Favourite and recommended royal books

[pgm1952]

There are plenty of royal books out there but you will have to judge for yourself what ones are worth reading. It will take time to distinguish good from bad quality but if you care enough you will make good choices.

I should say now I can only speak for books in English and generally English authors.

Be warned, go for established royal authors like Sarah Bradford, Philip Ziegler, the late Elizabeth Longford, the late Theo Aaronson, Christopher Warwick, Gyles Brandreth, Greg King and Penny Wilson (they cover the Romanovs mostly) and John Van Der Kiste.

Biographers include Kenneth Rose, James Pope- Hennessay, and again Bradford, Ziegler, and Longford.

Some one off books by notable historians include "The Last Days of the Romanovs" by Helen Rappaport and "George, Nicholas, and Wilhelm" by Miranda Carter (my personal favorite).

Be particularly scrupulous about Diana books (if you are into her life and saga). I would read Christopher Anderson's books on her, Sarah Bradford's biography on her, and Ingrid Seward, the editor in chief of Majesty Magazine, wrote a good one called "The Queen and Di".

I say be scrupulous because some people have twisted facts and have written an over sentimental and sensationalized account of her life based on little research and bad sources. Stay away from Andrew Morton's "Diana, Her True Story" it does not give facts as they happened and was done with Diana's help. Above all, find a good objective author who trys to tell her life as it happened, not for the sake of any big revelations.

Check source material, if they mention royal archives (personal letters and diaries) that is a good sign. Contemporaries and known diarists of the era are usually good sources. Other earlier books and personal memoirs by the royals are ok as well.

Again do some homework on the quality of sources and the point of view of the author. Are they objective enough? Does it talk too much of politics and not enough background on who they were? Is it biographical or historical? What family do you like most?

Hope this helps and good luck!

[Archduchess Zelia]

At this moment I am overcome with excitement over Robert K. Massie's legendary Nicholas and Alexandra, and I regret not having read this ealier. Everyone who have somewhat harsh feelings about Alexandra Feodorovna should read this book and find out that she was a totally different person than what most people think. I'm so glad that my library owned this book and it's definitely going directly to both my Christmas wish-list and my list over favourite royal books :)