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The King's Speech
One man saved the British Royal Family in the first decades of the 20th century - he wasn't a prime minister or an archbishop of Canterbury. He was an almost unknown, and self-taught, speech therapist named Lionel Logue, whom one newspaper in the 1930s famously dubbed 'The Quack who saved a King'.
Logue wasn't a British aristocrat or even an Englishman - he was a commoner and an Australian to boot. Nevertheless it was the outgoing, amiable Logue who single-handedly turned the nervous, tongue-tied Duke of York into one of Britain's greatest kings after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 over his love of Mrs Simpson.
This is the previously untold story of the remarkable relationship between Logue and the haunted future King George VI, written with Logue's grandson and drawing exclusively from his grandfather Lionel's diaries and archive. It throws an extraordinary light on the intimacy of the two men, and the vital role the King's wife, the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, played in bringing them together to save her husband's reputation and reign.
'The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy' is an astonishing insight into a private world. Logue's diaries also reveal, for the first time, the torment the future King suffered at the hands of his father George V because of his stammer. Never before has there been such a personal portrait of the British monarchy - at a time of its greatest crisis - seen through the eyes of an Australian commoner who was proud to serve, and save, his King.
Logue wasn't a British aristocrat or even an Englishman - he was a commoner and an Australian to boot. Nevertheless it was the outgoing, amiable Logue who single-handedly turned the nervous, tongue-tied Duke of York into one of Britain's greatest kings after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 over his love of Mrs Simpson.
This is the previously untold story of the remarkable relationship between Logue and the haunted future King George VI, written with Logue's grandson and drawing exclusively from his grandfather Lionel's diaries and archive. It throws an extraordinary light on the intimacy of the two men, and the vital role the King's wife, the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, played in bringing them together to save her husband's reputation and reign.
'The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy' is an astonishing insight into a private world. Logue's diaries also reveal, for the first time, the torment the future King suffered at the hands of his father George V because of his stammer. Never before has there been such a personal portrait of the British monarchy - at a time of its greatest crisis - seen through the eyes of an Australian commoner who was proud to serve, and save, his King.
242 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,128 reviews
March 2, 2011
4.5 stars. I expected to skim the book to see what the real story behind the movie was, where the movie differed from reality, and maybe a bit more info about Logue. But I ended up reading every word! Let me be clear though, this is not the story of the movie. It's a shame that the cover has a picture from the film. I know it's good for sales, but it's misleading for people who will expect a similar narrative story. The movie was the dramatization of some of the events in the book. It covered a shorter period of time, and it blurred some things together and changed some of the facts around; the goal of the movie was to entertain by telling a mostly true story, it was a biopic not a documentary. This is a history book, based on facts supported by original source materials. It doesn't have the passion and drama of the movie. But it is surprisingly engaging. The authors have quite a deft touch at weaving what could have been just a list of facts into an interesting book. Each chapter has an arc, the personalities of the people involved come across, and overall it was very enjoyable. For me to read and entire non-fiction book, you know it had to be good! I'm not patient enough to read something dry and dull.
The book is about the history of two men, Lionel Logue and King George VI, especially as their paths intersect. It isn't family tales told around the dinner table, it's based entire on documents, letters, case notes, pictures, etc. As a necessary background to the histories being explored, there is also a tightly focused coverage of English history during the lives of these two men, with a dash of Australian history as well. Each man's individual history was quite interesting, and seeing them play out together over the same period of time provided an interesting contrast between the experiences of a man so powerful but with so many responsibilities as to have very little freedom, and a man with no power but the freedom to do as he wished.
It was interesting to see how the relationship between these two men developed and played out. Contrary to what the movie portrayed, they were not constant companions from their first meeting until the end. That scene where they go walking in the park and Logue tells the then Duke that he'd be a good king never happened. They had an intense working relationship for a short period of time after the World's Fair speech shown at the beginning of the movie, but were only in touch by letter from that point until the abdication. But they were in touch. Their letters had a very friendly tone that is quite surprising for a relationship between a Duke and a commoner. And once the Duke became the King, their working relationship resumed and their friendship become even deeper. Reading their story made me wonder, who can someone like a King or a Queen of England really be friends with, especially in older, more formal times? Between protocol, sycophants, etc., how important it must have been to have someone to trust, especially with something that made the King feel so vulnerable and helpless. Not that Logue and the King were best buds, but they continually corresponded even when not actively working together, and there seems to be a special level of honesty and warmth that was probably quite rare for the King.
I found the refresher course in English history to be as interesting as the information about the men. It had been some time since I read anything about World War II, for example. The statistics about the Blitz were shocking to me after living through 9/11, just as an American and not even as a citizen of New York. 43,000 civilians were killed and over 1 million homes damaged or destroyed in the London area alone, just during those terrible 75 nights. I can't imagine living in that kind of fear, and with that anger and grief.
Overall, this is a very well written, relatively short biography/history book. I really enjoyed learning more about the people portrayed and the times they lived in.
The book is about the history of two men, Lionel Logue and King George VI, especially as their paths intersect. It isn't family tales told around the dinner table, it's based entire on documents, letters, case notes, pictures, etc. As a necessary background to the histories being explored, there is also a tightly focused coverage of English history during the lives of these two men, with a dash of Australian history as well. Each man's individual history was quite interesting, and seeing them play out together over the same period of time provided an interesting contrast between the experiences of a man so powerful but with so many responsibilities as to have very little freedom, and a man with no power but the freedom to do as he wished.
It was interesting to see how the relationship between these two men developed and played out. Contrary to what the movie portrayed, they were not constant companions from their first meeting until the end. That scene where they go walking in the park and Logue tells the then Duke that he'd be a good king never happened. They had an intense working relationship for a short period of time after the World's Fair speech shown at the beginning of the movie, but were only in touch by letter from that point until the abdication. But they were in touch. Their letters had a very friendly tone that is quite surprising for a relationship between a Duke and a commoner. And once the Duke became the King, their working relationship resumed and their friendship become even deeper. Reading their story made me wonder, who can someone like a King or a Queen of England really be friends with, especially in older, more formal times? Between protocol, sycophants, etc., how important it must have been to have someone to trust, especially with something that made the King feel so vulnerable and helpless. Not that Logue and the King were best buds, but they continually corresponded even when not actively working together, and there seems to be a special level of honesty and warmth that was probably quite rare for the King.
I found the refresher course in English history to be as interesting as the information about the men. It had been some time since I read anything about World War II, for example. The statistics about the Blitz were shocking to me after living through 9/11, just as an American and not even as a citizen of New York. 43,000 civilians were killed and over 1 million homes damaged or destroyed in the London area alone, just during those terrible 75 nights. I can't imagine living in that kind of fear, and with that anger and grief.
Overall, this is a very well written, relatively short biography/history book. I really enjoyed learning more about the people portrayed and the times they lived in.
