ritz with Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana , Trevor
   and Kez only knew that they were between a rock and a hard place.You don't disrespect the Boss's son when he's entertaining a Princess .It wouldn't be the first time Dodi's last minute change of plans surprised the bodyguards .At the recent screening of "Air Force One" Dodi had seated Diana in Trevors' usual seat by the door.Trevor nearly landed in Diana's lap.That same evening on route to the theatre with the Princess,Trevor had shown professionalism in eluding the paparazzi - so why the change in plans at the Ritz? Dodi's former girlfriend ,Kelly Fisher testified that Dodi was a "real dictator to Trevor".It was apparent that Dodi began to mistrust those around him ; and he just may have tried to impress the Princess with Henri Paul ; someone he knew he could trust. Trevor should have been compensated handsomely for his injuries.Money and justice just don't seem to mix .



2. I have always wondered what kind of a person Trevor Rees-Jones was and his book gave an in-depth view of him, personally and professionally . . . in his own words.

   The saying goes that "truth is stranger than fiction." The truth is also less sensational and colorful than the portrait painted by tabloid hacks and unethical "journalists" the world over.

   From the start, I didn't think Trevor was trying to cash in on his time with Diana, Princess of Wales. In the foreward, he stated that writing the book (author Moira Johnston helped him write it) was his way of dealing with the situation and moving on with his life.

   Trevor is an ordinary guy who had a very high profile job. It was because of circumstances on the job (that lead to what Trevor called "an industrial accident") and the fact that he was in a car with the world's most famous woman that has put him center stage for the rest of his life.

   I felt sorry for the entire Rees-Jones family as diary entry after another explained the turmoil going on inside each of them: His mother and stepfather's struggle to getting Trevor on the road to recovery, the whole family having to deal with the intense media pressure, having Trevor's professionalism called into question by so-called experts (that, in his own words, were not at the Ritz nor in the car), Trevor's having to cope with the fact that he was the only survivor, the family's having to deal with the first overprotective and subsequently vicious hand of Mohammed Al Fayed. The list goes on.

   I did get mad at, but then later understood, Trevor's wanting to keep his job with Al Fayed. He was the textbook case example of a loyal employee. Unfortunately, Mohammed Al Fayed was (and still is) so hung up on his conspiracy theories that he thought Trevor was lying to him about how much he remembered of the accident. It was only when he (Al Fayed) was more forthright in wanting to take complete control of the investigation that Trevor had finally had enough and quit (his good friend, Kez, would also quit about two years after the crash for the same reason: He told Al Fayed to his face that he thought his theories were rubbish).

   I give Trevor and his family (his real last name is just Rees but he changed HIS name to Rees-Jones because he was so in love with his now ex-wife Sue Jones) MUCH credit for coming through such a trying time in their lives not only intact but stronger than ever. They did not let any of the media attention go to their heads (even as Trevor's so-called friends and even Sue were selling themselves to the highest bidder in the media). They remained true small town folks to the end (and Trevor was even able to play his beloved rugby not a year after the crash).

   Some folks may find this book boring as Trevor is a very down-to-earth chap who just shoots straight from the hip. He doesn't trump up the facts (or make things up entirely as the media decided to do time and again while Trevor refused to give interviews). He presents Diana in a very positive light and tells the unexciting truth about the goings on of the case and behind the scenes shananigans of one Mohammed Al Fayed.

   Highly recommended (if you can still get it) for a first hand account of wha it's like on the other side of the camera and news reports.




3. There is only one person that knows what actually happened before, during and after the horrific accident that left most of the world in shock and disbelief and that is Trevor Rees-Jones.
   
   This was a fascinating look "behind the scenes" of a royal and much beloved figure and a very foolish "commoner". The fault of this accident seems to rest with Dodi making a bunch of unwise decisions that ultimately led to 3 people losing their lives.
   
   A fascinating read, albeit a bit slow in some chapters, but fascinating none the less!



