No comments about At the Dragon's Gate: With the OSS in the Far East.

5 comments about William's Princess: The Love Story that will Change the Royal Family Forever.

1. As an American living in London, I am treated to Robert Jobson's Royal coverage in the Evening Standard. Now, after reading his book, I am really looking forward to his articles covering the surely soon to be royal marriage of William and Kate. I hope before long he will share with us his speculations on her engagement ring. Will it be an heirloom or a new design? The intrigue of a Royal Wedding!



2. WILLIAM'S PRINCESS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ROMANCE THAT WILL CHANGE THE MONARCHY is a pick for any who love the British Royal Family and want to know the latest. Such an audience may already be aware of Prince William's love life; but WILLIAM'S PRINCESS delves deeper into the romance and what it will mean for the monarchy overall, and is a satisfying exclusive account of how it happened. Public libraries will find it a popular leisure lend.



3. I didn't think it was necessary to write this book until - and if - William and Kate are married. I enjoy reading about Diana, William and Harry, but it just wasn't as interesting as I expected.



4. Prince William and Kate Middleton had dated for many years and actually lived together for a while also, but considering the track record of the royal men up till now I think that the author should have waited to see if this relationship would lead to marriage (which it oviously did not) before writing a book with this title.



5. I am a big Fan of Princess Diana and collect anything and everything I can
   of her. Since her death, I have followed stories on her sons and I admire
   them alot and think Prince William is doing a great job of keeping his
   Mother's legend alive and with his new love interest, she is adorable and
   I know Princess Diana would love her as a daughter in law. I enjoyed this
   book so much and if anyone is a great Fan like me of the Royal family to
   learn so much about what Diana and the boys are like, you'll love this
   book! Tami

5 comments about Bess of Hardwick: Empire Builder.

1. My first experience with Bess of Hardwick was through a historical romance novel several years ago. After some research online, I discovered so much more about her. I find her to be an extraordinary woman who lived in difficult times. I felt that Mary Lovell captured her perfectly. There was so much more information that I had never read before. I would recommend this biography to anyone who enjoys reading about life in the Tudor era.



2. I love history and this was a great book. My friends want to read it as well and they are not history lovers. So it is a great read.



3. Bess of Hardwick was born the daughter of a gentlemen squire, that is, a sort of farmer with a few servents, but an ancestry that allowed him (and his wife) to be part of the "gentry" in the age of King Henry VIII. She was able to become, by the time of her death at the (then) remarkable age of 80 the second most powerful and richest woman in England, after her friend Queen Elizabeth I. She had been able to marry off her children and step children very well,into the most powerful names of Tudor aristocracy and the author shows how many aristocratic houses of England are directly descended from this woman, including the Dukes of Devonshire.
   Bess began the building of the fabulous home "Chatsworth" which is still a showpiece, though re-done over time. (See the biography of "Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire for more on Chatsworth).
   Bess was the grandmother of the Princess Arbella, who could have just as well been the next Queen of England after Elizabeth I: Arbella had the exact same blood lines as her cousin James I, but her life, plotted and planned by her grandmother who had raised her with Queenship in mind, ended tragically).
   Bess was a formidable yet at times kindly woman, as the author says, a type of CEO in the Tudor world.
   It was a fascinating biography and a great glimpse in the Tudor/ Elzabethan world. (Having read so much about Henry VIII, Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, etc, it is interesting to read about a non royal person, for other insights into that world.) Very well and clearly written. Highly recommended.



4. To be honest, I was hoping for (and thought I ordered) a work of good historical fiction, such as "The Tower and the Dream," a book about Bess that I couldn't put down. This book is a biography and I don't find the author particularly interesting to read. Her style of writing tends to be dull and unimaginative, which is a shame because the story of Bess of Hardwick is quite a fascinating one. In my opinion, the one word that sums up this work is "dry."
   
   If you are looking for details and facts about the life of Bess of Hardwick, this work will provide them. If you are looking for a good read, this just isn't it.
   