July 26, 2015
I wanted to read this because I had really enjoyed the movie version and was curious how much of the events in the film had been fictionalized. Surprisingly, the movie was fairly accurate.
Mark Logue, who is the grandson of speech therapist Lionel Logue, used family scrapbooks, journals and letters to create this account of Lionel's experience helping the Duke of York (later known as King George VI) with his lifelong stammer. The two men became friends, which seemed to comfort the Duke as he tried to improve his public speaking skills.
Because the men worked together for so many years — starting in 1926 and through World War II — the book also highlights the history of England during that time, which was interesting. It is a nice complement to other books about the run-up to the war.
If you've seen the movie with Colin Firth, you know that it focuses more on the perspective of the Duke, nicknamed Bertie. The book has more background on Lionel and his family, including how they immigrated to England, which was interesting.
I listened to this on audio, narrated by Simon Vance, and it was good way to hear this story. The version I listened to also included a recording of the famous war speech by King George VII. I would recommend it to fellow history buffs.
Note
The subtitle of this book, How One Man Saved the British Monarchy, is a bit ridiculous. It is so hyperbolic that an editor or publisher must have come up with it in an effort to sell more books. As helpful as it was to have a good speech therapist for the king, would the English monarchy really have been destroyed if Logue hadn't been there?
Favorite Passage
"Even with the benefit of more than half a century's worth of hindsight, establishing quite how Logue succeeded with the King where those who preceded him had failed still remains something of a challenge. The various breathing exercises on which he put such emphasis certainly appear to have helped — the King, for one, appears to have been convinced of that. Important, too, was the effort that Logue put into going through the texts of the various speeches that had been written for him, removing words and phrases that he knew could potentially trip up his royal pupil. In a sense, though, this was not so much curing the problem, as avoiding it — yet there seems little doubt that by eliminating the largest of such stumbling blocks, Logue helped to build up the King's confidence, ensuring that the speech as a whole, with all the other lesser challenges it contained, proved less daunting.
"Ultimately, though, the crucial factor appears to have been the way in which Logue, from the start, managed to persuade his patient that his was no deep seated psychological affliction, but rather an almost mechanical problem that could be overcome through hard work and determination. An important part of this was the closeness of the relationship that developed between the two men, which was helped by Logue's non-nonsense approach. By insisting from the beginning that they should meet in his practice in Harley Street or at his own home, rather than on royal territory, Logue had made clear his intention that the King should be his patient; over the years this was to turn into a genuine friendship."
Mark Logue, who is the grandson of speech therapist Lionel Logue, used family scrapbooks, journals and letters to create this account of Lionel's experience helping the Duke of York (later known as King George VI) with his lifelong stammer. The two men became friends, which seemed to comfort the Duke as he tried to improve his public speaking skills.
Because the men worked together for so many years — starting in 1926 and through World War II — the book also highlights the history of England during that time, which was interesting. It is a nice complement to other books about the run-up to the war.
If you've seen the movie with Colin Firth, you know that it focuses more on the perspective of the Duke, nicknamed Bertie. The book has more background on Lionel and his family, including how they immigrated to England, which was interesting.
I listened to this on audio, narrated by Simon Vance, and it was good way to hear this story. The version I listened to also included a recording of the famous war speech by King George VII. I would recommend it to fellow history buffs.
Note
The subtitle of this book, How One Man Saved the British Monarchy, is a bit ridiculous. It is so hyperbolic that an editor or publisher must have come up with it in an effort to sell more books. As helpful as it was to have a good speech therapist for the king, would the English monarchy really have been destroyed if Logue hadn't been there?
Favorite Passage
"Even with the benefit of more than half a century's worth of hindsight, establishing quite how Logue succeeded with the King where those who preceded him had failed still remains something of a challenge. The various breathing exercises on which he put such emphasis certainly appear to have helped — the King, for one, appears to have been convinced of that. Important, too, was the effort that Logue put into going through the texts of the various speeches that had been written for him, removing words and phrases that he knew could potentially trip up his royal pupil. In a sense, though, this was not so much curing the problem, as avoiding it — yet there seems little doubt that by eliminating the largest of such stumbling blocks, Logue helped to build up the King's confidence, ensuring that the speech as a whole, with all the other lesser challenges it contained, proved less daunting.
"Ultimately, though, the crucial factor appears to have been the way in which Logue, from the start, managed to persuade his patient that his was no deep seated psychological affliction, but rather an almost mechanical problem that could be overcome through hard work and determination. An important part of this was the closeness of the relationship that developed between the two men, which was helped by Logue's non-nonsense approach. By insisting from the beginning that they should meet in his practice in Harley Street or at his own home, rather than on royal territory, Logue had made clear his intention that the King should be his patient; over the years this was to turn into a genuine friendship."
August 24, 2020
I have come to that stage in my reading life where I don't persist with a book simply to finish it. So I am leaving this one 40% of the way through.
It is not a bad book. I came to this from the popular movie: and for a change, found that it was written AFTER the film. But it's not a novelisation of the film; rather, it is the expanded version.
The movie is about England's wartime king, George VI, a shy and diffident man who had kingship thrust upon him when his elder brother abdicated to marry a divorcee. Afflicted with a stammer, making a speech was a nightmare for him until his defect was cured by the Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue. A changed man, he makes an inspired speech during the war and rallies his subjects. It is a terrific human interest story which made a great film.
This book is detailed version of that story, written by the grandson of Lionel Logue. However, I found it too dry, being just a chronicle of events, drawn from letters and various journals of Logue. It is readable, but scarcely worth the effort, in my opinion.
It is not a bad book. I came to this from the popular movie: and for a change, found that it was written AFTER the film. But it's not a novelisation of the film; rather, it is the expanded version.
The movie is about England's wartime king, George VI, a shy and diffident man who had kingship thrust upon him when his elder brother abdicated to marry a divorcee. Afflicted with a stammer, making a speech was a nightmare for him until his defect was cured by the Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue. A changed man, he makes an inspired speech during the war and rallies his subjects. It is a terrific human interest story which made a great film.
This book is detailed version of that story, written by the grandson of Lionel Logue. However, I found it too dry, being just a chronicle of events, drawn from letters and various journals of Logue. It is readable, but scarcely worth the effort, in my opinion.
April 22, 2017
A man with a debilitating speech impediment may refuse to communicate regardless of his role and class in society. Being thrown onto the throne of the British empire immediately puts a spotlight on his mouth and what comes out. He has no choice, can tender no excuse. The support system George VI found in his wife and Logue was invaluable. What progress; no just progress, but healing. George VI became an upright, respected, and progressive leader of his generation and a positive role model for his daughter, Elizabeth II.
2017 Lenten Buddy Reading Challenge book #21
2017 Lenten Buddy Reading Challenge book #21
December 3, 2014
Have you seen the movie with Colin Firth? Okay then. Well, that's that review done!
