Book Description

In the current wave of seafaring literature, no fictional sailor's story can match this true, real-life adventure. Armchair travelers will long to run away to sea with Before the Wind. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

An almost unbelievable true adventure
The adventures of an American seaman - starting with an 18 month round the world trip on a sailing ship at age 13. Mutinies, prison, opium smuggling, all the stuff of sea adventure stories and all true. The book is alot of fun.

Interesting Memoir of the Sea
This is an interesting memoir of the early life of sailor, captain, and businessman. Unlike other memoirs of the sea, this covers life on the sea from bottom to top: from Tyne's start as a child-sailor, to his rise to captain, finally to ship owner and commodities speculator. It includes some very good passages, which vididly portray the many dangers of a life at sea in the early 19th century. Most of it is interestings and enlightening, but this book is not the literary equal of Two Years Before The Mast.

Getting rich the hard way
While Charles Tyng's brothers became wealthy as doctors, lawyers and land-based businessmen, Charles (due to his poor study habits) was forced to pursue the much more dangerous and uncertain vocation of sailor and sea-merchant. This is definitely no dry account of business deals. This story is about Charles' struggles against cruel and incompetent superiors, ferocious storms at sea, mutinous and violent crews, pirate attacks, shark attacks and, for good measure a bout with cholera. If even half of Tyng's account is true, he was very, very lucky to live to old age. Tyng was obviously a man who was very curious by nature and so he was able to describe in detail many aspects of the people, places and operations that he witnessed (such as whale hunting, sugar processing, and opium smuggling). Most of it is very interesting because it paints a piture of a world very different from our modern world. Tyng himself is likable, for the most part, although he definitely was a bit of a rogue; he pulls a few pratical jokes on people that adds some humor to the story. I only give it four stars because there were a couple short dry patches in the book. Overall, though, very enjoyable.

Depends on you
If you're not already into this stuff, it will put you to sleep.

If on the other hand, like me, the mere mention of the days of tall ships fills your lungs with salt air, gets your sea legs in motion, and gives you a faraway thrill, then this becomes the definitive life story of every sailor who ever went to sea.

And this guy has been through it all: pirates, mutinies, shipwrecks, storms, cruel officers, exotic foreign shores, wars (on both land and sea, including the American revolution and the China traders), sharks, starvation, marriage (that ultimate adventure), disease, and even "haunted" ships.

Beautifully written in the eloquent style of a man who had been an illiterate cabin boy and eventually educated himself with distinction, it even chronicles the effects that his life at sea had upon the way his family saw him and the business world dealt with him, and contains vignettes about minute aspects of life back then that I'd never been aware of.

What a find!

a compelling yarn
A delight to read, Tyng's memoir only disappoints by ending too soon. For anyone who has read Morison's Maritime History of Massachusetts or my own recently published BULLOUGH'S POND and wondered what merchant shipping was really like, Tyng has the answers. But you can enjoy this book even if you bring no questions to the table, as long as you enjoy a good adverdure story well told. Diana Muir ... Read more

Reviews (110)

Beware What This Book Might Do To You
I've been meaning to write a review of this book for a long time, but since Nick Hornby reawakened in me many of my childhood sports fan obsessions when I read it for the first time in 1999, I've been too busy. Not only did "Fever Pitch" remind me how irrationally and how much I loved my own hometown team (the heartbreaking Boston Red Sox) but he turned me into a fan of English football and his own Arsenal Gunners to the point where I follow them daily on ESPN's soccernet, LISTEN (!?) to them on internet radio broadcasts and have even gone to two games in London over the past two years. It's sick really, and I suppose it's not the kind of thing Hornby would have wanted when he wrote this quintessential memoir of growing up a soccer fan in England, but I've enjoyed it

"Fever Pitch" is an obsessive's tale as much as it is a fan's story, and so should appeal to the same wide audience that enjoys his excellent novels (It was my love for "High Fidelity" that sent me straight to this book). It is a memoir of surprising depth considering how it is organized only by the dates of soccer matches between 1968 and 1991, and it makes perfect sense that Hornby, or any true fan, should see the rest of his life (parents' divorce, his own education, romantic and career trouble) primarily as it relates to the team he spends so much time, money and psychic energy on.

The irony, for me, was finding out after I read "Fever Pitch" for the first time that Arsenal was one of the top teams of the last decade in England, so Hornby at least gets to feel the joy that we Red Sox fans are still waiting for. Sure, we're ecstatic the Pats won the Super Bowl, but our lives will change forever when Boston brings home the World Series. But after "Fever Pitch," I'll remember to laugh like the rest of the world laughs when American sports leagues crown their title-holders "world" champions.

For sports fans, obsessives, and everyone else
I assume this book would be a joyous, justifying experience for a devoted fan of any sport - "I'm not alone!" - and I can assure you that it's a fun, educational read for someone who has no interest in any sport. It's a look at the way fanship can be created by, and in turn create, a person's life, and as such should be required reading both for fans themselves and for the people who can't understand them. In other words, if you completely understand why an important win could turn your entire life around, or why you would have to miss your sister's wedding if it coincided with a game, Fever Pitch is for you. And if you don't understand this at all, the book is also for you.

Now, having said that, there are a few problems with this book for Americans who don't know much about football. (You know, soccer, not American rules football.) If you don't know thing one about the game, you can still read the book, but you won't understand big chunks of it. Hornby either never expected this book to be published in America, or he can't imagine an audience that isn't intimately familiar with football argot. (And, having read the book, I'm betting on the latter.) So you'll need either to read a book about football before you read Fever Pitch, or to have on call a person who knows football. As it happens, I had both. I read the decent book The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro before Fever Pitch, so I knew about, for example, relegation and promotion. And I happen to know a person who watches football. And still I didn't get everything; what the heck is the Arsenal offside trap? What was the Ibrox disaster? (Double whammy, since apparently it also happened before I was born.) What's the penalty spot? I don't know, and Hornby didn't take the time to tell me. So - not perhaps the best book to introduce you to football.

Still, this a fascinating book, a book that contains a wealth of self-knowledge for the obsessed and astonishing revelations for everyone else. Read it. If nothing else, you'll learn that the person in your life that you thought was as obsessed with team X as it is possible to be is merely a fly-by-night fan.