   Alexandra, Visalia, CA



5. Bess of Hardwick defied the norms of Tudor society and became the most powerful and wealthy woman in Tudor England after Queen Elizabeth I. Bess married four times, each time more successfully then the last, negotiating before the marriage to ensure she was financially stable should her husband die.
   
   She was a loving, but strict mother and grandmother, dedicated to advancing her family, through court contacts and cunning marriages. She is known for marrying well, but it is her second husband, Chatsworth, through whom she set up her dynasty. Chatsworth House is still one of the finest in England. Bess is also known as the "houser" of Mary, Queen of Scots, held in England by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth for years.
   
   This is a great story of one woman's power of personality and sheer determination in a man's world.

1 comments about Magic Moments: The Greatest Royal Pictures of All Time.

1. The subtitle says "The Greatest Royal Photographs of All Time" which is difficult to imagine since they were all taken by the author, a photographer for The Sun. There are some good photos here; I wouldn't classify any of them as `great.' The choices are limited to the last 30 years which eliminates the exquisite photos of Cecil Beaton, for example. Of redeeming grace are the cutlines (photo IDs) that share private and off-camera moments between the Royals and Edwards. Separate sections on both Diana and Camilla in addition to Charles, Philip, the Yorks, surround a justifiable emphasis on the Queen.

5 comments about After Elizabeth: The Rise of James of Scotland and the Struggle for the Throne of England.

1. I found this short history tedious. I could not immerse myself in it and often found myself putting the book down out of boredom so that it took me much longer to read than many longer histories I've read in the past.
   
   I believe the main problem is that the author condenses too many characters in the space without rounding the characters out; I do not find myself interested in them because they appear wooden...not enough insight into their personalities and not enough color given to their backgrounds. I feel the author's past as a journalist has influenced her here. She can write volumes of information, but it doesn't seem to engage the reader on a deeper lever than a newspaper story might.
   
   I enjoy Christopher Hibbert and Alison Weir more. They convey complex historical events with a gift for giving the reader a feeling for the time and they have an ability to communicate characters on more of a flesh-and-blood level. Too bad. I was looking forward to the book.



2. Linda de Lisle has undertaken a tremendous amount of research before setting pen to paper - that is quite obvious. Her problem, however, is that she begins to stumble when it comes to meash this wealth of information into a narrative that keeps the reader's interest and retains coherence. This is a difficult task, and with new players entering the scene at regular intervals, a substantial challenge. De Lisle has made a sterling effort, and succeeds in getting the message across that James' succession to the throne of England was all but a forgone conclusion. However, it is a difficult book to read, and one requires a lot of patience and time to do so. I am inclined to say that it is worth the effort, but it requires more stamina than it should.



3. I read this book with great pleasure. I am a big fan of Elizabeth I, and this book gave a very detailed look at the end of her reign as well as the struggle for James I to get the throne after her. If you like this kind of history, this book is a must read!



