Book Description

The definitive biography of Spain's enigmatic king, a riveting work of late-twentieth-century history.

Paul Preston, the author of the definitive biography Franco, explores the political and personal mysteries of the Spanish monarch's life in Juan Carlos, a story of unprecedented sweep and exquisite detail. Handed over to the Franco regime as a young boy, Juan Carlos was raised according to authoritarian traditions designed to make him a cornerstone of the dictatorship. How then did he later emerge as an emphatic defender of the democracy that began to form after Franco's death? In his peerless voice, Preston provides the details necessary to answer this central question, examining the king's troubled relationship with his father and his vital work in consolidating parliamentary democracy in Spain. What begins as the story of one monarch becomes at once a history of modern Spain and an indispensable exegesis of how democracies come to be. 16 pages of b/w illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

Philip Robins' survey of Jordan's political history begins in the early 1920s, continues through the years of the British Mandate, and traces events over the next half century to the present day. Throughout the period, the country's fortunes wereclosely identified with its head of state, King Hussein, until his death in 1999. In the early days, as the author testifies, the king's prospects were often regarded as grim. However, both King and country survived a variety of existential challenges, from assassination attempts and internal subversion, to a civil war with the Palestine Liberation Organisation and, in the 1970s and 1980s, Jordan emerged as an apparently stable and prosperous state. However, King Hussein's death, the succession of his son, Abdullah II, andrecent political upheavalshave plunged the country back into uncertainty. This is an incisive account, compellingly told, about one of the leading players in the Middle East. Philip Robins is University Lecturer in Politics with special reference to the Middle East in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford. His most recent book is Suits and Uniforms: Turkish Foreign Policy since the Cold War (2003). ... Read more

Book Description

Moura, the Baroness Budberg, hailed from the Russian aristocracy and lived in the lap of luxury, until the Bolshevik Revolution forced her to live by her wits. Thereafter, her existence was a story of connivance and stratagem; a succession of unlikely twists and turns. Intimately involved in the mysterious Lockhart affair, a conspiracy which almost brought down the fledgling Soviet state, mistress to Maxim Gorky and then to H. G. Wells, Moura was a woman of enormous energy, intelligence, and charm whose deepest commitment was undoubtedly the mythologization of her own life.

Before Nina Berberova left Russia for a life of exile and became one of the great novelists of the 20th century, she lived in the Gorky household with Moura. In this legendary biography translated into English for the first time, Berberova paints a portrait of the ultimate survivor, a woman who made her life a triumph of fiction. Features eight pages of black-and-white photos. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

PERFECT REFERENCE BOOK
As an avid reader of historical fiction, histories, and such I have grown to rely on this book as a companion. Most helpful are the flowcharts that accompany each new dynasty - too often I find myself forgetting who was married to whom...no more!
However, for those of you interested in more than just a quick thumbprint of the Kings & Queens, this book will not fit the bill.

Great for everyone!
This is a neat, fun, informative book for everyone, young and old alike. Facts, information, interesting anecdotes, and superb pictures and graphics. The handy size makes it perfect for kids working on reports for school as well. A super book for a number of reasons, and a great one to have on your shelf, especially if you have kids in school or simply want to know more about British Royalty.

An enjoyable and well illustrated book!
I bought this book a couple of years ago. I read it and found it quite easy and enjoyable to read. Now I use it mainly for quick reference and usually find myself spending more time just browsing through its pages and enjoying it over and over. It has a lot of interesting historical facts! I wish there were similar books on other europpean royal houses!

Great Book!
Kings & Queens of England & Scotland is a great book! I use this on a regular basis and is a good source for reports. I would suggest this book. The individual biographies are great, and the events during the reign are really helpful. This book follows each dynasty and shows a family tree for each. I highly suggest this book for anyone.

Must-have for the Anglophile...
...who's sometimes a bit vague on his history.

It goes without saying that this isn't an exhaustive reference, but it succeeds at what it is--a handy, very quick reference to English and Scottish monarchs. If you're wondering who was on the throne when Dickens began writing, if you need a quick reminder of who was the first Plantagenet ruler, if you know the Black Prince was Richard II's father but can't for the life of you remember his mother's name, this book will let you find your answer in just a couple of minutes. Worth the purchase price. ... Read more

Book Description

When she died in exile in 1960, Olga Alexandrovna was the last Grand Duchess of Russia, the favorite sister of Czar Nicholas II who was executed with his wife and five children during the Revolution. Born in splendor difficult to imagine today, she endured a lifetime of relentless tragedy with courage and exceptional powers of adjustment.

The Last Grand Duchess is a valuable account of the final decades of the house of Romanov as seen through the eyes of its last surviving member. Through Olga, we meet Queen Victoria, George V of England, Rasputin, Mrs. Anderson - on whose story the movie Anastasia was made - and other impostors who plagued the exiled duchess with false hope.

In this official memoir, Ian Vorres captures the loneliness and violence of Olga's years in Russia, her loveless first marriage to Prince Peter of Oldenburg, her years of exile in England and Denmark, and her final settlement with her second husband and family in Canada.

Long out of print, and now reissued in a handsomely illustrated edition, The Last Grand Duchess is the thorough and engaging official biography of an extraordinary woman. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Amazing!
Grand Duchess Olga Alexandra was nothing short of a amazing woman and this book is great in showing that. From her childhood days spent in her father's study to the Revolution to her days in Canada, this books gives vivid details of everything. Ian Vorres put this memoir together beautifully. A must have for all Romanov fans!

A book to be savored
I normally race through books like a speed demon, but this was so enjoyable I read it s-l-o-w-l-y - and several times.

Olga was a woman raised in the lap of luxury in the Russian court but was able and willing to work at hard physical labor on farms in Denmark and Canada for decades without apparent bitterness at what many might consider her "fall" from high status.

At the very end of her life with no income and relatives around her, she accepted an invitation from Russian emigrees and spent her last months on a second-floor apartment in a working-class neighborhood in Toronto.

I have been going through some drastic changes in my life - rather unwillingly - and have spent a lot of time thinking about Olga and how she accepted things that happened.

Was she perfect? No, but I wonder if I could have lived her life with so much courage and acceptance.

I HIGHLY recommend this book.

Meet Olga Alexandrovna Romanova...
This is a wonderful book, written in direct cooperation with the Grand Duchess herself. Born into the purple as the daughter of a Tsar, Olga Alexandrovna ended her life as she had always sought to live it - simply, and with family. Her insights, and the author's, are a wonderful portal to an era of an almost-mythical past. Though this new edition has many errors, I think it's due to sloppy editing of computer scans. I hope that next time around, these errors will be fixed.

Exceptional writing!!
This is one of the finest books I have read from the Romanov treasury. I have a first edition copy that took me almost a year to find and it was worth the wait. Because of Mr. Vorres research and interview skills combined the the story telling of the Grand Duchess, I was unable to put it down. In fact, I am reading it for a second time. There is no better story than that from the one who lives it. Olga was a cut above the others in the Imperial family in that she was devoted to common folk. She is revered and respected for thinking outside the box. A woman ahead of her time and one that refused to abide by the norm. I wish I could have met her in the simplest of circumstances. I recommend this book to those who a truly interested in Romanov history. She does a great justice in defense of her family.

For those interested in the Romanov's this bookis a rare gem
There are many books written about the Romanovs. Some of these are written by people who knew them as friends or as servants. There are very few books written about the Romanovs with permission of the Romanovs. Ian Vorres befriended the youngest sister of Tsar Nicholas II and was able to, with her permission, write her life story. Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna was fortunate along with her Mother, Empress Maria Fedorovna and her older sister Grand Duchess Xiena Alexandrovna to escape Russia after the revolution. Only a family member could know what it was like to be a Romanov and the joys and tragedies the family experienced. The Grand Duchess gave Vorres detailed information about her early years growing up at Gatchina Palace with her parents, Tsar Alexander III and Tsarina Maria and other private family information. She also has provided information about the family attitude to the fake Anastasia, Anna Anderson. It is truly incomprehensible for an Aunt to not to be able to recognise her neice. Grand Duchess Olga knew that Anderson was not her neice and was indeed a pathetic fraud. It is truly fascinating book which reveals how the mighty Romanovs fell and how few survived. The Grand Duchess explained to Vorres the life she lived after the revolution until her death in 1960. Vorres is basically the scribe of Grand Duchess Olga. I found it very interesting and a rare gem. I would say it is a must for anybody interested in the Romanov dynasty. ... Read more

Book Description

In mid-1943, Snelling Robinson joined the crew of the Fletcher class destroyer USS Cotten as a newly commissioned ensign. The Cotten sailed to Pearl Harbor in time to join the Fifth Fleet. Under the command of Admiral Raymond Spruance, the Fifth Fleet participated in the invasions of Tarawa and Iwo Jima and several naval battles in the Philippine Sea and the Leyte Gulf. Robinson writes from the perspective of a young naval officer and integrates this with the background of the larger conflict, including the politics of command. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Can do" up close.
This book is unlike most first-person accounts of sea duty during WWII. It includes aspects of seamanship and detail that don't ordinarily make it to the page. It expresses the exuberance and wonder of a young naval officer, despite having been written from the vantage of maturity. Perhaps this is because it was written from the author's contemporaneous ships' logs, but may be intended to relate experiences together with original feelings and attitudes. This has charm. It's self-effacing rather than self-important. One listens more closely, as to a youngster. The book deals with the Allied occupation of Japan; this is unusual, too. Also, the author's preference for Spruance over Halsey, shared by many, but expressed by few. The author served on one ship throughout the war. His theme comes through clearly: Many more served than saw action. The greater threat was boredom, not terror. Well written, though its language is a bit stiff; interesting; useful for young officers, as a guide to getting along. Demonstrates "can do" attitude of those who served on destroyers, including reservists.

Eight Times Around the World in a Tin Can
C. Snelling Robinson, 200,000 Miles Aboard the USS Cotten (Kent State University Press, 2000) The Cotten was a Fletcher-class destroyer, built in 1943 for the express purpose of protecting America1s new fleet carriers from Japanese aircraft, submarines, and surface vessels during the final years of the greatest naval war in history. Indeed, it would be this hard-hitting combination of ships -- the fast carrier task forces commanded alternately by Admirals Marc Mitscher and "Slew" McCain with their supporting cast of battleships, cruisers and destroyers -- that would prove decisive in the Pacific War. The carriers captured the glory, but their success was greatly facilitated by the largely unsung "small boys," the hard-working, hard-riding destroyers. Snell Robinson1s superb account of his three years aboard one of the most ubiquitous of these destroyers is therefore a welcome new arrival among the body of literature of the savage fighting in the Central Pacific. Robinson came of age as a junior officer among the 300-member crew of USS Cotten (DD 669). He served principally as the ship's navigator, qualified as officer-of-the-deck underway, and stood his General Quarters post in "Sky One," the exposed gun director at the highest point in the ship. By fate, Robinson and his ship survived some of the greatest and bloodiest naval battles in history -- the forcible amphibious assault landings at Tarawa, Saipan, and Iwo Jima, and the enormous fleet engagements in the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf. The vast scale of this sea war is reflected in the record of this one small destroyer, needle-thin with its maximum beam of 39 feet, steaming the equivalent of eight circumnavigations of the earth in its endless screening missions to protect the precious carriers. Robinson describes life aboard Cotten in its alternating monotony and terrifying action with a navigator1s attention to time and space and an honest appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of himself and his shipmates. Few authentic veterans have ever done a better job portraying life at sea on a small man-of-war. His narrative is crisp, informative, authoritative. Robinson describes the difficulty of his gunners trying to shoot down a night-raiding Japanese bomber by aiming at the exhaust flair -- "like shooting at the white tail of a running deer." He admits his awe at observing Task Force 58, now some 95 ships strong, sortie from Majuro Atoll in the Marshalls, heading west towards Saipan. He admits his fear -- everyone's fear -- at the report that the Japanese Mobile Fleet, including the two largest battleships in the world, had erupted into the Philippine Sea in search of Mitscher1s carriers. He describes how a destroyer at flank speed tends to squat by the stern; a sailor standing on the fantail would actually have to look up to see the surface of the ocean. And he informs us that the greater danger in the suicidal Japanese kamikaze attacks actually came from "friendly fire" as the entire fleet blazed away at the low-flying intruders. Nicely illustrated with maps by cartographer Mary C. Hoffman, this book is a hand-crafted jewel. I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in an unblinking account of the great sea war of the 1940s. ... Read more

Book Description

A literary tour de force that tells the story of Violet Trefusis, lover of Vita Sackville-West, and her mother, Alice Keppel, lover to Edward VII.

Alice Keppel, the married lover of Queen Victoria's eldest son, and great-grandmother to Camilla Parker-Bowles, was a key figure in Edwardian society.Hers was the acceptable face of adultery.In contrast her daughter Violet Trefusis' love was author and aristocratic Vita Sackville-West.Her passion and recalcitrance pitted her against her mother and society.From memoirs, diaries, and letters, Diana Souhami portrays this fascinating and intense mother/daughter relationship, and how these women and their lovers highlight Edwardian--and contemporary--duplicity and double standards. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Tour of Two Worlds
Most of us are commoner, middle class and heterosexual. We don't give thought to other worlds until something strange happens--the murder of Versace or the death of Princess Diana. This book lifts up the rug on these two worlds and allows us to glimpse at something quite alien from our own. Beneath the upper crust of society there is a social dictum that allows the rich and the well-connected to be "doing it and excusing it" as long as it's done with discretion. Behind the facade of certain marriages are gay people in hiding--arranged marriages of convenience. It is a social hypocrisy that didn't start with the Edwardian era but it certainly continues through today. Billed as a double bio, this book is more the biography of Violet Trefusis, lesbian daughter of Alice Keppel, King Edward VII's mistress and the great-grandmother of Camilla Parker-Bowles. But to tell the story of Violet, one must understand Alice and the Edwardian social set. This story is a tour through strange worlds indeed, richly told with text from the letters and published works of the main characters. This is biography that gives you the pathos of real people. Diana Souhami tries to balance the scales by telling the story of the famous lesbian affair between Vita Sackville-West and Violet Trefusis from Violet's point of view. One feels sorry for Violet but also annoyed. How long does it take for Violet to accept that Vita isn't willing to commit to their relationship? Violet, the victim, is a self-deceiving at best, dense at worst. Violet hasn't inherited her mother's ability to make the best of whatever social situation she's in. That's the ultimate tragedy of it. The hypocrisy of society will be with us forever. Only the strong learn to use it to their advantage. It's a lesson we all learn, whatever our place in this world.

Thought provoking biography
After having read this book, I can't stop thinking about it and pondering what makes us happy in life. The people in this story, constrained by the morals of their time, sought happiness through influence, fame, wealth, and sexual relationships with varying success. Today, although our society is more open and free, achieving happiness is still a challenging business. As I read about Violet Trefusis' unhappy life, I wondered how different it would have been had Vita Sackville-West eloped with her. What if their times had been more accepting of openly homosexual relationships. What if Violet had been able to live within the lie of her marriage. If this story had played out today, could it have ended with happiness for Violet. Are things so different for us today.

Souhami's version of the affair between Violet and Vita leaves one feeling angry and annoyed at Vita. If Vita had been honest about their relationship, Violet may have learned to accept her life without the possiblity of a long term relationship with Vita. Violet may have healed emotionally and been able to get back on track in life. Instead, Souhamis portrays Violet as a victim and her life damaged by her unrequited passion for Vita. Vita held out false hopes to Violet by waffling and lying to Violet about their relationship, while actually having no intention of ever leaving her marriage. Vita was not very honest and if she had been a man, she would have been called a cad.

I plan on re-reading A Portrait of a Marriage to see if Vita can change my mind. But my first reading of that book several years ago left me unconvinced and Souhamis has written an interesting and convincing portrait of Violet as the victim.

I highly recommend this book. This is a story about human relationships - husband/wife, mother/daughter, lover/loved, not just the lesbian relationship between Violet and Vita. It is about how these people were able to resolve (or not) the many issues in their lives and the kind of happiness they achieved. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (13)

Not really worth buying
Hmmmm, I was decidedly disappointed in this book. Many of the pictures contained within were very poor quality and there were some blatant mistakes in identification of the family members. A good many of the photographs are not new to the collector of Romanov books. I would not recommend this book if one is expecting to see anything new. I dont think Mr. Blair Lovell would have been pleased!

Great book!!!!!!!!!!
I reccomend this book because it has lots of great photograhs and focuses manly on the Royal Family at home, and not the big parade stuff that is in a lot of albums! I love this book!!!

Excellent
In "Royal Russia", Lovell draws the reader into the amazing world of the last Imperial Family with their wonderful photographs. The photographs are excellent, however there are some misidentifictations of the Grand Duchesses. Nonetheless, the book is great.

"Good book about the most mysterious royal family"
Brief Summary:

In the year 1881 church bells rung from the towers Alexander II is dead. His eldest son Nicholas was crowned czar of imperial Russia. With his wife Alexandra from England. Granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Their first child was born in 1895.Her name was The Grand Duchess Olga Romanov. She was the czars heir. Then in 1897 their second child was born. Her name was Tatiana Romanov. Then in 1899 Marie was born. Then in1901 Anastasia was born. Followed by their final child the new heir Alexei in 1904. Then problems came to Russia there were riots in Russia. The people started to hate the czar and czarina. People were starving in the streets. And Nicholas didn't know anything about it. Alexei was diagnosed with Hemophilia that meant if he bleeds he could bleed himself to death. The Russian Revolution started and the people hated the czar. They imprisoned him and his family. To a small village in Siberia. Then they transported them to a village near Moscow. Where one morning a soldier came to there room and told them to get dressed and get downstairs. The family was told to wait in the basement. A firing squad opened the door and started to fire on the family. The bullets cut their bodies down. There were screaming and lots of smoke. Not one Romanov lived that morning. They say that Anastasia escaped and lived. But that is another mystery.

Critical Thinking:

In the book Royal Russia the Romanov family had many fears. They were imprisoned to Siberia and they went from extremely rich to poor. The girls were the most scared because they did not know what was going on or what was going to happen to them. When they were shot in the basement they probably had a clue what was going on. When they were shot they were terrified on what happened to there family.

Bottom Line:

Good book to read and also has some good pictures to look at that best describes the Romanov family as they were not how they were preseved to be.

More than you need!
I enjoy reading about Imperial Russia very much, and this is one of the books I have enjoyed the most! It gives you a very good look into these people's lives, which makes this an excellent book for studying!! Five stars for this book! ... Read more

Book Description

For more than a century Buckingham Palace suppressed the facts about the illicit marriage between the twice-widowed Catholic Maria Fitzherbert and the Prince of Wales, the future George IV. Rumor and scandal began immediately when she met the accomplished if already slightly dissolute Prince of Wales, and even in her obituary, the Times of London pronounced the marriage "either a cruel imposition to silence the scruples of a virtuous though weakminded woman, or an hypocritical pretext adopted by the lady herself to cover her shame." The Maria that emerges in the pages of biographer James Munson’s pages is neither the unprincipled temptress of her critics nor the romantic heroine of her advocates but rather a complex woman of strong principles, remarkable practicality, iron will, and genuine virtue. For as resolutely as the prince pursued her, Maria steadfastly refused to become his mistress. However much he might want her or she him, she wanted marriage more. Thus was Maria thrust into the political intrigues that underlay the Regency crisis and reign of George IV as well as into one of the most bizarre chapters in the history of the English monarchy. Eight pages of black-and-white photographs add to this "... excellent, entertaining biography-cum-history of this bizarre episode in the history of the English monarchy."—Booklist (starred) "By far the most exhaustive account of its subject yet written...."—The Sunday Telegraph "Relevant and engaging ... Fitzherbert and her prince make for a lively tale."—Rocky Mountain News "A life given lively treatment here."—Publishers Weekly ... Read more

Amazon.com

She was the beloved wife of "heretic king" Akhenaton, who defied ancient custom by practicing monotheism and by elevating Nefertiti far above the role of subservient consort previously played by Egyptian queens. Her image has ravished Western viewers ever since a magnificent limestone bust unearthed at the royal retreat of Amarna went on display in Berlin in 1924. But frustratingly few facts are known about this woman who lived more than three millennia ago. As she did in Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh, British archeologist Joyce Tyldesley makes a virtue of necessity by writing a book that is as much a cultural history as a biography. As Akhenaton swept away the plethora of old gods, dismaying many of his subjects, he needed a strong female figure to soften the abstract austerity of Aten, the sun deity; his beautiful queen was celebrated in official art and inscriptions that focused on the domestic life of the royal family. Tyldesley meticulously analyzes this iconography to evaluate Nefertiti's position in Egypt and her importance to her husband, who clearly cherished her beyond the demands of propriety or political necessity. The author cannot give readers a strong sense of Nefertiti's personality--the evidence simply isn't there--but she paints a wonderfully evocative picture of life at the civilized heart of the ancient world. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Great Biography of Nefertiti
Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen is a well-written book about a mysterious time. Joyce Tyldesley sets the stage with an excellent discussion of Amenhotep III and the times prior to the advent of Akhenaten. There is a wealth of information.

Of particular interest to me was the tracing of the god Aten and that Amenhotep had awakened interest in this god. If one is to write a life of Nefertiti it has to be undertaken to provide all the various ideas that have sprung up about her. Ms. Tyldesley prepares us for this path, one she is forced into because of the lack of information about Nefertiti and the Amarna period in general. She shifts through all of this material admirably and points out the more probable scenarios.

If one is disappointed because this is not a traditional biography it is because of our lack of information. Once could probably fit what we "know" about Nefertiti on a few pages. What possibly happened takes more. If one is interested in Egypt and the Amarna period in particular, this is a valuable book.

A book that has changed my life !!!!!
I read this book in the winter of 1998. I knew of the bust of Nefertiti, but I knew nothing about her or Akhenaten. This book is startling fresh and opened my eyes to the wonders of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, in particular Akhenaten, Nefertiti, the harmonious utopia of Amarna(Akhetaten) and the Aten religion. I'm now a Aten worshipper (In a very basic way) and I'm still facinated by the legacy that Akhenaten and Nefertiti left behind. I rushed out and bought the book - it's one of my favourites. I think that Nefertiti DID rule under an assumed name after Akhenaten - it makes perfect, logical sense ! I urge anyone seriously considering to find out about the Amarna period to read/buy this book ! I'm sure that Akhenaten and Nefertiti would be very happy that people are still interested in the Aten and that the Aten will continue to shine into the 21st Century ! Also many congratulations to Joyce Tyldesley for having written such a superb book.

The Mysterious Queen
Nefertiti was the most influential woman in ancient Egypt. Her entire life, where she came from and how she died, in shrouded in mystery. She married in her early teens to Amenhotep IV who may have been sixteen or seventeen. After marrying she became a mother to six daughters and became a member of the Royal Court of Amarna. She was the first queen to be equal with the king. They lived at Thebes where they ruled the upper and lower kingdoms.

The one thing I did not like about this book was how it seemed to go into more detail about Amenhotep IV and his family than Nefertiti. That was probable do to the fact that we know so little about her. Nothing of her life is know before she was married and very little is know after Amenhotep IV dies. The book gave Amenhotep IV inter family line and went on for too long. It took you away from the central topic.

The best thing is the attention to detail. Every little factor, from family history to the culture is given. It gives the reader a since of what life was like and makes you feel as if you were actually there. The artier takes evidence from archeological remains to make this God like queen more like a real person. This was a book that you could get in to.

A Stale Retread of Old Theories
I swear, it takes a steam shovel to get Egyptologists out of their rut! More of the same old nonsense: Ankeaten "married" his two daughters, blah, blah. Nefertiti was a foreign princess, bleh-bleh. Amenhotep III married his daughter too (Sitamun) and fathered Tut and Smenkhare, blabbity-blah. Tyldesley just rehashes the same old crap. Nothing new here.

The disappearing queen...
Joyce Tyldesley's book, 'Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen' is a fascinating study of a very important but mostly misunderstood figure in Egyptian history. Perhaps it was due to the confusion of names (another queen, Nefertari, is popularly known due to the use of her name in Biblical epic films), and largely historically due to Nerfertiti's marriage to Akhenaton, a pharoah who was almost erased from history.

Akhenaton was a heretic in Egyptian terms -- he renounced the worship of old gods in favour of a more monotheistic framework based upon a sun-worship (Aton) which prompted him to change his name (he had been Amenhotep IV). He built a new capital city at Amarna, where he and Nefertiti lived and raised their children. Nefertiti was perhaps the most influential person on Akhenaton, at that time one of the most powerful rulers on earth.

Very little is known of Nefertiti -- her death is not recorded, and her tomb has not been found. Her beauty is renowned from the masks found at Amarna by archaeologists early in this century, having been lost for millenia. It is unusual that such a prominent person's death would not be recorded in the culture of Egypt, symbolised to this day by the monuments to the great who have died in pyramids and tombs.

The mystery deepens, however, with the discovery of stelae at Amarna that shows Nefertiti in glorious array while her husband the Pharoah occupies a lesser position.

'The Berlin stela provides us with the image of a perfect and semi-divine family inhabiting an ideal world far beyond the experiences of most Egyptians. The exact roles played by the principal members of this family are unclear. Akhenaten seems quite happy perched on his lowly, undecorated stool while his wife occupies the more regal seat, yet to him fall the the honour of holding the more important princess while Nefertiti looks after the babies.'

Nefertiti may have been the regnant queen by this point -- unusual but far from unheard of in Egyptian history. Female pharoahs such as Sobeknofru and Hatchepsut had proved this, but it is much more likely that a female would act as regent rather than regnant. She might have served as co-regnant with Akhenaten until his death, and then as a regent for Tutankhamen.

Of course, alternate theories also abound. Some inscriptions have been discovered in which a another name, Meritaten, was inscribed over erased names and titles of another woman -- was this Nefertiti? Did she overstep her position? Did she commit some indiscretion or crime? Meritaten, the daughter of Nefertiti and Akhenaton, might have assumed public duties as queen. This was put forward by Egyptologists including Norman de Garis Davies and John Pendlebury.

Tyldesley presents various theories of Nefertiti's life and death side by side with evidence supporting each. Alas, the support is difficult no matter which interpretation is preferred -- Amarna was abandoned shortly after the death of Akhenaten, and the old religious ways reinstituted. Akhenaten's name was deliberately suppressed due to the threat to the 'established religion' that monotheistic ways represented (perhaps a source of animosity between another group, the Canaanite/Israelites, and the Egyptians stems from the fear of this monotheistic tendency latent in Egypt).

It is a sad tale, that Akhenaten and Nefertiti's family was all but destroyed, their capital reduced to a quarry for future pharoahs and builders to use; they and their family, including Tutankhamen and Ay, the following pharoahs of the family, were all deleted from official lists of kings -- in traditional Egyptian theology, for the spirit to live forever, the person's name, body, or image must survive -- and thus the officials of Egypt tried their best to destroy the spirit of these people. But archaeology has managed to resurrect their images and at least part of their story, and the mystery of their lives will continue for a long time to come. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the past, Antonia Fraser's bestselling histories and biographies have focused on people and events in her native England, from Mary Queen of Scots to Faith and Treason: The Story of the Gunpowder Plot. Now she crosses the Channel to limn the life of France's unhappiest queen, bringing along her gift for fluent storytelling, vivid characterization, and evocative historical background. Marie Antoinette (1755-93) emerges in Fraser's sympathetic portrait as a goodhearted girl woefully undereducated and poorly prepared for the dynastic political intrigues into which she was thrust at age 14, when her mother, Empress Maria Theresa, married her off to the future Louis XVI to further Austria's interests in France. Far from being the licentious monster later depicted by the radicals who sent her to the guillotine at the height of the French Revolution, young Marie Antoinette was quite prudish, as well as thoroughly humiliated by her husband's widely known failure to have complete intercourse with her for seven long years (the gory details were reported to any number of concerned royal parties, including her mother and brother). She compensated by spending lavishly on clothes and palaces, but Fraser points out that this hardly made her unique among 18th-century royalty, and in any case the causes of the Revolution went far beyond one woman's frivolities. The moving final chapters show Marie Antoinette gaining in dignity and courage as the Revolution stripped her of everything, subjected her to horrific brutalities (a mob paraded the head of her closest female friend on a pike below her window), and eventually took her life. Fraser makes no attempt to hide the queen's shortcomings, in particular her poor political skills, but focuses on her personal warmth and noble bearing during her final ordeal. It's another fine piece of popular historical biography to add to Fraser's already impressive bibliography. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Tragic Story of French Revolution's Famous Victim
Lady Antonia Fraser newest biography is a familiar story but she fortunately brings many new facts and forgotten figures to light. By including "The Journey" in her title, Lady Fraser's
main purpose is to convince the reader that Marie Antoinette did
indeed transform herself from the frivolous and disinterested Queen she was purported to be. This the author accomplishes brilliantly and with the historical facts needed to back herself up.
Within the first few pages, Lady Fraser thoroughly trounces that famous and oft-repeated statement attributed to the Queen ("Let them eat cake!")as nothing more than a vicious slur while
acknowledging it as the first of many to do permanent damage to her image and character. Lady Fraser is able to separate rumors
from facts and does so through her inexhaustible research and innumerable sources. The long and painful incarceration of the Royal Family is quite detailed here and sheds new light on not only the ill-treatment of the Queen, but particularly of her son (who died miserably and isolated in captivity).
This is undoubtedly a sad story but one not unique for the victims of the French Revolution: a revolution that ended up
devouring itself and its leaders in the immolation of the Terror.
Lady Fraser certainly makes the case that, like most of the victims of this volatile period, Marie Antoinette was sentenced to death by a pre-arranged "kangaroo court" and was in essence
"murdered" not for what she had done, but for who she had been.
A rather sly reference in the epilogue notes that her chief harasser on the Revolutionary Committee, Jaques Hebert, ended
up in the same graveyard as the former Queen within a few short months: a deserving victim of the chaos and terror that he himself instigated.
All in all, Lady Antonia Fraser has written an outstanding
biography that compares well with her previous work and, in some instances, surpasses it. Thanks to this book, readers and historians alike will be able to obtain a far truer and balanced picture of a much-maligned historical figure. It is certainly a "Journey" worth taking.

Not Up to Antonia Fraser's Other Efforts
This book is a total white wash of Marie Antoinette. If you are looking for an unbiased biograph, do not look here. Compared to "Mary Queen of Scots" and "Cromwell", this book was just not up to Ms. Fraser's usual high standards. I could not wait for this book to come out, ran out and bought it and read it immediately. While reading it, I kept wondering, "This is Antonia Fraser?" Ms. Fraser would have written a much better book if she could have seen the good and bad in Marie Antoinette. Yes, she was a pawn of history. Yes, she was a devoted mother. BUT, she was part of that aristocratic world which presumed that certain people were--by reason of birth--better than everyone else. Ultimately she paid a price she really didn't deserve to pay.

Next time I'll wait a bit longer to run out and buy a book by Ms. Fraser.

