Reviews (25)

A triumph of writing
This, the second (and apparently final) volume of William Manchester's projected biographical trilogy of Sir Winston Churchill, is a triumph of writing style. It will be read for centuries to come, like Boswell's life of Samuel Johnson, as an example of what the English language can be at its best. A biographer of Churchill faces a terrific challenge. He or she has to be able to write, if not as well, at least almost as well as Churchill himself. After a lifetime of journalism and historical writing, Manchester was able to finish this book, the dramatic story of how Churchill came together with the nation that had rejected him. Together, these two forces, Churchill and the British nation - and Manchester correctly personalizes them both, sees them both as equal characters in a dramatic story - forged a partnership to fight Hitler and save the world from disaster.

It would probably be a lot easier for all of us if we all knew what it is like to have courage. I am writing this review at a time when we Americans, and the people of the world, are being called upon to have quite a lot of it. Apparently, the universe is built in such a way that we human beings must try to be courageous whether we want to be so or not. The true reason of history, and of historical books like this one, is to hold a mirror up to courage and the other human virtues, to show us what these virtues are like so that we must follow them if we are able to do so. Like Thucydides said, happiness comes from being free, and freedom comes from being courageous.

It is too bad that this is where Manchester's great biography of Churchill must end, but he has brought the story to its climax. The work of people like Manchester is an inspiration to other writers, and perhaps some other historian will appear some day to finish the work begun and broken off here.

A look at one of history's most courageous figures
Though I have not read the first of this series, I plan on doing so immediately upon finishing Volume 2. Manchester is a terrific writer, a portrayer of history as a kind of tragic story and not a conglomeration of facts and figures. Churchill's resoluteness in the face of English apathy in the 1930's is well-demonstrated, but this is no fluff piece; WSC is shown as a real man who had very real faults, and seeing these in relation to his accomplishments keeps him human in our minds. In addition to the tremendous story, it's first-rate literature. For those interested in the war period and the relations between Churchill and other allied leaders, may I suggest "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which details further the wartime relationship between FDR and WSC.

A Real Beauty- The Best Churchill Volume I've Read
Anything and everything with Mr Manchester's name on it is superior. But this 2nd WSC volume may surpass all his other work . He shows in fine detail how this eccentric,brilliant,pushy,bulldog of a man manipilated,charmed and bullied his way,and what a rough time he had in convincing the smug British establishment in the mid 30's of the dangers brewing in Germany.At the time WSC was "out in the cold".It's an old story,but the sheer drive of Mr. Churchill, and the ostrich-like ability of his compatriots to look the other way,here amounts to a fresh,mesmorizing account. WSC's days in exile are described in minute detail, even his habit of walking around Chartwell in his birthday suit,and the reaction of his female secretary.All the players are here,and Mr Manchester's method in exploring motives and personalities will keep the pages turning...I suggest giving the TV a rest for a couple of weeks to make an effort to read this.It may be more interesting now with the parallels in the post 9/11 world.

GRIPPING PRELUDE TO WWII
Winston Churchill was one of the most dynamic leaders of the 20th century and Mr. Manchester does not disappoint in his gripping follow-up to Vol. 1 of THE LAST LION. We're told in sometimes too much detail Churchill's activities at home and at his desk between the two world wars: painting, fixing up his beloved Chartwell, writing endlessly to pay for his lavish lifestyle during a world depression and keeping tabs on those bullies across the Channel. In his "wilderness years" when he was a political pariah, he boldly warned over and over the threat to world peace but was laughed at and ultimately ignored. The gripping finale leads up to Churchill's restored to power as the world teeters on the edge. The beautiful characterizations of the main players in this drama are just one of the many attributes to be gained from this wonderful bio. Sadly, it's an incomplete story because Mr. Manchester, due to poor health, cannot complete this series and refuses to let someone help him --- I cannot blame him as the writing is very singular and a monumental job would face his (in effect) ghostwriter. We must therefore satisfy ourselves with what we have and rue the writer who thinks he's got all the time in the world to finish what he started.

4-14-01 CSPAN BOOKNOTES
Today [4-14-01] Lady Mary Soames [nee Mary Churchill] stated on CSPAN Booknotes that William Manchester is ill and will not complete the third book on Sir Winston Churchill.

Godspeed William Manchester, and thank you for everything....... ... Read more

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Reviews (3)

Brilliant study of a brilliant man
Few have doubted Kipling's literary genius but for much of the 20th century progressive opinion has caricatured him as the bard of racism, the poet of savagery, the versifier of militarism. Gilmour focuses on Kipling's complex relationship with the British Empire, and shows that these caricatures do not do justice to the poet's nuanced views. To take only one example, Kipling was perfectly aware of the foibles of his fellow Anglo-Indians, and he often paid tribute to the nobility of ordinary Indians. But he was also aware that British rule over the Subcontinent was a great force for peace and stability. The Bloomsbury set jeered his views but he was proven tragically right after Indian independence, which resulted in a bloodbath. Let us hope that Kipling is not proven even more correct in the event of a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan.

Examines not only his writing, but his world
Rudyard Kipling was both a great writer and a representative figure of the British Empire, dabbling in both politics and exploration and winning the Nobel Prize in literature. This biography is the first to examine not only his writing, but his world: The Long Recessional considers the history of his times and provides a lively, revealing probe of the man's changes.

Imperialist and chauvinist - yes, misogynist - no
The fact that Gilmour explores Kipling's writing in terms of these themes and how they reflected aspects of his character is a clear indication that this book is no hagiography. The focus here is on the subject of empire and as the subtitle says it is all about: "The Imperial Life of Rudyard Kipling". Gilmour quotes Kipling as saying that empire was "the fabric of my mental and physical existence." Kipling seemed to see empire as some divine right of England:

GOD of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine
Lord god of Hosts be with us yet,
Lest we forget - lest we forget!
(Recessional)

It's this thinking that Gilmour focuses on and thus Kipling's life and works can't be seen as anything but a study in THE LONG RECESSIONAL. That's one emphasis; another is what Gilmour identifies as the "two sides to [Kipling's] head". With this he's looking at writings that were chauvinistic, ultra-nationalistic and even racist. Poems such as "The Female of the Species" and "Fuzzy-Wuzzy" being cases in point. Gilmour then shows the other side of the man's head with writings depicting his compassion and humanity - "If" for instance. Kipling's life can't be completely studied outside the context of family and the sadness of losing children and an unhappy marriage. The times and circumstances through which he lived also influenced him. Being born in colonial India and living through the Boer war and WWI all served to paint the lens through which Kipling saw and wrote about life in a rosy imperial tint. ... Read more

Book Description

“WEIR’S BOOK OUTSHINES ALL PREVIOUS STUDIES OF HENRY. Beautifully written, exhaustive in its research, it is a gem. . . . She succeeds masterfully in making Henry and his six wives . . . come alive for the reader.”
–Philadelphia Inquirer

Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power and celebrated for his intellect, presided over one of the most magnificent–and dangerous–courts in Renaissance Europe. Never before has a detailed, personal biography of this charismatic monarch been set against the cultural, social, and political background of his glittering court. Now Alison Weir, author of the finest royal chronicles of our time, brings to vibrant life the turbulent, complex figure of the King. Packed with colorful description, meticulous in historical detail, rich in pageantry, intrigue, passion, and luxury, Weir brilliantly renders King Henry VIII, his court, and the fascinating men and women who vied for its pleasures and rewards. The result is an absolutely spellbinding read. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

A MYOPTIC VIEW OF A HENRY
If you have read Alison's Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII, you will probably already have a good understanding of this aspect of Henry's life, that his, his private life. A.W. asserts in the beginning of this outing that she will not repeat what she had already covered - she only marginally succeeds. She does a good job of covering the information that you would remiss in not repeating; the dissolution of church, and the execution of A. Boleyn etc. However, in place of those details she's placed page after page of tedious information on the many castles and houses he owned and how much he spent fixing them up or redecorating for his new wife. I really enjoyed her picture of life at court and the internal court fractions between those vying for favor. However, the reason this book does not rate higher is that A.W. spends little or no time exploring the politics and society outside the castle(S) walls. I realize the title is "...and his court," but a lot of that was already covered in Henry's Six Wives. Having read A.W.'s surface treatment of Queen Elizabeth, I know that she is mostly interested in the drama aspect and the personal lives of those in the renaissance court, and not necessarily in the actual broader history of the time.
Bottom Line: I don't think I'm being too harsh on this book. I think A.W. is a wonderful researcher and a fine writer, it's just that this book is not the place I would recommend to anyone really wishing to further their understanding of the world in which Henry VIII lived.
Note: One bit of irritation is A.W.'s mention in the back-of-the-book interview that she has new information regarding Anne's execution, of course she does not mention what it is there because she wants you to read the book. I read over the key chapters where she covers Anne Boleyn's charges and there is really nothing new. As we've learned before the charges against her were mostly fabricated.

Excellent Description of 16th Century Royal Life
This was an enormously readable and interesting book that went much further than retelling the life of Henry VIII. The descriptions of the elements of daily life at Henry's court were very readable, sensitive to modern readers, and yet reasonably objective. Weir's new hypothesis on the execution of Anne Boleyn is wrought subtly, without drawing attention to itself as a new theory, and might be missed by those who are not very familiar with Tudor history. As with all Alison Weir's books, this one was very well researched, well-written, attentive to detail, easy to read, and very, very enjoyable.

Good on its own, repetative if you've read others
As Alison Weir is one of my favourite authors, I was very excited to run out and buy this book. However, I was a little disapointed when I actually read it. Weir seems to recycle much of her information from other books that she has written, mainly "The Six Wives" and "The Children" of Henry VIII.

Despite my disapointment, I gave this book 4 stars because if I had read neither of those books, I think I would have really enjoyed this one. As with all of Weir's books, it is chock full of information and extremely well written. Despite all the details, it is never boring. There is SOME new information in here, but I don't think that there is enough to merit a whole separate book.

If you have never read Weir, or are looking for a very good intro to life at a Tudor court, then this book is definately worth reading and I wholeheartedly recomend it. If you are already an old hand at Henry et. al., then you might want to skip this one and move on to another of Weir's books.

Delicious Social History
While not a biography of Henry VIII per se, this book is a fascinating glimpse into the machinations of his court over time. This lion king, fierce, ruthless, gifted and charming, presided over the first truly Renaissance court in England. Ms. Weir combed obscure sources for hitherto unknown insights and has written them into a cohesive social history. Who knew Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn both favoured cherries and strawberries above all other fruit? I had heard Henry VIII was fastidious in his personal hygiene, but here all is described at length: his daily routines, his eating and exercise habits, how he dined and with whom, the monumental progresses, plus his being the centre of a not very small courtly universe. What protocols his courtiers had to observe! And even Henry VIII does not appear the master of destiny, at least not in the minutae: he, too, was bound by conventional expectations of kingly behaviour.

Even as Henry was clean, his courtiers were hardly so: where else would find details such as crosses carved into palace walls to prevent men from urinating against them?

Here we see Henry's human side; I am familiar with Scarsbrick's intellectual view of Henry -- the man of policy and passion, the ecclesiastical and political dimensions. Here we see the business of being king; one sees 'Dieu et Mon Droit' in action, the pageantry, the spectacle, the dangers associated of rising too close to this brilliant sun. Much of it all must have been tedious, but Henry was born to the task (even if he were not destined to be king until his elder brother's premature death).

And Henry is not the only one addressed from an unconventional angle: Ms. Weir has unearthed details regarding Henry's wives and associates which normally escapes biographers. Occasionally, however, she does go out on an unsupported, unconventional limb, but overall, this is a wonderful companion piece to more difficult scholarly analyses of the period. Indeed, the book is easy to digest, although some unfamiliar with Henry VIII's reign might find the extraordinary amount of detail overwhelming. For the aficionado it is a welcome addition.

Great Book, though some flaws
I really loved this book, and it gave me a unique perspective of Henry VIII and those around him.
The only real flaw in this book is that the chapters that talk only about architecture and fashion tend to be a bit boring. I'm sure that the book would have been just as good without all of those long parts about the castles, etc... ... Read more

Reviews (27)

As a Scot, this is a masterpiece of a true Hero.
James MacKay has truely researched a lot of the loose ends and vague details of the life of Sir William Wallace. It is quite commendable that James MacKay has painted a picture of true Hero and martyr of the Scottish people, and that this one man stood against all evil of a wicked King Edward of England.
If there was one book on this Hero, or indeed the time of his life, then you should read this book.

