Royal Books

Published in September 2010

Britain

Mary Tudor: Princess, Bastard, Queen by Anna Whitelock. According to this biography, Queen Mary I was not a weak-willed failure, but a complex figure of immense courage, determination, and humanity.

Elizabeth's Women: Friends, Rivals, and Foes Who Shaped the Virgin Queen by Tracy Borman. Explores Elizabeth's relationships with key women in her life: her mother, governesses, stepmothers; rivals, including her sister, Mary I, and cousin Mary, Queen of Scots; servants, friends and other members of her glittering court.

The Druids and King Arthur: A New View of Early Britain by Robin Melrose. Suggests that Arthur was originally a Druid cult figure and that descendants of the Druids may have founded the kingdom of Wessex.

Tudor Queenship: The Reigns of Mary and Elizabeth edited by Anna Whitelock and Alice Hunt. Essays on a range of issues, issues, from politics and personnel to ceremony and costume.

Europe

The Great Fire of Rome by Stephen Dando-Collins. In AD 64, a fire engulfed most of the city of Rome. With its capital in ruins, the empire teetered on the edge of collapse as Nero struggled to save it... and his skin.

Queenship and Voice in Medieval Northern Europe by William Layher. How three queens -- Agnes of Denmark, Eufemia of Norway, and Margareta of the Scandinavian kingdoms -- effected political change.

The Art of Power: Royal Armour and Portraits From Imperial Spain published by TF Editores. Catalogue for a Washington National Gallery of Art exhibition of armor and paintings from the collection of the Royal Palace in Madrid.

Napoleon's Atlantic: The Impact of Napoleonic Empire in the Atlantic World edited by Christophe Belaubre, Jordana Dym, and John Savage. An introduction to recent scholarship on how Napoleonic wars contributed to post-imperial identities in the Americas.

The Alhambra: From Darkness to Light photos by Adrian Tyler. Photographs of the palace built by Moorish rulers in Spain during the Middle Ages.

The Life and Afterlife of Isabeau of Bavaria by Tracy Adams. During her lifetime, Isabeau, the long-suffering wife of mad King Charles VI of France, was respected and revered. After her death she was reviled as an incompetent regent, depraved adulteress, and betrayer of the throne.

Egypt

Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt by Zahi Hawass and Franck Goddio. This illustrated companion book to a new exhibition chronicles the life of Cleopatra and the quest to learn more about the queen and her era.

Antony and Cleopatra by Adrian Goldsworthy. Dual biography that goes beyond myth and dispels misconceptions.

Other

Saying the Unsayable: Monarchy and Democracy in Thailand edited by Soren Ivarsson. Reviews the history of the modern monarchy and analyzes the forces shaping its image.

The Second Ottoman Empire: Political and Social Transformation in the Early Modern World by Baki Tezcan. Covers the period roughly from 1580 to 1826 when the empire's medieval, dynastic institution transformed into a limited monarchy.

Queen Anne's American Kings by Richmond Pugh Bond. In 1710, four Iroquois visited Britain and were treated as heads of state. They saw a performance of "Macbeth," witnessed the "royal sport" of cockfighting, and had a lengthy audience with Queen Anne.

The Royals: Their Lives, Loves and Secrets by the editors of People Magazine. Goes behind palace walls to reveal the luxurious lifestyles of the rich and royal from around the world. Revised and updated for 2010.

Fiction

Rival to the Queen by Carrolly Erickson. About the bitter rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin Lettice Knollys for the love of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.

The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II by Susan Holloway Scott. Novel about Katherine Sedley, a royal mistress forced to make the most perilous of choices: to remain loyal to the king, or to England.

For the King's Favor by Elizabeth Chadwick. Ida, young mistress of England's King Henry II, pays an agonizing price when she leaves the king for another man.

The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon. A novel about legendary philosopher Aristotle and his most famous pupil, Alexander the Great.

Children's Books

Alexander the Great by Demi. An illustrated look at the life of the man who conquered most of the known Greek world by the age of 32. For ages 9 to 12.

Kubla Khan: The Emperor of Everything by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Robert Byrd. Biography in picture book form for children ages 4 to 8.