4. Queen Elizabeth (1533-1603) the "Virgin Queen" ruled England from 1553-1558 following the death of her half sister Mary Queen of Scots (reigned from 1553-1558). Mary won the nickname "Bloody Mary" due to her burning of Protestants at the stake. She was an ardent Catholic wed to Phillip II of Spain. Elizabeth was the daughter of the executed Anne Boleyn and the behemoth tyrant Henry VIII. As a young person she often lived in fear of being executed. She was at one time a prison in the infamous Tower of London. Elizabeth was vain but a good ruler guided by wise counselors. She never married but had close male friends.
   Elizabeth is nearing death in 1603. The realm is near bankruptcy, the court is corrupt and Catholics are being persecuted. Elizabeth had to execute Mary Queen of Scots in 1587 fearing she will support a Catholic invansion of England. Elizabeth began her decline after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1558. A plot by her young favorite the Earl of Essex had been extinguished and he was executed.
   Following the death of Elizabeth, James VI the King of Scotland and son of Mary Queen of Scots was crowned King of England. He was opposed by several factions which are described in great detail by the author. Scotland was a tough and brutal nation where bandits and clan warfare were the norm. The major foes to James' accession were:
   1, Supporters of Arbella Stuart a relative of Elizabeth.
   2. Jesuits and secular Catholic priests who wanted to restore the nation to the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholics were also busy fighting one another.
   3. Supporters of the deceased Earl of Essex who wanted to bring the Tudor monarchy to an end.
   One of the themes of this 300 page book is that the perception that James had an easy road to the crown is fallacious. Heads roled as conspiracies were discovered including that of the famous Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh was charged with conspiring with Spain to bring down James.
   DeLisle comes to the following conclusions about James I
   (1603-1625).
   1. He was a positive force in reforming the English church. During his reign the King James Version of the Bible was translated in 1611. The Protestant clergy was reformed with better educated preachers in pulpits. There was no offical toleration of Roman Catholicism. James favored the Protestant cause even though his wife Anne was a Roman Catholic.
   2. He kept the peace.
   3. James failed in his efforts to call an ecumenical council to reconcile Roman Catholics and Protestants.
   4. James also failed to unite England, Ireland and Scotland into the Great Britain we know today. He, nevertheless, made an effort to achieve this worthy goal.
   5. James may have suffered from cerebal palsy, attention deficit disorder and alcoholism. He was probably bisexual and had male favorites at court including George Villiers.
   6. James had a brilliant mind but was often cold and standoffish. He did not get along well with ordinary people and was not liked by the English public.
   7. He authored a book on the evils of tobacco and enjoyed music. The masque became popular during his reign. De Lisle says he was vulgar and was often crude in his conversations.
   8. James believed in the Absolute Right of Kings and was anti-democratic.
   This is a good first book by the English author/journalist L. De Lisle.
   One looks forward to her future books.



5. I always thought that James VI's road to the throne of England was secure, and in most ways it was. Had Elizabeth held on for a few more months, the Catholics powers might have been able to rally around an alternative candidate, probably Arbella Stuart.
   
   Having said this, I understand why James was such a good choice:
   1) He was Elizabeth's ranking relative.
   2) He had three children who had survived infancy and a still-fertile wife (to help prevent succession issues)
   3) He was Protestant.
   
   But ... he had minuses
   1) He was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, who tried to overthrow Elizabeth.
   2) His sexual proclivities. (He was, in our terms, bisexual, most likely.)
   3) He was a Scot. The English viewed the Scots as barely civilized (don't they view everyone that way?), hyper-violent, poor country hicks.
   
   However, Arbella Stuart, his cousin, had even more problems. A Spanish Infanta was also considered, though I have a hard time believing that the English would have accepted her.
   
   This book discusses James' rise to power in England up to his coronation. A good book about a fascinating year.

5 comments about A Lady, First: My Life in the Kennedy White House and the American Embassies of Paris and Rome.

1. Tish Baldridge has led an interesting and amazing life. She wasn't blessed with great wealth or beauty yet she managed to live and work on the upper echelons of American political and social society in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and onward.
   Baldridge takes you through her beginnings in the midwest, her education at Miss Porter's and Vassar as one of the less financially advantaged students, her life in Paris and Rome working for such trend setters as Clare Booth Luce, her days at Tiffany, her years in the White House with Jackie Kennedy, and her life after.

   Here's what is great about this book and her story: her life didn't begin and it didn't end with her association with Jackie Kennedy. Camelot fans will get great glimpses into those years from her vantage point. But there is a lot more to this book...

   I would highly recommend this book to women who love biographies on the Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn set. I also would recommend this book to women who enjoy the story of a self-made woman and a survivor and anyone interested in the social history of this era. I would not recommend this book to most men and I would caution all readers to note that this is a book filled with details of food, flowers, gowns, and jewels and not policy making or congressional bills. You learn about the parties that Jackie Kennedy went to in the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis not about the policy nuances behind the crisis.

   I gave this book as a present to several female friends and they loved it.




2. Oh! how I wish I had a life like Tish Baldridge's! She is a gutsy and classy lady and I admire her for that. I loved to read that book because it goes to show that dreams come true when we put the energy and efforts for them to materialize.



3. 
   
   The product arrived in excellent condition, within the specified time period, and I am very happy with it.
   