Scotland Go Bragh!
Since the Mel Gibson movie came out William Wallace has gained a following well outside of Scotland. It is nice to get a look at the true "Braveheart" instead of the Hollywood version. The very best thing about this book is how easy it is to read. Not being at all familar with Scottish history during this period I was afraid I would quickly become lost. Much to my delight that was not the case in fact I was able to follow what was going on with very little problem. The only real problem I have with the book is that MacKay often refers to someone once by their name and the next time by their title. For example the future king is sometimes refered to as Robert Bruce and sometimes as the Earl of Carrick. It is hard enough to keep up with all of the names thrown at you in this book without having to keep up with a name AND a title for each person.

While reading this book keep in mind that Mr. MacKay has little materal to work with from the time period. Most of his research is taken from materal that dates well after Wallace's death. Still by looking at this material along with what records do exist from the period he does a good job of telling us what probably did happen. In fact, this is probably as close as we will ever get to the real story. That is unless new records are found which is very possible. MacKay points out several places where in the future new records may be found including Rome where Wallace may have visited Pope Boniface VIII looking for aid for Scotland. It is known as a fact that King Edward did get a letter from the Pope about his treatment of the Scots.

This is a great read for anyone interested in Scottish history or anyone who enjoyed the Gibson movie. The reader will find for example that Wallace's wife was not killed before he began his raids. She was killed in fact while protecting Wallace. Let the movie make you wonder. Let this book fill in the gaps. Even for someone not into history at all this will be a joy to read.

brave travesty
As a Wallace aficionado, i looked forward to reading this, but to say i was disappointed was an understatement.
This badly researched book was full of inaccuracies.
The author puts forward an alternative Wallace birthplace, putting forward detail that the unsuspecting reader would probably take on board. For instance, he says "Corsbie is of course, now known as Crosshouse", whereas these two places are seperate entities.
He places one monument, that of Leglen Wood, 20 miles away from its correct location, and claims Wallace was born in Ayrshire, whereas the Wallace family were vassals of the Stewart family, who never owned land in this area, and so Wallace could not have been born there.
Dates are wrong, one monument he claims was built in 1970, was actually built in 1910.
I feel the author, no stranger to controversy, has jumped on the Wallace bandwagon, and has rushed this work out to take advantage of the boom caused by Braveheart. Many people see details in print, and assume they are true. This book has so many inaccuracies that it will actually lead its readers astray.

I found it boring
I'm a big fan of the movie Braveheart, and of history, but I could never get into this book. It's written somewhere in between a novel and a work of history. Because it strattles this line it brings out the best of neither world.

The author clearly attempted to write a biography on Wallace based on Blind Harry's poems, but he filled in many details to poems that are probably embellished history. I just found the book rather dull.

richly details history of Wallace and his rising
As a child of 9 I picked out the decor for my new room - Wallace Plaid - which dumbfounded my family since our Clans were MacGillivray, Ogilvie, Grant, Fraser and Montgomerie! But I thought Wallace such a great, sweeping figure. This was decades before Randall Wallace accidentally discovered William Wallace on a vacation in Scotland and read Anne Porter's Highland Chiefs. Wallace, to me, was such a true Patriot - not a Saint, but a man willing to go to the wall, to die for what he believed. Not many of us would walk in his shoes, so I have to admire his willingness to die for an idea.
James MacKay gives a richly details account of the Scottish clime of politics that formed and fermented Wallace. It might be a little bit more than the average reader would be interested in (I would suggest Grey's book on Wallace in that case), but for those wishing to know more without wading through Blind Harry, this is a wonderful work.

A perfect gift to that friend that watched Braveheart more than once!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Good Review of the Politics and the Politicians of the Era
Kenneth Rose is an excellent scholar and this book is about scholarship--debunking the myths and telling the straight story about King George V and the politicians with whom he dealth. My only wish is that I could know more about George V the man, but this is the same objection that I've had of all scholarly biographers of Kings. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

This book was an endearing surprise!
To start out... I was never a Fergie fan. I read it upon the insistance of my sister. What an inspiring story she has to tell! I shall NEVER look at her the same way. She encapsulates the story of so many women who have had to deal with adversity (YES INDEEDY) and has found strength in doing what came natural to her and at times taking steps to do what was so difficult. I would recommend this book to all. She is a rare jem. The book is well written. You laugh, cry and rejoice in her becoming the woman she is.

A good story of overcoming difficulties and personal growth
This is a woman whose own self-destructive behavior caused a lot of problems for herself and others, and her impulsive behavior led to supreme public humiliation on an international level.

She was also, unfortunately, profoundly sabotaged by the system of which she found herself part, and without the collusion and participation of certain people in the Palace and the press, her downfall might have been kept much more quiet than it was.

And yet, against all odds and with a list of insecurities and neuroses as long as your arm, this woman managed to climb back up from rock bottom, pay off all of her enormous debts, get herself and her life under control, and go on to become a patron of charity and author. She's a fine mother, a decent person, and, that rarest of rare things, a real grownup (now, anyway).

It takes a lot of courage to admit all your failings, take responsibility for yourself and your actions, and move on with your life. She has done just that, and this book is an encouraging, easy-to-read, engaging look at her journey. I found it inspirational and heartwarming, and although I liked her before reading this book, by the time I was finished, I respected her.

Even if you care nothing at all about royalty and the glamour of being in the public eye, this story of a woman triumphing against great odds is a great read.

Disillusioning
Shattered all my Princess Dreams. She looks good, but her character and morals still seem to be in need of reworking. I couldn't make it past the first few chapters. Just kept getting more and more depressing. Felt sorry for Prince Charming.

A woman of little taste or style
What a perfectly ghastly woman. She is the living embodiment of vulgarity.

A Memorable Biography
I enjoy reading biographies and this one by Sarah Ferguson has stayed on my heart years after I first read it. Sarah was so honest about the heartbreak she lived through as the child of divorce, that often her story made me cry. Her willingness to truthfully share the mistakes she made and the painful lessons she learned during her time at Buckingham Palace were poignant and fascinating.

I recommend this story to anyone who is interested in British royalty, but also anyone who wants to read compelling story about an inspiring woman. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Some of the best essays in the English language
...Country Right or Left is part of a four volume set of essays commissioned by Orwell's wife Sonia. Whatever the criticisms that have been made of her stewardship of Orwell's legacy, these four volumes contain much of the best of Orwell's essays, letters and diary excerpts. This volume covers the early war years and much of the writing is shaded by that war.