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby is one of the best football books
Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby is one of the best football books around. But it is about much more than football, it gives a rare glimpse into the psyche of the British football fan. In his book, football is a metaphor for all aspects of life, romance, family, and career. Hornby¡¦s amusing narratives perfectly encapsulate the unique relationship a football fan has with their favorite team. Even as a Manchester United fan I find it fascinating to read about his obsession with and dedication to Arsenal.
At the most superficial level, this book provides a very detail account of Arsenal from the late 60s through the beginning of the 90s, and the increasingly violent behavior by football fans during the late 70s and early 80s, and the negative impact it had on his feelings for the games.
Hornby describes vividly how his life was related to Arsenal's achievements. When Arsenal was doing good, Hornby was doing good. When Arsenal was having an off-season, Hornby fell into depression. It is interesting to observe the development of Hornby's obsession, because it can happen to anyone. With the backdrop of his often witty accounts of Arsenal games, Hornby talks about how his life evolves with his family, his girlfriend, and his students. Football is like a common world language, and Hornby uses it to interact with his students. And watching football with his father was one the highlights of his childhood.
Every game has an analogy in life for the football fan. For Hornby, a tight game ending in defeat is a painful reminder of a break with his girlfriend.
While this obsession with football is almost innate, sometimes Hornby felt immature, especially when he was unable to control his overwhelming passion for the game in front of his students.
In humorous pros Hornby highlights how football and life come together on the pitch and is definitely worthy of reading.

black and white and read all over
This is a cool book, and a very good book, but a tiny little "je ne sais quoi" keeps me from giving it that last and final fifth star.

To summarize the book superficially in a sentence, it's an autobiographical retelling, in a very witty first-person voice, of the author's (London journalist Nick Hornby) lifelong love of soccer and his passion for the English pro soccer team Arsenal (which plays in London). Thrown in are side stories about his boyhood, his relationship with his parents, and his posse of friends, love interests, and workmates who either do or don't share his love of the sport.

One problem for North Americans is that this is a truly English book, in that it contains tons of references to little villages in England, little UK customs, judgments and descriptions of London neighborhoods, etc., that left me feeling like a Yankee hick who'd never left the trailer park. Indeed, that is my problem and not the author's, but North Americans who don't know English culture well will feel lost at times.

Another problem is that the book, like the TV show "Seinfeld," isn't really about anything. Sure, there's a lot of chatter about soccer, but not in any sort of methodical or educative way. It's basically a willfully disorganized diary about 20 years in the life of a clever, witty Englishman (from about age 10 to about age 30) who allows soccer to dominate his worldview and, alas, his whole life. It comes down to the amusing musings of a 30-something Londoner, which makes the book fascinating but not monumental.

The obsession with soccer is the strength and the weakness of the work. If you want to learn about English pro soccer, you will be disappointed. If you want to learn first-hand, from a very imaginative and clever soul, about what it was like for one particular person to grow up soccer-mad in southeastern England the 1970's and 1980's and how it impacted the rest of his life, then this is the book for you.

I'm a big fan of Nick Hornby, and a better book of his, and a better "starter book" for him, is "High Fidelity."

Painfully, painfully boring
This book was extremely pointless. Since each entry is a memory, they are written like them so they don't have an insteresting story-telling narrative. Also, some of the entries were just how the game was played and who won, with absolutely nothing interesting to say. And that for 300 pages, completely redundant. This book has no beginning, middle, or end. Just entry after entry of complete pointlessness. Now, it may be because I am not interested in sports, but this is just a football (soccor) journal and nothing more. Hornby was able to shove in a little bit of angst and childhood problems, but it is not nearly significant enough to keep the reader interested.

Though the book had some very funny parts, it doesn't make up for the ennui I experienced while reading this book. You know, they made a movie out a this.....HOW?!! It barely works as a piece of fiction or reference book...but a movie?! Jesus. I'm sorry but this was one of the most boring books I've ever read. ... Read more

Book Description

"You don't become President of the United States.You are given temporary custody of an institution called the presidency... It is a sacred trust and an honor beyond words or measure."

Few politicians have come to represent their era as definitely as former president Ronald Reagan.Now, for the first time in one remarkable audio production, this preeminent leader's story is told in his own unmistakable voice, through a collection of his most memorable speeches, public addresses and debates.

Here is a lively and fascinating look at a rare politician, a patriot who embodied our national spirit in its best guise, and who made us all feel proud to be an American.It is at once an historical treasure and a fitting tribute to one of our country's best-loved icons. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Ronald Reagan A Great Man
Loved this touching portrait of a great American and wonderful human being.Giuliano does a great job in writing, editing, and narratoring this audio.I hope this series continues forever! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In his lifetime, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart didn't have the best of luck with his patrons. One of them, Archbishop Colloredo of Salzburg, actually had his chamberlain kick the composer in the ass to signal the end of his employment. Mozart has been luckier, however, with his biographers. In the last 20 years alone, he has been the subject of two fine books: Maynard Solomon's meticulous study, which slides Mozart's rather mystifying psyche under the analytic microscope, and Wolfgang Hildesheimer's more sardonic effort, in which the author seems determined to strip every last bit of romantic varnish from the traditional portrait.

Now Peter Gay joins the party with his own brief life. Weighing in at 177 pages, Mozart will never displace its deep-focus predecessors. But it's a delightful introduction to the composer, whose entire existence was, as Gay puts it, a "triumph of genius over precociousness." It's one thing, after all, to knock 'em dead at age five--at which point the waist-high Mozart was already a keyboard virtuoso. It's quite another to keep developing at the same prodigious pace. "A child prodigy is, by its nature, a self-destroying artifact: what seems literally marvelous in a boy will seem merely talented and perfectly natural in a young man. But by 1772, at sixteen, Mozart no longer needed to display himself as a little wizard; he had matured in the sonata and the symphony, the first kind of music he composed, and now showed his gifts in new domains: opera, the oratorio, and the earliest in a string of superb piano concertos."

Gay gets in all the essentials: Mozart's mind-blowing maturation, his family life, his weakness for billiards, and (of course) his seriously scatological style as a correspondent. Like Solomon, he takes an Oedipal approach to Wolfgang's perpetual head-banging with his overbearing father. And like Hildesheimer, he's at pains to scotch certain cherished myths--the mysterious figure who commissioned the Requiem, for example, turns out to be no otherworldly harbinger of death but a chiseling wannabe who hoped to pass off the finished product as his own work. Perhaps best of all, Gay never goes sublime on us. His portrait is attractively level-headed, and at one point he's even modest enough to knock his own metaphors for their puerility. Here, surely, the author is being hard on himself. But he's right about one thing: as far as artistry goes, this former child prodigy does make children of us all. --James Marcus ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Superb introduction to Mozart's life
In this book, Peter Gay offers an excellent, concise summary of Mozart's life and greatness.This is not a balanced recounting; Gay compresses the Mozart's active childhood of tours and performances into a single chapter, while his frustrating years at Salzburg are similarly condensed to a few pages.Yet such an approach is more than justified given the purpose of the "Penguin Lives" series, which is to offer brief introductions to their selected subjects.

A distinguished intellectual and cultural historian, Gay brings considerable knowledge of Mozart's world to bear in examining the details of his life, connecting it to the broader historical developments of his time.Chapters 6 and 7 break away from the biographical narrative to focus on Mozart's achievements as a writer of symphonies and operas, which allows Gay to turn his finely honed analytical abilities to evaluating Mozart the artist.While there is nothing new in his analysis, it nonetheless provides an excellent introduction to the life of this brilliant musician and composer.