Okay, I'm mostly kidding. And actually, the book is a bit different from the movie, but for reasons that I can entirely understand. However, in the series of incidents, they are very close, although Geoffrey Rush certainly came off as more eccentric in the movie than Lionel Logue does in the book.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Okay, I'm mostly kidding. And actually, the book is a bit different from the movie, but for reasons that I can entirely understand. However, in the series of incidents, they are very close, although Geoffrey Rush certainly came off as more eccentric in the movie than Lionel Logue does in the book.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
April 7, 2020
Utile occasione per mettere i puntini sulle "i" dopo aver rivisto per l'ennesima volta e sempre con grande piacere il film diretto da Tom Hooper.
Concordo con chi ha trovato arida la scrittura, ma d'altro canto il taglio asettico-giornalistico diventa quasi inevitabile quando si fa un lavoro a quattro mani; e soprattutto è preferibile un discorso un po' asettico ma storicamente fedele piuttosto che una appassionata storpiatura dei fatti.
E dunque, mentre la sceneggiatura del film fa comprensibilmente parte della categoria "storpiature per licenza poetico-artistica", il libro si mantiene decisamente più fedele alla Storia: aridino ma dotato di buona fruibilità. Non approfondisce più di tanto i metodi e le tecniche utilizzate da Logue nel curare la balbuzie e i difetti vari del parlato: ritengo tuttavia si tratti anche in questo caso di "fedeltà storica", poiché appare chiaro come il logopedista abbia sempre lavorato sulla base del proprio istinto e delle esigenze specifiche di ogni suo paziente e non abbia mai inteso approntare dei "metodi" o dei "sistemi" nel senso più classico e universitario dei termini. Del resto era un autodidatta, non un medico.
Il libro si limita al montaggio di una cronaca degli anni venti, trenta e quaranta; una cronaca che attinge ampiamente e diligentemente ai diari e ai rapporti epistolari delle persone coinvolte, primi fra tutti il professionista ed il suo regale paziente.
Per fortuna del lettore, se i due autori si limitano a cronacheggiare in maniera aridina, Lionel Logue ha invece lasciato qua e là, nei suoi diari, alcuni squisiti scorci ed istantanee che, grazie a notevoli sensibilità e capacità di osservazione, ne fanno non solo un testimone dei fatti relativi alla monarchia d'Inghilterra, ma un testimone del suo tempo tout-court. A questi passaggi del diario si potrebbero tranquillamente assegnare le quattro stelle abbondanti, tutta l'opera nell'insieme si accontenta di una più modesta sufficienza.
Concordo con chi ha trovato arida la scrittura, ma d'altro canto il taglio asettico-giornalistico diventa quasi inevitabile quando si fa un lavoro a quattro mani; e soprattutto è preferibile un discorso un po' asettico ma storicamente fedele piuttosto che una appassionata storpiatura dei fatti.
E dunque, mentre la sceneggiatura del film fa comprensibilmente parte della categoria "storpiature per licenza poetico-artistica", il libro si mantiene decisamente più fedele alla Storia: aridino ma dotato di buona fruibilità. Non approfondisce più di tanto i metodi e le tecniche utilizzate da Logue nel curare la balbuzie e i difetti vari del parlato: ritengo tuttavia si tratti anche in questo caso di "fedeltà storica", poiché appare chiaro come il logopedista abbia sempre lavorato sulla base del proprio istinto e delle esigenze specifiche di ogni suo paziente e non abbia mai inteso approntare dei "metodi" o dei "sistemi" nel senso più classico e universitario dei termini. Del resto era un autodidatta, non un medico.
Il libro si limita al montaggio di una cronaca degli anni venti, trenta e quaranta; una cronaca che attinge ampiamente e diligentemente ai diari e ai rapporti epistolari delle persone coinvolte, primi fra tutti il professionista ed il suo regale paziente.
Per fortuna del lettore, se i due autori si limitano a cronacheggiare in maniera aridina, Lionel Logue ha invece lasciato qua e là, nei suoi diari, alcuni squisiti scorci ed istantanee che, grazie a notevoli sensibilità e capacità di osservazione, ne fanno non solo un testimone dei fatti relativi alla monarchia d'Inghilterra, ma un testimone del suo tempo tout-court. A questi passaggi del diario si potrebbero tranquillamente assegnare le quattro stelle abbondanti, tutta l'opera nell'insieme si accontenta di una più modesta sufficienza.
February 7, 2014
Book on CD read by Simon Vance
3.5***
Subtitled: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy
That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but Lionel Logue certainly seemed to have saved at least one monarch. At the urging of his wife Elizabeth, the Duke of York (known to the royal family as “Bertie”) began to see speech therapist Lionel Logue for help in overcoming a lifelong stammer. His father, King George V, insisted that his sons begin to take on more royal responsibilities, and the introduction of radio meant that their subjects would not have to wait to read the text in a news article, but could hear the broadcast live. Bertie’s older brother Edward, who was Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, took on most of the engagements, but the Duke of York still had his share – and they terrified him. And so he began to see Logue, an amiable Australian with a gift for instilling confidence in his patients. What began as a strictly professional relationship evolved into an unlikely friendship. Logue’s services were never so clearly needed and valued as when Edward abdicated the throne, thrusting Bertie into the limelight and a position of responsibility he never sought and was not prepared to take on.
This is a very fine biography / history written by Logue’s grandson and based on the extensive records, letters, and news clippings that Logue amassed during his life. It covers far more than the movie of the same name. The book follows Logue until his death, giving details of his early years in Australia, his extensive travels with his wife, his relationship with his children, and his professional accomplishments, as well a much more information about his close relationship with King George VI.
The audio book is narrated by Simon Vance who is simply perfect for this book. As an added bonus the audio begins with a broadcast of the famous speech delivered by King George VI announcing that Britain was now at war with Germany (this scene was the culmination of the movie). Knowing the story already, and hearing the King’s own halting delivery gave it a much greater impact. On the other hand, the text version has numerous photos and reproductions of speeches and letters, which the audio cannot include.
3.5***
Subtitled: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy
That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but Lionel Logue certainly seemed to have saved at least one monarch. At the urging of his wife Elizabeth, the Duke of York (known to the royal family as “Bertie”) began to see speech therapist Lionel Logue for help in overcoming a lifelong stammer. His father, King George V, insisted that his sons begin to take on more royal responsibilities, and the introduction of radio meant that their subjects would not have to wait to read the text in a news article, but could hear the broadcast live. Bertie’s older brother Edward, who was Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, took on most of the engagements, but the Duke of York still had his share – and they terrified him. And so he began to see Logue, an amiable Australian with a gift for instilling confidence in his patients. What began as a strictly professional relationship evolved into an unlikely friendship. Logue’s services were never so clearly needed and valued as when Edward abdicated the throne, thrusting Bertie into the limelight and a position of responsibility he never sought and was not prepared to take on.