This is Orwell at his finest, on one hand a confirmed socialist dedicated to fighting the right whether the Tory party or fascism; one the other hand an anti-Stalinist and critic of the left and always an anti-totalitarian.

Contained within "My Country Right or Left" is some of Orwell's best writing. In "Pacifism and the War", a notorious piece at the time, he accuses pacifists of aiding the fascist cause. "The Art of Donald McGill" is an essay about, of all things, postcards that are popular among the middle and lower classes. The postcards themselves, Orwell argues, say much about England's political and social attitudes. It's actually a perceptive piece of pop art and social commentary. Among my favorites is the essay concerning Mark Twain (Mark Twain- Licensed Jester). Orwell, a great admirer of Twain's, is critical of him for not being forceful enough in his social criticism. He accusation is that Twain pulls his punches far too often. It's a great piece of criticism and is Orwell at his finest.

What holds a large amount of this Volume together are the letters to the Partisan Review, a New York publication that contracted with Orwell to write commentary on England during this early war period. The issues vary from English politics, reflections on the clothing worn by the masses, attitudes towards democracy and so on. All well written, never dull and very often wrong in their predictions. There is much more here including excerpts from his diary, letters to other major figures of the day and reflections on the Spanish Civil War.

This is some of the greatest essay writing in the English language. Even sixty years later the essay's read clearly and give insight to Orwell's thinking.

Orwell--the Noam Chomsky of the War Era
This is a great collection of essays and other writers by one of the foremost socialist critics of totalitarianism and domination. It is also a great book for admires of writers such as Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn and Edward said, as all share the same overarching purpose: to be a tireless critic of power and domination wherever it may be found. It is ironic to the extreme that so many conservative revisionists attempt to claim Orwell as their own, which is due to the tragically myopic misreading of his writings, especailly 1984 and Animal Farm. Both books are condemnations of totalitarianism, and in the case of Animal farm, the final page attests to Orwell's repugnance of capitalism. Let it not be forgotten that Orwell fought in the Spanish Civil War in the aid of the socialist-anarchists. This is truly a great collection, which should be required reading for those who may not be familar with Orwell's non-fiction work.

Forceful, spare and morally incisive prose
This is the second volume of the four that make up Orwell's collected essays, journalism and letters. It is a fascinating work of political and literary commentary and commitment, written at one of the darkest moments in British history, when our nation was under attack from an enemy of monstrous evil.

Not the least inspiring aspect of Orwell's writings at this time - highly topical now, as the free world confronts terrorism - was his determination to rebut the defeatism of leftist intellectuals. This volume contains his famous and invigorating exchange, from the American magazine Partisan Review, with some minor literary figures (a forgotten poet named D.S. Savage; the future writer on sex, Alex Comfort) about the merits of pacifism. Orwell tells the peace campaigners of his day (this was in 1942) defiantly, "Pacifism is objectively pro-Fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side you automatically help out that of the other. Nor is there any real way of remaining outside such a war as the present one. In practice, 'he that is not with me is against me.' "

That devastating truth has great modern relevance. Those who suppose such people as Noam Chomsky and Susan Sontag to be serious social critics would do particularly well to read this book.

Orwell In His Prime
Though remembered today primarily for ANIMAL FARM and 1984, George Orwell was also one of the most brilliant essayists of the 20th Century. This volume (the second of four recently re-released in paperback) shows the range and depth of his journalistic writing. Orwell was a Socialist and avowed leftist, but he never felt compelled to toe the party line. What makes his journalistic writings so lively and thought-provoking is that he constantly challenges the reader to look at entrenched ideas from a fresh perspective. This volume contains his justly famous essay on England, "The Lion and the Unicorn", and pieces on such wide-ranging subjects as Hitler's "Mein Kampf", Tolstoy and Shakespeare, and a spirited appreciation of Rudyard Kipling (politically and artistically not the sort of writer one would expect Orwell to defend). Interspersed with the essays is a selection of Orwell's letters from this period, as well as his fascinating War-time Diary. You may not always agree with Orwell's opinions, but you will never be bored. Orwell was a master stylist, but what really strikes the reader is how startlingly relevant the essays are, sixty years after they were written. An absolutely first-rate collection by a major writer who is long-overdue for reassessment. ... Read more

Book Description

An abused child, yet confident of her destiny to reign, a woman in a man's world, passionately sexual -- though, as she maintained, a virgin -- Elizabeth I is famed as England's most successful ruler. David Starkey's brilliant new biography concentrates on Elizabeth's formative years -- from her birth in 1533 to her accession in 1558 -- and shows how the experiences of danger and adventure formed her remarkable character and shaped her opinions and beliefs.

From princess and heir-apparent to bastardized and disinherited royal, accused traitor to head of the princely household, Elizabeth experienced every vicissitude of fortune and extreme of condition -- and rose above it all to reign during a watershed moment in history. A uniquely absorbing tale of one young woman's turbulent, courageous, and seemingly impossible journey toward the throne, Elizabeth is the exhilarating story of the making of a queen.

Reviews (30)

Informative but shallow
This book concentrates on the period from the Queen's birth to her accession to the throne and then, for some unknown reason, tacks on the bare facts concerning the demise of her regime in the last few pages of the book. Why?- As an American who did not learn English history by heart, but absorbed it as part of an undergraduate European History class, my memory was jogged by the allusions to the War of the Roses, Wyatt's Revolt, iconoclasm etc. But methinks I learned more from that undergraduate textbook than from this semi-biography, which, to use one of the more precious phrases of the author's, is a "sauve-qui-peut" of styles and objectives. The text is larded with such verbal flourishes...Pretentious?....Yes, for this book covers ground already covered and is short enough to be read in a day. It is NOT a scholar's endeavor. Moreover, its entwining of the speculative, the matter-of-fact, the sentimental effects a jarring effect upon the reader from chapter to chapter (indeed, within chapters). Nevertheless, the book does manage to accomplish its basic goal and give the reader an idea of what the young Elizabeth was like and the influences upon her upbringing that were to influence her reign.-But, to my mind, this is not a book for those seriously interested in Elizabeth or her era. Go to the books recommended by the other reviewers for that.-This book is for beach readers who don't like to admit it.

