Book Description
Dutiful daughter, frustrated wife, passionate lover, domineering mother, doting grandmother, devoted friend, tireless legislator, generous patron of artists and philosophers—the Empress Catherine II, the Great, was all these things, and more. Her reign, the longest in Russian Imperial history, lasted from 1762 until her death in 1796; during those years she built on the work begun by her most famous predecessor, Peter the Great, to establish Russia as a major European power and to transform its new capital, St Petersburg, into a city to rival Paris and London in the beauty of its architecture, the glittering splendor of its Court and the magnificence of its art collections. Yet the great Catherine was not even Russian by birth and had no legitimate claim to the Russian throne; she seized it and held on to it, through wars, rebellions and plagues, by the force of her personality, by her charm and determination, and by an unshakable belief in her own destiny.
This is the story of Catherine the woman, whom power alone could never satisfy, for she also wanted love, affection, friendship and humor. She found these in letter-writing, in grandchildren, in gardens, architecture and greyhounds—as well as in a succession of lovers which gave rise to salacious rumors throughout Europe. The real Catherine, however, was more interesting than any rumor.
Using many of Catherine’s own words from her voluminous correspondence and other documents, as well as contemporary accounts by courtiers, ambassadors and foreign visitors, Virginia Rounding penetrates the character of this most powerful, fascinating and surprisingly sympathetic of eighteenth-century women.
Customer Reviews:
Lots of Original Research.......2007-09-13
Rounding must have poured over letters and diaries for years to produce this interesting work on the personal life of Catherine the Great. It's quite a story. Catherine's governing and military leadership are beyond the scope of the book. I would have liked more background than what was given, but the personal focus would have suffered.
The highlights for me were the descriptions of her childhood and life as a young woman and wife. In this section Rounding gives the reader a lot of lot of guidance on the character of the young Catherine, her mother, her soon to be husband and the Empress Elizabeth.
As the book progresses, Rounding reproduces an increasing number of paragraphs from original sources. In some cases this adds flavor. Catherine's text (p. 404) upon the death of her current favorite, Sasha Landskoy demonstrates far better than description could, Catherine's self-absorption. Other times, long quoted passages bog down the story. The quoting increases in the later parts of the book, and as a consequence, less guidance is given by the author.
There is a lot of description of the pageantry, who wore what and what they ate. There are lavish parties and "alimony" settlements. I particularly liked the descriptions of how these and other royals traveled. The logistics must have been enormous.
This is definitely a worthwhile book if you are interested in this period.
Excellent!.......2007-06-02
Finally, a biography of Catherine the Great that doesn't turn her in to the scarlet woman of the century, or the loose woman with the heart of gold. She is seen as a woman who tried to do what was best, didn't necessarily always succeed, but never gave up on herself or her adopted country. A very modern woman in a very un-modern time!
One of my sheroes.......2007-05-18
This well-researched biography does a superb job at giving the reader a look into the world of Catherine the Great and what made her tick. Though she was born a minor German princess and didn't seem destined for much greatness or renown, she was lucky enough to have been in the right place at the right time and to become one of Russia's greatest and most beloved rulers. One of the things that endeared her to the people was her wholehearted embrace of all things Russian. Catherine wasn't anything like her husband Peter III; when she converted to Russian Orthodoxy, she really meant it, and became very devout and observant instead of merely going through the motions but remaining a Lutheran at heart, and she embraced Russia as her own land and the Russians as her own people, complete with quickly learning the language fluently. She was one of them and not just some foreign transplant.
After taking power after the death of Peter's aunt Empress Elizabeth, Catherine lost no time in getting down to business. She had made powerful connections during her time as Grand Duchess, and now began using them in earnest. Besides having the support of the people and members of royal society, she was an educated intelligent woman and had been very much influenced by the ideas and people of the Enlightenment. It was clear from pretty much the outset that she was not merely going to be serving as Regent till her son Paul reached his majority. And during her reign, she saw Russia through outbreaks of bubonic plague, a flood, numerous wars, civil unrest, the beginnings of mass inoculation, many reforms of the legal, educational, social, and religious systems, an improvement in the quality of life for many Russians, and the shaping of Russia into a major world power, a player to be taken seriously on the world stage. She was also the last of Russia's great female rulers, as after her death her son Paul reinstituted the law of primogeniture, prohibiting a woman from ever again taking power.
This book also cleared up some misinformation I had gotten over the years, though I had never believed that slanderous urban legend about Catherine being crushed to death by a horse she was copulating with; it's ridiculous that I had two teachers who told that story as though it were true. Catherine was an amazing inspiring woman, yet most people who aren't well-versed in Russian history usually remember only one thing about her; that's the type of urban legend that one isn't very likely to forget after having heard it. Ms. Rounding also shatters the urban legend about "Potemkin villages." I had also gotten the idea that Empress Elizabeth and Catherine were a lot closer than they actually were; far from Elizabeth mentoring Catherine and being one of her closest confidantes, she actually didn't get along too well with her on most occasions. This book also gives a more nuanced view of Peter III and Paul; while it's clear that Peter did have some screws loose, it seems as though he were more immature and unaware of the role that was expected of him than anything else. Now it seems more understandable why he acted the way he did, given how he was treated by his aunt Elizabeth and her court. As for Paul, it's probably for the better that he only became Tsar after his mother's death and then only served for 5 years before being murdered, but he was raised much like his (possible) father, and treated in much the same way even after he became an adult. No wonder he resented his mother and was such a weak person.
My only complaint about the book is that it does start out kind of slow and even boring, what with so many unnecessary details, particularly about things like court ceremonies, balls, and carriage journeys. It becomes a lot more interesting and fast-paced after Catherine comes into her own and takes power. And it's great that the book focuses on her personal life instead of being bogged down in a lot of overly academic material, but it would have been nice had the portrait been balanced out by some more coverage and details of her policies, reforms, and Russian history in general. Still, this is a great biography for anyone interested in Russian history in general or Catherine in particular.
One of Russia's most powerful rulers -- who wasn't even Russian........2007-03-22
It's one of those surprises of history that one of Russia's most effective rulers was a woman, and not Russian at all. The Russian Empire after the death of Peter the Great in the early eighteenth century became a 'winner-take-all, free-for-all' between various descendants of his. By the time that the daughter of Peter, Elizabeth Petrovna, seized power and imprisoned the infant Ivan VI in a remote fortress, there were only two claimants to the Romanov crown left -- herself, and her nephew, a teenager named Peter. Clearly, the best solution to further palace coups and possible uprisings was to establish a clear line of succession.
A bride must be found and as quickly as possible. A Roman Catholic would not be acceptable, but a German Protestant princess who would not mind converting to Russian Orthodoxy just might work. And for one princess in particular, Empress Elizabeth had a soft-spot in her heart. Once, Elizabeth had been engaged to a German prince, but when he had died, the marriage did not happen. This princeling, however, had a sister -- Johanna, who in turn married the prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and she had a daughter who was just a year younger than Grand Duke Peter.
Sophie Fredericka Auguste was a lively, intelligent teenager when she arrived in Russia with her mother for a closer look by the Empress. She wasn't exactly pretty, but she had a pair of beautiful dark blue eyes, a quick mind, and a willingness to please. Both the Empress and the Grand Duke liked what they saw, and after some careful negotiations, Sophie converted to Orthodoxy, and became Catherine Alexeyevna, and married Peter. The one problem was Johanna, who kept trying to steal the show from her daughter, dabbled in political machinations, and quite nearly ruined it all for her daughter before being returned to Germany.
But married life wasn't that easy for young Catherine. Not only did she have to deal with Empress Elizabeth's whims and capricious nature, her husband Peter was less than ideal as a spouse. For one, he wasn't that eager to consummate the marriage, prefering to scrape away at his violin, and indulging his whims for playing with soldiers, both toy and real ones. Indeed, as years passed, Catherine found herself in a very unenviable state -- no heir, and an ever irritated Empress, along with a husband who cared nothing for her.
There was really only one solution -- Catherine focused her mind on educating herself in politics and Russia, determined to become entirely Russian, and cutting off her homeland. She also used every scrap of charm and intelligence that she had, slowly gathering a coterie of supporters and finally managing to get her husband to make the marriage a reality. But that didn't mean the battle was over -- both of her infant children, Paul and Anna, were taken away from her and raised by Empress Elizabeth, and Grand Duke Peter started to consider divorcing Catherine. Finally, when Peter became Tsar, Catherine knew she had to act to save herself.
How she took power for herself, and then managed to keep it despite attempted revolts, various pretenders, war with the Ottoman empire, and still managed to be an object of admiration for the time, well, that's what makes this biography so interesting to read. Rounding takes not a political, nor exactly a chronological, look at Catherine the Great's life, but a personal one. Using Catherine's own memoirs and letters, along with the contemporary accounts of those in her life, she gives a very personal look at a powerful woman, who wasn't afraid of taking very big bites of life.
Her passions ranged from her lovers -- Gregory Orlov and Potemkin among them, to the arts -- the Hermitage, one of the most fabulous collections of art in the world, to the palaces of St. Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo are mostly her creation and inspiration. But as well as her enjoyment of the arts, there was also a very ruthless side to the Empress. She may or may not have had a hand in the murder of her husband after his abdication -- how much Catherine was involved is still a question today, and she would discard a lover with a 'customary' present of land, serfs, and fine gifts, with the unspoken understanding that the affair was over.
But throughout the story I also got to see some of the personality and vibrancy of Catherine II through her letters and descriptions of her life. One surprise was the relationship that she had with her son, who would become Tsar Paul -- while there isn't much of a maternal love there, she was genuinely interested in what he was doing, and never did seem to wish him hard. On the other hand, she took physical and emotional charge of his two eldest children, Alexander and Constantine, in much the same way that Empress Elizabeth had taken Paul away from her.
Rounding's narrative is full of life and insight, and compared to most dusty and dry biographies, this one satisfies on several levels. I can happily recommend it for anyone interested in either Russian history, or how a woman in what was very much a man's world, managed to become one of its most powerful leaders. And yes, the horse myth is finally put to rest, and I hope, for good.
As well as two inserts of colour photos, there are extensive notes, bibliographies, sources and index to help in further research. A genealogical chart helps to sort out the complicated relationships of the Russian rulers in the eighteenth century. The images are particularly fine in this one, and have several paintings that I have not seen reproduced elsewhere.
Recommended.
A Most Amazing Woman.......2007-02-28
One of the more interesting characters in history, Catherine engineered a coup in 1762 that put her on the throne of Russia as she replaced her husband. From here she would rule Russia until her death, 34 years later. Her political accomplishments during those years are spactacular: wars fought and won, reorienting Russia from Asia to Europe, extending Russia's borders, expanding education and the arts.
At the same time her bedroom exploits became legendary around Europe. She had a succession of lovers that also seemed to serve as political advisors. It seems that these lovers were selected by Catherine based on the recommendations of members of the court. It is important to remember that this was a time when in most of the world women were basically considered chattels.
This is a well researched book on a subject that provides a balanced look at Catherine, chronicling her strengths as well as her weaknesses. Her conclusion is that the soubriquet 'the Great' is justified.
Book Description
The last Tsaritsa of Russia, Alexandra Feodorovna, was murdered with her family on the night of 16-17 July 1918 by agents acting on behalf of the revolutionary Bolshevik government. The recently declassified 1918 diary of Alexandra-published here for the first time in its entirety-provides something no other account could do: a glimpse of the Tsaritsa`s thoughts and activities from 1 January 1918 until the night of her death. The introduction by Robert Massie places Alexandra in the historical context of the Revolution, her marriage to Nicholas, and the tragic events that encompassed her, her family, and her nation.
Customer Reviews:
what i think.......2002-06-20
Alix's diary is a most important document,
it reveals her , but in a very different way to say
how her letters do.in her diary, it is of chief importance
to note the things she leaves out, and how laconic the
text itself is.this tells as much about her at the time
than had she written pages about her feelings and experiences.
This is an extremely important book, the last page is
agonising - the "ex-Tsarina" has written in a fine and clear
hand "July 17th" - but the page is blank. We have to read
what Alexandra didnt write - between the lines.her last
diary reveals her final states of mind, her humaness, her fear,
in those last terrible words, in the entry for July 16th.
Alix has written her own memorial here, and it is a just tribute.