Colorful portrait
Gay's book is a colourful portrait of the genius Mozart.It's lively not boring and gave me more than enough information on the man himself but very little on his marriage.I would have preferred more info on that aspect of his life but admittedly Gay does a splendid job on the early and Mozart and giving me a better understanding of what made the Great Composer tick.
And the best of the Penguin lives series that I've come across so far.

A Triumph of Genius over Preociousness
This is one of several volumes in the Penguin Lives Series, each of which written by a distinguished author in her or his own right. Each provides a concise but remarkably comprehensive biography of its subject in combination with a penetrating analysis of the significance of that subject's life and career. I think this is a brilliant concept. Those who wish to learn more about the given subject are directed to other sources.

When preparing to review various volumes in this series, I have struggled with determining what would be of greatest interest and assistance to those who read my reviews. Finally I decided that a few brief excerpts and then some concluding remarks would be appropriate.

On misconceptions of Mozart (e.g. the "willful child" unable to grow up, the "miracle worker" who never needed to revise a single note): "These tenacious caricatures are distortions rather than fabrications; most of them, as we shall discover, contain a kernel of truth....But Mozart's life in music is fascinating enough without embroidery; his reputation as a genius is not threatened by mundane truths." (Page 2)

In a letter to his father (1781): "Nature speaks as loudly in me as in anyone, and perhaps louder than in many big, strong lugs. I cannot possibly live like most of the young men today. -- First, I have too much religion; secondly, too much love for my fellow beings and too honorable a disposition to seduce an innocent girl; and thirdly, too much horror and repugnance, dread and fear of diseases, and too much care for my health to scuffle with whores." (Page 70)

Peter Gay on Salieri: "There is an all-too-well-known melodramatic tale about Antonio Salieri poisoning Mozart. It began as a rumor and was first given literary form in the 1820s in a verse playlet by Pushkin. It is a malicious, preposterous fabrication, but hints at the envy Mozart's rivals had every right to feel. Yet Mozart, too, had grounds for envy: Salieri, born in Italy but long settled in Vienna, occupied privileged posts that Mozart would have deserved but, given Emperor Joseph's predilection for Salieri, could never hope to obtain." (Page 100)

Mozart's last year: "[It] has often been described as one long preparation for death. But in that time, Mozart wrote two operas, a piano concerto, a large number of minuets and counterdances, a clarinet concerto, a Masonic cantata, two quintets, and most of the Requiem. His creativity was still working at full speed." (Page 156)

I am among those who have seen the film Amadeus many times, admiring it more each time. For dramatic purposes, those who produced Amadeus focus on several of the "tenacious caricatures" to which Gay refers. What I especially appreciate about this biography is that Gay duly acknowledges all of Mozart's human limitations and inadequacies while examining Mozart's creative discipline in ways and to an extent which the film does not. With regard to this biography's context, Gay tells his reader only what is essential to know about the various cities in which Mozart lived and worked during various periods in his all-too-brief life (January 27,1756-December 5, 1791). Rather than create an historical or cultural context, Gay prefers to focus primarily on Mozart's art. As he notes, the renewal of interest more than a century after Mozart's death raised his music -- "all of it -- to the eminence it deserves."

Mozart's A Delight and Gay's Got Him
The Penguin Lives series continues to serve me well as I rebel against the opposing current of plodding steamer trunk-sized biographies.In under 200 pages, the Penguins neatly shake off obscurity and/or legends that have grown up around a significant life and tell its story neatly, in light of the individual's environment and enduring contributions to culture.

Peter Gay's Mozart is a good example of the series' strength.The narrative flows gracefully, allowing Mozart's character to come out in full.As Gay says, his genius was special in many ways: he built on an early precocity; he did not live in a garret, he was popular in his own time, he participated in a community of peers rather than in a vacuum.Mozart's life has been clouded in legend and Gay makes it his business to sift out the truth.Sometimes the truth dovetails with the tales, as in being booted in the rear by Count Arco upon being released from his Saltzburg duties, after whining about wanting out.The guy had his bratty moments. Other legends are celebrity gossip: his death was prosaic illness, he and Salieri seemed to get along, and his money problems were probably not so terrible as he himself would tell it, though productivity is directly connected to patronage.

Gay does a good job of portraying the complex relationship between Mozart and his tyrannical stage father.Likewise, he effectively describes Mozart's relationship with his social environment, late in the Enlightenment. He also tracks his creative development, revisiting the genius of many works, especially the later operas.Working within only 163 pages, though, something gets left out:we know nothing of Mozart's own children and Gay drops almost any mention of his sister, Nannerl, past their childhood.He says that Leopold, Mozart's father, continued to exploit his son's gift after his death but does not say how when it comes time to discuss it.

Those are minor flaws. Mozart's a delight, the writing's a delight.It's like a fizzy drink packed with nutrients.

Mozart Revisited
Mozart dies at age 35. His output was stupendous, but his life was short. This gives the author the chance to write about it in great detail within a slim volume. He does an admirable job in bringing Mozart back too life for us.

Mr. Gay puts repeated emphasis on Mozart?s dependence on his father Leopold. Although Leopold recognized his son?s genius, he kept him under firm and strict control. Part of this was founded in society?s approach to the upbringing of children. But another large part was the fact that young Amadeus became the money making machine that kept the family financially afloat. Mozart himself went from subservience as a childto absolute disavowal of his father when he became of age. The connection to his sister Nannerl , who was a good musician but not a genius, was more neutral. Young Amadeus had quite the sex drive. But when he married Constanze . he finally found somebody who cared for him. This poor woman outlived him by about 40 years.

Mozart was basically a lonely man. As a child, he met - and worked for - kings and emperors. He was aware of, and corresponded with, the great musicians of the time. One of the contacts with the people around him was his membership in the Freemasons. His life was composing, day and night.

The author does not give short shrift to Mozart?s music but, thanks be to him, does not spend time on telling us what he personally thinks of one piece of music or another. He accounts for all the compositions and mentions the progress Mozart made. He does give special attention to the operas, writing a short and most helpful resume of all the major ones. Librettist da Ponte receives a place of honor, and Schikaneder an honorable mentioning. Mozart loved to compose operas and is given full credit. He was versed in staging and was a major contributor to any presentation. But he was not a happy person. He loved to spend money, and his music did not bring enough income. He did not like Vienna, where he spent so many years. He came to dislike his father, who held him responsible for his mother?s death.

Reading this book, you feel a great affinity for this young genius. And you ponder, of course, what would have happened if----------he had lived longer. ... Read more

Book Description

Derived from a television series on Truman, these rare recordings are straight from the shoulder, pithy and fascinating. Reissued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII, this is an important historical work by Ben Gradus, the producer of the television series. ... Read more

Book Description

An illuminating analysis of the man whose name is synonymous with American democracy. Jefferson was the originator of so many of the founding principles of American democracy. He introduced the bills separating church and state and mandating free public education. He initiated the Lewis and Clark expedition and seized on the crucial moment when Napoleon decided to sell the Louisiana Territory. In this compelling examination, distinguished historian Joyce Appleby captures all of the richness of Jefferson’s character and accomplishments.
... Read more

Reviews (6)

Another Deplorable Biography on Thomas Jefferson
Here it is again! Another typically deplorable biography on Thomas Jefferson from another PC historian. What a shame that the American History "profession" has once again provided us with a biased, politically correct, and slander ridden assault on the personage of Thomas Jefferson. Joyce Appleby spends more time bashing him for his views on women, indians,and slaves that you really never see the great human being who wrote the Declaration of Independence. All the typical left-wing anti-white male PC ad hominem attacks are there. I personally would not waste another dime on a book by Appleby, but if one wants a book that once again trashes an American hero, buy this one!