This is a very fine biography / history written by Logue’s grandson and based on the extensive records, letters, and news clippings that Logue amassed during his life. It covers far more than the movie of the same name. The book follows Logue until his death, giving details of his early years in Australia, his extensive travels with his wife, his relationship with his children, and his professional accomplishments, as well a much more information about his close relationship with King George VI.
The audio book is narrated by Simon Vance who is simply perfect for this book. As an added bonus the audio begins with a broadcast of the famous speech delivered by King George VI announcing that Britain was now at war with Germany (this scene was the culmination of the movie). Knowing the story already, and hearing the King’s own halting delivery gave it a much greater impact. On the other hand, the text version has numerous photos and reproductions of speeches and letters, which the audio cannot include.
June 2, 2019
I thought this was a very interesting book and it sparked an interest in me to know the Royal families more. Fortunately, my library has a few biographies of King George VI.
Until I heard about the movie, which is very well done by the way, I did not know that the King of England had a speech impediment. This can cause serious problems when one is expected to make a lot of speeches.
At first, King George VI merely wanted to be able to correct his debilitating stutter, he never imagined that he would eventually become King. After all, his brother Edward the VIII would have to abdicate in order to marry his twice divorced lover, Wallis Simpson. But he did and "Bertie" as he was called by his beloved, and I may add, lovely wife, Elizabeth found himself King George VI. Therefore, he hired an Australian speech therapist who had a high success rate in curing stutterers. Lionel Logue asserted that the problem had physical, not psychological origins and taught the King how to breathe correctly.
For proof of his success one can turn to Youtube and listen to speeches made before his therapy started in 1926 and speeches made afterward, the most famous being his War Speech in 1940.
The book is based on the diaries of Lionel Logue by his grandson Mark Logue. It is well written and as interesting as it is informative. We get a background history of the King and also Lionel Logue, how they met, how they worked together and also their ensuing relationship through the years both good times and hard.
We get a glimpse of King George VI's family; how happily married he was. How strong and supportive his wife, who outlived him by fifty years, and loving she was. Truly a fairy tale marriage in many respects. And we get a smaller glimpse of their daughters Margaret and Elizabeth, who became the next in line after her father died in 1952, at the age of 57.
If you liked the movie and are interested in British history, particularly Royal families, you will indeed enjoy this book.
Until I heard about the movie, which is very well done by the way, I did not know that the King of England had a speech impediment. This can cause serious problems when one is expected to make a lot of speeches.
At first, King George VI merely wanted to be able to correct his debilitating stutter, he never imagined that he would eventually become King. After all, his brother Edward the VIII would have to abdicate in order to marry his twice divorced lover, Wallis Simpson. But he did and "Bertie" as he was called by his beloved, and I may add, lovely wife, Elizabeth found himself King George VI. Therefore, he hired an Australian speech therapist who had a high success rate in curing stutterers. Lionel Logue asserted that the problem had physical, not psychological origins and taught the King how to breathe correctly.
For proof of his success one can turn to Youtube and listen to speeches made before his therapy started in 1926 and speeches made afterward, the most famous being his War Speech in 1940.
The book is based on the diaries of Lionel Logue by his grandson Mark Logue. It is well written and as interesting as it is informative. We get a background history of the King and also Lionel Logue, how they met, how they worked together and also their ensuing relationship through the years both good times and hard.
We get a glimpse of King George VI's family; how happily married he was. How strong and supportive his wife, who outlived him by fifty years, and loving she was. Truly a fairy tale marriage in many respects. And we get a smaller glimpse of their daughters Margaret and Elizabeth, who became the next in line after her father died in 1952, at the age of 57.
If you liked the movie and are interested in British history, particularly Royal families, you will indeed enjoy this book.
July 20, 2016
Unlike most books-turned-movies, the book The King's Speech was written after the movie came out. It is a fascinating read. Mark Logue records the story of his grandfather, Lionel Logue, and Logue's relationship with King George VI. Their friendship was a lot more involved and intricate than the movie portrayed. Logue frequently references primary sources of the two men from speeches, journal entries, and letters.
I highly recommend this one!
I highly recommend this one!
October 8, 2020
Fantastic fleshing out of the movie, giving you a broader picture of Logue and George VI. Their friendship was so touching.
August 6, 2020
This book is fantastic! The writing style is simple to follow. I loved how they would explain what events were occurring, and how that would bring Bertie and Lionel together and develop their amazing friendship.
March 23, 2011
two and a half stars
-as the author stated the movie was a biopic, not a documentary and this book served to related how Logue's life intersected with the life of the King based on his papers and diaries
-it's a dry, chronological summary of Logue's life and has the added benefit of suppling his reactions and feelings about the King. It was clear that both men respected one another and had a unique and generous friendship.
-after i saw the movie i read about 1500 pages of biographies on the queen mother and the king so i was already overly familiar with most the the people and situations the author described. For those who have no interest/knowledge of Britain from 1920s-1950s this book could be boring. I already had a good idea as to what was fictionalized for the movie and what was fact. For me it was a lot of fun to read Logue's insight into the King and see how important the relationship was to both men.
-this book gives the impression of being a pet project of the author and would otherwise never had been published if not for the movie (but at least Colin Firth is on the cover, so there's always his picture to look at if you're bored with the contents of the book)
-it's too bad this information hasn't been available until now to researchers/biographers of the King because details of his work with the king as well as Logue's impressions of the man would be a nice addition to the body of information already available about George VI
-as the author stated the movie was a biopic, not a documentary and this book served to related how Logue's life intersected with the life of the King based on his papers and diaries
-it's a dry, chronological summary of Logue's life and has the added benefit of suppling his reactions and feelings about the King. It was clear that both men respected one another and had a unique and generous friendship.
-after i saw the movie i read about 1500 pages of biographies on the queen mother and the king so i was already overly familiar with most the the people and situations the author described. For those who have no interest/knowledge of Britain from 1920s-1950s this book could be boring. I already had a good idea as to what was fictionalized for the movie and what was fact. For me it was a lot of fun to read Logue's insight into the King and see how important the relationship was to both men.
-this book gives the impression of being a pet project of the author and would otherwise never had been published if not for the movie (but at least Colin Firth is on the cover, so there's always his picture to look at if you're bored with the contents of the book)
-it's too bad this information hasn't been available until now to researchers/biographers of the King because details of his work with the king as well as Logue's impressions of the man would be a nice addition to the body of information already available about George VI
June 12, 2015
4.5 stars
What a great story - made more impressive/interesting by the fact that it is true. I'm not a history, royalty or war buff, with limited interest in those topics, so perhaps this is part of the reason why I found this personal history so absorbing. I loved the very detailed and intimate writings about some of the 20th Centuries most notable figures, include Edward and Mrs Simpson.
