Suggestions and poll for May-August 2008

[tinkerbell1948]

Yep I'm happy to buy this book

 

[Elspeth]

I ordered it second hand from an Amazon bookseller in England, so it should hopefully arrive sometime in the next week or two.

 

[TheTruth]

In the Diana books, I'd suggest Bradford's biography which is fairly unbiased. The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown is a book you should consider. It contains a great amount of sources and it's a really different way to learn about Diana.

For Queen Elizabeth II, I've read a tremendous biography by Marc Roche, Elizabeth II, La dernière Reine (Elizabeth II, the last Queen). Very interesting but unfortunately it has only been published in French.

 

[sirhon11234]

For the Diana books, Ever After by Anne Edwards.

 

[Russophile]

We have a list of about five people who've expressed interest in Tim Heald's Princess Margaret book. Are there any other people to add to the list?

That's a good start. Maybe after this Month, or slate it for April, you can take the suggestions offered and make a poll??

 

[LadyCat]

"Born To Rule" isn't really a Readers Digest sort of experience because it goes to some lengths to compare the experiences of the five cousins as well as tell their individual stories. I'd recommend it.

And I didn't mean to put you off The Royal Physician's Visit; I guess I was just surprised how much twisted religious fervour there was at the Danish court back then, considering that we tend to see Denmark as a bastion of common sense and tolerance these days. I was rather horrified at some of what I was reading, but it was because the actual situation there was horrifying, not because the book itself was a problem. You tend to think of the birth of the Enlightenment as a positive step in the history of Europe, but it was really interesting to read about how hard a birth it was in some countries.

Elspeth, we may have to exclude you from the book club -- seems you've read just about everything published already.

Don't worry that you put me off reading RPV and thanks for the further insight into the book. It sounds fascinating and I do plan to order it.

Cat

 

[Elspeth]

Russophile and LadyCat have told me they're also interested.

 

[iowabelle]

For those of you with a bent for "ancient" history, I stumbled across a biography of Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law, the infamous Lady Rochford who figured in so many Tudor scandals. I was flipping through it in Barnes & Noble and thought it sounded very interesting -- a glimpse at a figure who keeps popping up (rather like a malevolent Forrest Gump) but who seems to fly under most biographers' radars.

 

[ysbel]

We merged the two book club threads so as not to drive members crazy.

First of what we'll take Russophile's suggestion and start a poll so you can vote on the books you'd like to read. We'll set the poll so you can vote on more than one book. Whoever could only read one book?

We're hoping that you won't be too embarassed for other members to know what book you voted for. (We figured at least that if you were willing to take part in a book club, you wouldn't be TOO embarassed to let other people know the books you're interested in.) But it will help us coordinate the club.

If you have some more book suggestions then by all means post them here in the thread and we'll add them to the poll.

I'm looking forward to this Royal Book Club. I think it will be a lot of fun.

 

[Elspeth]

Here's a book that was recommended to me by Roslyn and which I've nearly finished: The Marlborough House Set by Anita Leslie, granddaughter of one of the members of this group of aristocrats who were friendly with Edward VII during his years as Prince of Wales and later as King.

Amazon.com: The Marlborough House set: Anita Leslie: Books

 

[HRH Kerry]

A couple of good choices. I've only read Born to Rule. Pretty good read but can be a tad confusing jumping back and forth with the different characters.

 

[ysbel]

Thanks for the feedback Kerry. Oh and if you have some books that you still want to read, then we'd love to hear your suggestions.

 

[Polly]

I've selected quite a few, and could happily read most of them. My first choice would be The Royal Physician's Visit, though I'm comfortable with whatever is selected.

I didn't realise that historical fiction could be included, which I think an excellent idea.

 

[Polly]

Thinking of historical novels, I have two favourites which immediately spring to mind, viz:

The Daughter of Time, Josephine Tey, is a much-acclaimed detective story. Written in the early 50s, it won a number of awards, particularly for its contribution to serious historical enquiry and discourse. It's an eminently readable novel which endeavours to acquit Richard III of the murder of his little nephews, and to many students of the era, including myself, succeeds. This award-winning novel is an excellent example of just how the historical record can be distorted for political advantage.

The second is Georgette Heyer's Royal Escape. Heyer is an engaging and deceptively light writer, but one of her Regency novels An Infamous Army, premised on the Battle of Waterloo, has actually been studied in some military academies due to the excellence of its depiction of military strategy.

Royal Escape concerns the defeat and flight of Charles II from England after the defeat in the Battle of Worcester in 1651. It's an intriguingly royal and suspenseful read.

I read both of these books as a teenager and delighted in them. I've read them both again, once or twice, as an adult, and their charms have not diminished.

Perhaps they could be included in some future list when the current suggestions have been exhausted?

 

[Elspeth]

I suggested to ysbel that each year we might designate a couple of months for a particular type of book. So maybe we can look at having a historical novel sometime later this year and run a separate vote for it.

I grew up on the Jean Plaidy and Georgette Heyer novels, so I totally sympathise with your desire to see these sorts of books represented! I also like the Sharon Kay Penman books but they might be rather long for a club. The Sunne in Splendour is her version of rehabilitating Richard III, although she pins the murders on a different culprit from the one fingered by Josephine Tey.

 

[candygirl_68]

that's a great idea Elspeth!

i know this book is not on the list, but i just read it recently and thought it might interest some of you, it's called:
Leap of faith: memoirs of an unexpected life by Queen Noor.
it's just a wonderful book!

 

[ysbel]

I suggested to ysbel that each year we might designate a couple of months for a particular type of book. So maybe we can look at having a historical novel sometime later this year and run a separate vote for it.

I grew up on the Jean Plaidy and Georgette Heyer novels, so I totally sympathise with your desire to see these sorts of books represented! I also like the Sharon Kay Penman books but they might be rather long for a club. The Sunne in Splendour is her version of rehabilitating Richard III, although she pins the murders on a different culprit from the one fingered by Josephine Tey.

For certain long books we can give a longer time to read. So for example, instead of one month, we can take two months to read certain books.

 

[candygirl_68]

For certain long books we can give a longer time to read. So for example, instead of one month, we can take two months to read certain books.

you are right! sometimes one month might be too short!
we should have two or three months to read!
by the way, thanks again for that wonderful idea with the TRF book club!

 

[ysbel]

We're glad you like the suggestion. I, for one, look forward to reading books I may not have thought of.

We're looking at having threads and chat sessions where members can discuss the books. With the threads we have the option of starting the thread after everyone has finished the book or we could start the threads when people begin the book so that people can talk about the book as their reading. It changes the discussion a bit. The first scenario will be the members all discussing a book they have all read to its conclusion; the second scenario will be members sharing their impressions of a book while they are reading.

Either one is doable.

 

[pinklady1991]

Well keep us posted when you all get started. I like the idea of real-time chat...

 

[Russophile]

Thank you!

 

[principessa]

My interests are two books. King, Kaiser, Tsar... and the one about King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Are they also accessible in German language?

 

[Elspeth]

Here you go:

Amazon.de: König, Kaiser, Zar. Drei königliche Cousins, die die Welt in den Krieg trieben: Catrine Clay,Michael Müller: Bücher

The other one isn't available at Amazon.de, so I doubt it's been translated.

 

[candygirl_68]

Here you go:

Amazon.de: König, Kaiser, Zar. Drei königliche Cousins, die die Welt in den Krieg trieben: Catrine Clay,Michael Müller: Bücher

The other one isn't available at Amazon.de, so I doubt it's been translated.

that sounds quite interesting!

 

[Empress]

I like these as well:

Amazon.com: Ella: Princess, Saint and Martyr: Christopher Warwick: Books

Amazon.com: The Last Princess: The Devoted Life of Queen Victoria's Youngest Daughter: Matthew Dennison: Books

Amazon.com: Charlotte & Leopold: The True Story of The Original People's Princess: James Chambers: Books

Amazon.com: Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter: Susan Nagel: Books

Amazon.com: Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford: Julia Fox: Books

Amazon.com: The Secret Bride: In The Court of Henry VIII: Diane Haeger: Books

Amazon.com: All For Love: The Scandalous Life and Times of Royal Mistress Mary Robinson: Amanda Elyot: Books

Amazon.com: Royal Discord: The Family of George II: Veronica Baker-Smith: Books

Amazon.com: Secret Memoirs of Princess Lamballe: Her Confidential Relations With Marie Antoinette: Princess Lamballe,Marie Therese Louise de Savoie-Carignan, princesse de Lamballe,Catherine Hyde: Books

Amazon.com: The Romanov Bride: Robert Alexander: Books

Amazon.com: Madame Royale: Elena Maria Vidal: Books

Amazon.com: The Many Deaths of Tsar Nicholas II: Relics, Remains and the Romanovs (Routledge Studies in the History of Russia and Eastern Europ): Wendy Slater: Books

Amazon.com: The Lost Prince: The Survival of Richard of York: David Baldwin: Books

 

[Polly]

Excellent suggestions, Empress.

This book-club is sure to prove a winner with so much available to us all and so many interesting suggestions.

I'm not conversant with some of your recommendations but I'm most willing to learn and absorb.

 

[candygirl_68]

yes! i'll have to repeat it again too: that book club is GREAT!!!

 

[Elspeth]

Well keep us posted when you all get started. I like the idea of real-time chat...

Andy is on travel at the moment but says he'll see about setting up the live-chat feature here when he gets back so we can use it for the book club as a supplement to the threads.

That might mean that we won't have our first book till May unless we want to choose something fairly simple for April as a sort of trial run and possibly do it without the chat.

 

[candygirl_68]

May is very doable! i'm looking forward to it!

 

[RubyPrincess168]

We have a list of about five people who've expressed interest in Tim Heald's Princess Margaret book. Are there any other people to add to the list?

I'm interested! I don't know much about princess Margaret's life. I like this idea of a Royal Book Club, but a new book every month may be a bit much for me. My budget is really tight, and royal biographies tend to be lengthy. Could we do a new book every 2 or 3 months?