false <![CDATA[The Life of Elizabeth I]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255820722m/111222.jpg 111222 4 The long life and powerful personality of England's beloved Virgin Queen have eternal appeal, and popular historian Alison Weir depicts both with panache. She's especially good at evoking the physical texture of Tudor England: the elaborate royal gowns (actually an intricate assembly of separate fabric panels buttoned together over linen shifts), the luxurious but unhygienic palaces (Elizabeth got the only "close stool"; most members of her retinue relieved themselves in the courtyards), the huge meals heavily seasoned to disguise the taste of spoiled meat. Against this earthy backdrop, Elizabeth's intelligence and formidable political skills stand in vivid relief. She may have been autocratic, devious, even deceptive, but these traits were required to perform a 45-year tightrope walk between the two great powers of Europe, France and Spain. Both countries were eager to bring small, weak England under their sway and to safely marry off its inconveniently independent queen. Weir emphasizes Elizabeth's precarious position as a ruling woman in a man's world, suggesting plausibly that the single life was personally appealing as well as politically expedient for someone who had seen many ambitious ladies--including her own mother--ruined and even executed for just the appearance of sexual indiscretions. The author's evaluations of such key figures in Elizabeth's reign as the Earl of Leicester (arguably the only man she ever loved) and William Cecil (her most trusted adviser) are equally cogent and respectful of psychological complexity. Weir does a fine job of retelling this always-popular story for a new generation. <I>--Wendy Smith</I> 773252 book 5 10 1998 The Life of Elizabeth I total:1324|5:427|4:585|3:266|2:36|1:10| 1324 5355 2233 130 4 2 false false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Apr 04 10:50:44 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 28 13:49:39 -0700 2008 Your Dad marries your Mom when he's still technically married to his first wife. No matter; your Dad is the King of England.
Your Dad gets bored with your Mom and she looses her head (literally). You then go from princess to bastard and get se...more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2001 Mon Feb 25 07:29:42 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 25 07:29:42 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Jun 23 06:42:45 -0700 2008 Wed May 28 10:06:16 -0700 2008 Mon Jun 23 06:42:45 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 26 12:05:22 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 26 12:06:08 -0700 2009
But...more...]]> 5 1 false false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Sun Jun 21 07:48:09 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 21 07:57:48 -0700 2009 While Starkey writes with a pompous style that seems to scream "I ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Apr 17 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 07 07:14:42 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 20 13:51:33 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Tue Nov 10 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Oct 24 10:39:39 -0700 2009 Sun Nov 15 19:16:42 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Sun Jun 29 12:16:05 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 29 12:17:31 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 04 07:57:22 -0700 2009 Sun Nov 01 08:56:19 -0800 2009 The Lady Elizabeth, which is a fictional account (based on historical fact and rumor) of the life of Elizabeth from childhood to the day she was announced Queen. I admit I am not well read in British royalty or history, despite having studied abroad ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Jan 06 15:02:43 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 06 15:10:06 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Sun Aug 03 15:55:21 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 03 15:58:44 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Sun Aug 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jan 26 07:01:31 -0800 2009 Mon Aug 03 17:00:17 -0700 2009
I...more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jul 28 16:29:13 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 29 10:26:18 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Mon Jul 27 20:57:29 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 27 20:57:29 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Jun 17 22:49:38 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 17 22:54:41 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Aug 05 10:22:34 -0700 2008 Wed May 14 07:49:44 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 05 10:22:34 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat May 24 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun May 24 10:27:30 -0700 2009 Sun May 24 10:29:22 -0700 2009
Amusingly, Ms Weir defends the Virgin Queen's virginity as fiercely as if it were...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Dec 17 19:41:05 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 17 19:41:05 -0800 2008 4 0 false false Tue Apr 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Feb 09 13:55:19 -0800 2009 Mon May 11 20:39:26 -0700 2009 She managed her kingdom and people brilliantly, despite endless pressure for ...more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Dec 30 07:57:36 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 30 08:01:15 -0800 2008 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=111222