A balanced view
I'm dismayed at the lack of positive reviews on THOMAS JEFFERSON. Professor Appleby has presented a very balanced view of a very controversial man. She has managed to cover Jefferson in less than 160 pages, a feat in itself. I commend to readers especially Chapter 7 and the Epilogue. Here you will find a superb anaylsis of the ups and downs of Jeffersonian reputation over the years and why Jefferson remains, in spite of it all, the enduring figure he is. Jefferson bashing has been "in" for years. It's refreshing to see a balanced view of the man---a view of Jefferson with the warts on and a view of the ideas and ideals he expounded and the accomplishment he made. I grew up when Jefferson was a real hero and over the years have witnessed the slow but steady disparagement of his character, based almost soley on his position regarding slavery and on the Sally Hemmings affair. I'm glad to see a book like this, which I think should be read by students being introduced to Jefferson for the first time and read by individuals who have read extensively on him to return them to a much needed sense of balance regarding the man.

Rehashed light-weight
I share the other reviewers fairly low opinion of this book but for somewhat different reasons. I came to this small volume having read John Diggins biography on John Adams from the same series. I found Diggins work to be a short but dense intellectual history of the Adams presidency and hoped for the same from Appleby.

Instead what we have is very little of anything. It is certainly not a fact oriented presentation of the events of the Jefferson presidence; while the Burr/Hamilton duel, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the 1800 election battle and other events are mentioned, there are no details. But neither is there the kind of political/philosophical discussion of the kind thatI thought Diggins carried out so well. The analysis here goes little beyond making the naked assertion that Federalists were upper class elitists who Jefferson opposed therefore is Appleby's mind Jefferson is good and isn't it just too bad that Jefferson didn't free his slaves and that he slept with Sally Hemmings. Jefferson has been criticized for much more than the conflict between the claims of the Declaration of Independence and his views on slavery but little of this can be found in Appleby's book. Similarly, there are valid reasons why several recent writers have looked on Adams with favor and while Appleby isn't bound to accept those views, there is no analysis to support her blind rejection of Adams and Federalism.

Again, my objections to the book are not the positions that it takes but rather the fact that these positions are nothing more than conventional wisdom presented without support and they are presented in what is frankly not a very well written book. I can't believe that Schlesinger was pleased with this addition to his series.

low-calorie
Lightweight. Sort of silly. Author is a slave to PC trendiness. Can't believe the august Schelisnger is associated with this thing.

Jefferson- bashing at it's best
While the book contains a multitude of 'possible facts' it was hard to tell what was 'really true' given the author's excessive, extreme and persistent (over 10% of the book) jefferson-bashing over his views on slavery, the role of women & treatment of the Indians. Joyce Appleby subverted an good author's duty to discuss a person 'in his times' and not impose 21st century judgement on 18th century circumstances. Lincoln's early views on slavery would not meet Joyce's impossibly high standard of equality. The author's bias and 'not too' hidden agenda ruin a potentially valuable book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Edward Klein shows that, despite their glamorous public lives, the Kennedys were as human as the rest of us. Through details on the couple's most intimate moments, including Jackie's defloration in a Paris elevator, and her amusing, albeit catty, disposition (kept under wraps because of her political standing), the ivory tower of their existence seems less out of reach. With chapter titles such as "Indiscreet," "Love Lies Bleeding," and "Pleasure First" the book reads a bit like a romance novel, but with a biting touch of reality. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Myth of Camelot
Jackie was Edward Klein's editor at Doubleday. The book opens with chapters that present a detailed biographical sketch of Jackie's pre-JFK life and then proceeds into how Jack and Jackie came to be.Joe Kennedy needed to find a suitable wife for John if he was to advance in politics.He turned to his good friend Arthur Krock of The New York Times who suggested Jackie Bouvier.Joe approved so Arthur contacted newspaperman Charlie Bartlett, Jackie's friend, to arrange an introduction.

John was the [fun loving person] of Washington with one of the worst attendance records in the House of Representatives.He found girling and parties much more interesting.Jack liked the challenge of conquest but once conquered he soon lost interest and was incapable of sustaining a prolonged relationship.He stated that he wanted to have children but he wanted to marry a woman who was chaste because he was worried about being compared to other men.

Both Jack and Jackie's families had way too much control over their adult children's lives! Joe Sr. even picked out Jackie's engagement ring.At the luncheon where the mother's were to discuss their wedding, Jack acted like a scolded child.It was pretty clear that he didn't want to kiss bachelorhood goodbye and that he wasn't in love with Jackie.

Janet Bouvier Achincloss, Jackie's mother, felt her daughter was marrying beneath her and was putting up a fight with Rose about how the wedding should go.Joe Kennedy intervened.He sneered at the Archinclosses because they were old money but were unable to maintain it and keep living in style.In the end, Joe got his very public very politic wedding.

Jack treated Jackie as the means to an end: the White House and children.Jack even had a brief fling with Jackie's sister Lee while Jackie was in the hospital.Friends implied that the Cuban Missile Crisis caused Jack to take a renewed emotional interest in his immediate family and that he and Jackie very close.Yet he still had a mistress?Please!

This book has it all scandal, [physical attraction], drugs and lies!It takes an intimate look inside the world of old money WASPs and of the newly moneyed and their views of each other. Klein used primary sources including interviews with many of the people in Jack and Jackie's life.One thing Klein never discussed was what Jackie's feelings and beliefs were surrounding the conspiracy theories that have grown up around JFK's murder.A great companion book to this is The Day John Died by Christopher Andersen, which focuses on really both JFK's children's lives before and after the assassination.I simply could not put either book down!

A Touching Report
ALL TOO HUMAN is a touching history of the marriage of John Fitzgerald Kennedy to Jacqueline Bouvier.

In hindsight, Jacqueline had as big an impact on modern culture as did her first husband, perhaps simply because her life lasted longer.Yet this is not to belittle her actual influence; an entire generation of women modeled themselves on her style. Her dignity, her educational standards, her appreciation of the arts, all proved to be an inspiration to the world.

Author Edward Klein has turned writing about the Kennedys into a cottage industry. This particular biography is a nice balance to many other harsher reports, focusing here as he does on the good points of the marriage of this President and his First Lady.

Frothy and surprisingly touching
Reading this book I was reminded of an old 70s song, "Fooled Around and Fell in Love." For in this version of the Kennedy marriage, that seems to be what happened. Jackie needed to make a "successful" marriage that would land her "real money," and time was running out. After all, she was 24 years old! JFK needed a wife, a good and presentable CATHOLIC wife, to enhance his image with voters. From these cynical beginnings, according to Klein, a marriage was born and eventually, true love. Over the decade they spent together, Jack and Jackie came to appreciate and depend on one another, bonded by unique experiences and the love of their children. I have one quibble with the point-of-view of this book: Jackie became one of the most influential women of the century because of her marriage to this powerful man. To pretend otherwise is just silly. And for Klein to insist that Jackie was "important" politically is also silly. This is not Hillary Clinton, Rosalyn Carter, or Eleanor Roosevelt we're talking about here. She represented her nation well overseas, honored her husband's memory gallantly and worked hard at being a good mother. There is much to admire about her. But she was neither a policy wonk nor a political powerhouse, but a glamorous celebrity, and therefore historically, she was no where near as important as her first husband.

Unpresidented Prose
As of the most successful dynasties in American history, the Kennedy's have left an indelible mark on our nation unlike any other. Millions have proclaimed John to be a hero exemplifying American characterizes and Jackie exhibiting class beyond compare. Klein challenges the status quo by revealing the first family's moral devoidness throughout the course of their campaign and life in general. No longer worthy of the apotheosis so many Democrats have been attempting to bestow to the martyred president, rather a man with extreme moral vicissitude unforeseen by the watchful eye of the nation. Who would have ever thought that before the 1960 election Kennedy had been in the company of a young female to "relax" him before he took center stage against a nation of voters? John shines through as a hedonistic man looking to secure power and politics for his personal discourse. Jackie is seen as a modern day Anna Nichole Smith for her power and money-hungry ways in looking at Jack as a means to build upon herself even greater. Although these themes are a bit cynical and I don't agree with all of them, Klein writes with such chosen linguistics that simply reading will be candy to your eyes. If you are looking for a fun read recounting one of our nation's most memberable presidents All Too Human (or the John Stephanopoulos novel by the same name) are in a class by themselves.

A touching story.
This book tells the touching story of the relationship between Jack and Jackie Kennedy. It is well-written and is a sympathetic telling of their relationship. I enjoyed it very much - better than most of the books about the Kennedys on the market. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Gripping!
This was eye-opening. A friend recommended I listen to this and I am extremely impressed with the lurid detail and strong emotions the interviewee shared. There is no doubt in my mind that William Barnes once lived as Thomas Andrews. This interview helps one understand that who we are and the emotions we feel in this life are driven from a source much deeper than our early childhood experiences.

I BELIEVE IT AND SO WILL YOU!
A wonderful audio tape. You feel his pain,and finally the truth comes out! No cover ups! If you love the Titanic as much as I do, this tape if for you!

So real, it sent chills up my spine
In this great audio book, which is the companion to "I built the Titanic," Willam Barne's publisher has done an excellent job in editing the actual past-life regression sessions into chronological order. The result is like hearing Thomas Andrews tell the story, step by step, in his own words and his own voice.

So real, it sent chills up my spine.

This is not just a re-hash of the material on the first book. In There is new regression material here, plus an excellent interview with William Barnes, telling how bringing forth the past-life sotry has brought healing and peace of mind in this life. You can also hear a very clear difference between the voice of Tommie and the voice of Bill Barnes. So much more convincxing that a printed book!

I recommend buying both of these "Titanic" audio books -- they really should be considered a two-part set!

A perfect companion for I Built the Titanic.
This book contains the actual past life regressions that brought forth Tommie Andrews and made him alive again. I can't get enough of the sound of of Mr. Andews speaking through the author. There are additional regrassions that weren't included in I Built the Titanic along with a terrific interview at the end, making this the perfect compliment. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

a tiring search
Well written but hardly engaging, Stephen Bogart descends to the predictable far too often.Open any section and the recipe will be identical: Fascinating anecdotes about Humphrey Bogart & mid-century Hollywood are sandwiched between massive slabs of "oh my daddy died and thats why life has been so hard for me me me!"The mantra of selfpity continues throughout.For those who blame their parents for the crippling hardship of adulthood (!) this is the book for you.Bogart fans will perhaps be less pleased - 2 stars for fluid prose & the bits which actually deal with Bogie, icon & man

By far the best bio I've read...
This book is the best biography I ever read! You learn what Bogart was really like when he wasn't on set doing a movie. You get a real good idea about how he really was in real life. Stephen Bogart tells wonderful stories that he's heard about his father and puts an end to some of the rumors about him. You learn about the last days Bogie was living and what everyone close to him went through. You get to read about the first time Bacall and Bogie met and their love story! Great book!

Sketchy memories
As a fan of Bogart movies,I found this to be an interesting read, even though it is really a collection of Bogart stories, told by his old friends. Humphrey Bogart died when his son was only 8 years old and his memories of his father are as sketchy as one would expect. What annoyed me was his whining attitude towards his father for dying and leaving him (as if he could help this !) and towards his mother, for her love and loyalty to her husband. This was a much loved and cherished child who blamed all of his failings in life on the fact that he was left fatherless as a child, but enjoyed a loving home and what would have been a fine education if he had applied himself and stopped drowning in self pity.

STEPHEN:LOST AND CONFUSED
As I read the other reviews I looked back to see if we were
rating the same book. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I DO
like biographies and as an avid reader ,have read many...
20 last month. This book is 2-1/2 stars at most..Certainly not a "five".
Stephen Bogart allowed himself to become cynical, tortured and lost, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Idaho.
I'm sorry he had such a short relationship with his father, but it isn't too late for him to have a true relationship with his
Father. Without Him ,Stephen will have everlasting, unending problems !
As long as his heart is beating, it's not too late, but when it stops, it's irreversible and set forever!

a pleasing reading
I read this book only in search of some of the memorable sentences of Bogart. I'm no fan of biographies of stars. However I must say that I was happily surprised by this book which is quite well written, even with some originality. It is too rare a fact not to be noticed. As to what's inside, I effectively found what I looked for, but I can't tell if bogartmaniacs will learn something new. My only point is that Stephen's position and remarks stroke me by their earnestness and lucidity. I would feel stupid saying that it is one of the best book I ever read, but it is a very pleasing reading. And I would add : happy for you Stephen, even more than for your father.
Refers to french translation ... Read more

Book Description

The publication in 1992 of Andrew Morton's Diana: Her True Story shook the British Royal family to its very foundations. Initially greeted with disbelief, as time passed, it became clear that the book was, as its title claimed, Diana's true story.

Diana's friends were hopeful that separation from Charles would bring Diana freedom to find happiness. But has it? With her marriage in limbo and her children only occasionally by her side, Diana's position in the royal family is one of increasing isolation. Diana: Her New Life chronicles the secret battles that have raged behind closed doors, and Diana's frustration as she tries to break free from the restrictions of her semi-detached royal life.

Again with unprecedented access to some of Diana's closest friends, Andrew Morton strips away the royal propaganda and reveals how Diana is learning to become a woman in her own right not a puppet of the palace, and shares Diana's private thoughts on retirement from public life, remarriage, the men in her life, and the grooming of Prince William for his future role. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not as juicy as Diana: Her True Story
but just as good. This book is an update on Diana since her separation from Charles in 1992 and what the future could hold for Diana as a single woman.

Unfortunately, only a year after her divorce, we got the answer, and it wasn't good.

Palace Intrigue is Alive & Well in This Century
Without question, this is a book sympathetic to Diana's side, and justifiably so. The grey-suited eunuchs of Buckingham Palace have never done the monarchy a favor by meddling in the marriages of the royal family. Morton tells the tale of Diana, her remarkable courage and resourcefulness, and her feelings of alienation, in the face of a smear campaign that would have shriveled us lesser mortals. Diana is a flawed, but nevertheless feeling, human being who did not deserve the ill treatment she received at the hands of her prince and his minions. This is an interesting book to read in light of what's happened since the book's publication in 1994. One can believe that Diana's death may not have been an accident.

An interesting book,it made you feel asif you were there.
I loved this book, I felt as if I was there writing the book as it happened,rather than reading the book years after it happened. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Molly Ivins
Three Cassettes, 5 hours

There couldn't be a better person than Texas daughter Molly Ivins to cover the recently hatched but rapidly ascending political career of George Walker Bush, the leader among the GOP 2000 presidential hopefuls.While the media dwells on Bush's "youthful indiscretions," Ivins looks at his stance on the real issues and shows that for all his congeniality ("You would have to work at it to dislike the man"), there is not much there:The single worst thing I can say about George W. Bush after five years of watching him is that if you think his daddy had trouble with 'the vision thing,' wait'll you meet this one".Bush, whose only prior political experience was assisting his father's campaign, has succeeded largely due to his vagueness--voters are able to read into him the views they want.

Shrub is Ivin's first book that is not a collection of previously published pieces.This brand-new material is timed just right for the snow of New Hampshire and George "Dubya's" first national test drive.Funny, trenchant, and on-target, Ivins gives the most perceptive and entertaining reading of the man she calls Shrub--and that's President Shrub to the rest of us. ... Read more

Reviews (128)

interesting and pertinent analysis of Bush's character
This is Molly Ivins' first original-content book (as opposed to collections of previously published columns), and its timing is certainly good.

What I like about Ivins' and Dubose's analysis is the way it is categorized. Bush's past actions concerning the environment, crime, religion, business, education, and so on are discussed, all in light of the unique backdrop that is Texas politics. The portrait painted of Bush is not particularly flattering unless one is a laissez-faire capitalist, and does not show him as having much real depth beyond doing what it takes to get along with his likely supporters.

One thing to consider is that this book isn't nearly as funny as Molly's earlier books. However, its analysis is correspondingly more focused. Whether that's a positive or a negative is up to the reader. The other factor is price. At full retail, this book is too thin to be worth the money. Happily, amazon's selling it for about 2/3 of that--a fair price, in my view.

Required Reading
Anybody who thinks that Bush is the moral salvation of this country, needs to read this book. Molly Ivins exposes why the same people who loved to rant about Clinton's lack of content are eager for a man with an admittedly worse record.

Because Ivins does not rely on one-liners or comedy matterial, this book is much more credible than the joke books that are problaly rolling off the presses now that Dubya's selection as the Republican nomination has been confirmed. She simply lets the governor's lack of a good record speak for itself.

Bush is a spoiled little rich boy who is ruining Texas, but Ivins and the rest of the educated world are not going to let him get away with such debauchery. Texas ranks first in the number of executions and last in education---and we wonder why people from OUTSIDE the state were praising his education record at the convention.

Quick and Insightful
One of the best anti-Bush books out there. Not because it is heavy and deep with insight and lengthy connections that lead to utter shock but because it's fast, sharp and somewhat balanced--sort of. Ivans has wit and twist of phrase that makes her writing especially enjoyable no matter what subject she's taking on. This is just one of a number of excursions into Bush-land that she guides us on. I'd like to see the collected works someday. There's something to be said for media that has a specific stance but allows you to feel your own feelings about the subject. Kind of an Erroll Morris approach--Fog of War (see it), Kurt Vonnegut --(read him), USA The Movie (definitely see it!), Trials of Henry Kissinger (see it). All available on Amazon or through other outlets. We should all read more and watch more media that teaches and preaches rather than revs us up with emptiness.

TEXAS-TWANGED MOLLY READS IT BEST
When it comes to political commentary nobody is quicker on the draw than syndicated columnist Molly Ivins. Now she focuses her Texas size wit on the most talked about politician in the Lone Star State - George W. Bush, whom she calls "Shrub" or simply "Dubya."

She calls the man who is our President a man you would have to work at to dislike, while she traces his sometimes circuitous political career and astutely assesses his qualifications.

No one is better suited to read "Shrub" than the sometimes gravely voiced Texas-twanged Molly.

Well Written Editorializing
The well-written editorializing in this book is frequently snide, sarcastic and pejorative -- literary tools to which one typically resorts when his/her position is wrong. Because facts, reason and truth work against the wrong position, tactics aimed at emotions -- such as a denigrating nick-name like "Shrub" -- are all that's left. And if the subject of this smear campaign happened to belong to the other political party, this author's view of him would be wonderful -- completely regardless whatever he might do or fail to do. ... Read more

Book Description

Enter the tempestuous yet loving marriage of one of history's most famous couples. Shocking confessions, violent jealousy, the demands of reigning over an empire -- all from the letters and diaries of the monarchs whose marriage set the pattern for the 19th century. Julie Harris and Richard Kiely are unforgettable in this remarkable performance that encompasses the power struggle that characterized the early years, the eventual successful co-regency, and Albert's early death at age 42, which plunged Victoria into mourning and her famous 40 years of widowhood. Produced by Victoria Magazine. 1 cassette. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

historical, romantic, and so funny !
This live performance recorded at the Mencken Concert Hall in New York City is extraordinary.
Laurence Houseman (1865-1959), was a prolific writer and wrote several plays centered around Queen Victoria. This is an adaptation of two of them, "Victoria and Albert" (1933), and "Victoria Regina" (1934), and it also includes private and public writings of the queen and her prince consort.

Queen Victoria was a strong, temperamental character, and few men could have withstood being her consort with as much grace as Prince Albert. Being a sober and temperate man, he was a good balance for her, and of course, it was a rare and wonderful affection that flowed between them for 22 years.

The incredible wit in these readings will have you howling with laughter. One of the funnier parts concerns her dislike for small children. Albert was a much better "mother" to their nine offspring, and her descriptions of an infant are hilarious !

Julie Harris and Richard Kiley are totally brilliant. I can't imagine a more perfect performance, capturing all the love, humor, and strength of these two remarkable, complex people who changed the course of history.
I've always been fascinated by Victoria and Albert...I feel there is much more substance to them than what seems to be the current "fashionable" opinion, and for anyone who shares that interest, this tape is an absolute must to listen to. ... Read more

Book Description

As Margaret Truman knows from firsthand experience, living in the White House can be exhilarating and maddening, alarming and exhausting, but it is certainly never dull. Part private residence, part goldfish bowl, and part national shrine, the White House is both the most important address in America and the most intensely scrutinized.

In The President's House, Margaret Truman takes us behind the scenes as she reveals what it feels like to live in the White House. Here are hilarious stories of Teddy Roosevelt's rambunctious children tossing spitballs at presidential portraits and a heartbreaking account of the tragedy that befell President Coolidge's young son John. Here, too, is the real story of the Lincoln Bedroom - as well as the thrilling narrative of how first lady Dolley Madison rescued the priceless portrait of George Washington and a copy of the Declaration of Independence before British soldiers torched the White House in 1814.

Today the 132-room White House operates as an exotic combination of first-class hotel and fortress, with 1600 dedicated workers and an annual budget over $1 billion. But ghosts of the past still walk the august corridors, including the phantom whose visit President Harry S. Truman described to his daughter in eerie detail. From the basement swarming with reporters to the "Situation Room" crammed with sophisticated technology to the Oval Office where the President receives the world's leaders, the White House is a beehive of relentless activity, deal-making, intrigue, gossip, and, of course, history in the making. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A fun and insightful read....
While Margaret Truman isn't on the same level as Ken Burns, Shelby Foote or other historians her books are a fun read. Who better to tell you about the White House than someone whose parents spent seven years in residence (although due to renovations it was not technically seven years - they spent some time at the Blair House).

She crafts a nice balance between telling you little known stories about the former first families while sprinkling in her opinions; much like a chef would throw a dash of spice into a recipe. One of the most pleasant surprises is that she is bi-partisan in her narrative. If she is wry in her observations about some of the first families, it is based more on her observations of character rather than party loyalty. She speaks glowingly of some of the Republican inhabitants - most notably the Coolidges.

I definitely recommend this book for those who love historical trivia. Plus much of the reading material (White House pets for example)can be shared with kids for those times that you'd like bedtime reading to be a little more stimulating than "Captain Underpants" or "The Day my Butt went Psycho"

Inside the White House by a Famous First Daughter
Margaret Truman is, of course, the daughter of President Harry Truman and his wife Bess. She is the most prolific writing child of any American Chief Executiv. Margaret Truman has written several mysteries and histories about life in Washington which are written in a popular style easy to understand and enjoy.
As Ms. Truman opens the door to our White House she lets us discover the fascinating men and women who have lived at 1600
Pennyslvania Avenue. She discusses such various topics as:

1. White House Weddings.
2. Relations between the Presidents and the Media
3. The Children of Presidents who have lived in the White House
4. White House Presidential Pets
5. The kooks and crazies who have tried (and in some cases been successful) in assasinating our chief executive.
6. She describes the growth of the White House from its first occupancy by John and Abigal Adams in 1800. The history of the White House building, grounds, gardens and additions are discussed.
7. How the routine of a White House day changed with every administration-when they awoke to what they liked for dinner!
Ms. Truman has written in a charmingly simple style which is nevertheless based on her well done historical research. This is a book anyone regardless of age or party affiliation could enjoy.
I recommend it highly!

The Story of the White House, By A Famous First Daughter
Former First Daughter Margaret Truman offers the reader an entertaining, anecdotal account of life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Her focus is on the White House as a home, though its role as a seat of power is not neglected. As a result, you can expect to learn more here about the first wives, children, doormen, Secret Service agents, maids, gardeners, cooks and others who have lived and labored behind these famous walls..although the presidents themselves aren't entirely overlooked.

The exterior the White House presents to the world has changed little in two centuries...but the interior has been undergoing an almost constant process of destruction and renewal. We learn about the 1814 torching of the president's house by invading British troops; the addition of greenhouses, which gave way to the west wing at the beginning of the 20th century; almost constant sprees of redecoration and reconfiguring of the public and family rooms, all of which culminated in the complete reconstruction of the White House during the Truman years.

There are chapters about the rambunctious children, the unusual pets, the glamorous weddings, riotous inaugural balls and other historic events that have enlivened this historic mansion. You will get a sense of the behind-the-scenes preparation that goes into welcoming a visiting head of state or similar dignitary.There are two sections of illustrations, one in color, that further help the reader share in Truman's wonder and appreciation of this historic house.--William C. Hall

A Good Beginning. . .
This book certainly reminds one of Mrs. Daniel's mysteries. I have read her various publications on her parents and I consider them to be better reads.

However, Mrs. Daniel does an excellent job of organizing her work, and the break-down of the chapters here is excellent.I didn't read the book in order, but picked the chapters in which I was most interested first!

I'm a history reader, though, and found very little in this book that was news.Save her personal recollections, I think I've seen this information elsewhere, and in greater detail. The book is very 'readable', though, and I managed to polish it off in two evenings, easily.This will likely broaden its appeal to its intended audience.

I can't say the book is a disappointment.I didn't expect a more academic volume.The expression 'history lite', used by Publisher's Weekly, is appropriate.For those who ordinarily don't read history, it will be pleasurable.For those of us who read history, a look elsewhere is recommended.

fluffy but fun look at America?s showcase home
Author and a former first daughter (unbelievably over fifty years ago) Margaret Truman provides the perfect combination to escort readers to an insider tour of the White House (past and present).The best-selling writer provides numerous anecdotes from history as she escorts her visitors through the kitchen, garden and the famous social functions, etc.The book also contains chapters on the household, political and security staffs, the press corps, and White House weddings.Of course other sections provide insight into the first families including pets.

Though history buffs will think it is too much fluff the former first daughter turned novelist provides a fun look at America's showcase home over the two plus centuries of residents.Readers will enjoy this book written in a light-hearted upbeat manner enhanced by color and black and white photos.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Book Description

The first dual biography of two of the world’s most remarkable women—Elizabeth I of England and Mary Queen of Scots—by one of Britain’s “best biographers” (The Sunday Times).

In a rich and riveting narrative, Jane Dunn reveals the extraordinary rivalry between the regal cousins. It is the story of two queens ruling on one island, each with a claim to the throne of England, each embodying dramatically opposing qualities of character, ideals of womanliness (and views of sexuality) and divinely ordained kingship.
As regnant queens in an overwhelmingly masculine world, they were deplored for their femaleness, compared unfavorably with each other and courted by the same men. By placing their dynamic and ever-changing relationship at the center of the book, Dunn illuminates their differences. Elizabeth, inheriting a weak, divided country coveted by all the Catholic monarchs of Europe, is revolutionary in her insistence on ruling alone and inspired in her use of celibacy as a political tool—yet also possessed of a deeply feeling nature. Mary is not the romantic victim of history but a courageous adventurer with a reckless heart and a magnetic influence over men and women alike. Vengeful against her enemies and the more ruthless of the two queens, she is untroubled by plotting Elizabeth’s murder. Elizabeth, however, is driven to anguish at finally having to sanction Mary’s death for treason. Working almost exclusively from contemporary letters and writings, Dunn explores their symbiotic, though never face-to-face, relationship and the power struggle that raged between them.

A story of sex, power and politics, of a rivalry unparalleled in the pages of English history, of two charismatic women—told in a masterful double biography.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An outstanding historical comparison...
Dunn did something different with this book. Rather than reiterate all the facts in the lives of these two contemporary monarchs, Dunn zoned in on the both the similarties between the two women, but more importantly on the differences that led one queen to being one of the best monarchs (female or male), while the other one's claim to fame would end up being a martyr around whom fogs of mysteries could be built (and were).

At first I was a little disappointed in not getting more information than Dunn was providing. It wasn't until where I saw where she was going through comparing the two women, that I could settle in and enjoy the book. I am quite sure there are more then enough biographies out there on both the English and Scottish monarchs, and the world of intrigue swirling around them. What was interesting about this book is the recognition that Elizabeth's very uncertain childhood had an immense impact on her later abilities as a queen, while Mary was spoiled in the French court and so when she came across difficulties later on, she did not know how to handle political crises diplomatically.

Another interesting point, is how much written information (usually in letter formats, or writing from diplomats to their respective kings or queens or popes) still exists from over 500 years ago. We may live in the information age, but these guys managed to get information quite well, as well as spread disinformation successfully.

Dunn's writing is excellent. This book was an enjoyable and fast read. Dunn provides an excellent geneaological chart at the beginning of the book, as well as a chronological chart of the time period. In the back is a great select Bibliography for those who wish to continue to read on this fascinating time.

Karen Sadler

A fascinating side-by-side comparison of two rival queens.
Many have criticized this dual biography for not introducing new material, and simply re-hashing what has been written elsewhere. And clearly there is no shortage of excellent biogaphies on both of these queens. However, it is the format of Dunn's book that sets it apart and gives us an innovative perspective. Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots, were both fascinating monarchs in their own right, but equally fascinating is the complex relationship between them. Both women had a claim to the throne of England. Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth's grandfather, Henry VII, who overthrew Richard III and founded the Tudor dynasty, was also the great-grandfather of Mary (born to King James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise). Elizabeth was Mary's elder by only nine years. Both women were ambitious, passionate, and cunning. Yet despite their similar status as queens and cousins, these two women were also very different from one another.

Mary became Queen of Scotland only six days after her birth in 1542, upon the death of her father. In 1548 she was sent to France, to grow up in the court of her French fiance, the dauphin Francis. Her status was never in question, and therefore she never questioned it herself. Elizabeth, however, traversed a much more tumultuous path to her throne. When her mother was beheaded so Henry VIII could marry his third wife, the young princess was declared illegitimate and removed from the succession. Ultimately her place in the succession was reinstated, but this in no way guaranteed that she would ever become queen. First in line was her radically Protestant half-brother, Edward, who died young. Next came the devoutly Catholic Mary I ("Bloody Mary"), Elizabeth's half-sister from Henry VIII's first marriage, under whom Elizabeth even spent some time in the Tower of London. It was only upon Mary's death in 1558, when Elizabeth was 24 years of age, that she finally ascended the throne herself.

The relationship between Elizabeth and Mary was very multi-faceted (despite the fact that the two queens never met). For most of her life, Mary referred to Elizabeth as a dear sister, and actively sought her cousin's favor. Yet at the same time Mary coveted the English crown, and even on several occasions declared that she herself was the rightful Queen of England. Yet the Queen of Scots, by dint of her as-yet unthreatened sovereignty, could also be presumtuous to a fault. Her impulsive marriage to Lord Darnley, her second husband (who was shortly thereafter murdered), against the will and advice of many in both Scotland and England, marked the beginning of her ultimate downward slide. Elizabeth, while she displayed more pragmatism in matters of the heart, was also somewhat jealous of her cousin's romantic exploits. Elizabeth had realized early on that she could never marry her personal favorite, Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, and that she must instead declare herself to be married to her country, but this did not erase her longing for romantic fulfilment.

Ultimately Elizabeth was forced to imprison, and eventually execute, her cousin and rival queen. Mary, fleeing from Scottish rebels, thought to run to Elizabeth for refuge and support. But Elizabeth insisted on an investigation into Mary's possible involvement in the murder of Lord Darnley, and therefore detained the Scottish queen in a remote castle. Despite Mary's repeated pleas, she refused an audience with her, fearing the Queen of Scots' reputation for beguiling charm. Mary's imprisonment became all the more serious when she was implicated in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth. The English queen had no desire to execute her cousin, despite pressure from her counselors. Only when irrefutable proof of Mary's involvement was produced did Elizabeth finally sign the death warrant, and even then she was plagued with guilt. In all, Mary spent nearly two decades as Elizabeth's prisoner, and was finally beheaded in 1587, still having never met her cousin and greatest rival.

The basic story is obviously the same. Indeed, I think it would be hard to introduce any new material on the lives of Elizabeth and Mary at this point, when we probably already know all we ever will about them. Yet Dunn's presentation here is fascinating. By placing the two queens side-by-side for comparison and contrast, and focussing on their relationship, we get to see both sides of the story simultaneously. This format emphasizes the inter-connectedness of their lives, and really shows how much each was dependent on the other. In many ways each served as the only person who could truly identify with the other, both being women rulers in a time when females were seen as incapable of effective leadership, and being each other's closest blood relatives (with the exception of Mary's son, James VI & I).

Dunn's writing style, while not the most engaging I have ever read, is nevertheless very accessible. She has clearly done her research, and paints a lovely dual portrait of these two women. I also liked the fact that, when using direct quotes, Dunn gives both the original text with its archaic and unstandardized spellings, and also the same quote written with modern spellings, which makes it easier to read and understand. My only real criticism of the text is that she skims over a few events that are considered "well-known," when the book would have been more balanced and informative if Dunn had written on all events with equal detail. After all, not all her readers will have read extensively on these monarchs before picking up this book. On a positive note, the book is equipped with numerous full-color pictures, including portraits of the queens, their family members, important members of their courts, and even some pictures of embroidery Mary completed while imprisoned in England. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, learned much from it, and would definitely recommend it.

A Pair of Queens
Some have criticized Jane Dunn's history of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, for not covering any new ground. I find that the parallel biography format makes a new look at an old story well worth while. You may already know the histories of the two queens and their separate lives, but to read about them simultaneously makes vividly clear how intertwined their stories are.

Dunn's style is accurate and entertaining without being over-scholarly. The addition of details that other biographers have omitted is welcome. (She mentions that Elizabeth was nearsighted, for instance.) The narrative flows naturally from one queen to the other without seeming choppy. Just when you are starting to wonder what's going on with the other, the scene changes to keep you up to date.

I was somewhat disappointed with the way Dunn treats the murder of Riccio (spelled Rizzio in some accounts). While she discusses fully the repurcussions of the murder, she