2 comments about The Queen.

1. In this superb biography, we first see Elizabeth as a child: daughter of George V's second son, with little or no prospect of reaching the throne, yet a favorite of her grandfather's and, from an early age, possessed of the qualities-self-discipline, attentiveness conscientiousness-that would mark her character as queen. We see her idyllic family life come to an end with the Abdication of her uncle Edward VIII: her parents suddenly thrust into a situation they had never desired; her life and that of her sister, Margaret, transformed; and her father beginning, almost immediately, to prepare "the mantle of Elijah" for the"young shoulders of Elisha." We see her earliest meeting with Prince Phillip of Greece {she was 13, he was 18}, their growing romance, their marriage in 1947, and her few years of relatively normal wifehood and motherhood until, in 1952, the sudden untimely death of her adored father led to her ascension to the throne. Lady Longford goes on to examine the queen's relationships with her prime ministers, her involvement-or lack of it-in various political decisions, the ways in which she and Prince Philip have brough the Royal Family closer to the public {the official, but informal, strolls, or "walkabouts," for example}, her extensive travels, and her strong, acive embodiment of the idea of Commonwealth. And we see, as well, the private side of Elizabeth's long-already more than thirty years-reign: the births of her four children; the routines of the far-from-normal but often "refreshingly informal," Royal Family; her passion for breeding and racing horses; her increasing need for moments of privacy and how she manages them without neglecting her formidable duties



2. Queen Elizabeths life has always been in the public eye but this book gives an incite into her private and personal life without revealing too much or holding back too little.

No comments about The Last Princess: The Devoted Life of Queen Victoria's youngest daughter: The Devoted Life of Queen Victoria's Youngest Daughter.

No comments about A Biography of Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (1515-1578): Niece of Henry VIII and Mother-in-Law of Mary, Queen of Scots.(Book Review): An article from: Albion.

No comments about Erzahlungen Aus Meinem Leben.

1 comments about Marriage with My Kingdom.

1. I read Alison Plowdens first two books on Elizabeth when they came out years ago. It's nice to know they are being republished. Marriage with My Kingdom is so compelling I couldn't put it down. Elizabeth was shrewd enough to know that she couldn't have a husband and rule the England as well. How many of us would do that? I can't wait until the fourth volume comes out.

No comments about Edward VII and his circle.

No comments about Their Royal Highnesses the Duke & Duchess of York.

No comments about The Canmores: Kings & Queens of the Scots 1040-1290.

No comments about Princess Diana.

1 comments about Mistress Anne: The Exceptional Life of Anne Boleyn.

1. The extraordinary life of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, has long captured imaginations. Is the young woman a seductress who steals the King's heart away from frumpy Queen Katherine of Aragon, or is she unwittingly tangled in the intrigues and passions of the 16th century English court?
   
   Carolly Erikson, who also wrote The First Elizabeth, does a fine job of pulling together what historical evidence about Anne exists. However, the reader may sense that she too often relies upon such statements as "It cannot be known for sure what Anne was feeling during the month of her confinement," or "While no writings exist today, we can guess that the King was frustrated with Anne's haughty behavior..." Biography is a tough genre to write if little actual evidence survives, so Erikson relies heavily upon legend, hearsay, and extrapolation.
   
   Nevertheless, she paints a historically accurate picture of life in King Henry VIII's court. Her vocabulary is stunningly varied, and the images she elicits with her prose are quite powerful. For example, this passage, in particular, shows her narrative voice:
   
   "The court of Henry VIII seethed with intrigue. Snakelike the coils of conspiracy and disloyalty wrapped themselves around every courtier, powerful or vulnerable, ultimately making him sacrifice everything-his reputation, his income, even his friends and relatives-for the sake of inching higher up the greased pole of preferment."
   -Carolly Erikson, Mistress Anne (40)
   
   Overall, I'd recommend this book for a great in-depth introduction to what we know about the ill-fated Queen, who waited for almost a decade to marry the King, only to be wrongly convicted of adultery and treason, and beheaded at the Tower of London two years into the royal marriage.
   
   The last laugh, however, belongs to this strong woman, who was used by many as a pawn. Her daughter, Elizabeth I, ruled England single-handedly, retaining her maiden-status in an era when that was almost inconceivable. Perhaps she learned a few lessons from her mother, Anne Boleyn.