   Thanks



4. I had this on my shelf for several years before finally reading it--and now I regret waiting so long! This is a captivating story told by someone uniquely placed in several high-level positions: aid to David & Evangeline Bruce in France; aid to Clare Booth Luce and Henry Luce in Italy; and chief of staff to Jackie Kennedy. In addition to this, Ms. Baldrige was the first woman executive at Tiffany's, and held a high level position at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. But what really endears her to the reader is Ms. Baldrige's way of telling hilarious stories on herself--the things that go askew during a dinner party, for example. She took her work very seriously, but is modest enough to tell stories on herself that can make one dissolve in laughter. I came away from this book with a higher appreciation of all that she has done. She is very likeable!



5. I've always enjoyed Ms. Baldridge's books, and this was no exception. I was expecting, knowing nothing about it beforehand, that it would be yet more nostalgia about the Kennedy White House. Thankfully, it wasn't. That period of her life occupied part of the book, but not even the major part. Actually, I enjoyed most the part about her time working for Tiffany & Co. It's great bedside reading.

4 comments about Diana Remembered 1961-1997 (Diana Princess of Wales).

1. THIS BOOK PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE WONDERFUL PRINCESS OF WALES, PRINCESS DIANA. I THINK THIS BOOK IS A GOOD BOOK TO READ. IT EXERCISES YOUR MIND, AND YOU ARE ABLE TO READ FREELY. IT'S NOT LIKE OTHER BOOKS WHERE YOU WANT TO TAKE BREAKS ALL THE TIME. NO THIS BOOK, YOU NEVER WANT TO PUT IT DOWN.



2. This book is filled with many large color photos showing the happy times in the life of the Princess of Wales. For true blue Diana fans the pictures have all been seen before but are of high quality and worth seeing again. The text is done so that every part of her life is looked at ( even her final resting place ). None of the writtings are very long and all done by different writters who knew and liked her. The book ends with qutoes about Diana, some even made by herself. Overall this a good book, one that any Diana fan would like to own. It should also be noted that all royalties from the book go to the Diana Memorial Appeal which helps victims of anti-personnel mines( a cause she loved to help).



3. This is a book which I truly liked for many, many reasons. First, for all die-hard Diana fans, like myself, it covers every aspect of her life. Second, there are are selections about Diana, Princess of Wales, which are not long, but get to the point. Third, each story is accompanied by beautiful pictures of Diana. Last, but probably best of all, the book was put together by people who covered her services and, unlike so many others, donated all royalties from the sales of the book to the DIANA MEMORIAL APPEAL.

   "W. F. Deedes has had a long association with the DAILY TELEGRAPH as writer, columnist and former editor, and was a personal friend of the Princess."

   "The contributors of this book Sandra Barwick, Caroline Davies, Elizabeth Grice and Colin Randall are all senior staff journalists on the DAILY TELEGRAPH and were part of the reporting team covering the events in the aftermath of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales."

   I shall close with a few of my favorite quotaions from the book. "Her beauty was her triumph, her mark of courage and her ability to accommodate her own sorrows. That, instinctively and perhaps subconciously, is why people loved her: because she had come throught and in the process had grown into someone quite different and much larger than the person she had been before. In some ways some of us have never recognised before, we loved her." ADAM NICHOLSON in the TELEGRAPH. page 117.

   "You could not do my work and I could not do yours. We are both working for God. Let us both do something beautiful for Him." MOTHER TERESA page 118.

   "I want to walk into a room, be it a hospital for the dying or a hospital for sick children and feel that I am needed. I want to do, not just to be." DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES, page 118.

   "If I should die and leave you here awhile,/ Be not like others, sore undone who keep/ Long vigils by the silent dust and weep./ For my sake - turn again to life and smile,/ Nerving thy heart and trembling hand to do/ Something to comfort other hearts than thine/ Complete those dear unfinished tasks of mine/ And I, perchance, may therein comfort you."/ A poem by A. PRICE HUGHES which was read at Diana's funeral by her sister LADY SARAH McCORQUODALE. page 120.

   This is a hardback book which consist of 120 pages and measures 9"x111/4".




