Suggestions and poll for May-August 2008

[ysbel]

Would any of you be interested in a Royal book club?

The club could read different books about the royals each month and discuss. It wouldn't necessarily have to be about Charles and Diana - just any royal.

 

[selrahc4]

Would any of you be interested in a Royal book club?

The club could read different books about the royals each month and discuss. It wouldn't necessarily have to be about Charles and Diana - just any royal.

That sounds interesting.

 

[Russophile]

Would any of you be interested in a Royal book club?

The club could read different books about the each month and discuss. It wouldn't necessarily have to be about Charles and Diana - just any royal.

What a hoot! Like Oprah's but about Royalty! I'm game!
This will make me more rounded with royals, I would guess because I see there are lots and lots of others out there that are just as interesting. Could we vote on the books? Like this month's choice: Poll: Diana, Caroline of Monaco, Princess Matsuko, etc.

 

[jcbcode99]

I LOVE the idea. How do we get it started? And, what book is first??

 

[tinkerbell1948]

Actually that is a good idea!

I didn't buy or read the second Morton book, I thought "Enough is enough"

Now I'm curious as I didn't realise that Diana edited the first book to make Charles seem even more of a villian (not starting a discussion here LOL just making a comment)

 

[Fabulous Fake]

Would any of you be interested in a Royal book club?

The club could read different books about the royals each month and discuss. It wouldn't necessarily have to be about Charles and Diana - just any royal.

Yes please.

Count me in on that.

 

[ysbel]

Its good to see so many people interested in a book club.

Why don't some of you come up with some book recommendations for the book club?

 

[sirhon11234]

I think having a book club would be interesting.
Threads should stay open even though the group has finished discussing the book.

 

[LadyCat]

I would love, Love, LOVE a TRF Book club!

I think the book club should have a separate thread for each book, the threads to stay open even after we've finished with it -- you never know, some new member might read it later and have some comments or take on it no one else did and open up a whole new realm of discussions.

The books could be chosen by a poll - we could all toss a few ideas into the pot and vote on them.

Don't ask me for a time frame to read a book though, if I get really absorbed in one I'm likely to finish it in one marathon all night reading frenzy!

Cat

 

[ysbel]

In addition to a thread, would y'all like a scheduled chat session when you could come online and discuss the book in real time with other members?

 

[ysbel]

Well I'll be the first one. I would love to read this book about George V, Nicholas II, and Kaiser Wilhelm during WWI!

Amazon.com: King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War: Catrine Clay: Books

 

[ysbel]

But for a complete change of pace, I'm really interested in this new book about Princess Margaret.

Amazon.com: Princess Margaret: Tim Heald: Books

 

[jcbcode99]

The chat session would be fun, I think. I also think the book threads should remain open for people who come in later or who take longer to read--
as for how books should be chosen, why don't we go ahead and compile a list and then decide which books to chooose from that list?
Right now, I'm reading James Pope-Hennessy's "Queen Mary" and am planning to move onto to something by Hugo Vickers--either Princess Alice or the Queen Mother or the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Anyone have an opinion?

Of course, I'm always willing to discuss the jewel books

 

[LadyCat]

I have found several that sound really interesting:

I had no idea a Royal Physician brought so much to Danish history until I saw this:

Amazon.com: The Royal Physician's Visit: A Novel: Per Olov Enquist,Tiina Nunnally: Books

Then we have Sweden's Queen Christina:

Amazon.com: Christina Queen of Sweden: Veronica Buckley: Books

A bit expensive for a paperback but sounds like a very interesting read.

Then there are the Romanovs. Since a lot of people have read Massie's book I tried to find an alternative. I did not check the TRF Library to see if it also has a large TRF readership already.

Amazon.com: The Kitchen Boy : A Novel of the Last Tsar: Robert Alexander: Books

And Ysbel beat me to the punch with the new book about Britain's Princess Margaret. Although this one sounds really interesting as well:

Amazon.com: Margaret: The Last Real Princess: Noel Botham: Books


Cat

 

[Fabulous Fake]

But for a complete change of pace, I'm really interested in this new book about Princess Margaret.

Amazon.com: Princess Margaret: Tim Heald: Books

I've just bought that book.It arrived this morning.

Yes please.

 

[Elspeth]

I must say The Royal Physician's Visit is one of the weirdest books I've read in a long time.

I see I'd better go and find myself a copy of Tim Heald's book.

 

[LadyCat]

Thankfully a new B&N coupon for 20% off arrived in my e-mail yesterday. I'll order the Princess Margaret book now. Looks like its going to be our first!

