Biography queen elizabeth book

We get to meet her Prime Ministers, her advisors, her friends. We learn about her hobbies; horses and horse racing, and horse breeding. Her family, her family dysfunction and more. If you are looking for gossip or slander look elsewhere. There are a TON of photos that are from private collections and are wonderful. It is hard to believe that while there have been 10 Presidents, 6 James Bonds and 3 spidermen there has only been one Queen of England in my entire life.

Suzannah Rowntree. Author 32 books followers. Pedestrian and anodyne biography of Elizabeth II. That's the problem with most biographies - you have to wait until the person is dead and can't be offended, and when the person is royalty you pretty much have to add another years to that before getting anything like a clear, unpartisan perspective. Nevertheless, the 20th century is the one period of history I've formerly ignored, and I've got to have SOMETHING to tide me over till the advent of season 3 of everyone's favourite glitzy royal soap opera, so I read it on holiday.

Christina DeVane.

Biography queen elizabeth book: The Private Eye satirist's portrait

This is a big book pages and there were some slow parts, but overall it was very enjoyable. The descriptions of government and duties were probably my least favorite. We need the kind of courage that can withstand the subtle corruption of the cynics so that we can show the world that we are not afraid of the future. Scrutiny can be just as effective if it is made with a touch of gentleness, good humor, and understanding.

This sort of questioning can also act, and it should do so, as an effective engine for change. The monarchy has only gotten stronger with the marriage of Prince William and Kate which the book ends with. Queen Elizabeth II is someone I've admired all my life. She was crowned in the second year of my life, so she has been my Queen for 60 years. I can't imagine having any other monarch, though I probably will have to get used to a change if I survive another decade.

It's a change I don't look forward to. There have been many, many books and television shows about Queen Elizabeth, including the popular movie, which I loved, "The Queen", with Helen Mirren in They all have their own slant there won't be an official biography until after her death and it can be difficult to sort out what is fact and what is just the bias of the authour, but I thought this one was quite balanced.

It acknowledges her strengths, but doesn't hide her flaws or the mistakes she's made. It presents her as a strong and honourable, but not perfect, human being. I did find it to be somewhat anti-Diana. Whenever it discusses Charles' marriage, the fault for all their problems is clearly laid at her feet. I realize she was not innocent, but they'll never convince me that Charles was just a victim of her emotional instability.

In my view, he has things to answer for too. An aspect of the biography queen elizabeth book I particularly loved was the history review. Beginning with King George VI's unexpected coronation in and continuing right up to William and Catherine's wedding inevery major world event is looked at. How the Queen and her family were affected, how she responded and how she influenced the thinking and decisions of other world leaders makes for fascinating reading.

There is at least as much political information as personal here, which may not appeal to readers who are only interested in learning about her private life. To give a complete picture, the book has to be political because her life is, even as a non-partisan monarch, extremely political. It is in the face of national and international crises that her strength and character as a world leader, and as a human being, are revealed.

A section of the preface says: "She also has the positive power of influence: 'the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn. Tony Blair, the tenth of her twelve Prime Ministers called her 'a symbol of unity in a world of insecurity And it's not all duty and formality; there are a lot of funny moments that show the Queen's sense of humour and provide some comic relief in the midst of stories about war, terrorist attacks and family crises.

Biography queen elizabeth book: 'Q' is a portrait of Queen

A very nice addition to the book are the two sections, 32 pages in all, of photographs. We see her changing a tire as a young woman inbeing crowned Queen inmaking an unannounced visit to an American supermarket inentertaining President and Mrs. Kennedy inon the dance floor inlaughing with her family in and wiping away a tear at the decommissioning of her "floating home", the royal yacht Britannia, in I was reminded again of how beautiful she was in her younger years and what a stunning couple she and Prince Philip made.

I have to say this was a genuinely interesting book. At pages, it still wasn't long enough. I know I'll read it again, and I sincerely hope there will be another book one day about the next ten years of Elizabeth II's reign. God save the Queen! Books about royalty, British royalty in particular, are my secret passion. Victoria's Daughters, Tina Brown's biography of Diana I hung on every word.

Nothing better than good gossipy history. I enjoyed reading it, but was frankly The author interviewed many people with numerous anecdotes, all of which portrayed the Queen as smart, admirably devoted and loving at all times, but there was no analysis and nary a controversial word. Elizabeth has been one of the longest reigning monarchs in British history, during a time of enormous global change.

Changefor the most part where England and some Commonwealth countries have been a major players. But this book is chock full of trivial detail and fluffy anecdotes. Did I need to know, for example, that the queen gets her hair washed by leaning forward over the basin, rather than back like most people? There is nothing about Diana and Fergie that you couldn't have read in People magazine,and not more than a few pages about Maggie Thatcher, which should have been biography queen elizabeth book history.

It was an enjoyable tome of trivia. This is a biography of both a woman and a Queen who has reigned for sixty years. From the first page it becomes obvious that this a well-researched work filled with anecdotes that provide an opportunity to understand how she has managed to be a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother and grandmother as well as a monarch.

At an early age she fell in love with the man she would marry and who still stands at her side today. Their marriage is worth examining in light of their extraordinary life. The author also provides insight into who Prince Philip is- both as an individual and the role he plays in this long lasting relationship. The relationships with their children and grandchildren are candidly presented.

It is clear that they are a family. The Queen is shown to be a non-interfering and tactful parent. Considering the fact that their lives are public, these attributes alone are amazing.

Biography queen elizabeth book: In this magisterial new biography, New

She opens the door to life within the monarchy and how it functions. Films to watch if you enjoyed Babygirl. Absorbing fiction books to pick up in Your TV watchlist for January is here. The joys of a thoroughly bookish Twixmas. The best period dramas for the ultimate escapism. Fulltime mothers are amazing — but it's not for me. Harriet Walter: Woman of the Year Admit it, this one had you at the title.

In order to fully understand Queen Elizabeth, and the turbulent circumstances of her ascension to the throne, you need to understand her father, King George VI. Now most famous as the subject of 's The King's SpeechGeorge was forced to become King after his brother abdicated the throne, a saga which Sarah Bradford chronicles in fascinating detail.

As important as King George VI is to Queen Elizabeth's story, the Queen Mother played a far more central role in her daughter's reign, having lived to see its first five decades. Though not technically a book about Queen Elizabeth at all, Jubilee Lines is nevertheless an evocative portrait of her reign. In this collection, published in for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, 60 poets are each assigned one of the 60 Jubilee years, and write a poem related in some way to the events or reality of that year.

Originally published inthis definitive and acclaimed biography of Queen Elizabeth was updated in to mark her Golden Jubilee. Veteran royal chronicler Robert Hardman focuses his biography on a specific aspect of Queen Elizabeth — her role as the head of Commonwealth of Nations—and thus avoids retreading familiar ground. Search the Wayback Machine Search icon An illustration of a magnifying glass.

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