4. It's been a while since I've read it but the preceding reviews seem to tell it like I remember the book being. You read some reporters reminiscing about Diana, especially towards the last, and you see some good photos.

No comments about Doomed Queens: Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di.

5 comments about Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade.

1. My son had to read this book for a University course. He thought that I, a history buff, might find it useful as a reference book. To my pleasant surprise, this book is quite simply a joyous read. Interesting, fast-paced, and very well written, it is fit to be consumed rapidly and then re-read. Myths are exposed, and explained, and multiple characters are presented in their historical contexts with all of their flaws, and attributes of greatness, fully discussed. This book has relevance today, as it puts the Western imprint on the Middle East at the forefront of discussion, without criticism of the West, nor undue praise. Richard the Lionhearted is portrayed as what he apparently was - a great warrior with a surprising appetite for things not often associated with soldiers. As for Saladin, it is quickly evident why he was both feared and revered, why both are deserved, and why honor is not simply a Western characteristic.



2. I've actually been planning to read this book for years and finally picked it up off the shelf at our local library. What I had hoped for was an education and understanding of this pivotal period of history.
   
   I would say I did learn things I had not previously understood but I believe I had to do so with care given not to swallow hook, line and sinker. I find, as other reviewers have mentioned, that the author seems to prefer or have taken sides with the Muslim "defenders". They are rendered in a glorious and patriotic light while the "offenders" are small and trivial people.
   
   Considering the amount of time I've wanted to read this book, I'd have to say I was a little disappointed. To credit where credit is due, I did enjoy the flow of the near storybook style of writing employed. I found there were times I wasn't sure I was reading a good historically inspired novel or the real thing.



3. This is a very entertaining piece of popular history. As usual for such work, it may be of less interest to the serious and well-informed student of history, but I would recommend it anyway just for the fun it will give you. The author manages to make the events exciting and draw the reader in, but not without the occasional hint of farce. At the same time, by keeping you reading the book brings across just how differently thought was structured in the Middle Ages. Richard's Crusade was ultimately futile and a waste both of life and of an opportunity to rule, including massacres of civilians and prisoners that would be proscribed today, although there was great chivalry between the key players. Saladin comes off better, and it is worth reading more to get a better feel for the man's flaws, but the Crusaders' acts and nature cannot really be whitewashed.
   
   A fascinating and occasionally hilarious snapshot of a very different time.



4. As a complete novice to the history of the Third Crusade (Robin Hood and Ivanhoe were about as historically deep as I got), I found Warriors of God to be a lively introduction to a fascinating and colorful cast of characters--most of whom I'd never heard of before. I enjoyed the fast-paced, episodic style of the work, and I could tell Mr. Reston was enjoying himself with these stories--that sort of enthusiasm on the part of the author can cover a multitude of sins.
   
   But not all. While the book makes for a good read, I'm not entirely sure it makes good history. As other reviewers have mentioned, Mr. Reston has a tendency to state things as fact without much bothering about proof. At one point Mr. Reston, commenting on the tangled, soap opera relations of the Plantagenet family, says that Henry II, Eleanor, and Alais: "raged at one another, as we know from the modern play The Lion in Winter" (page 61 in the hardcover). Now, James Goldman's play is excellent (go read it), but it's a highly fictionalized account of a Christmas court that never took place. Perhaps Mr. Reston merely phrased this badly, but it sounds as if we are meant to give as much historical credence to a modern author as to eye witness accounts from the 12th century.
   
   There are also several obvious fact checking errors--for example, the child king Baldwin V is referred to as the son of Baldwin IV (page 75 in the hardcover) rather than his nephew. Many historians have a tendency to be dismissive of popular histories already--there's no need to add fuel to the fire by making mistakes that any web page can manage to get right.
   
   All that being said, I did enjoy the book, and found myself utterly drawn into this world and these people's stories. The extensive use of quotations from primary sources really brought the history to life. It absolutely "hooked me" into seeking out more on the subject. And as long as that's as deeply as one needs to read it, Warriors of God is worth a look.