Final Record Invaluable to Romanov Enthusiasts.......2000-01-26
It is ironic that, being the most private of persons, many of the last Tsarinia's most intimate thoughts are now available in several books, including this recently declassified diary of her final days. However, readers who search out this book are probably sympathetic, and will find her daily entries of interest and sometimes moving. Alexandra wasn't writing a best-selling novel -- simply a daily account of the tedium of their imprisonment, and how she, her family, and attendants passed the time -- but for those interested in Alix, her husband, and children, this book is a valuable link to their final days. The introduction, essay by Jonathan Brent, and other sections are all appropriate accompaniment. It will be interesting to see if excerpts from the children's diaries also are eventually published; several books compiled and edited by Russian archivists already have quoted from some of those diaries.
If you are interested in the last tsar and his family, I invite you to contact me at whitcombj@juno.com.
Fascinating but only for the true fanatic.......1999-07-04
As many reviewers have said, the very monotony of Aleksandra's last diary gives it an eerie significance. However, beyond that, there is little to recommend it. Entries, spaced one to a page, mostly consist of a single brief paragraph, and the content is boring-- notes on the weather, her health, the health of her children. "Sat for 10. m[inutes] on the balkony [sic]." It is a very short book, and a very quick read. Only for the true Romanov fanatic (of which I am one), I'm afraid. Aleksandra's letters and the letters & diaries of the others who shared her captivity are far more interesting.
Chilling monotony.......1998-01-07
Tsaritsa Alexandra had no idea, of course, that this was her last diary or that anyone besides herself would ever read it. Since we know the ultimate fate of this unhappy woman the banality and monotony of the last few months of her life have an unintentional sense of tragedy. How sad, for example, that she took the time to note the birthdays of various royal connections, people she would never see again and who in some cases (such as George V of England) had abandoned her and her family to their fate. A brief but compulsive read
Average customer rating:
- Adultery on the distaff side
- a royal 3 1/2 stars
- Be a Queen? No, thanks.
- Extremely Satisfying...
- Good Lord -- A Compelling Tale of Wild Goings On
|
Sex with the Queen: 900 Years of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers, and Passionate Politics (P.S.)
Eleanor Herman
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Royalty
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Social History
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Human
| Sexuality
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Monarchy
| Systems Of Government
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Sex with Kings : 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge (P.S.)
-
A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors
-
Royalty's Strangest Characters: Extraordinary But True Tales from 2,000 Years of Mad Monarchs and Raving Rulers (Strangest)
-
Royal Babylon: The Alarming History of European Royalty
-
A Treasury of Great American Scandals: Tantalizing True Tales of Historic Misbehavior by the Founding Fathers and Others Who Let Freedom Swing
ASIN: 0060846739
Release Date: 2006-04-11 |
Book Description
The author that the Times called "Sexy, dishy and funny" has penned another sure–fire media hit and a fascinating examination of sex, power, and royalty from the perspective of the Queen's bedroom.
In this follow–up to the bestselling Sex with Kings we discover the truth about what goes on behind the closed door of the Queen's boudoir. After all, Queen Victoria, that bastion of virtue, had nine children! You'll read about the notorious Catherine the Great , the passionately foolish Marie Antoinette, the destructively willful Tsarina Alexandra, and many more! Some Queens had numerous lovers, others seldom strayed, but all were full–blooded women who lived ––and loved–– under intense public scrutiny. And the men who loved these women sometimes gained riches, and sometimes lost their heads. Once again, Eleanor Herman has combined impeccable research while accessibly telling these fascinating stories.
Download Description
"
In this follow-up to her bestselling Sex with Kings, Eleanor Herman reveals the truth about what goes on behind the closed door of a queen's boudoir. Impeccably researched, filled with page-turning romance, passion, and scandal, Sex with the Queen explores the scintillating sexual lives of some of our most beloved and infamous female rulers.
She was the queen, living in an opulent palace, wearing lavish gowns and dazzling jewels. She was envied, admired, and revered. She was also miserable, having been forced to marry a foreign prince sight unseen, a royal ogre who was sadistic, foaming at the mouth, physically repulsive, mentally incompetent, or sexually impotent -- and in some cases all of the above.
How did queens find happiness? In courts bristling with testosterone -- swashbuckling generals, polished courtiers, and virile cardinals -- many royal women had love affairs.
-
Anne Boleyn flirted with courtiers; Catherine Howard slept with one. Henry VIII had both of them beheaded.
-
Catherine the Great had her idiot husband murdered, and ruled the Russian empire with a long list of sexy young favorites.
-
Marie Antoinette fell in love with the handsome Swedish count Axel Fersen, who tried valiantly to rescue her from the guillotine.
-
Empress Alexandra of Russia found emotional solace in the mad monk Rasputin. Her behavior was the spark that set off the firestorm of the Russian revolution.
-
Princess Diana gave up her palace bodyguard to enjoy countless love affairs, which tragically led to her early death.
When a queen became sick to death of her husband and took a lover, anything could happen -- from disgrace and death to political victory. Some kings imprisoned erring wives for life; other monarchs obligingly named the queen's lover prime minister.
The crucial factor deciding the fate of an unfaithful queen was the love affair's implications in terms of power, money, and factional rivalry. At European courts, it was the politics -- not the sex -- that caused a royal woman's tragedy -- or her ultimate triumph.
"
Customer Reviews:
Adultery on the distaff side.......2007-07-16
This is the perfect book-end to this author's "Sex With Kings", for it shows that females were just as inclined to adultery as their male counterparts. The problem with being the Queen (or consort) was that, unlike the male, the female, unless she was ruler in her own right, faced severe penalties if caught in adultery. Henry VIII's wives were a perfect example, but there were others who were divorced, imprisoned, sent to a convent, or even beheaded. It shows that "equality of the sexes" is really a very new idea. What fascinated me about this book was the section about Princess Diana and her many and varied adulteries. I must confess to not being particularly interested in the sex lives of the Windsors, but Diana's erotic adventures amazed me! Obviously the term "people's princess" meant that she was a princess to much of the male population. One learns something new every day!
a royal 3 1/2 stars.......2007-07-11
I sometimes wish that Amazon rated on a scale of 10 instead of 5--this is a better-than-3-star book. The book is truly a compendium of the triumphs and tragedies of women in high places for nine hundred years, and it's a romp to read. (It's also a better, and more sympathetic, book than Herman's first effortSex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge (P.S.)--better organized, and more accurate.) Ms. Herman's preferences for some royal ladies over others is very clear, though that is not a terrible flaw. My main problem with the book is expressed in the certainty of the captions of the many beautiful portraits reprinted in the book--there is some doubt that Marie Antoinette and Count Fersen were actually intimate, and very much doubt that Empress Alexandra ever slept with Rasputin--not that Rasputin wouldn't have tried. Certainly many believe as Ms. Herman does, including many of the subjects of these two queens, but I would have preferred it if she had presented both sides of the case, and let us decide. Nevertheless, especially if it whets your interest in history, royal or otherwise, this is a truly entertaining read.