4. 'The Bodyguard's Story' is ghost written and very readable. It has the intimacy if a biography, a pace befitting the events, and the readable style of novel. Recommended to anyone for a good read, 'The Bodyguard's Story' essential reading for those interested in the events of Diana's death.
   
   As the sole survivor of the crash, the bodyguard's story should be the book to end the conspiracy theories. Its doesn't. First because of the inevitable pre-shock amnesia endured by all crash victims, especially a victim who injuries were so horrific as to bring him close to death. The Bodyguard's Story leaves gaps. Gaps left by the investigation, such as the existence of the Fiat Panda. However 'The Bodyguard's Story' does cover the exhaustive French investigation and accounts for the long period between crash and arrival at hospital for both Diana and 'her' bodyguard.
   
   The book does reveal one fact that is not commonly perceived. The Body guard was not Diana's but for Dodi Al Fayed as employed by his father Mohamed Al Fayed. Diana had no body guard that day.
   
   'The Bodyguard's Story' paints a picture of incompetent security and security officers as worried about instant dismissal by a dictatorial boss, Al Fayed, as they were for the security of their charges. The bodyguard's enduring loyalty to his 'Boss', Al Fayed, leaves a open the possibility, may even appear to suggest, that there were other reasons for the employee's amnesia. The book begs the question as to why Diana put herself at such risk, in the hands of a person known to be at odds with the British government and in a relationship which was bound to be of concern to all.
   
   An intriguing and well written read.



5. Once you read Trevor Rees-Jones' story about the automobile crash which killed Princess Di, Dodi Fayed, and chauffer of the car, you'll clearly realize that the three died SOLELY as a result of a man, Henri Paul, who was drunk out of his mind and driving like a complete maniac... nothing more -- end of story.
   
   Rees-Jones was employed as the personal bodyguard of Dodi Fayed, and who was a young man not long out of the British military when he took on this job and, whom any parent would be proud to claim as a son. His story is a straight-forward one, absent any of the various bizarre and egregious agendas of others who have attempted to turn this crash into some sort of heinous conspiracy by the paparazzi, and/or the British government, and/or The House of Windsor, to murder the Princess.
   
   I'm no fan of British royalty and there is no doubt whatever that Queen Elizabeth II despised her former daughter-in-law and was totally unmoved (and was perhaps even pleased) by her untimely death; however, as much as conspiracy theorists wish to perpetuate the mythology behind the 31 August 1997 fatal crash, the story of Trevor Rees-Jones (the lone survivor of the crash) stands as a jewel of shining truth which totally explains the event. The primary reason that the crash continues to be controversial even today is due to a tragic and venomous old multi-millionaire, Mohamed Al-Fayed, who lost his son and whom has now made it his life-long quest beyond all other desires to lay the blame on someone other than upon whom it belongs: squarely upon the shoulders of Henri Paul, the alcoholic chauffer whom Mohamed Al-Fayed unfortunately employed without having adequately vetted his personal drinking habits.
   
   Here's a quote from Rees-Jones' fine book which puts this story into clear perspective: "Within two days [after the crash], nine would be named as suspects in the French criminal investigation... at 6:40:59 a.m., two and half [sic] hours after Diana's declared death, the first Diana website went up and, thirteen minutes later the first conspiracy website. Conspiracy theories would eventually rage worldwide on 36,000 websites..." (p. 119).
   
   Rees-Jones details the weeks and days prior to the crash, including the details and circumstances of his employment with the Fayed family. He also reveals, absent any sort of personal venom, how rotten Mohamed Al-Fayed has been concerning this highly-publicized event. It becomes similarly clear that Diana herself was no angel -- as the man who was with the pair 24/7, Rees-Jones was unmistakably in a position to know all the facts and he conveys them as honestly and in such detail as to convince any coherent reader of his own personal integrity and knowledge.
   
   This work is not the page-turner that one might anticipate emerging from such a monumental incident mostly because the author has forsaken the tabloid sensationalism approach in conveying his account. But it becomes quickly clear to the reader that no other person on the planet was in a position to know all the facts and details in regard to the death of Princess Diana.
   
   Highly recommended.