5. I recently finished Warriors of God : Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade by James Reston Jr. The book is informative and full of wry humor. It was also full of "oh, that's what they meant" moments.
   This is the first book that I've read that talks about the third crusade from both the Muslim and Christian perspectives. This balance is made more meaningful given it's post- 9/11 publication. It in no way makes an explicit connection, but you can see the beginnings of struggles (hostile and diplomatic) over Jerusalem that are still operant.
   The very beginning of the book covers an era reported in two movies in particular. The Lion in Winter, if not exactly historically accurate, at least conveys the same gist and tone as Warriors of God. Wikipedia says, about the movie,
   "The Lion in Winter is fictional: there was no Christmas Court at Chinon in 1183; there was a Christmas court at Caen in 1182; none of the dialogue and action is historic, though the outcomes of the characters and the background are historically accurate. In reality, Henry had many mistresses and many illegitimate children; the "Rosamund" mentioned in the film was Henry II's mistress until she died."
   Kingdom of Heaven covers the next slice of time, but combines characters and adds an improbable and non-existant love relationship.
   I recommend the book to anybody that's curious about this era and place.

5 comments about The Romanovs: Autocrats of All the Russians.

1. A genuinely great book. Lincoln certainly could write, and make
   all those old Russians seem really interesting. As Lincoln's
   former students (including me) know, his lectures were tediously
   boring, so that makes the books all the more remarkable.



2. W. Bruce Lincoln's history of the 300 years of Romanov rule in Russia (1613-1917) is easily his most readable account of Russian history. While Professor Lincoln's research is meticulous as ever, in this volume he has to cover far more ground than in his other more focused histories and thus he avoids some of the digressions that he normally might allow himself. The result is a superb one-volume history of the Tsars and Tsarinas who determined Russia's development from a minor principality into the largest empire on earth.

   The Romanovs consists of four parts: Muscovite beginnings (1613-1689), the Rise of an Empire (1689-1796), Empire Triumphant (1796-1894) and the Last Emperor (1894-1917). The first three parts each consist of several chapters, with the first covering biographical details of the Tsars and Tsarinas in that period, followed by chapters on political and cultural changes in that period. There are only two significant problems with what is otherwise a superb presentation: a non-chronological methodology and a lack of a single supporting map of Romanov domains (there are two maps of St Petersburg's layout). In the first case, Lincoln tends to keep coming back to Tsars in subsequent chapters on culture, politics, etc which is very confusing. Indeed, he seems in a rush to plow through the biographies of the Tsars, then revisit their cultural accomplishments, then come back again and discuss their political accomplishments, and then maybe discuss a few scandals or wars. As for the lack of maps, it makes it extremely difficult for the reader to evaluate the territorial expansions of the various Romanov rulers or Russia's growth over three centuries.

   Despite these two flaws, the Romanovs is a delightful read for anyone with a scholarly interest in Russian imperial history. Perhaps the three most significant rulers that Lincoln assesses are Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and Nicholas II. Most histories tend to elevate Peter to hero status, but Lincoln's evaluation is more mixed. While Peter gets great credit for pushing Russia to modernize, the costs he incurred may have been too great. In particular, Lincoln questions Peter's obsession with building his capital on totally unsuitable terrain; the fact that the Russians were able to eventually succeed in constructing Peter's dream capital often disguises the fact that the human and financial losses were exorbitantly wasteful. The reader will be left to ponder the question that if Peter had built his capital elsewhere, Russia's development might have been much less painful. As for Catherine, Lincoln prefers to minimize the scandal and corruption associated with her court and view this as the golden age of Russian cultural development. Finally, Nicholas II appears as even more of a fatalistic dolt bent on self-destruction than he did in Lincoln's previous books. In sum, The Romanovs provides a solid and very readable account of Russia's development under the Tsars and Tsarinas.




3. if you want to no about the early to last romanov's and russia history this book is for you.this writer leave nothing out.



4. Book was very easy reading and well organized. One of the best history books I have read.



5. This is an excellent history book. Even though I was had to read the book in many sittings, I never lost the train of thought of the author.
   
   My only criticism is that I really wanted to learn more about Peter the Great and how he built St. Petersburg. I felt the book was lacking in this very important aspect of the history of Russia