I loved the portrayal of Bertie and Elizabeth. Some of the earlier information was pretty confusing. Not only does the author jump around in his timeline (backwards and forwards and then back again, if only by a few years), but the royal tendency to name a child Edward, but call him David took some time to absorb. And similarly George/King and George/Albert/Bertie...
Whilst the detailed methods used by Lionel Logue are vague, he was clearly gifted in instilling confidence in his students. I loved his successes throughout the years.
This is a great listen/read for anyone.
Narrated by Jamie Glover
4 stars
I was a little disappointed at the relatively strong Australian accent given to Logue. For a man who spent his life using his voice in drama and then living in London for most of his adult life, the reality is that his accent would have been extremely minimal...
What a great story - made more impressive/interesting by the fact that it is true. I'm not a history, royalty or war buff, with limited interest in those topics, so perhaps this is part of the reason why I found this personal history so absorbing. I loved the very detailed and intimate writings about some of the 20th Centuries most notable figures, include Edward and Mrs Simpson.
I loved the portrayal of Bertie and Elizabeth. Some of the earlier information was pretty confusing. Not only does the author jump around in his timeline (backwards and forwards and then back again, if only by a few years), but the royal tendency to name a child Edward, but call him David took some time to absorb. And similarly George/King and George/Albert/Bertie...
Whilst the detailed methods used by Lionel Logue are vague, he was clearly gifted in instilling confidence in his students. I loved his successes throughout the years.
This is a great listen/read for anyone.
Narrated by Jamie Glover
4 stars
I was a little disappointed at the relatively strong Australian accent given to Logue. For a man who spent his life using his voice in drama and then living in London for most of his adult life, the reality is that his accent would have been extremely minimal...
June 8, 2020
Oda van készítve az ágyam mellé egy almásláda, benne könyvekkel, amik csak „ideiglenesen állomásoznak” nálam, tehát gyorsan ki kell olvasni őket. Nem sokat válogattam benne, mikor kihúztam a következő olvasnivalót, így került rögtön a "dadogó gyilkos" után a kezembe a "dadogó király".
Nem láttam a filmet (nem is fogom), így nem voltak előzetes elvárásaim vagy elképzeléseim, bár azt tudtam, miről szól a könyv. Azt viszont nem gondoltam, hogy a beszédjavító Logue életrajza és a királlyal és a királyi házzal való kapcsolata mellett teljes, bár dióhéjban előadott, történelemórát is kapok a 20. század első ötven évéről.
Nem sokat tudtam meg Logue módszeréről, pedig kíváncsi voltam rá nagyon. Talán csak annyi lényegeset tudtam meg, hogy mindenkinél más válik be, és mindenkitől kitartást, szilárd elhatározottságot és kemény munkát igényel, hogy leküzdje beszédhibáját. Azt, hogy fel kell építeni a beszédhibás ember önbizalmát, hogy meg fogja tudni csinálni. Valamint azt, mennyire fontos a ritmus, a légvétel, a hangsúlyok, és hogy lehetőség szerint ki kell kerülni a mumus szavakat.
Nem láttam a filmet (nem is fogom), így nem voltak előzetes elvárásaim vagy elképzeléseim, bár azt tudtam, miről szól a könyv. Azt viszont nem gondoltam, hogy a beszédjavító Logue életrajza és a királlyal és a királyi házzal való kapcsolata mellett teljes, bár dióhéjban előadott, történelemórát is kapok a 20. század első ötven évéről.
Nem sokat tudtam meg Logue módszeréről, pedig kíváncsi voltam rá nagyon. Talán csak annyi lényegeset tudtam meg, hogy mindenkinél más válik be, és mindenkitől kitartást, szilárd elhatározottságot és kemény munkát igényel, hogy leküzdje beszédhibáját. Azt, hogy fel kell építeni a beszédhibás ember önbizalmát, hogy meg fogja tudni csinálni. Valamint azt, mennyire fontos a ritmus, a légvétel, a hangsúlyok, és hogy lehetőség szerint ki kell kerülni a mumus szavakat.
September 17, 2018
I loved the movie The King's Speech, having only heard a little prior to that of the struggles King George VI had with speaking. This book tells the story in more detail, creating a fascinating timeline for a man most people seemed to expect would be a failure as a king, who ended up inspiring Britain during one of the country's most trying times.
It was fascinating to learn many of the facts surrounding what took place and to get a peek at the relationship between the king and Logue.
This book is highly recommended for lovers of the British monarchy, of history in Britain from the 1920s to the 1950s, and those who want a small insight into the difficulties faced by stutterers at that time. Unfortunately, there's not a great deal on the techniques Logue used on the king, mainly because no one seems to know exactly what they were! A fascinating book.
It was fascinating to learn many of the facts surrounding what took place and to get a peek at the relationship between the king and Logue.
This book is highly recommended for lovers of the British monarchy, of history in Britain from the 1920s to the 1950s, and those who want a small insight into the difficulties faced by stutterers at that time. Unfortunately, there's not a great deal on the techniques Logue used on the king, mainly because no one seems to know exactly what they were! A fascinating book.
March 23, 2021
He pads the story with a lot of surrounding historical info. I enjoy reading about this time period, so it didn’t bother me too much. But this could have been much shorter. Otherwise, it’s well written.
January 10, 2011
I am not sure which came first, the movie or the book (even the author's introduction is ambivalent on this point) but each version of The King's Speech tell a slightly different version of the same great story. King George VI had a terrible speech impediment and after no success with countless doctors, enlisted the help of Australian Lionel Logue, a self taught speech therapist and elocutionist, to train him to speak correctly.
The book The King's Speech is written by Lionel Logue's grandson, Mark. He explains in the the introduction that he grew up in a house surrounded by pictures of the King George VI but until he was an adult, he didn't understand the role his grandfather had played in the King's life. He maintains his feeling of discovery and awe throughout the book, as he draws from diaries, personal papers, and publicly available information to tell the story of his grandfather and the King. At times, Logue's excitement was such that I felt that I was discovering this story along with him for the first time.
The book is far different than the movie, although they both hit all the same key points. The movie gives a great deal of detail to a small piece of the story, whereas Logue begins at the beginning and concludes at the natural end - the death of both his grandfather and the King. The resulting story is one that demonstrates the deep friendship that developed between the two men, and it is obvious from Lionel's diary that he greatly valued his relationship with the King. He insisted on a reasonable degree of equality between the two men while they were working (for instance, they called each other by their first names) but in his diary and letters his references to His Royal Highness reveal nothing but the greatest respect.
My favorite parts of Logue's book are the moments where the common man and royalty intersect. For instance, Lionel's description of attending King George VI's coronation contains both a degree of familiarity (after all, he was there at the King's invitation) but also a certain amount of disbelief (Lionel and his wife were seated in the royal family's box). Lionel benefitted from his proximity to the King but he never took advantage of it and the overall impression the book creates is of a common man with an uncommon sympathy, allowing him to understand the King's impediment for what it was (a fixable physical ailment) and thus to help a great man regain his voice.
I was lucky enough to read this book before seeing the movie but I don't think that mattered. This is a great book regardless of is you have seen (or plan to see) the movie.
The book The King's Speech is written by Lionel Logue's grandson, Mark. He explains in the the introduction that he grew up in a house surrounded by pictures of the King George VI but until he was an adult, he didn't understand the role his grandfather had played in the King's life. He maintains his feeling of discovery and awe throughout the book, as he draws from diaries, personal papers, and publicly available information to tell the story of his grandfather and the King. At times, Logue's excitement was such that I felt that I was discovering this story along with him for the first time.
The book is far different than the movie, although they both hit all the same key points. The movie gives a great deal of detail to a small piece of the story, whereas Logue begins at the beginning and concludes at the natural end - the death of both his grandfather and the King. The resulting story is one that demonstrates the deep friendship that developed between the two men, and it is obvious from Lionel's diary that he greatly valued his relationship with the King. He insisted on a reasonable degree of equality between the two men while they were working (for instance, they called each other by their first names) but in his diary and letters his references to His Royal Highness reveal nothing but the greatest respect.
My favorite parts of Logue's book are the moments where the common man and royalty intersect. For instance, Lionel's description of attending King George VI's coronation contains both a degree of familiarity (after all, he was there at the King's invitation) but also a certain amount of disbelief (Lionel and his wife were seated in the royal family's box). Lionel benefitted from his proximity to the King but he never took advantage of it and the overall impression the book creates is of a common man with an uncommon sympathy, allowing him to understand the King's impediment for what it was (a fixable physical ailment) and thus to help a great man regain his voice.
I was lucky enough to read this book before seeing the movie but I don't think that mattered. This is a great book regardless of is you have seen (or plan to see) the movie.
November 21, 2015
I loved the movie The King's Speech, which is why I bought this book. Now...I still like the movie, but I don't really love it anymore. This is one of those times when the real story outstrips the movie version by lengths, I think. Of course, not everyone will agree with me, but that's all right. Differences of opinion make the world interesting, as that one fellow said. Can't remember who.
Anyway, I really, really liked this book, in spite of the dry, documentary, 'so-and-so wrote this, and so-and-so wrote this, and this happened' style. I felt as though, in some way, I got to know the King and Logue, not as well as you'd know someone you met in person, perhaps--about as well as you'd know a pen-pal you've been corresponding with for years. The further I read, the more I developed a fondness for these two men; I was interested in the little tidbits about their careers away from each other, and the doings of their children and their wives. It was really nice. And--take this bit with a grain of salt, because I'm a big softie who's been known to tear up with very little provocation--I nearly cried at the end when they died, even though I knew it was coming (I mean, if they were still alive today they'd both be over a hundred). I knew it was coming, but it was just sad. I knew I would miss them after the book was over. I'm sad to leave them behind.
The real relationship seems, to me from the limited view the book gives, to have been longer, more distant, and yet sweeter than is portrayed in the movie. The difference in class between Logue and the King never really went away (the book gives no evidence that Logue ever referred to the King so familiarly as he does in the movie), but there's no doubt they were very fond of each other and respected one another deeply.
Another note is that I've never been familiar with the story of King George VI previous to the movie and this book, other than knowing him to be Queen Elizabeth II's father. Obviously, I now know a great deal more, but more importantly, this book left me with an affection and admiration for King George VI that I've never felt for any world leader (even virtually powerless as he was). I feel that, though he ostensibly didn't do much, he was truly a great man, and I'm sorry my history classes have never even mentioned him as a footnote.
I will definitely be reading this again someday.
Anyway, I really, really liked this book, in spite of the dry, documentary, 'so-and-so wrote this, and so-and-so wrote this, and this happened' style. I felt as though, in some way, I got to know the King and Logue, not as well as you'd know someone you met in person, perhaps--about as well as you'd know a pen-pal you've been corresponding with for years. The further I read, the more I developed a fondness for these two men; I was interested in the little tidbits about their careers away from each other, and the doings of their children and their wives. It was really nice. And--take this bit with a grain of salt, because I'm a big softie who's been known to tear up with very little provocation--I nearly cried at the end when they died, even though I knew it was coming (I mean, if they were still alive today they'd both be over a hundred). I knew it was coming, but it was just sad. I knew I would miss them after the book was over. I'm sad to leave them behind.
The real relationship seems, to me from the limited view the book gives, to have been longer, more distant, and yet sweeter than is portrayed in the movie. The difference in class between Logue and the King never really went away (the book gives no evidence that Logue ever referred to the King so familiarly as he does in the movie), but there's no doubt they were very fond of each other and respected one another deeply.
Another note is that I've never been familiar with the story of King George VI previous to the movie and this book, other than knowing him to be Queen Elizabeth II's father. Obviously, I now know a great deal more, but more importantly, this book left me with an affection and admiration for King George VI that I've never felt for any world leader (even virtually powerless as he was). I feel that, though he ostensibly didn't do much, he was truly a great man, and I'm sorry my history classes have never even mentioned him as a footnote.
I will definitely be reading this again someday.
August 3, 2020
"The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy" by Mark Logue was a loving tribute to his grandfather, Lionel Logue!
The story behind the relationship between King George VI and his speech therapist, Lionel Logue was an interesting read. A bond formed between two men brought together out of the "need to improve" of one and the "ability to help" from the other.
Their initial meeting took place shortly after Prince Albert was appointed to the title of Duke of York by his father and current monarch, King George V. The Duke realized this appointment would lead to extensive travel and public speaking engagements at the request of his father. After the humiliation of a failed attempt at a speech due to his debilitating stammer, he and his wife, Elizabeth requested the assistance of Speech Therapist, Lionel Logue in 1926.
The Duke and Logue continued working together until the Duke, then King George VI died in 1952. The bonus of this book is the detail of the history it offered between this period of time. It covered the brief biographies of both Lionel Logue and King George VI before and after they met, the Abdication of King Edward VIII and the impact this act by his brother had on the Duke of York, the WWII years and the Blitz, Post WWII recovery and many details of their separate lives with their immediate and loving families.
This book, rather than following the movie version of "The King's Speech", is based on family scrapbooks, letters between these two men and journals found by the author many years after his grandfather's death. It is not fictionalized or taken out of sequence but based on fact substantiated by the discovery and use of the documentation of Lionel Logue concerning his very important patient.
Lastly, there seemed to be a similar feeling of gratitude expressed by both of these men, to each other, about what the other brought to their lives. It is easy to see how these two connected so easily to one another forming a lasting friendship until the passing of one of them.
I liked this book very much and the Audiobook version was made that much more enjoyable by listening to the voice of the narrator, Simon Vance.
The story behind the relationship between King George VI and his speech therapist, Lionel Logue was an interesting read. A bond formed between two men brought together out of the "need to improve" of one and the "ability to help" from the other.
Their initial meeting took place shortly after Prince Albert was appointed to the title of Duke of York by his father and current monarch, King George V. The Duke realized this appointment would lead to extensive travel and public speaking engagements at the request of his father. After the humiliation of a failed attempt at a speech due to his debilitating stammer, he and his wife, Elizabeth requested the assistance of Speech Therapist, Lionel Logue in 1926.
The Duke and Logue continued working together until the Duke, then King George VI died in 1952. The bonus of this book is the detail of the history it offered between this period of time. It covered the brief biographies of both Lionel Logue and King George VI before and after they met, the Abdication of King Edward VIII and the impact this act by his brother had on the Duke of York, the WWII years and the Blitz, Post WWII recovery and many details of their separate lives with their immediate and loving families.
This book, rather than following the movie version of "The King's Speech", is based on family scrapbooks, letters between these two men and journals found by the author many years after his grandfather's death. It is not fictionalized or taken out of sequence but based on fact substantiated by the discovery and use of the documentation of Lionel Logue concerning his very important patient.
Lastly, there seemed to be a similar feeling of gratitude expressed by both of these men, to each other, about what the other brought to their lives. It is easy to see how these two connected so easily to one another forming a lasting friendship until the passing of one of them.
I liked this book very much and the Audiobook version was made that much more enjoyable by listening to the voice of the narrator, Simon Vance.
November 5, 2018
The book begins with the story of the Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue's childhood, interspersed with the King of England's childhood backstory. Even as a royalty, he was mocked due to his stammer, which made him shy and anxious to be in the public eye. But when his older brother, who was King at that time, had an affair with a married woman and subsequently exiled by making his decision to later marry that woman, King George VI could not stay away from the public eye anymore. His treatment with Lionel Logue showed massive improvements, although I guess because of the technicality was not elaborated much in the book.
All in all this was an interesting read, and it was quite short, however, I was able to know more about the history of the British Royal Family, especially during the World War II period. Brb I'm looking for this movie. Haven't watched it yet.
All in all this was an interesting read, and it was quite short, however, I was able to know more about the history of the British Royal Family, especially during the World War II period. Brb I'm looking for this movie. Haven't watched it yet.
February 21, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this biography of Lionel Logue and his most famous patient, King George VI.
I listened to the audio version.
2019 - A biography
I listened to the audio version.
2019 - A biography
January 26, 2015
Lionel Logue ist ein Sprachtherapeut, der mit voller Liebe und Hingabe sich um seine Patienten bemüht und sein bekanntester Patient ist der spätere britische König George VI.. Was als normale Patienten-Therapeuten Beziehung beginnt, wandelt sich im Laufe der Jahre zu einer tiefen Männerfreundschaft, die voll gegenseitigem Respekt ist.
Wer den Film ‚The King’s Speech‘ gesehen hat, wird sich vielleicht für die reale Geschichte hinter der Kinoversion interessieren und wird hier bestens informiert. Lionel Logues Enkel hat das Familienarchiv studiert und aus unzähligen Briefen, Tagebucheintragungen und Zeitungsartikeln dieses Buch geschrieben. Wer Angst hat, mit staubtrockenen Geschichtswissen konfrontiert zu werden, den kann ich sofort beruhigen. Das Buch lässt sich flüssig lesen und von Seite zu Seite entblättert sich die Geschichte, dieser beiden Männer, deren Schicksal eng miteinander verknüpft war. Albert, der nie den Wunsch hatte, auf den Königsthron zu klettern und mit seinem Stottern auch nicht der Vorstellung eines Königs entsprach. Als sein Bruder David aber in Gestalt von Wallis Simpson, die Liebe seines Lebens trifft und für sie auf die Krone verzichtet, wird aus Albert König George VI.. Wie viel Selbstdiziplin und eisernes Üben es diesem Mann abverlangt hat, sich immer wieder selber zu überwinden und vor das Mikrophon zu treten, kann man vielleicht erahnen. Immer an seiner Seite Lionel Logue, der ihn motiviert, seine Reden mit ihm durchgeht und in seiner Nähe ist, wenn das rote Licht für den Beginn der Aufnahme erlischt. Sie mussten schwere Zeiten durchmachen in denen Krieg und wirtschaftliche Krisen zu überstehen waren.
Das Buch schildert gut verständlich auch politische Hintergründe, wobei aber immer unsere beiden Helden im Vordergrund stehen bleiben. Man bekommt einen sehr guten Eindruck von dieser Zeit und versteht u.a. warum es ein solcher Skandal war, dass Edward sich ausgerechnet für Wallis Simpson entschied. Fotos runden das Buch ab.
Warum man vielleicht zu diesem Buch greifen sollte:
1. Weil man den Film ‚The King’s Speech‘ gesehen hat
2. Man sich für das britische Königshaus interessiert
3. Man Bücher über Freundschaft mag
Fazit: Dieses Buch ist viel mehr als ein Begleitbuch zu dem Film und es hat mir sehr Wissen über die Zeit und diese interessanten Menschen näher gebracht.
Wer den Film ‚The King’s Speech‘ gesehen hat, wird sich vielleicht für die reale Geschichte hinter der Kinoversion interessieren und wird hier bestens informiert. Lionel Logues Enkel hat das Familienarchiv studiert und aus unzähligen Briefen, Tagebucheintragungen und Zeitungsartikeln dieses Buch geschrieben. Wer Angst hat, mit staubtrockenen Geschichtswissen konfrontiert zu werden, den kann ich sofort beruhigen. Das Buch lässt sich flüssig lesen und von Seite zu Seite entblättert sich die Geschichte, dieser beiden Männer, deren Schicksal eng miteinander verknüpft war. Albert, der nie den Wunsch hatte, auf den Königsthron zu klettern und mit seinem Stottern auch nicht der Vorstellung eines Königs entsprach. Als sein Bruder David aber in Gestalt von Wallis Simpson, die Liebe seines Lebens trifft und für sie auf die Krone verzichtet, wird aus Albert König George VI.. Wie viel Selbstdiziplin und eisernes Üben es diesem Mann abverlangt hat, sich immer wieder selber zu überwinden und vor das Mikrophon zu treten, kann man vielleicht erahnen. Immer an seiner Seite Lionel Logue, der ihn motiviert, seine Reden mit ihm durchgeht und in seiner Nähe ist, wenn das rote Licht für den Beginn der Aufnahme erlischt. Sie mussten schwere Zeiten durchmachen in denen Krieg und wirtschaftliche Krisen zu überstehen waren.
Das Buch schildert gut verständlich auch politische Hintergründe, wobei aber immer unsere beiden Helden im Vordergrund stehen bleiben. Man bekommt einen sehr guten Eindruck von dieser Zeit und versteht u.a. warum es ein solcher Skandal war, dass Edward sich ausgerechnet für Wallis Simpson entschied. Fotos runden das Buch ab.