Young Adult Books

Victoria and Her Court by Virginia Schomp. Nonfiction for young adult readers.

King of Ithaka by Tracy Barrett. Fiction. A young prince, Telemachos, sets off in search of his father, who left home to fight in the Trojan War years ago. For young adult readers.

Sphinx's Queen by Esther Friesner. Fiction. Overnight, Nefertiti's life has changed. She is no longer the intended bride of the crown prince. Instead, she is being chased by the prince and his soldiers for a crime she did not commit.

Published in August 2010

Tudors and Stuarts

A Royal Passion: The Turbulent Marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France by Katie Whitaker. Although their marriage was arranged for political purposes, Charles I and Henrietta Maria fell in love. The king's fears for his wife's safety drove him into a civil war that cost his crown and his head.

The Death of Elizabeth I: Remembering and Reconstructing the Virgin Queen by Catherine Loomis. Provides a detailed history of Elizabeth's final illness and death, and shows how her subjects responded to their loss.

Britain

Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain's Greatest Monarch by Kate Williams. How the untimely death of King George IV's daughter shaped the reign of Queen Victoria.

The Courtiers: Splendor and Intrigue in the Georgian Court at Kensington Palace by Lucy Worsley. The publisher sent me a copy of this book to review. It provides an amusing look at the colorful characters at Britain's Kensington Palace from 1714 to 1760, including rival royal mistresses, "court pet" Peter the Wild Boy, and trusted servant Mohammed True-to-the-King. The lives of these courtiers centered around irascible kings George I and George II, who engaged in sad yet farcical family feuds at a time of waning royal influence. Recommended.

The Queen's Year: A Souvenir Album by David Oakey. A season-by-season guide to the Queen's busy year, illuminating the traditions behind many royal events. Illustrated with new photos.

The Royal Portrait: Image and Impact by Jennifer Scott. This book focuses on royal portraits from the Royal Collection. Each chapter opens with a quotation and is structured around specific key images which are discussed in detail.

European Royalty

Betsy Bonaparte by Helen Jean Burn. Biography. Born in the U.S. to a wealthy family, Elizabeth Patterson shook society when she married Napoleon Bonaparte's brother Jerome. The emperor annulled the marriage, and Betsy's failed quest to win royal status for her son consumed the rest of her life.

A Concise History of Spain by William D. Phillips Jr. and Carla Rahn Phillips. A survey of Spain's complex history from prehistoric times to the modern era, with illustrations and maps.

Other

Politics in Morocco: Executive Monarchy and Enlightened Authoritarianism by Anouar Boukhars. How the rule of King Mohamed VI is maintained and legitimised by political and social networks.

The History of Thailand by Patit Mishra. From prehistory to the modern era. Includes a timeline and a list of notable people in Thailand's history.

A Brief History of Khubilai Khan by Jonathan Clements. Explores Khan's control over Mongolia, his attempts to invade Japan, and his impact on history.

Mighty Guests of the Throne: The Ottoman Sultans by Salih Gulen. The 36 Ottoman sultans included great commanders, statesmen, musicians, and poets.

The History of Esarhaddon (son of Sennacherib) King of Assyria, B.C. 681-688 by Ernest A. Budge. This book, first published in 1880, contains cuneiform inscriptions from artefacts in the British Museum relating to the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned c.681-669 BCE), including his royal titles and his military campaigns.

Fiction

The Red Queen: A Novel by Philippa Gregory. Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house should rule England.

The Secret Eleanor by Cecelia Holland. Employing deception and disguise, seduction and manipulation, Eleanor of Aquitaine makes her mark on history.

His Last Letter: Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester by Jeane Westin. Tells the story of the great love of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, especially their last three years together.

The Queen's Captive by Barbara Kyle. Imprisoned by her sister, Queen Mary I, Princess Elizabeth longs to gain her liberty -- and the crown.

Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance by Sara Poole. Determined to avenge the killing of her father, Francesca Giordano becomes the confidante of Lucrezia Borgia and the lover of Cesare Borgia. First book in a trilogy.

Other

Marie Antoinette Queen of France Paper Dolls by Helen Page. A paper doll with 12 gowns, plus history.