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Sixty Glorious Years: Our Queen Elizabeth II - Diamond Jubilee 1952-2012
Since Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne sixty years ago Britain has seen huge social, political and economic change. As her people have celebrated the highs and mourned the lows, she has remained a constant and stable figure at the head of the world's most famous Royal Family. Through 12 Prime Ministers, four recessions, wars and a technological revolution, the Queen's determination to carry out her duties and to connect with the public has not faltered. Sixty Glorious Years celebrates her extraordinary ability to have secured a place in the hearts of generations of Britons. With rarely seen pictures, this book offers an unparalleled look at the life and work of the woman who looks set to become Britain's longest surviving sovereign.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 10, 2012
This book is a collection of photographs from Queen Elizabeth II's life from the archives of the Daily Mail, the famous London newspaper. Queen Elizabeth was never supposed to be queen. When she was born, she was third in line to the throne and her uncle was to be king. Then he abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. So Queen Elizabeth's father became king. When he died, Queen Elizabeth became well... Queen Elizabeth.
The Daily Mail obviously followed the Queen very closely. This book is filled with a ton of great pictures. Some of them that I've never seen before. Each chapter covers several years in the life of the Queen with a little blurb about what was going on during that time period. The blurbs are great for context.
This is a great photo collection to celebrate the Queen's 60 years of reign!
Bottom line: Royal watchers will love this book!
The Daily Mail obviously followed the Queen very closely. This book is filled with a ton of great pictures. Some of them that I've never seen before. Each chapter covers several years in the life of the Queen with a little blurb about what was going on during that time period. The blurbs are great for context.
This is a great photo collection to celebrate the Queen's 60 years of reign!
Bottom line: Royal watchers will love this book!
May 5, 2012
An excellent, short (coffee table) photo album, highlighting some of her memorable milestones from childhood up to the summer of 2011.
The book is divided into chapters, mostly made up of the photographs. At the beginning of each chapter, it highlights the years in which the pictures were taken and gives a brief overview (about a page) of what happened in those years.
Overall, it's a book of photos to just sit back and enjoy. If you're looking for a book with in-depth information about what she has done over the course of her 60 years as queen, this is not the book to read. The historical information is very, very short and is more of a guide for those who have a shallow interest in her reign.
The book is divided into chapters, mostly made up of the photographs. At the beginning of each chapter, it highlights the years in which the pictures were taken and gives a brief overview (about a page) of what happened in those years.
Overall, it's a book of photos to just sit back and enjoy. If you're looking for a book with in-depth information about what she has done over the course of her 60 years as queen, this is not the book to read. The historical information is very, very short and is more of a guide for those who have a shallow interest in her reign.
September 27, 2012
Interesting look back.
February 10, 2019
Beautiful book about Her Majesty and her reign. It is one of my favorites and always will be.
May 12, 2021
#40 of 120 books pledged to read during 2021
April 13, 2017
Created in honor of the Queen's Diamond (60th) Jubilee in 2012, this photographic history of Elizabeth II's life, is drawn from the files of the Daily Mirror, which tells you immediately what you are getting: a lavish spread of official (and taken-at-official-event) photographs of the queen.
Like many souvenir books, though, it is only modestly satisfying. This is an homage to the queen. Virtually all the photos are either official posed photos or pictures taken at public events. You get a clear sense of the queen's lifetime of shaking hands on walkabout, visiting local businesses, posing with government officials. Her uncanny ability to strike the right facial expression for the right moment is striking.
There's very little of the private queen here. She is somber when appropriate, but never angry. She is mostly happy, happy, happy. The text, including the captions, sticks mostly to the most basic factual details (why we need to know the precise date every photograph was taken baffles me -- does it matter that she met Sean Connery on precisely June 12 of 1967?)
As a record of her public life, it satisfies, I suppose, but I felt like I was seeing the carefully constructed and managed public face of a more complex person.
Like many souvenir books, though, it is only modestly satisfying. This is an homage to the queen. Virtually all the photos are either official posed photos or pictures taken at public events. You get a clear sense of the queen's lifetime of shaking hands on walkabout, visiting local businesses, posing with government officials. Her uncanny ability to strike the right facial expression for the right moment is striking.
There's very little of the private queen here. She is somber when appropriate, but never angry. She is mostly happy, happy, happy. The text, including the captions, sticks mostly to the most basic factual details (why we need to know the precise date every photograph was taken baffles me -- does it matter that she met Sean Connery on precisely June 12 of 1967?)
As a record of her public life, it satisfies, I suppose, but I felt like I was seeing the carefully constructed and managed public face of a more complex person.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews