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71st out of 1,798 books
—
1,736 voters
The Private Letters of Countess Erzsebet Bathory
by
Kimberly L. Craft (Goodreads Author)
Paperback, 142 pages
Published
April 9th 2011
by Createspace
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I finished this First Reads book in 2 sittings. It was very interesting to read about a noble woman in a way that is so much more authentic and genuine to the life she lived as opposed to some of the more romanticized accounts presented in many novels. Getting a view in to what it took to run estates from day to day and the spirit Bathory possessed was really refreshing. Whatever truth there might be to the stories about her penchant for torture she was an interesting woman who worked tiresly to...more
When I first came across Kimberly Craft's first book about Countess Elizabeth Bathory, Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory ,I was very impressed by the level of detail and depth of research done by the author into the life and criminal trial of Elizabeth Bathory, who is purported to be the world's most notorious female serial killer. Since then I have been eagerly awaiting more historical and biographical material about the Countess from this author. I am pleased to say th...more
From the moment I finished reading the author's first book,Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory, I was eagerly anticipating her next one. I would have simply been appeased with any sort of additional information or supplementation about Countess Elizabeth Bathory, but this book totally exceeded my expectations! It is a historically rich and compelling work that gives readers a look inside the "everyday" life, and possible state-of-mind, of one of history's most legendary an...more
I'm always glad when Kimberly Craft writes a book about Erzsebet Bathory, because you know you're going to get a real, historical treatment and not another fictional account. This book is another home run for Bathory scholars everywhere, including over 40 letters published for the first time in English. I really enjoyed reading the real words of the lady herself and not the fabrications of a writer. Craft lays out the history well, explaining nuances of the 16th century in a way that today's rea...more
This is an excellent sequel to "Infamous Lady" by the same author. Attorney Craft has returned to the Hungarian National Archives to find 40 more letters written by the so-called Blood Countess, Elizabeth (Erzsbet) Bathory. These letters are newly translated and, according to the author, presented for the first time in English. The letters are an assortment of administrative memos to servants and private letters written to fellow nobles. These letters show a personal side of this controversial w...more
A very good supplement to the author's first work on Erzsebet Bathory, "Infamous Lady." Very well written. Although the historical background is complex, the author does a good job of explaining the events and relating them to the letters written by this mysterious Hungarian countess. What I found so fascinating, and also alarming, was how this woman sounded so completely "normal" in all of her letters--even religious and pious--and yet could be accused of such atrocities in private. While she w...more
I really loved this book. I am always looking for new information on Elizabeth Bathory, and this book had dozens of new letters I've never seen. They paint a fascinating picture of the trials and tribulations this woman went through. Her homes and castles were stolen, her people killed, farms burned, land invaded, all the while dealing with the treacherous politics of king, emperor, Turks, revolutionaries and even relatives. The translations are done well and really capture the feel of the perio...more
This was a very detailed, informative book on private letters of Countess Erzsebet Bathory. I did not read the author's first book. This is a follow up to the Infamous Lady. Sadly, my library does not have a copy of that book, so definitely excited to have won a copy of this one.
Even if you never read The Infamous Lady, the author included a short biography of a few pages before staring the book.
It was pretty amazing to be reading translated letters from the early 1600s. Fascinating stuff! The...more
Even if you never read The Infamous Lady, the author included a short biography of a few pages before staring the book.
It was pretty amazing to be reading translated letters from the early 1600s. Fascinating stuff! The...more
Another winner for historical scholarship. For the person who thinks he or she knows everything about Lady Bathory, I guarantee that you will not have seen these letters before or realized what all was happening to the "Blood Countess," Erzsebet Bathory, during her tumultuous life: wars, intrigue, hyperinflation, and just petty gossip and politics. She speaks from the heart in her letters to fellow nobility, families and servants, and one can hardly believe that this is the same woman accused of...more
Superb research by the author of "Infamous lady." Reading Countess Bathory's actual letters was both eye-opening and surprising, first, because she did so much to care for her property and problems, and second, because nothing hints at the murderous pathology for which she would blamed for centuries to come. Cover up? Conspiracy? This book certainly begs the question.
I never finished this book, though I do intend to. The author, Kimberly L. Craft, does preface the book by warning readers this particular book may be more enjoyable after first reading "Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Ersebet Bathory" which was published first. I decided to ignore the advice and give "Private Letters" a shot. I got about halfway through before admitting I should backtrack.
Regardless, Craft has an excellent writing style. She basically gives a chronological story with...more
Regardless, Craft has an excellent writing style. She basically gives a chronological story with...more
This is a great book that has many private letters from the Infamous Lady to a number of people. It shows a totally different side of Elizabeth. However some of it is rather dull, managing household affairs and that sort of thing. The author is brilliant though and has done the research and really tried to give as many details as she could find.
The Kindle edition is not formatted well, so you may want to buy the actual book. I think anyone interested in Erzebet Bathory would find this book interesting.
A wonderful followup to Infamous Lady! I cannot say how wonderful Kim is! She did a beautiful job on both books and put a lot of work into them. I envy her for the research and the documents she was able to find and have access to! I cannot praise her enough! I would recommend these books to anyone! Wonderfully done! She should be proud! I'm very proud of her! And I am glad I found her!
I highly recommend this book for anyone
FTC: I received a free copy of this book and was not reimbursed in any other way.
FTC: I received a free copy of this book and was not reimbursed in any other way.
I've been interested in Elizabeth for a few years now, so I'm very excited to read this.
Jun 07, 2012
Lucinda Rose
is currently reading it
This book is actually research for a writing project...
Jul 07, 2011
Heather
is currently reading it
Just starting-so excited for this one!
Fascinating insight into the life of Elizabeth Bathory's day to day dealings. Very much enjoyed reading her letters, due to the stories that surround her it was almost strange to read her writing of wheat prices & chasing justice for crimes committed against her people. Definitely humanized her for me.
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Kimberly L. Craft holds bachelor and master's degrees as well as a juris (law) doctorate. She also received a Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache from the Goethe Institut in Munich. Prof. Craft has served on various faculties, including DePaul University and Florida A&M College of Law. An attorney and legal historian, Prof. Craft has spent over a decade researching the life and trial of Counte...more
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Aug 03, 2011 12:29am