BTW Elspeth weird as in you wish you hadn't wasted the time and money or weird but still interesting and entertaining? Thanks.

Cat

 

[Elspeth]

It was interesting and provided a very different picture of the Danish court from what I was expecting, but the picture was very twisted and unwholesome, so I can't say I found it entertaining, exactly. Very instructive, but there was an edge of sordid insanity to the story.

I've just ordered a copy of the Princess Margaret book, but it's coming from England so it might take a while.

 

[LadyCat]

The reviews (for Royal Physicians Visit) were all over the place but most seemed favorable. However, I think I'll move it to the bottom of the wish list after reading your review. And thank you for sharing it with me.

As for the Princess Margaret book by Tim Heald. B&N doesn't have it, BAM doesn't either. And it takes 4 to 7 weeks for shipping via Amazon (sometimes it ships sooner but you never know with them). Borders on line is via Amazon but I'm hoping it is on the shelf at the local Borders. If not, well, I guess I'll be reading it in 4-7 weeks.

Cat

 

[ysbel]

The Heald book looks really interesting. He got access to all sorts of original papers and was able to interview a lot of the key players in Princess Margaret's life including her ex-husband, Lord Snowdon.

 

[Elspeth]

The reviews (for Royal Physicians Visit) were all over the place but most seemed favorable. However, I think I'll move it to the bottom of the wish list after reading your review. And thank you for sharing it with me.

As for the Princess Margaret book by Tim Heald. B&N doesn't have it, BAM doesn't either. And it takes 4 to 7 weeks for shipping via Amazon (sometimes it ships sooner but you never know with them). Borders on line is via Amazon but I'm hoping it is on the shelf at the local Borders. If not, well, I guess I'll be reading it in 4-7 weeks.

Cat

I ordered mine from the Amazon Marketplace Sellers programme at Amazon.co.uk. They have it in stock at Amazon.co.uk if you don't want to buy a used copy. If you're signed up for Amazon.com, you should be able to buy from the British Amazon.

There are also second-hand copies available from Amazon.com, and they'd ship a lot faster than 4-7 weeks.

 

[ysbel]

Now for a historical read, this novel based on the premise of Henry VIII's autobiography does indeed look interesting. I read some snippets standing up in a book store.

Amazon.com: The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers: Margaret George: Books

 

[LadyCat]

Now for a historical read, this novel based on the premise of Henry VIII's autobiography does indeed look interesting. I read some snippets standing up in a book store.

Amazon.com: The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers: Margaret George: Books

Sounds like an interesting read and, if the first page is anything to go by, it should be quite entertaining as well. I thought this might also be a good one to consider. It will probably be more of a Reader's Digest of these 5 queens but they lead such vastly different and interesting lives.

Barnes & Noble.com - Books: Born to Rule, by Julia P. Gelardi, Paperback

Cat

 

[LadyCat]

I ordered mine from the Amazon Marketplace Sellers programme at Amazon.co.uk. They have it in stock at Amazon.co.uk if you don't want to buy a used copy. If you're signed up for Amazon.com, you should be able to buy from the British Amazon.

There are also second-hand copies available from Amazon.com, and they'd ship a lot faster than 4-7 weeks.

Thanks Elspeth. I'll check my local Borders tomorrow - though I must admit I'm not too hopeful they will have it in stock. If n success in that quarter I'll order it used from Amazon and keep my fingers crossed.

Cat

 

[Russophile]

A couple Greg King's I've wanted to get to:
The Duchess of Windsor, the Uncommon Life of Wallis Simpson and
The Mad King: The Life and Times of Ludwig II of Bavaria.

If I can, I will try to persuade him to come post on this forum about his books if we do a book of the month. But he's so darned busy!!!

 

[ysbel]

It looks like a lot of people are ordering Amazon.com: Princess Margaret: Tim Heald: Books.

 

[Elspeth]

I've read his Duchess of Windsor book and really liked it. I'd be interested in having that be a book club selection for one month because it's a different perspective on Wallis.

 

[Elspeth]

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?

 

[Elspeth]

Sounds like an interesting read and, if the first page is anything to go by, it should be quite entertaining as well. I thought this might also be a good one to consider. It will probably be more of a Reader's Digest of these 5 queens but they lead such vastly different and interesting lives.

Barnes*&*Noble.com - Books: Born to Rule, by Julia P. Gelardi, Paperback

Cat

"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.

 

[sirhon11234]

Here are two suggestions:

Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne

A Royal Duty