The Austrian woman
Pampered daughter of an Empress, doomed Queen of France, Marie Antoinette is one of the most Romantic figures in world history. Though many denounce her as selfish and stupid, she has her champions who see her as a compassionate woman victimized by historical circumstances. One of these is Antonia Fraser, whose "Marie Antoinette: The Journey" (2001) may well be one of the most sympathetic portraits ever written of a monarch, aside from "official biographies". (But then, the author handled Mary, Queen of Scots the same way.) Beginning with her childhood as an Archduchess in Vienna, daughter of the doting but stern Maria Theresa, the book follows Maria Antonia's journey into France as the fiancée of the hapless Dauphin, becoming the sparkling Marie Antoinette. Extraordinarily popular (at first), she usually displayed the finest discretion and kindness, despite her haughty attitude towards the Comtesse du Barry (who, incidently, was to share her fate). So many of the nasty rumors circulated about her were most likely untrue, including the "Let them eat cake" story, which Antonia Fraser says was first attributed to the wife of Louis XIV in the 17th Century. The libelles accusing Marie Antoinette of cruelty and promiscuity only prove that trashy publications are not confined to our era. Her attachment to Count Axel Fersen is recounted unblushingly, and it becomes particularly touching in 1791, when the dashing Swede tried to to help the Queen get her family out of France. Probably the most complicated and incriminating episode in Marie Antoinette's life was the Diamond Necklace Affair (Napoleon said it more than anything else led her to the guillotine), and Antonia Fraser describes its intricacies carefully -- emphasizing, bien sûr, the Queen's innocence. Oddly enough, of the many portraits of Marie Antoinette, few show her displaying a necklace at all, much less anything resembling the rivière of the scandal. For a woman supposedly so enamored of jewels, she didn't seem to wear many. (There are more than 50 illustrations, most of them color plates.) The book is nearly 500 pages long, but the descriptions of court life and an increasingly dangerous political situation make for easy reading. Despite her husband's respect and the adoration of her children, Marie Antoinette will always have her detractors. But this biography shows that the Queen's final torments, as well as the judicial travesties enacted against her, more than compensate for any mistakes she may have made during her luxurious journey to disaster.

Read It and Weep
I began reading this wonderful biography of Marie Antoinette while planning a trip to France and although the book is long, and at times rather tedious, it did not dissapoint my intrigue with this historically tragic figure.

Antonia Fraser has written what seems to be about as accurate a biography as possible. Many horrible stories have been told about Marie Antoinette and this book covers those as well as many more that I never knew. Like most people my introduction to Marie Antoinette was with her "Let them eat cake..." speech and her over-extravagant life style. It seemed almost understandable that she was beheaded based on such misrepresentation. In reality the story reads much more tragically once you get to know a bit about her life and how it all ended.

Imagine being a precocious but innocent young girl raised up like property to be sold to the highest royal bidder. Then at 14 being sent away from your friends and family to become the wife of another royal child. Marie Antoinette left Austria and had to adapt to becomming a future queen of France within only a few short years. The French, during those times, being notoriously inclined to think of Austrian women as unflattering and unfeminine oafs. But young Marie pulled it all off and successfully became the star of France. Her husband Louis XVI was more interested in hunting and gadgets than creating a future French dynasty with Marie. So it isn't a wonder that she fills up her life with all the riches of royality. Her life is a sad saga from beginning to end despite her royality and wealth. The final chapters of this book are unimaginable to fathom. She is taken from her family once again, thrown in a small cell, stripped of any royal privileges and left to contemplate her own demise.

Imagine becomming all you never dreamed of, hearing the crowd cheer the beheading of your husband, listening to the coerced testimony of your only son stating the abuses he suffered by your own hands, seeing the head of your friend paraded on a stake past your cell window, hemorrhaging from stress and exhaustion and then having to walk up a platform towards your death with a roaring crowd surrounding you.....few of us could stand it, but Marie Antoinette did. Her story is a great read but in order to get Marie's true essence one must walk the halls of Versailles and then sit in contemplation near her cell in the La Conciergerie.....this extraordinarily strong woman lives on in infamy and her spirit reigns supreme.

Very good biography on Marie Antoninette
Marie Antoninette proves to be a highly readable and nicely research biography. Antonia Fraser made it pretty clear that this Queen of France was probably one of the most misunderstood and most falsely maligned personalities of the French Revolution, accused by her enemies from being a lesbian to a drunkard. While Marie Antoniette was a person of many weaknesses, the author made it clear that outside of her undereducated and immature mind, her spendthrift ways which probably wasn't good for France, Marie Antoniette was none of the things that she was accused of being. Actually in reading this book, I was bit surprised how ordinary and somewhat boring her life was until the last six years before her death.

But here's lies the weakness of the book. The book really doesn't go that deep into Marie Antoniette's life during that crucial period. I have read more detail accounts of her life in other books that dealt strictly with the French Revolution then I have in this biography. The book was very good in informing the reader of the pre-French Revolution period of Marie Antoninette's life but faltered afterward. Maybe Antonia Fraser should have stop in 1789 since she really didn't have much to add that wasn't written before by other authors. (Of course, if she did that, it won't be a "complete biography".)

Overall though, this book is well worth any reader's time to read if you have such interest in the life and time of Marie Antoninette. For those who don't read much on the French Revolution, its an excellent choice! Author's effort to rehabilitate Marie Antoninette's reputation proves to be pretty successful and with certain justice, long overdue. ... Read more

Book Description

In his own time Edward IV was seen as an able and successful king who rescued England from the miseries of civil war and provided the country with firm, judicious, and popular government. The prejudices of later historians diminished this high reputation, until recent research confirmed Edward as a ruler of substantial achievement, whose methods and policies formed the foundation of early Tudor government.

His classic study by Charles Ross places the reign firmly in the context of late medievalpower politics, analyzing the methods by which a usurper sought to retain his throne and reassert the power of a monarchy seriously weakened by the feeble rule of Henry VI. Edward`s relations with the politically active classes-the merchants, gentry, and nobility-form a major theme, and against this background Ross provides an evaluation of the many innovations in government on which the king`s achievement rests.. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

scholarly presentation of the adventurous reign
Charles Ross presents an unforgettable tale of the most confusing, uneven and adventurous reign of any king in the English history. Edward IV remains the only king who was able to loose a kingdom and them successfully reclaim the crown. Possessing remarkable talents in administration and warfare, he however managed to bring the treasury to almost complete ruin by the end of his term, and botch the most impressive show of force in France any English king (including Edward III and Henry V) can ever master to assemble. Edward IV lived in the extraordinary age, full with great personalities like Richard Warwick the "Kingmaker", Margaret, the queen of Henry VI, and his own kid brother Richard, future most vilified by Shakespeare king Richard the III.

It is very easy to fell victim to novelized history when relating the events as extraordinary as the events of Edward's reign. Not Charles Ross. He is extremely well researched and versed in the records of the period, and presents the somewhat dry details of the records of the Household and Exchequer, in an interesting way and extremely well cross-referenced. Internal English sources are corroborated by continental and papal records. I would recommend this book to a serious student of history.

Also see Charles Ross's "Richard III" for a mysterious, bloody, and tragically brief concluding reign of Plantagenet dynasty. This one is also highly recommended.

A puzzling tale well told
Edward IV is one of the great enigmas of history. Even how he was able to become King is not self-evident. His seizing the throne was then followed by government marked by occasional brilliance and great folly. For someone who at times was keenly aware of dynastic considerations, his own marriage was the height of folly compounded by giving far too much influence to the Queen's relatives. He gave far too much trust, power and wealth to a few individuals, especially the Earl of Warrick and his traitorous brother Clarence alienating in the process much of the established nobility and wrecking in his early years the King's finances. Overthrown in the course of his reign, he nevertheless succeeded in recapturing the throne in short order and then repairing his fortunes spectacularly. Even so, this was accompanied by the strangest series of preparations for invasion of France, ending in an almost farcical procession in Northern France and a pusillanimous retreat. Lazy, debauched, perceptive and effective-many such adjectives can be applied to him - and all miss the puzzling essence of the man and his reign. What a set of stories could be woven out of this material without clearly capturing the essence of the situation! One cannot help wondering why of the adult kings between Richard II and Henry VII, Edward IV alone did not attract Shakespeare's pen.

Charles Ross wrote a fascinating book on this puzzling ruler, making as clear as the scanty and somewhat unreliable records allow the course of Edward's life and reign, and the various episodes that both fascinate and puzzle. The book (with a short introduction by R.A. Grifffiths rather than a revision by him) proceeds first by laying out the story, and then returning to give separate investigation of various aspects of Edward's rule, such as governance, his relations with the community and his finances. This latter subject is particularly well handled, as is the penultimate chapter on law and order. The story is well told, without excessive pedantry and without any attempt to hide when the record is unclear or the author has had to make large interpretations. One may not really know or understand Edward by the end of the book, but one's feeling is that it is the man himself who escapes capture by the biographer's art, not any weakness of the biographer himself. For those interested in such matters - and this is not light reading - Griffith's biography should prove highly satisfying.

Arguably the definitive work on the subject
The late Charles D. Ross presents here one of the most readable and interesting presentations of of English monarch ever written. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the king or his era-I used it extensively in my senior thesis! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Easy to read...
I really enjoyed this book.I was surprised when I started it; there are tons of pictures and less text than might be expectd, but with a topic like this one, I actually think this proved to be an advantage.I felt like I got enough of an overview/background to understand what was going on surrounding the Duke and Duchess, but did not feel overwhelmed by the history.For example, I tried reading a biography on the Duke,a nd was so bored and lost by the first two chapters because I was given SO much information!

I also got a different view of the Duchess.While I had not read any non-foction about her, she does pop up in fiction by Danielle Steele ("Jewels") and Dominick Dunne ("The Two. Mrs. Grenvilles") and she is portrayed in a totally unlikeable light.While I don't know how biased this biography was, I ended up being very sympathetic towards the Duchess and hoping that she and the Duke were happy together.

I also found the many pictures to be a plus, as they were great to peruse.

Essentially a book of fashion photographs
Althought elegantly designed and filled with high-quality photos, this has got to be one of the most egregious books I have run across in years.Bloch, an associate of the Duchess' lawyer, has cobbled together numerousphotographs which depict the Windsors at balls, on holiday (from what?) onthe Cote d'Azur, in the Bahamas, in Germany, in nightclubs, etc., etc.Itis difficult to read this book and not come away with the impression that,great love story though it may have been, the lives of this woman and herhusband were an utter waste of everyone's time.How bored (and boring)they must have been!Unless you want to indulge in a little elegantnotalgia, don't bother with this high-fashion trash. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Colourful and interesting history
In this beautifully illustrated work, Johnson plots the dramatic rise of the Borgias from their roots in Spain to their occupation of the highest position in Renaissance society in Italy at a time when that country occupied centerstage in Europe, both politically and culturally. She explains why history has depicted the Borgias as fallen angels in a corrupt era, but considers the condemnation to have been too absolute and maintains that behind the gaudy horrors existed people of real talent and achievement, some of whom even possessed moderate virtues.
All of the Borgias were strong and colorful characters who caught the world's attention whatever they did. The crimes and sins of Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI), his children Cesare and Lucrezia, and the legends of poisoning and incest that surrounded them, are here compellingly re-examined by Johnson.
There are maps and genealogical tables, a select bibliography and a detailed index, and the text is enhanced by beautiful black & white and full-colour illustrations. This is a thoroughly researched and well-written book, and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

Was Princess Diana murdered? Or was she the victim of an innocent though tragic traffic Accident? If she was murdered, who did it? Who ordered the assassination and what were the motives behind it?

Based on information received from a veteran CIA contract agent one week prior to the crash in Paris – plus further evidence obtained from other highly placed sources, this investigative work presents an uncompromising inquiry into Diana’s death.

The Authors are not just ‘conspiracy theorists.’ They are investigative journalists with a proven track record, who dare to investigate issues side stepped by otherjournalists, and whose courageous work uncovered staggering evidence of a high-level conspiracy between British and U.S. Intelligence to assassinate Diana.

Endorsed by many highly placed intelligence & government sources, this book reveals the frightening truth: How British and U.S. Intelligence monitored Diana's every move;

How two secret letters written by Diana just before her death implicate the British Crown in "nefarious activities in Africa", specifically Angola;

How Diana threatened to expose the Crown's vested interests in Angola by pursuing her 'landmines campaign' in that country;

Why MI6 and the CIA resolved to kill her "on foreign soil";

How both Secret Services favored the 'traffic accident' as a deniable means of assassination; how this same method had been successful in previous 'deniable ops'’; how the crash evidence was methodically suppressed, as was the info. on: the conspirators who planned, carried out and covered up this operation;

How chauffeur Henri Paul worked for MI6; how his blood sample –which underpins the 'drunk-driver accident' theory –was switched; and how all TV cameras at the crash scene were mysteriously switched off.

This thoroughly researched book reveals the shocking truth behind Diana's death. And in the process it exposes the most scandalous, closely guarded secret in the UK's history. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

A different version of the truth.
If you're looking for a different version of the truth to that promulgated by the British authorities, this book is a must. I bet the British Royal Family loathe it. From the very beginning the authors present a relentless tirade of facts, figures and fascinating evidence, revealing the corruption at the heart of the British establishment as well as the plots and subplots that eventually led to Diana's highly mysterious demise. They also present a mountain of evidence in support of their claim that Diana was assassinated by a joint CIA-MI6 operation. Truly mindbending stuff, as well as being a serious threat to those seeking to conceal the true facts about this case.