PS I am curious about the choice of cover art for "Queen" versus that for "Sex with Kings"--why a lovely scantily clad lady on BOTH? Perhaps we would be seeing a more "feminist" work if the cover of "Queen" had featured an analagous male figure!
Be a Queen? No, thanks........2007-05-04
A survey of European queens and princesses who found love and sometimes disaster in marriage and extra-marital affairs. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard are here, and thankfully the author testifies to Anne's innocence in her charges; Catherine the Great of Russia enjoyed lover after lover, well into her dotage; Marie Antoinette's king Louis was not very satisfying, and her nobleman lover's devotion went so far as to try and save her from the guillotine. Many of the kings in these mostly arranged marriages left much to be desired; often they were drunks, or not interested in the arranged queen, or not interested in women at all. Hanoverian Princess Sophia Dorothea (17th c.) was hounded by her mother-in-law and husband until her lover was murdered in her hall, and she spent the rest of her life in a forest castle, cursing her husband with her dying breath - the curse apparently worked, as he died within the year. Intrigue and passion on every page of this breezy read.
Extremely Satisfying..........2007-02-22
I bought this book with the purpose of it being a historical gossip column, and I wasn't disappointed. In fact, it greatly surpassed my expectations. This novel is very well written and contains a great deal of information, while not being stuffy. It was a very quick read and I highly recommend this novel to anyone who has a taste for reading about female royalty and history. Also highly recommend this book to anyone on a long trip, as this book is not difficult to read but will take a while.
Good Lord -- A Compelling Tale of Wild Goings On.......2007-02-06
Ms. Herman captures the tone of this book perfectly -- whimsically recounting the intrigues, romances, love and horror stories over 900 years of Royal contretemps, across the imperial courts of Spain, Europe, England and Russia.
I found this book to be thoroughly enjoyable -- a quick, engaging, and carefully researched look at the sometimes incredible lives of the royals. The queens had their work cut out for them, what with various impediments, sexual and otherwise, placed in their way to a fulfilling love life. These kings were a bunch of losers, for the most part, though the queens weren't always so hot either.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent book
- Wow! Amazing.
- Forgotten Empress Found Again
- TITANIC LIKE DISASTER IS AN EXCELLENT READ
|
Forgotten Empress: The Empress of Ireland Story
David Zeni
Manufacturer: Goose Lane Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ships
| Transportation
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ireland
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Disaster Relief
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Ships
| Transportation
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ireland
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Geography
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Travel Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0864922485 |
Book Description
In the early hours of May 29, 1914, the Canadian Pacific Ship EMPRESS OF IRELAND plunged to the bottom of the St. Lawrence River taking 840 passengers to their deaths. It was the worst disaster in the golden age of transatlantic travel as more passengers went down with the EMPRESS OF IRELAND than with either TITANIC or LUSITANIA. Forgotten Empress reveals the complete history of this ship; her death throes; the official Inquiry; salvage efforts; and the unusual connection between the Captain of the EMPRESS OF IRELAND and the infamous London cellar murderer Dr. Crippen.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book.......2006-06-20
This book covers the subject well. The ship and the accident are covered in detail and it has some great photos as well as some blueprints.
Wow! Amazing........2006-06-11
It doesn't matter how you view history...this is one of the greatest books written on a little known disaster. I read it and was completely overwhelmed by the well-written text. The depth of the story came alive to me. I could picture myself being among those trying to survive the wreck. I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in great liners and survivor stories.
Forgotten Empress Found Again.......2003-02-20
Mr. Zeni has somehow reached into the murky depths of the St. Lawrence River and retrieved the details of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland. Bringing out many small details that were never mentioned in earlier works, David Zeni does so with a style that keeps one reading on page after page. A truly delightful book to read, on a subject seldom written about. If you collect works on shipwrecks or great ocean liners, this is a must for your collection.
TITANIC LIKE DISASTER IS AN EXCELLENT READ.......1999-03-07
THE LOSS OF THE EMPRESS OF IRELAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN OVERLOOKED. IT WAS NEVER THE MOST FASHIONABLE SHIP, BUT IT WAS A FASHIONABLE SHIP. IT DID NOT CARRY " THE " ELITE, BUT IT CARRIED SOME ELITE. THE HORROR OF THE SINKING CAN ONCE AGAIN BE SEEN THROUGH THE PASSENGERS EYES. AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR SHIPWRECK LOVERS.