Warum man vielleicht zu diesem Buch greifen sollte:
1. Weil man den Film ‚The King’s Speech‘ gesehen hat
2. Man sich für das britische Königshaus interessiert
3. Man Bücher über Freundschaft mag
Fazit: Dieses Buch ist viel mehr als ein Begleitbuch zu dem Film und es hat mir sehr Wissen über die Zeit und diese interessanten Menschen näher gebracht.
September 23, 2013
A wonderful read! It was different to the movie - both in the span of time (the book covered a greater period than the movie) and in the way that things happened. It also had more of a biographical slant about the life of Lionel Logue than the movie had. I was interested to read that Lionel Logue was convinced that the Duke of York (as he was when he first consulted Logue) had a stammer as a result of a physical issue - faulty breathing - with no psychological root at the cause and treatment involving breathing exercises and vocal exercises. In the movie, however, Logue suggests that the cause is perhaps both psychological and physical and that understanding the psychological aspect may assist treatment, although with the Duke resisting exploration of the psychological reasons, Logue is forced to mainly concentrate on mechanical exercises to resolve the issues. Maybe the scritpwriters/director/producers of the movie felt that using some psychological issues would introduce some conflict (and interest) between Logue and the Duke!
Very interesting to read of the development of speech therapy through the years and Logue's work to make it a respectable profession, not solely practised by quacks!
Very interesting to read of the development of speech therapy through the years and Logue's work to make it a respectable profession, not solely practised by quacks!
August 20, 2011
The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy","Mark Logue"
"I was puzzled as to why the movie won for best original screenplay, since I was aware that there was a book by the same title.This book is a straight forward historical account following the Royal Family, England, and WW2. It tells the story of King George 6 and his speech therapist , Australian Lionel Logue from their early years to the time of their deaths.The book and movie are only very slightly connected.
The book was co-written by Logue's grandson who had access to Logue's diaries and files. The two men became friends, exchanging letters, birthday and Xmas gifts, and Logue was invited to palace for Xmas dinner.It was interesting that Logue's therapy was based on his belief that stuttering was not caused by psychological factors, but in minor defects in organs connected with speech.This approach put the King at ease, relieved that his stuttering was not based on a mentally caused weakness. During their life-long friendship,Logue helped edit the King's many speeches, removing and substituting words over which the King stumbled during rehearsals.
"I was puzzled as to why the movie won for best original screenplay, since I was aware that there was a book by the same title.This book is a straight forward historical account following the Royal Family, England, and WW2. It tells the story of King George 6 and his speech therapist , Australian Lionel Logue from their early years to the time of their deaths.The book and movie are only very slightly connected.
The book was co-written by Logue's grandson who had access to Logue's diaries and files. The two men became friends, exchanging letters, birthday and Xmas gifts, and Logue was invited to palace for Xmas dinner.It was interesting that Logue's therapy was based on his belief that stuttering was not caused by psychological factors, but in minor defects in organs connected with speech.This approach put the King at ease, relieved that his stuttering was not based on a mentally caused weakness. During their life-long friendship,Logue helped edit the King's many speeches, removing and substituting words over which the King stumbled during rehearsals.
March 24, 2018
Valisin selle raamatu eelkõige professionaalsest huvist, kuna olen töötanud ka logopeedina. Teine põhjus oli muidugi film, mida aastaid tagasi olin näinud. Kuigi raamatukaanel on kaader filmist, ütleb sissejuhatuses aga Mark Logue, et ta sai filmist inspiratsiooni, et raamat kirjutada.
Teos annab ülevaate kuninga George VI elust. Tema eripära oli kogelus, mistõttu arvati, et ta ei sobigi kuningaks. Kohtumine Lionel Logue'iga aga muutis George VI elu - Logue aitas tal oma kogelusega toime tulla ja kõnelda vabalt ilma takistusteta. Teos tugineb vanadele dokumnetidele, isiklikele kirjadele ja päevikutele ning ajaleheväljalõigetele. Kirjutatud oli see haaravalt, nii et raamatut oli raske käest ära panna. Küllap veidi mõjutas lugemist hiljuti nähtud film "Süngeim tund" Churchillist, kuigi kattuv osa ajaloost oli suhteliselt väike, aga vähemalt olid mul selles osas taustateadmised olemas. Isiklikult oleksin tahtnud rohkem teada, kuidas kõneteraapia toimus, kuid sellest eriti juttu polnud. Samas korduvalt rõhutati, et kuningas oli äärmiselt töökas ja järjekindel - eks seetõttu saavutas ka edu.
Mulle meeldis, nii et soovitan ka teistele. Eelkõige sobib ajaloohuvilistele.
Teos annab ülevaate kuninga George VI elust. Tema eripära oli kogelus, mistõttu arvati, et ta ei sobigi kuningaks. Kohtumine Lionel Logue'iga aga muutis George VI elu - Logue aitas tal oma kogelusega toime tulla ja kõnelda vabalt ilma takistusteta. Teos tugineb vanadele dokumnetidele, isiklikele kirjadele ja päevikutele ning ajaleheväljalõigetele. Kirjutatud oli see haaravalt, nii et raamatut oli raske käest ära panna. Küllap veidi mõjutas lugemist hiljuti nähtud film "Süngeim tund" Churchillist, kuigi kattuv osa ajaloost oli suhteliselt väike, aga vähemalt olid mul selles osas taustateadmised olemas. Isiklikult oleksin tahtnud rohkem teada, kuidas kõneteraapia toimus, kuid sellest eriti juttu polnud. Samas korduvalt rõhutati, et kuningas oli äärmiselt töökas ja järjekindel - eks seetõttu saavutas ka edu.
Mulle meeldis, nii et soovitan ka teistele. Eelkõige sobib ajaloohuvilistele.
March 28, 2017
Livro interessante, que relata o acompanhamento do rei George VI de Inglaterra desde antes de ser rei pelo terapeuta Lionel Logue, relatado pelo seu neto, a partir de fontes reais. Retrata mais do que o filme e é bastante interessante, dando uma imagem abrangente da família real. Para mim, que falo todo o dia para tanta gente, é ainda mais próximo.
June 13, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and full of interesting information. I learned a lot about the second World War that I didn't know and clarified things that I did. It's a great companion to other books that I have read about World War II and the Royal family.
September 12, 2018
Despite the disappointing reviews by others, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's been years since I watched the eponymous movie and therefore don't remember it well enough to do a comparison. It appealed to my sense of pride in work, building relationships and courteousness, all of with Lionel Logue embodied. I don't doubt that King George VI found his persistent follow up annoying at times, but his reign was made all the better for it.
September 23, 2017
Much more here than in the movie. A little slow at times but overall an enduring real-life story.
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