Indeed, now that an inquest has been called in Britain into Diana's death I bet this book will be shelved - if it hasn't been already. So buy your copy now! I cannot praise the authors highly enough for the excellent way in which this book has been researched, and the way it has been written. Quite superlative. If this book doesn't rock the boat then nothing ever will. Well done Jon King and John Beveridge - ten out of ten. I've never read anything quite like it before, and I doubt I ever will in the future. Simply breathtaking. Easily worthy of a literary prize. Let us hope it does some good in the struggle to make the true facts known.

One of the GREAT literary works of our time - go buy it!!!
This book is about so much more than just an investigation into Diana's death. Though the authors present a very clear and compelling case that the crash that killed the princess was no accident, the real meat of this work comes later on in the book. In Part 2 for instance we are treated to one of the most insightful and damning reviews I have ever read of the West's intelligence agencies - our own CIA and Britain's MI6 and MI5. If you want to know exactly what goes on behind the scenes here then this the book for you.

Later still the authors delve with clarity and chilling insight into the true nature of global politics and corporate crime, and somehow manage to undo the intricate web of government, banking, military-industrial espionage and false history in a manner previously unsurpassed. My knowledge of one world government and corporate control is vastly increased after reading this book, cover to cover. In fact I'd go so far as to say that this book truly is one of the great literary works of our time. Go buy it - NOW!

As dubious as it gets
Anything associated with Prince Michael of Albany ought to be a warning to the reader that this book does not stand up to close scrutiny. "Prince Michael" has been making a very nice living for himself for almost 30 years pursuing a career as the spurious head of the House of Stuart, based on unproveable claims & forged documents. Responsible investigators would steer clear of associations like this, but there is "Prince Michael's" forward, clear as day, on the cover of the book.

Sure enough, this book is chock full of the loopiest of conspiracy theories. Throw enough against the wall and something is bound to stick, appears to be the methodology of the authors. It is a veritable all-you-can-eat buffet of conspiracies, meandering from the typical CIA-MI5-MI6 speculations to far grander Masonic conspiracies involving (of course) the Stuart monarchy, the Holy Grail & the hidden lineage of Jesus, blah blah blah...

Of course, all this adds up to is basically another goofy claim by the "Hidden House of Stuart" crowd, which has become something of a cottage industry (the ultimate goal is to make a tidy profit, not reveal any earth-shattering truths, after all). All of this would be good for a laugh, but the book (at 400+ pages) is far too long and badly written. After awhile it just gets boring to wade through. If you have to read this, first see if your local library has a copy. No need to enrich these clowns & hucksters any more than is absolutely necessary.

Tepid drivel
Oh, for God's sake! What utter drivel. Diana wasn't bright enough to implicate anyone more substantial than a poorly trained manicurist.

Here's a conspiracy question to think about -- if Diana was so committed to the anti-landmines issue why did she chose Dodi Fayed as a consort? Some of his relations are huge arm dealers. Hey -- maybe THEY knocked her off!

Unbeliveably Chilling!! A must read book ~~
I couldn't put this book down. The facts that were found out about Princess Diana's death, I believe all of them. I always felt that something wasn't right about the "so called accident".After reading this book,I have no doubt that her own family { I won't mention any names},were involved in shall we say, getting the Princess out of the way. I knew that the Windors' disliked Princess Diana, but to go that far.This book gave me the chills learning that not only the British Establishment and the CIA, had something to do with her untimely death.And talk about a BOTCHED investigation!! To say the least, and now I know why.The people involved with her death and that of the others,{ofcourse Henri Paul signed his own death certificate unbeknowst to himself}.They will never be found. How sad.But there are some in the Royal House of Windsor that really know what happened.But I don't think this bothers them at all.The investigative reporters that worked so hard putting this book together for the public to decide what really happned.Truely conviced me that this was NOT an accident, that of a drunk driver and the so called Popparazzi.The mysterious Fiat Uno,the rescue team that worked on Princess Diana, in my eyes,let her die there at the crash site.And I believe they were in on this as well.I would reccomend this book to anyone that wants to really know the cold hard and truthful facts about her senseless,premetitaded death.From front to back, you won't be able to put this book down. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The sudden and tragic death of Princess Diana caused the world to reflect on how much this singular woman meant to us all. This new edition of her life story -- which includes Diana's personal recollections in her own words, as well as an account of the events surrounding her death -- poignantly strengthens her hold on our hearts.

From her fairy-tale wedding and the births of her two wonderful boys to the stunning collapse of her marriage, Diana's luminous but troubled life transfixed millions. Despite enduring heartbreak, illness, and depression, she never wavered in her commitment to the less fortunate, or in her determination to make a better life for herself and her sons. This revealing book is the closest we will ever come to her autobiography -- a lasting and powerful testament to her courage and spirit. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Andrew Morton's Version... or rather, Diana's
With a lot of info and some edting assistance from Princess Diana, Andrew Morton wrote a book that rocked the monarchy. In this book Morton makes Di out to be the poor little princess and Charles is the big bad villian.

I never took much of an interest in Diana's life until the horrible car crash and her tragic death. My mother owns a copy of the (this) infamous Morton book, and the pictures are interesting, so I decided to give it a read. This is not a happy book, especially while covering the years of her marriage to Charles. Prince Charles is no saint, but he gets an unfair rap in this book; he's actually a good person with many admirable qualities, and flaws like all of us. Anyway, this book is the portrait of a suicidal bolemic woman married to a physically and emotionally absent man who doesn't give her the love she so desperately craves because his heart belongs to another woman. Poor Di. And did she have to die?

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

Diana Her True Story
This book was an astonishing biography about Princess Diana. It gave you insight into the life that she led both privately and in the public eye. The Princess of Wales had a good heart, even from the time she was young. She enjoyed being with people and helping those in need. Diana was also a very generous person and she liked to have fun and laugh. She seemed happy, but underneath she was suffering from depression. I was shocked at what I learned while reading the book. Whenever I pictured The Princess of Wales,I always thought of her smile, but she was really hurting inside. It all started from the disappointment that her parents expressed when she wasn't born a boy, to her bulimia nervosa, and her numerous suicide attempts. Not to mention, she was constantly being criticized by her own husband, family, and the media. I can't imagine being put in the position she was without any words of encouragement or guidance. The author did an excellent job giving examples and supporting his stories with quotes from friends, family, and the Princess herself. His style of writing gave you a greater understanding of what she was going through with very detailed stories and descriptions. There were also pictures throughout the book showing the Princess with her children and doing the things she loved. If you are at all interested in learning about the life of Princess Diana, this book is well worth reading, though at times it can be dif