Amazon.com
It's easy now to indulge in nostalgia about the era of the Romanovs, and the sheer lushness of this gorgeous book is enough to encourage the indulgence. Even the text, highly readable and informative, is a little rose-tinted in places, but perhaps the authors can hardly be blamed when the gentlemanly cruelties of the old regime look so innocent next to the quintessentially totalitarian 20th-century hell that replaced them. (Nowhere was the true nature of the new "people's" dispensation revealed more vividly than in the lurid, incompetent savagery with which Nicholas II and his family were dispatched, a story reconstructed in considerable detail here.) In any case, despite a touch of sentimentality, this is a fine short history of how the Romanov dynasty ended, artfully disguised as a coffee-table book. If you merely flip through the pictures (Ekaterinburg, Tsarkoe Selo, the Cathedral of Peter and Paul at St. Petersburg, shining like a gold dagger in the snow), you will ache to travel to Russia. If you read the text, you will learn a surprising amount about the world of an almost comically ineffectual man with whom the Fates amused themselves by placing him at a key turning point in modern history. Heartless autocrat that he was, you may even end up feeling sorry for him: the cure was so much worse than the disease. --Richard Farr
Book Description
It's easy now to indulge in nostalgia about the era of the Romanovs, and the sheer lushness of this gorgeous book is enough to encourage the indulgence. Even the text, highly readable and informative, is a little rose-tinted in places, but perhaps the authors can hardly be blamed when the gentlemanly cruelties of the old regime look so innocent next to the quintessentially totalitarian 20th-century hell that replaced them. (Nowhere was the true nature of the new "people's" dispensation revealed more vividly than in the lurid, incompetent savagery with which Nicholas II and his family were dispatched, a story reconstructed in considerable detail here.)In any case, despite a touch of sentimentality, this is a fine short history of how the Romanov dynasty ended, artfully disguised as a coffee-table book. If you merely flip through the pictures (Ekaterinburg, Tsarkoe Selo, the Cathedral of Peter and Paul at St. Petersburg, shining like a gold dagger in the snow), you will ache to travel to Russia. If you read the text, you will learn a surprising amount about the world of an almost comically ineffectual man with whom the Fates amused themselves by placing him at a key turning point in modern history. Heartless autocrat that he was, you may even end up feeling sorry for him: the cure was so much worse than the disease. --Richard Farr
Customer Reviews:
Spectacular!.......2007-05-26
This book contains absolutely beautiful photographs of Tsar Nicholas and his family. Although it is not in hardcover, it makes a wonderful coffee table book. It is the best book I have found containing photographs of that era in Russian history. It makes a great gift.
An Intimate Family Portrait.......2007-05-12
Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra is probably the only coffee table book that I have ever read cover to cover. It is so full of portraits depicting the the royal family in their most intimate moments, including a rare photo of the Tsars royal posterior while skinny dipping off of the royal yacht, that one can't help feeling that this is a look into one family's private scrapbook. Rich in detail, the text takes you from Nicholas and Alexandra's first meeting through their marriage, the raising of their five children, the influence of Rasputin and the spell he held over the Tsarina, the revolution, and ultimately thier horrid demise. This book is a richly detailed chronical of one family's way of life and sadly, their end.
A Glimps into a Lost World.......2006-11-10
Having just returned from St. Petersburg Russia I was looking for a book just like this one. This is a book which provides a lovely history of the family which ruled Russia for over 300 years and whose fall was as dramatic as that of the Bourbons in France. This book is well documented with many beautiful photos which will transport the reader to an age that is no more. You get a good idea for what life was once like for the Russian aristocrats, and their Czar. From Balls, to dinners, to Czar Nicholi's families' death you see the photographic evidence and a well written account within the pages of this book. Not only is it a well written book, but also a nice addition to your coffee table. I find myself thumbing through it constantly just to admire the photographs. I highly recommend it.
Lost world of the last Tzar.......2006-11-05
Sumptuously illustrated with absorbing and informative text. Highly recommended in all respects.
Beautiful and Haunting veiw of a lost family and their world.......2006-08-27
The story of the Nicholas and Alexandra and their family is told through photographs and text. Many of the photographs are from the personal photo albums that each of the family members kept themselves. These photo's, along with diary entries and letter excerpts, allows us a peek into what was apparently a very close and loving family. This book does a wonderful job of allowing us to see, not only this close, loving family, but the complex world they lived in. It clearly show us a ruling family who while worshiped, is kept isolated from the people they ruled, and how this, along with many other things, brought about their tragic end.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history, especially personal histories.
Average customer rating:
- George R. R. Martin couldn't have done better...
- Tragedy nonpareil; sad and poignant
- Fantastic History Lesson
- An excellent book
- Endures for its Excellence
|
Nicholas and Alexandra
Robert K. Massie
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Political
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Royalty
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Japan
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Russia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Eastern Europe
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Russia
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Romanovs: the Final Chapter
-
Peter the Great
-
Nicholas and Alexandra
-
Dreadnought
-
Catherine the Great
ASIN: 0345438310
Release Date: 2000-02-01 |
Customer Reviews:
George R. R. Martin couldn't have done better..........2007-08-21
This is not a "history book" so if you're seeking a remedy for insomnia, try somewhere else. You won't find dry, soulless lists of dates and facts or be patronized with tedious analyses of cause and effect. Nor will you be handed summary value judgments regarding each individual's contribution to history.
You will instead be taken into the confidence of the Romanovs and hear their story as it would be told by a dear friend of the family. Massie, himself the father of a hemophiliac, writes with a touching sympathy toward Tsar Nicholas, Empress Alexandra, and their son, Alexis, who suffered from hemophilia all of his tragically short life. Ample quotations from personal letters and diaries portray each character with the sort of intimacy and detail one expects in a well-written, character-driven novel.
The book is paced in a manor that keeps the interest of the reader. Dramatic events like the beer riot at Nicholas's coronation or the assassination of Rasputin are described in clear, stark detail that makes them memorable enough to be retold by the reader. Historical events tangential to the Romanov story, like the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, are told quickly but thoroughly. The story is kept firmly in historical context without being drowned out by historical events.
Massie shows a movie director's ability to choose vivid, emotional images. I can almost see the hazy, orange cast to the scenes of little Alexis in his soldier's uniform charming all of the officers into joining in his games. I can imagine Alexandra reaching a pale, thin hand out of a train window. She accepts a proffered cornflower from one of her captors as the train begins to move, taking the disgraced family to Siberia. My mental movie screen fades to black before showing the bleak, dilapidated house that would be the family's prison.
The beauty of this book, however, is its unique presentation of the people involved. Nicholas and Alexandra come to life as undeniably good, and yet tragically flawed, human beings. More surprisingly, their family and its difficulties are entirely relatable. Nicholas's struggle to choose between his own judgment, his uncles' advice, his Mother's urgings, and his wife's effusively expressed opinions makes him a sympathetic "everyman" despite his wealth and power. And no author could create a character more colorful than Alexandra. Her blind acceptance of Rasputin's self-described holiness and her incessant meddling in politics make her an unwitting villain in the story. However, one can only admire her sincere faith and devotion to country and family. Unwilling to sit in luxury while Russia was at war, she and her daughters became nurses, braving the filth and stench to help the wounded men. The reader cannot help but sympathize with her, despite feeling a measure of contempt at her naiveté.