An Exceptional Book
If you have ever wondered about one of the most successful rulers, Queen Elizabeth I, you should read this book. "The Struggle for the Throne"chronicles the life of Elizabeth from her birth in 1533 until her coronation in 1559.
Starkey does a wonderful job of recreating the whole political and religious atmosphere of 16th century England. Most of the book is based on the fight between Protestants and Catholics in England during this time; which was the main influence in Elizabeth's struggle for the throne.
Starkey really brings out the most fascinating, dangerous and overlooked part of this fascinating woman's life. The years that formed her personality were these. The book is a quick read that reads more like a novel than an indepth political study. This brings out the drama of the story out more vividly in your head. I would recommond this book to anyone interested in Queen Elizabeth I.

before Gloriana
This biography by David Starkey tells a story of Elizabeth during her early years, as a princess and during the first several years as Queen of England. Some of the material have been retold already but the author writes with certain amount of clarity. Starkey made sure that the reader understand that Elizabeth had a relatively good childhood, a wealthy landowner even before she became a Queen and her powers were quite considerable, probably enough for her half-sister Mary to take into account. This proves to be a very readable book and gives us a good understanding of Elizabeth's early life and how it helped shape her as a Queen of England.

History At Its Best
It's both a rarity and a treat to find a history book that reads like a novel. Starkey's book is an amazing view into the early life and reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and a must-read for any aficianado's of the Tudor dynasty.

A fascinating look at the early life of a great queen
As a fan of the monarchy and a lover of British history, Elizabeth I is my favorite monarch and the Elizabethan/Tudor period is one of my favorite periods of history. This book enhanced my understanding of the period and rounded out a historical figure who is, at the very least, sometimes romanticized and idolized.

If you're looking for a book that will give you a complete picture of the virgin queen, this isn't it. This book very thoroughly explores her life prior to becoming queen. Her actual monarchy has perhaps 50 pages devoted to it. Starkey does, however, make this clear up front. This book will give you a greater understanding of the woman who later became queen.

Starkey's narrative is chock full of interesting facts, but he is careful never to make it dry or dull. He intersperses humor and unique anecdotes throughout the book. He is a talented storyteller, even if he does use the phrase "willy-nilly" a few too many times. This book also contains two sections of illustrations, mostly consisting of paintings of Elizabeth, her family, and the prominent people in her life. It is a good supplement to the story and includes many of the best portraits of the period.

Finally, I would urge anyone who has the chance to see Mr. Starkey speak to not pass it up. I saw him speak at a signing for his other book on the wives of Henry VIII and it was extremely memorable and fascinating. He is also more than willing to discuss any questions readers might have about the history or about why he did certain things in his books.

Overall, Starkey presents a fascinating, unique, seldom-seen view of one of England's most beloved monarchs. ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Blake's masterly biography of Benjamin Disraeli, thegreat British Prime Minister, Conservative leader, and man of letters.Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81), Earl of Beaconsfield, Prime Minister ofEngland (1868 and 1874-80), and Conservative leader, was one of thegreatest and most colorful political figures in British history. Aconfidante of Queen Victoria, tireless champion of England,parliamentarian of genius, Disraeli was also a superb and enduringnovelist and correspondent. This monumental portrait by Robert Blake isconsidered by many to be one of the finest political biographies everwritten. Lord Blake is former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University,Provost of The Queen's College, Oxford, and Editor of the Dictionary ofNational Biography. 850 pp 5 x 8 ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Essential
Robert Blake's biography of Disraeli is now nearly 40 years old (it was first published in 1966), yet it retains a freshness seldom equalled in any type of biography, let alone a political one.

Disraeli is one of the most compelling figures in British history, certainly nineteenth century political history. Yet as Blake points out, he was actually in power for very little of his career, and at a late stage in his life at that. The paradox is explained by the socio-political characteristics of the age. Blake does that with great skill, avoiding the danger of turning a biography into a general history.

"Disraeli" is a fascinating study of a complex and interesting individual. Yet this book is also a must for anyone wanting to understand political development in Victorian Britain, and in particular Conservative Party history.

G Rodgers

Dizzy he was not
During the high tide of the Victorian era, the political life of the nation was dominated by two men, Disraeli and Gladstone. Gladstone is an obvious choice for one of the top statesmen of the era, he was elected four times to the premiership. Disraeli was not quite so fortunate. However, given the short period of time that he was in office he accomplished a great deal. He brought the tories back from the dead, passed a reform bill and managed to acquire the Suez Canal. At the Congress of Berlin, Disraeli's command of the situation even impressed Bismark (not exactly a slouch in these sorts of things). Not bad from a rather foppish young man who specialized in "Silver Fork" novels (a fictional version of lifestyles of the rich and famous in the 19th century).

Blake's book is the best one on the subject of Benjamin Disraeli. The complex story of the novelist turned politican is brought out in all of its facets. Disraeli was probably one of the most interesting people to be prime minister (after perhaps Churchill and Walpole) and Blake's book shows the reader how he did it.

The Perfect Biography
Blake's Disraeli is not only flawless in its interpretation of Disraeli but also in its style. It is a work by which all other biographies must be judged. Simply put, it is the perfect biography.

First rate
This is a work of considerable scholarship which chronicles the life of one of Great Britain's outstanding statesmen. The book covers the political life of Disraeli admirably, but also gives a view of the private Disraeli: confidant of Victoria, prolific novelist, inventor of the crouton.

Robert Blake Does Not Disappoint
Robert Blake's study of Benjamin Disreali, twice Prime Minister and prolific novelist, is one of the best I've read. Both Disreali's personal life and political career are handled with respect, and there is no unnecessary conjecture to mislead the reader. The resulting biography is both fascinating and informative, advancing chronologically from Disreali's parentage to his death and detailing the aspects of his personality and the extraordinary good luck that enabled him to rise so far in the British political system. Throughout, the reader is offered anecdotes from acquaintances, excerpts from letters, and portions of the speeches that gave Disreali his reputation as a matchless orator. Particularly touching are the stories illustrating the friendship he and his sister shared, and the mannerisms which characterized his personality. Overall, Robert Blake displays great knowledge of both Disreali and the politics that he loved so much. Therein lies the book's only fault, from an amateur's perspective; at times the references to the system can confuse a reader not fully familiar with British politics. However, any admirer of this great statesman cannot afford to miss reading this work, which already shows signs of becoming a necessary reference. Any historian, amateur or not, could easily view this volume as indispensable. ... Read more

Book Description

At the end of her life, Frances Osborne's one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother Lilla was as elegant as ever-all fitted black lace and sparkling-white diamonds. To her great-grandchildren, Lilla was both an ally and a mysterious wonder. Her bedroom was filled with treasures from every exotic corner of the world. But she rarely mentioned the Japanese prison camps in which she spent much of World War II, or the elaborate cookbook she wrote to help her survive behind the barbed wire.
Beneath its polished surface, Lilla's life had been anything but effortless. Born in 1882 to English parents in the beautiful North China port city of Chefoo, Lilla was an identical twin. Growing up, she knew both great privilege and deprivation, love and its absence. But the one constant was a deep appreciation for the power of food and place. From the noodles of Shanghai to the chutney of British India and the roasts of England, good food and sensuous surroundings, Lilla was raised to believe, could carry one a long way toward happiness. Her story is brimming with the stuff of good fiction: distant locales, an improvident marriage, an evil mother-in-law, a dramatic suicide, and two world wars.
Lilla's remarkable cookbook, which she composed while on the brink of starvation, makes no mention of wartime rations, of rotten vegetables and donkey meat. In the world this magical food journal, now housed in the Imperial War Museum in London, everyone is warm and safe in their homes, and the pages are filled with cream puffs, butterscotch, and comforting soup. In its writing, Lilla was able to transform the darkest moments into scrumptious escape.
Lilla's Feast is a rich evocation of a bygone world, the inspiring story of an ordinary woman who tackled the challenges life threw in her path with an extraordinary determination. ... Read more

Book Description

Warrior and writer, genius and crank, rider in the British cavalry’s last great charge and inventor of the tank—Winston Churchill led Britain to fight alone against Nazi Germany in the fateful year of 1940 and set the standard for leading a democracy at war.

Like no other portrait of its famous subject, Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill is a dazzling display of facts more improbable than fiction, and an investigation of the contradictions and complexities that haunt biography. Gretchen Craft Rubin gives readers, in a single volume, the kind of rounded view usually gained only by reading dozens of conventional biographies.

With penetrating insight and vivid anecdotes, Rubin makes Churchill accessible and meaningful to twenty-first-century readers with forty contrasting views of the man: he was an alcoholic, he was not; he was an anachronism, he was a visionary; he was a racist, he was a humanitarian; he was the most quotable man in the history of the English language, he was a bore.

In crisp, energetic language, Rubin creates a new form for presenting a great figure of history—and brings to full realization the depiction of a man too fabulous for any novelist to construct, too complicated for even the longest narrative to describe, and too valuable ever to be forgotten.

... Read more

Reviews (28)

Fresh take on a well-told story
This must have been a hard sell at the publishers: a brief book (only about 250 pages in a small format) on one of the most written-about subjects of recent history. And in a form that may never have been tried in biography before: not in chronological order but in 40 short chapters - each one, well, a different way to look at the subject. Yet Ms. Rubin pulls it off with seeming effortlessness. Her innovative format, rather than being gimmicky, does indeed bring a fresh approach to the facts of Churchill's life that many readers will already know well. And although not a historian of the stature of Manchester or Gilbert, her writing shows a clear and unabashed personal voice that brings enthusiasm, even intimacy, to a subject more often given a far weightier treatment. Future generations may eventually feel that the Churchill story is exhausted, but Ms. Rubin proves that there was indeed room for one more Churchill book on the shelf. This is a superb book. Buy it.

A Grand Portrait of a Great Man
This is an excellent book -- a must for Churchill fans. Many of my favorite stories about Sir Winston are here, but I also learned lots of things I didn't know. (Do you know what the Great Man's last words were? What his favorite brand of cigar was? Whether he was a hero to his valet? Read the book and find out.)

"Forty Ways" is an extraordinarily honest book: Rubin does not pretend that a biographer can know it all. She presents both sides to questions about Churchill's drinking, his "black dog" depressions, his relations with the two Randolphs in his life (his father and his son), his egotism ("I am so conceited," Churchill wrote his mother, that "I do not believe the Gods would create so potent a being as myself for so prosaic an ending" as an early death). There is no effort to deceive the reader here, to trick him into embracing the author's favorite theory: Rubin candidly admits that her Churchill is a hero and a great man, but she insists that the reader must draw his own conclusions.

Rubin is splendid on Sir Winston's use of language, the blessings and burdens of his Spencer-Churchill heritage, his painting, his bulldog bellicosity, his "island nation" patriotism, his relations with Hitler, the Romantic qualities of his historical imagination, the "Dickensian aptness" of his name, his complicated relations with his wife. ("Oh my darling do not write of 'friendship' to me," Churchill told Clementine, "I love you more each month that passes and feel the need of you & all your beauty. . . . I am so devoured by egoism that I wd like to have another soul in another world & meet you in another setting, & pay you all the love and honour of the gt romances.") The end of the book is extraordinarily moving.

The Churchill who emerges in "Forty Ways" is more complex than we knew. No traditional portrait, conceived and finished in a conventional way, can possibly do justice to the man Isaiah Berlin called "the largest human being of our time." Only an exercise in what the poet Keats called "negative capability" can possibly comprehend his contradictions. "Forty Ways" conveys the exquisiteness of the tensions in Churchill's life and personality without pretending to resolve them in the name of Thesis. Yet the effect is rather to add to his greatness; and the impression one comes away with is of a hero of Homeric proportions. The "horrors of war cannot rob the progress of the sun," Rubin quotes Churchill as saying. There is a world of intelligence in that line; the reader of the "Iliad" remembers that in that poem no day is so terrible but that the poet must describe the splendor of the sun when it rises and when it sets. Such an heroic vision was Churchill's as well.

A loosely labeled historian
I have read Meacham and Jenkins to get an understanding of what I understood to be a fascinating man. This book its so utterly different and completely better than the typical historic epic written by the typically historical historian, it will overwhelm with its approach. Highly, highly, highly recommended. You will keep it in your library for future enjoyment.

For something completely different...
A really interesting look at a fascinating (if overanalyzed) man. The book is far from perfect--the 40 chapters do overlap and can be repetitive--but is really worth reading. The various perspectives remind anyone interested in history that the meaning of it all depends on where you are standing and where you look. Churchill was a great man and I learned many great facts, stories, and and perspectives from this unique book. It works another level as well--as a critique of the biographical form. It reminded me in that way of Alain De Botton's enjoyable novel "Kiss and Tell." Oh well, enough of that.

Forty fresh perspectives
I was recently asked which year in the 20th Century I would choose to live and why. I said "1940" with the rationale that this was the great turning point in history when the values of western civilization might've been lost. They weren't lost because a single indominable man stood firm. Had the newly installed PM, in May-June of that year, sided with Halifax and the other peace seekers, Hitler would have won. What followed would have been just mopping up.

Gretchen Rubin succinctly illuminates this great man in a new and fresh format. She writes extremely well. This is the perfect first or second book for a reader just catching the Churchill bug. (Following Manchester and Gilbert) It belongs on any short list of Churchill books. One hopes Ms. Rubin won't stop here. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of Lady Antonia Fraser's best historical biographies
This is possibly one of Fraser's best historical biographies. Charles II, king of the glorious Restoration Period in English history, was a figure of legendary proportions, daring, physically commanding, surviving times of great danger after Cromwell's rule, living in tumultuous times of great scientific discovery, literature and some not-very successful wars against the Dutch.

The backdrop of Restoration society is fascinating, bawdy yet considering Shakespeare's plays too crude, wildly sexual, a time of tremendous change in England after the demise of the Tudors. It was a golden age of art and literature and the King was a dramatic figure, enjoying the embraces of comedian Nell Gwynn as well as a number of other famous mistresses, researching in his own laboratory, hunting, racing and swimming. His death at 55 seems a young age, but for those times, he survived to a respectable age and unlike many other kings, died in his bed. If you are interested in Restoration period literature, this is a fun read to set the backdrop for that interesting and fruitful period of European history.

Charles The Debonaire
King Charles II, never short of female admirers during his lifetime, certainly has found another fan in Antonia Fraser. The man who fathered fourteen illegitimate children, yet failed to sire an heir to his throne, was tall, charming, and in his own strange way, handsome - although, as Fraser tells us, his olive complexion and Medici looks were not considered to be conventionally good looking. Despite contemporary denials, he was also a convinced Catholic - even though he only formally confessed on his deathbed. Fraser takes us through the many wild turns of Charles' life - early years as the established heir apparent in the court of Charles I, teen years as a minor player in the English Civil War, hero of the siege of Worcester, months as fugitive from the Cromwellians following his father's beheading (and Britain's most wanted man), early adulthood in exile in France and Flanders, glorious Restoration in 1660 and subsequently King of a mini-golden era. While this is by no means an uncritical biography, Fraser argues persuasively that Charles was the master politician of his generation, and she seduces us into cheering on Charles' various attempts, late in his reign, to govern without Parliament. Fraser doesn't assume prior knowledge of English history, so is a great starting point for a first-time encounter with the English Restoration period, yet Fraser's erudition provides enough satisfaction too for seasoned history lovers.

A Royal Treat!
Royal Charles is a delight to read and Fraser makes reading history enjoyable. ... Read more

Book Description

In the Tudor age it was hard enough to be a king and doubly so to be a Queen.Elizabeth I survived!

• Examines Elizabeth in terms of her power rather than her politics.
• Traces her relationships with the statesman of her time.
• Explores Elizabeth's relations with the Church, nobility, the royal Court, Parliament and the military.

Reviews (2)

A good evaluation of Elizabeth's use of power
There are too many biographies of Elizabeth I out there--thankfully this isn't one of them. The author purposely avoided another one, and instead focused on the evaluation of the way the virgin queen used her power. Elizabeth was the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty, and had to rebuild the country after the disastrous reign of Bloody Mary. This book shows how she effectively maintained control of the public, the church, the nobility, the court, the council, and the military, and tells us why Elizabeth was able to hold the throne almost 45 years.

Again, this is not meant to be a biography, so this book assumes that you already have a basic knowledge of Elizabeth's reign. If not, you'll find yourself lost, but if so, you'll learn all kinds of stuff and find yourself looking at this English queen in a whole new light. If you're a student of Tudor England, this one's for you.

Always interesting
This short book is a good summary of Elizabeth during her reign. It focuses on eight different aspects of her life: the throne, church, nobility, council, court, parliament, military, and her people. It is not very detailed. If you want quick information on the queen, this is the book for you. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Livingstone. One tough man.
This work, featuring many new and nuanced insights, is a wonderfully written story of a very determined missionary and explorer. As the author so ably describes, our modern knowledge of David Livingstone is heavily influenced by the fact that, in death, he has been made the icon for many causes. His legacy has been put to the service of, for instance, British imperial aspirations. But as the author recounts, Livingstone's complexity defies any neat categorization.

Livingstone was possessed of a ferocious curiosity. He was born into a life of poverty, but became both a medical doctor and an ordained minister. He fathered a large family from whom, due to his travels, he was often away. Both his physical endurance, and his capacity to withstand pain were prodigious. His respect and admiration for African cultures was incomprehensible to his contemporaries. Witnessing firsthand the depredations of the slave trade, he devised strategies for development that, had they been heeded, provided a chance for leaving African cultures intact.

Livingstone mapped the unknown interior of Africa. His expeditions were remarkable both in the beauty of the places "discovered", and the grueling physical and consequent emotional demands on the explorers. During Livingstone's final expedition, the American journalist H.M. Stanley so famously "found" Livingstone. The meeting is replete with irony, and the context and effect of this meeting are very movingly described. Very moving, as well, is the story of Livingstone's death in Africa, and the transport, by loyal friends, of his body fifteen hundred miles to the coast.

Livingstone is Alive and Relevant!
> Andrew Ross' study of the life and work of David Livingstone is a worthy
> contribution to the literary corpus of this great man. Ross makes
> accessible the revealing nuances and context of this giant of the 19th
> century. There is special sensitivity to Livingstone because, like
> Livingstone, Ross is also a Scot and served as a missionary in Africa.
> His impressive knowledge of Africa and its history serve the reader
> well in grappling with both the facts and implications of what
> Livingstone did. His research is thorough and objective, while his
> portrayal is winsome and inspiring. This book is necessary for an
> accurate understanding of Livingstone. Reading it is a delightful
> experience! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

very balance look at Wallace
The book I am reviewing is the "Second Edition" verison of this biography. I believed certain parts have been rewritten to insert the reference to Mel Gibson's Braveheart movie which put the character, William Wallace into the forefront of Scottish history for many people.

The biography on the whole, I thought to be very balance, very detail and superbly written within the context of time period. The author obviously understand his character within the boundary of that time period and this keep the biography honest and unbiased. I have read several Wallace biographies since that movie and I have to say this one is probably the best one. Good thing is that this book came out way before the movie so it doesn't have that taint of cashing in on the movie feel.

Recommended
Fisher's book details the successful and unsuccessful battle Wallace waged against Edward's army. He details the atrocities on both sides, each equally inhumane. In the end, the reader gets a more realistic view of this great Scottish hero. He or she should also begin to understand why Scotland and England are two separate countries, each with their own history, united by a common sovereign.

An Objective View of William Wallace
There are many books published on Wallace and the Scottish Wars for Independence. Historians' interpretations of Wallace are almost fictional because there are few materials to study or they become wrapped up in the legend.

Andrew Fisher has done a great job in telling the story of Wallace and conducts thought provoking analysis of the man, e.g. Wallace's execution by King Edward I. Most books seem to interpret his execution as something extraordinary to the times, when in fact; his execution was common for traitors to the King. Also, Fisher's analysis of Wallace's military leadership and his battles are downright original.

People that understand Wallace only from the myth and legend will learn a lot by reading Fisher's book. It is an honest portrayal of Wallace and his place in Scottish history.

I was lucky to follow in most of Wallace's footsteps while visiting Scotland in 1996. I visited the execution site in London (see www.findagrave.com for pictures), the battle of Sterling Bridge and the Gothic looking Wallace monument built in the 1860's. It was in the monument that I climbed a narrow stone spiral staircase to a room, just below the top of the monument, where stands what is supposed to be Wallace's sword. It is a simple looking sword, nothing fancy, and nothing astonishing. But, when I gazed upon it, I thought of Wallace the man, not the myth. Fisher does just that; he strips the myths of Wallace and paints a picture of the real man.

Enjoy...

Excellent Wallace biography, written 9 years pre-Braveheart
Andrew Fisher's book was first published in 1986, and is a well-researched account of the life of Wallace. Given that it was written 9 years before Braveheart was released, it cannot be put in the category of books (e.g. MacKay's book) that can be accused of trying to cash in on the movie. This book benefits from having been written objectively, and it is clear where Andrew Fisher is drawing conclusions from the limited information available. Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in this period of Scottish History and in the life of William Wallace. [MacBraveHeart - May, 1999] ... Read more

Book Description

William Butter Yeats, who some critics feel was the greatest English language poet of our century, led a life of many contradictions. He was Ireland's most revered writer and won the Nobel Prize for Literature. But in his private life, Yeats struggled with passionate, if unrequited, relationships with women and was haunted by the spirits of his ancestors. Renowned biographer Brenda Maddox examines the poet's life through the prism of his personal obsession with the supernatural and otherworldly. She considers for the first time the Automatic Script, the trancelike communication with supposed spirits that he and his much younger wife. Georgie, conducted during the early years of their marriage. Writing with edge, wit, and energy, she finds the essential clues to Yeats's life and work in his unusual relationships with women, most particularly Maude and Iseult Gonne, his wife Georgie, and his rarely discussed mother. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Cast a Cold Eye
Look, Brenda Maddox is a journalist not a scholar. She has little to say about the poems and her sources are nothing new. But she writes a lively prose with a deft eye for the human angle in describing the parade of remarkable women who passed through Yeats's later life. I don't think she's out to replace the more detailed biographies other reviewers mention so much as add color and detail to the standard portrait of the 'smiling public man.'

The book's centerpiece is the early years of Yeats's marriage to his wife George, a cultivated woman twenty-seven years his junior who turned what looked to be a marriage of convenience into a source of great poetic inspiration. George began channeling spirits on their honeymoon which, over the next two years, revealed to Yeats an entire philosophy of history and the soul's fate after death while also dictating how an older, indifferent lover ought to treat a young new wife. Maddox leaves the question of the Script's authenticity open, pointing out on the one hand how well it suited George's purposes and on the other how sincerely she shared Yeats's occult beliefs. Halfway through the book though, after a short, out of place chapter on Yeats's mother, she leaves George behind to concentrate on the eccentricities of Yeats's later years. Yeats had a capacity for staying 'forever young' that led to some odd connections; he involved himself, especially after the Steinach operation, with a cast of dubious individuals who took him away from the unwanted responsibilities of home and family.

I don't think Maddox is trying to pull Yeats off a pedestal--she clearly believes the poems he wrote in these years are great. She's also fair-minded in dealing with Yeats's Fascist sympathies, his late passion for eugenics and the bad rap he's gotten from feminists. But showing how much care and indulgence his work required from others, especially the women he chose to attend to his needs, reminds you that greatness is often a collaborative effort. Giving credit where credit is due for Yeats's late achievement, especially in the case of his long-suffering wife George, takes nothing away from his achievement. Just the opposite; I admired the poetry all the more knowing the personal hopes and (sometimes) blindnesses it grew out of. A fun, instructive read.

revealing, but unsatisfying
Maddox's focus is on the people that revolved around Yeats--his wife, lovers, relatives, and peers. She relays several intimate anecdotes concerning Yeats's troubled relationships with his parents, his obsessions with women like Maude Gonne and her daughter, Iseult, and his interaction with a long line of "mother figures" (most notably, Lady Gregory).

Reading this book gave me the impression that Yeats wrote not just because he was inspired by Ireland and metaphysical themes; but as a need to escape his stifling environment.

While providing many interesting details about Mrs. Yeats's "abilities" with automatic writing, Maddox goes far in portraying Georgie as more of a controlling wife than a powerful medium. This, along with Yeats's own "psychic experiences" may lead a skeptic to wonder just how sane the poet actually was.

The section dealing with his term as a Free State Senator was good, in terms of illustrating Yeats' ongoing battle against censorship and civic divorce (in contrast with his reported stances on fascism and eugenics). Readers can revel in how Yeats, while conservative in such things as parenting, thoroghly enjoyed playing the "dirty old man" in various media--print, theater, and radio. As far as a deeper insight into Yeats as mystical poet, though, the book's treatment of the man is sketchy at best.

Spooked by the Imaginary?
Imagine a poet who is so absorbed in his interior life and imagination that his wife resorts to speaking with the dead and the spirit world--simply to keep the man interested. That's what Barbara Maddox insists in her wonderfully inclusive biography, "Yeats's Ghosts."

By nearly every assessment, W. B. Yeats stands as the greatest poet of the 20th Century. The ultimate symbolist, Yeats, however, remains an exceptionally difficult poet to fully appreciate--mainly because of the arcane and personal perspectives and references that litter nearly every on