The main antagonist of the story is the infamous Rasputin. As I read about this rough, unwashed peasant and his rise to power, I frequently checked the spine of the book to verify that I was indeed reading a work of "nonfiction". Everything about the man, from his mysteriously hypnotic gaze to his inexplicable power over the Empress, belongs in the realm of fantasy fiction. His ability to ease the suffering of little Alexis can be explained by hypnotism, a psychological phenomenon that is much more understood today than it was when the book was written. However, the spell he cast over Alexandra and many of the other nobles defies reason. The passages about Rasputin, all rigorously documented, add a touch of surrealism to this drama that will fascinate those of us who delight in the unexplained.
The chief weakness of this work is its all-too-brief treatment of Lenin, the ultimate nemesis of Tsarism and of the Romanov family. It can certainly be argued that the life of Lenin belongs in a different book. However, Massie's brief passages about Lenin were so well written and intriguing that I wished there were more. If Rasputin is a fairy-tale black mage, Lenin is a comic book supervillian- brilliant, ruthless, and bitter. Moreover, Nicholas and Lenin provide for the perfect juxtaposition. It is quite easy to feel affection for the Tsar who loved his country more than his crown and his family more still. At the same time, Nicholas's neurotic unwillingness to assert himself and spectacularly poor judgment make him an object of pity. Lenin, in contrast, is cold and clever. One cannot help but admire his Machiavellian machinations while detesting him personally.
This entirely true story is more entertaining than many works of historical fiction. Whether you are a fan of drama, intrigue, war, fantasy, history, or romance, you will find something to keep you turning the pages. It is unusual to find a book that could be recommended to so broad an audience.
Tragedy nonpareil; sad and poignant.......2007-06-14
Massie's biography of Tsar Nicholas ,wife Alexandra was an engrossing read.
Opulence.pomp,paegentry of Romanovs andRussian aristocracy undoubtedly stunning,spectacular.
Author has been able to narrate this brilliantly.Being frippery,snobbish,ruling class had no inhibition in exhibiting their wealth.However their hedonism aroused the ire of masses who lived in abject poverty.Consequently, plebeians succumbed to the charm of Communism.
Nicholas proved incapable of reversing changes which was about to engulf his vast empire.By sharing power with the masses, author says, Tsar could have stopped revolution on its tracks.However this entails dilution of his authority.Tsar doggedly resisted change.But you cannot expect people wielding absolute power to relinquish authority voluntarily.
This is law of nature.Nicholas case, circumstances of life corrupted him.He came under the baneful influence of Siberian mystic Rasputin. Despite this drawback Russia's last Tsar was good-humored,decent, mild-mannered.He was loyal,affectionate toward his family.He lavished care and attention to his only son ,young Tsarevich,a haemophiliac.
Last days of Romanov family spent under terrible agony particularly so for Tsarina.Constantly harassed,intimidated by the Bolsheviks ,with all hopes of escape from Russia failing ,it must have been an intensely frustrating and painful life.
Why was destiny so cruel to the last of Romanovs?This will always remain a mystery.
Family perished in the hands of Bolsheviks at Ekaterinburg. What a gruesome end. For a long time ,Bolsheviks concealed this crime. Finally, Boris Yeltsin had the courage to acknowledge Soviet Union's guilt.I got the impression what happened in Russia[revolution,violence which succeded] stemmed from the disease of young Tsarevich.Had he been healthy, there would have been no Rasputin and revolution.
Profiles of people like Kerensky , Rasputin , Lenin were interesting.Also the section on Russo- Japanese war.Curious to know more about Siberian mystic Rasputin . From where did he acquire supernatural powers? Did he go Himalayas or Tibet where we still have sages possessing mystical powers.unfortunately author does not satisfactorily address this point.
This book a must reading for history buffs.
Fantastic History Lesson.......2007-06-13
I loved this book. It was well-written, interesting, and a real page-turner. I have recommended it to many of my friends. I didn't know I could be so interested in Russian history. This book has it all, intrigue, love, tragedy. I enjoyed it immensely.
An excellent book.......2007-06-03
I have read this book many times and love it more every time I read it. Massie captures the times of Nicholas and Alexandra wonderfully. Massie captures Nicholas's and Alexandra's personalities and temperments wonderfully. Nicholas did not have the capability to rule over Russia and made huge mistakes. It did not help that some of these bad descisions were egged on by Alexandra. You feel Alexandra's grief over Alexei's hemophilia. She mourned it even more because this was their only son and heir. This was kept secret from the Russian people and most of the court and was disasterous. Massie gives a sympathetic light to the last tsar and tsarina, but doesn't leave out what went wrong.
Endures for its Excellence.......2007-06-01
That this book, over 35 years old, continues to be read is a tribute to its writer. The book is still read for a reason - its excellence. It had been on my "to read list" for years, and a long trip with several layovers finally prompted me to do it. It was stunning and long flights the layovers passed quickly.
Despite the lack of access to materials, people and places inside the then USSR, Massie unearths significant original sources. His tremendous writing skills weave all this detail into the narrative... and what a sweeping narrative it is!
Massie shows how the personalities of the Emperor and Empress and how their only son's fate as a hemophilic set the stage for not only their personal tragedy, but the tragedy of the Russian nation. Massie writes in a way that makes you care.
This book was an enormous undertaking, and a labor of love. Massie says in the introduction that his also having a hemophilic son spurred this interest in the Tzar and Tzarina, caring for and protecting their son as best they knew how. Unfortunately for them, their protectiveness of the heir and the autocracy they felt he should have, blinded them.
It was Alexander II's theory that for the monarchy to be preserved, it had to share it's power. Unfortunately his son, Alexander III, who succeeded him, felt that his father's reforms led to his ultimate assassination. Alexander III's death left his son with an extreme autocratic model of government which Nicholas II felt he had to preserve for his own son. Massie demonstrates how the personality of Nicholas, and its synergy with the reserve and monarchial dedication of Alexandra prevented any consideration of change and resulted in the ultimate end of the monarchy.
Book Description
Livia (58 B.C.-A.D. 29)-the wife of the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, and mother of the second, Tiberius-wielded power at the center of Roman politics for most of her long life. Livia has been portrayed as a cunning and sinister schemer, but in this biography (the first in English devoted to her) Livia emerges as a much more complex individual. Achieving influence unprecedented for a woman, she won support and even affection from her contemporaries and was widely revered after her death.
Anthony A. Barrett, author of acclaimed biographies of Caligula and Agrippina, here examines Livia's life and her role in Roman politics. He recounts the events of her life, from her early days as a member of the wealthy and powerful Claudian family through her final conflicts with the new Emperor Tiberius. Barrett also considers how Livia helped shape the pattern of Roman government that prevailed for the next four centuries.
Customer Reviews:
Rome's First Imperial Matron.......2005-03-01
The book offers a unique insight into the life of Rome's first imperial matron, Livia. Reviewing narrative and archeological evidence, Anthony Barret succeeds in showing how Livia was perceived by her contemporaries in light of Augustus' new imperial institutions. Because there's so little information on who Livia really was as a person, Mr. Barret's analysis starts becoming rather speculative when it comes to Livia's private dispositions. The book is thus more of a review of Livia's persona as opposed to her actual beliefs and behavior behind closed doors. At the very least, he succeeds in dispelling many of the anecdotal stories of her as a ambitious master schemer and regicite. These negative qualities are mostly the product of Tacitus' biased accounts which were so wonderfully crafted into Robert Graves' "I, Claudius" books. At the very least, one gets a good picture of the political and social environment Livia found herself in when she married Augustus and how it affected her public image. The book is easy to read for the casual reader but detailed enough for the scholar. I strongly recommend this work.
The Real Livia.......2003-05-17
Anthony Barrett has written another excellent biography. Livia is an historical figure who has been much maligned over time and effectively turned into a ruthless serial killer in order to see her son Tiberius as emperor. Reality is a different matter and Livia emerges as an intelligent, beautiful and caring woman whose life was generally restrained by having no official political position. As Augustus' wife, she could exert a great deal of influence but until he death, when she was adopted into the Julian gens and given the title name Augusta. Mr. Barrett has examined Livia's life in detail as the wife of the princeps, the mother of the second emperor, her role as a protector and benefactor and her public and her private life.
Among the bits of interesting information I found was that Livia gave an allowance to the Elder and Younger Julia's after they had been sent into exile that lasted for the rest of their lives. Also of interest was Livia's healthy habits, which included drinking red wine each day, and that she underwent grief management after the death of her son Drusus..
Mr. Barrett separates some more specialized discussions in the appendix, dealing with such topics as Livia's name and birth to Livia's relations with Agrippina the Elder etc. The book is invaluable for the detailed listing of sources of information about Livia, including inscriptions, sculptures, books and articles and a list of abbreviations of ancient authors and their individual works. In short, this is as complete a biography of Livia that we will have in English.
Average customer rating:
- Not only a good book, but a great sidekick for teens
- Scintillating
- thoughts on Empress of the World
- Likeable characters, believable plotting, & smart writing.
- Don't waste your time
|
Empress of the World
Sara Ryan
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Love & Romance
| Literature & Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Homosexuality
| Social Issues
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Girls & Women
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Teen Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Fiction
| Girls & Women
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Love & Romance
| Literature & Fiction
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Homosexuality
| Social Issues
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Keeping You a Secret
-
Annie on My Mind
-
Dare Truth or Promise
-
Kissing Kate
-
Girl Walking Backwards
ASIN: 0142500593 |
Book Description
Nicola Lancaster is spending eight weeks at the Siegel Institute Summer Program for Gifted Youth, a hothouse of smart, articulate, intense teenagers. She soon falls in with Katrina (Manic Computer Chick), Isaac (Nice-Guy-Despite-Himself), Kevin (Inarticulate Composer) . . . and Battle. Battle Hall Davies is a beautiful blonde dancer, and everything Nic isn't. The two become friends-and then, startlingly, more than friends. What do you do when you think you're attracted to guys, and then you meet a girl who steals your heart?
Customer Reviews:
Not only a good book, but a great sidekick for teens.......2007-05-11
I read "Empress of the World" four years ago when I, like Nic, was beginning to realize who I truly was, and without this book, it might not have been so easy. Now, a very out of the closet 17 year old, I still read it when I'm feeling down or just feel like reading something good. My original copy is beaten and battered from being read over and over, passed around my circle of friends, and getting stuffed under the pillow after late night reading sessions.
Even without the emotional attachment I have to "Empress," though, I think it's a great book. What I love so much about it is that it's so real. There is nothing fantastical about this book, nothing over-exaggerated or over-dramatized (except for every single thing Katrina does, but I have friends like that myself, so it's understandable!). Sara Ryan does not fabricate anything in this book; it really feels like the memoir from a young girl. It's hard to believe that it is not at all autobiographical, though I trust Ms Ryan when she insists that it is.
Some might say that the ending is predictable, or unfinished. I disagree on both parts. Trying not to give any spoilers away would be a tough task while defending the ending, but I'll say this: I think the ending is very realistic because it gives us what we expect, but not to fairy tale proportions. We're not sure what happens next, but a) there is a sequel, and b) you can kind of figure it out on your own. And once you do, you'll see the reality of it.
I may be biased because it is my favorite book, but then again, if it's my favorite, something has to be good about it. :)
Scintillating.......2007-03-16
I loved this book when I read it the first time (and the second and third time). All of the characters are truly interesting, and you can't help but find yourself rooting for the two main characters of the novel- you want them to be in love forever. It's similar to books like "Keeping You a Secret" and "Annie on my Mind", so if you enjoyed those books, this is a sure deal.
thoughts on Empress of the World.......2007-01-24
Nicola Lancaster has it hard enough at a camp where high-school students take college-like courses, but now she's she's got to deal with the pressures of trying to hold up a complicated and confusing relationship.
On Nic¡¦s first day at the Siegel Institute she befriends two other girls, redheaded and outgoing Katrina, as well as Battle, who posses electric green eyes and who Nic calls ¡¥Beautiful Hair Girl,¡¦ though only in her mind. The three also make friends with Kevin, an aspiring composer and Isaac, funny and nice even though he's just...confusing. They all care for one another like friends do; when Nic falls on a hike and twists her ankle, they all want to make sure she¡¦s okay. But after a little while she wants to go moving around more and the only one who doesn't feel ¡§it¡¦s her ankle, let her do what she wants¡¨ is Battle.
The situation is believable,it sounds as if this is how it would go with teenagers in real life. It isn¡¦t straight out forward how Battle truly feels for Nic, it doesn¡¦t even seem apparent to Battle. When Nic catches a fever Battle comes to comfort her and their relationship starts with a kiss, like almost all relationships in teen romance novels. Though everything goes wrong when Nic decides to make Battle gift.
Sara Ryan touches a subject few people want to talk about, gayness, with an excellent flair. Empress of the World is great book choice for someone looking for an alternative to traditional teen-romance novels. n
Likeable characters, believable plotting, & smart writing........2006-08-25
Publisher's Weekly is usually a reliable, objective source, which makes the review above all the more disturbing: this is one of the most competently written & deftly characterized young adult novels for lesbians I've seen in a long while. (I've been reading such books for 30+ years.) It's a shame the review is so out of step with the book's tone, given how influential it gets to be just by virtue of sitting here, on Amazon. The reviewer claims the characters are flat & the dialogue 'over-scripted' (huh? oh please) yet gives only 1 (very peripheral) example--which in context works quite well, as it happens. And as for "painfully detailed descriptions of their clothes"--I'd bet money the (anonymous) reviewer was a man: this is a book about teenaged girls, hello?
Ryan's characters are both distinct and quite believable; the language she uses is specific to each character, a pretty impressive accomplishment for any book but especially a Y/A one; and the (fairly low-key) trials of the two lead girls feel real without the tedious melodrama of so much teen writing. It's a refreshing and well-told story with a credible ending: as a debut novel, it's terrific. This business about 'one-dimensional' characters strikes me as either a writer so unfamiliar with the genre he had no business reviewing this, or as just plain old poorly-masked homophobia: if you don't want to read about gay teens then... don't. If you do, give this book a try--especially if you're interested in writing about Y/A lesbian subject matter. Heaven knows such books are and remain scarce on the ground. This is one of the good ones.
Don't waste your time.......2006-04-02
I couldn't even finish it. Not a single character was likable. If you want to read a good book, read Annie On My Mind.
Book Description
Agrippina the Younger, wife of the emperor Claudius and mother of his successor Nero, wielded power and authority at the center of the Roman empire in ways unmatched by almost any other woman in Roman history. Such, at least, is the portrait of Agrippina delivered by our sources and perpetuated in modern scholarship. In this posthumous work, Judith Ginsburg provides a fresh look at both the literary and material representations of Agrippina. Unlike previous treatments, she seeks neither to condemn nor to rehabilitate Agrippina. Nor does she endeavor to exhume the "real Agrippina" from the embellished or fabricated portraits found among the ancients. Ginsburg trains her focus on the representations themselves. Her painstaking dissection of the portrayals by historians exposes the rhetorical tropes, the recurrent motifs, and the craft that shaped the literary image of Agrippina. The designs, as Ginsburg shows, were more than literary flourishes. They aimed to blur the boundaries between the domestic and the imperial realms, deploying the image of Agrippina as domineering wife and mother to suggest the flaws and instability of the regime, a dysfunctional family entailing a dysfunctional system of governance. Gender inversions at home played themselves out on the public scene as imperial rule compromised by female ascendancy. Distorted stereotypes of the "wicked stepmother," the domineering woman, and the sexual transgessor were applied to underscore the violations of status and disruption of gender relations that characterized the imperial administration. Ginsburg has as keen an eye for visual (mis)representations as for literary ones. The depictions of Agrippina on coinage and statuary provide a stark contrast with the written evidence. She appears as matron and priestess, emblematic of domestic rectitude and public piety, and a central figure in the continuity of the dynasty. Ginsburg incisively demonstrates the means whereby Agrippina's imagery was molded both to serve the interests of the Julio-Claudian regime and to advance the ends of its critics.
Book Description
Napoleon was but a poor, insignificant army officer. Josephine was a widow. They met in a Paris ravaged by revolution and despairing of war. They fell in love and married. Their relationship became a legend.
From those early days in Paris to the bitter divorce in 1809 the couple kept in touch through intimate letters. Napoleon's insatiable ambition took him from Italy to Egypt, from general to emperor, yet he and Josephine wrote frank, revealing letters to keep in touch. This collection of letters reveals much about the times through which Napoleon and Josephine prospered and about the forces which played upon a couple who rose at astonishing speed to the very height of prestige, power and success. This new edition has commentaries, a chronology and biographies of leading personalities.
Here is their love, here are their squabbles. Napoleon and Josephine live on in the pages of this book. Contains 67 illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
A glimpse into the written words of Napoleon.......2006-06-27
I loved this little book and read through it very quickly. It was interesting to me to read Napoleon's personal and private correspondence to Josephine. Each of the letters are presented in chronological order as they were written. One can very easily read Napoleon's varying moods through his written words at the time of each letter that is presented. This alone allows the book to be very readable and interesting on so many levels.
However, the book really shines in the "filling in of the blanks". In other words, simple explainations are given to help the reader understand some of the comments written in each particular letter or to help the reader understand some of the events that were occuring or fixing to occur at the time of each writing. One therefore does not have to be a Napoleon aficionado to enjoy this book.
Books:
- Chopin - Complete Preludes, Nocturnes and Waltzes: 26 Preludes, 21 Nocturnes, 19 Waltzes for Piano (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics)
- Classical Living: Reconnecting With the Rituals for Ancient Rome
- College Writing Skills: Text, Student CD, User's Guide, and Online Learning Center powered by Catalyst
- Crazy '08: How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History
- Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands, 13th ed
- Deep Storm: A Novel
- Diffusion of Innovations, 5th Edition
- Dreamland (reissue)
- East of Eden
- Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soul
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- When God Writes Your Love Story: The Ultimate Approach to Guy/Girl Relationships
- Shadow Boxing: The Dynamic 2-5-14 Strategy to Defeat the Darkness Within
- Color Science: Concepts and Methods, Quantitative Data and Formulae
- Jean Dubuffet: Works, Writings, Interviews
- Landscape Painting Inside and Out: Capture the Vitality of Outdoor Painting in Your Studio With Oils
- Natural Resource Conservation: Management for a Sustainable Future
- Pekingese Champions, 1952-1981
- Draw and Paint Your Pet
- Fabric Glossary, Third Edition
- The Life of George Rogers Clark, 1752-1818: Triumphs and Tragedies
Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe
Ella: Princess, Saint and Martyr
True Grace: The Life and Times of an American Princess
Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations
The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm
