5 comments about Queen Victoria's Family: A Century of Photographs.

1. There are certain photos that I simply expect to see when perusing volumes about European royalty. However, upon receiving Zeepvat's book, I was thrilled to find so many rarely seen photos of some of the more obscure descendants of the "Grandmother of Europe." If you're a royalty buff like I am, you can spend hours immersed in this marvelous book and its detailed family trees.



2. Absolutely remarkable. Charlotte Zeepvat takes the reader into the lives of Queen Victoria and her family with the amazing photographs, both candid and formal. The pictures are rare. They are well organized and have excellent captions. Zeepvat is a great writer/historian and I recommend her books to all.



3. This is an excellent resource as well as enjoyable reading and viewing. Queen Victoria had a large, illustrious family. This book not only humanizes and personalizes the many family members, it also helps to make sense of the extended family connections - particularly with the included family trees in the back of the book.
   
   I have perused through this book many times, and have recently given one to a friend, who absolutely loved it. This is not a history book that will just sit on a shelf. It is a required addition to anyone interested in the history of Queen Victoria and the Eurpoean monarchies.



4. excellent photographs of collection of royal family of england ,from1840-1940.some of the pictures i've seen before ,but there are alot of new one's not seen before.



5. This beautiful book is one that you will want to return to again and again. The photographs - particularly those of Queen Victoria's children, and those of her with her grandchildren - are exquisite. The captions, too, provide all kinds of anecdotes and interesting snippets of information. Through the pages of the book you go through the sad stories and the joyful ones of these beautiful people and each page brings a new delight. Like "The Camera and the Tsars" - this is a book I would take with me if I were stranded on a desert island!
   
   Most Beautiful Princess

5 comments about The File on the Tsar.

1. Sadly, with the advent of DNA and the fall of the iron curtain there is less and less mystery in history.

   This book is a fine example of the fog and questions which surronunded the death (or disappereance) of the russian imperial family. However, as time has moved along, we now know that most of the ideas the authors suggest never occured.

   That said I liked the book and felt that it gave a good treatmeant of the context within which the last Tsar and his family met their tragic end. The reader must always exercise caution about the conclusions even as you enjoy the text.




2. Many people have criticized this book because it can be labled as a "conspiracy theory." However, it is remarkably well-researched and has some valuble info, such as the fact that Anastasia and Alexey couldn't possibly have been burned to ashes within one night out in the open. The authors can be forgiven, as it is an attempt to explain the fate of the Romanovs before the definitive DNA analysis concluded that at least 9 of the inhabitants of the Ipatiev house were brutally murdered. Also, it was written before Yurovsky's testimony came to light. I don't think it merits Henry Kissinger's "crap" statement about it. It is outdated, but its authors nevertheless command respect from historians. It was right about one thing - that the Sokolov investigation was fixed and Medvedev's testimony is unreliable, as Yurovsky's "confession" demonstrates. If one wants a definitive book about the fate of Nicky and Alix, I suggest Robert K. Massie's "The Romanovs: The Final Chapter."



3. Anthony Summers and Tom Mangfold did something extrordinary when they discovered Sokolov's original file on the Tsar. They discovered he had withheld evidence to what he found on the Tsar's murder. The book pretty much dispells of the Sokolov investigation and its faults and is way ahead of its time in that sense. But of course the second half of the book has lost most of its validity since the bodies have been located. But it is interesting how many people claimed to have seen the Empress and her daughters alive and being used by Lenin as pawns. It's a perfect story for those in Russia who still believe that the Romanov bones are not authentic. I think they are though. The part of the book which discusses Anna Anderson is very interesting as well, and makes you wonder how this woman could have truly been a Polish factory girl.



4. Many people have dismissed "File on the Tsar" as another Conspiracy theory, however it is far from that. File on the Tsar, is an extremelly well researched investiagtion into an alternative theory about the fate of the Romanovs.
   
   Many people dismiss this book because it does not hold that the family was massacred at Ekaterinburg. The fact is that contrary to popular belief the massacre is still a theory, it has not been proven as fact, and the File on the Tsar provides informative generally unknown information on how some of the evidence for a massacre was fabricated.
   
   WARNING SPOILER
   
   Spoiler; For instance when the massacre theory was first being investigated shortly after the Romanovs disapeared, it was claimed that they were shot in the dinning room, not the basement.
   
   Secondly three seperate investigations were conducted, the last investigation is the only one that ever saw light, primarily because it was the most shocking. Early investigators did not find nearly as many bullet holes, bayonet holes, ect . . . as later ones.
   
   SPOILERS END HERE
   
   Even the discovery of bodies does not prove that the alternative theory in File on the Tsar is untrue. The Imperial grave was opened more then once after the family was believed to have been shot and buried, and the remains could have been disturbed.
   
   In short File on the Tsar simply provides comprehensive information, and an alternative theory as to the familys fate, whats more it also could explain the absence of two bodies from the Imperial grve site. The massacre theory does not.
   
   Is it somewhat dated? Yes. Unproven by modern science and DNA? No.
   
   All scientific and fernsic evidence can equally be used to support the File on the Tsar's theory, as it can the massacre.
   
   I recomend if nothing else, that even if you disagree, that you read it.



5. To those of you who believe the DNA 'evidence' even though the British lab failed to provide the original lab report, I have news for you. Stanford University repeated the DNA tests and found no match to the Romanov family. In Japan there is actual blood from Nicholas from a 1904 assassination attempt and their DNA tests show no match for the bones the Russians conveniently 'found' in an area that had been searched many times including digging and seives to sift the clay topsoil. The Russians are desperate to close the case and are still fabricating evidence just like they did in 1918, 1919, etc.
   
   Read this book (the updated 2002 edition) and you will understand the enormity of the Biggest Con in History.

1 comments about Crown and Nobility: England 1272-1461 (Blackwell Classic Histories of England).

1. During the first two centuries following the Conquest, the English system developed two characteristics that distinguished it from the rest of western Europe: The monarchy became highly centralized and exercised its authority through institutions that were generally subordinate to the royal will, and the higher nobility was not merely regional but sought to exercise political influence directly over the king and his ministers. The Court was the center of all power in the country, far more so than in France or Germany. Nor was the English nobility a caste, as in France, but might be considered rather to include all men of knightly rank and above -- perhaps 5,000 by the mid-13th century. There was not a sharp distinction between the relatively small number of men who bore titles and their followers because of the longstanding fellowship among those who bore arms. Nevertheless, those who opposed King John and Henry III represented the wealthiest and most influential segment of the nobility, and Tuck thinks this led to a greater division between the titled and the lesser landowning class in the later medieval period. And when the great barons found in 1327 that they could remove the wholly unsatisfactory Henry II, their self-image and policies changed and no succeeding monarch was ever quite absolute. From the accession of Edward I to the deposition of Edward VI, the relationship between Crown and nobility evolved radically, thanks in large part to what Tuck calls the "unfortunate personalities" of Edward II, Richard II, and Henry VI.

5 comments about Royalty Who Wait: The 21 Heads of Formerly Regnant Houses of Europe.

1. Just finished Olga Opfell's ROYALTY WHO WAIT, and was not very impressed. The book does a good job providing a brief overview of the various European royal families, but that is about it.

   I purchased the book primarily for the historical context in which these families lived. It provided very limited historical context, little of which was useful if one is trying to better understand the life and times of these families.

   The book describes various kingdoms that no longer appear on modern maps, but the maps provided are very poor. They need to be overlaid against a map of modern Europe so as to put these kingdoms in context, but they were not.

   The organization of the book is also hard to understand. For example, the book lists two Royal Houses of France, and one Imperial House of France. The author made these discussions in three different chapters, but there was no continuity between the three chapters. More detail on how one family was deposed and how the next one was installed would have provided better continuity.

   The family trees provided could also use some additional detail. Ms. Opfell concentrated only on the Head of the Houses. To make them more useful, the trees should have included children, siblings, and parents. Again, additional detail would have been helpful to understand the various Royal houses and how they are related to other Royal houses. There were alot of marriages between a prince of one house and a princess of another house, and thus the various royal families are related - but it was impossible to understand this from the family trees provided.

   There was also alot of talk about the British Royal Family, and how some of the various deposed Houses are related. Ms. Opfell made briefs mentions that some houses were related to the British royal family, but provided no additional detail.

   The discussion on the Russian Royal Family seemed to contradict the conclusion of THE FLIGHT OF THE ROMANOVS by John Perry and Constantine Pleshakov. Both books agree that Romanov family is complex with various claims. It was interesting to note that the person supported by Olga Opfell was rejected by Perry and Pleshakov. The Perry and Pleshakov book is a much better book if one wants to understand the Romanovs. The detail is much greater and is thus a more satisfying read.

   Sorry to be so negative on ROYALTY WHO WAIT. It was just too shallow on too many fronts.




2. I have been studying royalty and royal genealogy for more than twenty years and when I heard that this book was coming out, I wanted to purchase it. But instead I borrowed it from the library and I am so grateful that I did. My main complaint actually is that the book is too short and superficial.

   For each of the claimants addressed the author goes into a brief history of either that particular royal family or its throne. That is where its brevity and its superficiality are its downfall. The history of these families and their thrones are often complex, and despite the fact that I was already familiar with the material, it was often delivered in a manner that was confusing. In the process of trying to cram many years of royal history into small chapters a great deal of information is omitted that would clarify the events that are described within. For example, in many royal families there are often members of different generations and lines with the same name. The author dose not distinguish clearly whom they are referring to at times. For someone who does not have a strong grasp of the genealogical information that could be confusing.

   I also did not learn anything new about the claimants to the vacant thrones. I have had particular interest in the Hohenzollern family which used to occupy the thrones of Imperial Germany and Prussia. But once the history of the Prussian royal family was expounded, I learned nothing new about the claimant H.R.H. Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia. In fact there was a great deal of information that was not included. First of all, it elaborates nowhere in the book that since the 1919 constitution of the Weimar Republic all former German royalties no longer legally obtain their titles. Their former titles have been regulated as a part of their surnames. In Germany the claimant is legally known as Georg Friedrich Prinz von Prussen. But despite the German law, much of it is ignored and the former titles of the German royals are used socially. Also, the book does not tell you that H.R.H Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, in his position as head of the Prussian royal family, has attended many state occasions within Germany with the full cooperation and support of the German Chancellor.

   The maps are indeed amateurish and the genealogy charts are simplistic. If you are someone who is new to the subject of royalty then this book could give you some basic information. But if you are a student of this subject who already has knowledge about formerly reigning monarchs then this book will be a disappointment.




3. Reading other reviews of this book, I have discovered I
   don't know as much about royalty as I thought I did!
   Although I did know some of the information included, I
   certainly learnt more than I already knew! Many of the
   stories are very thrilling, others are very sad. But
   all are very real!
   
   Making the book even more real and interesting are
   the PHOTOGRAPHS....one photograph of each head of every
   royal house mentioned! These pictures add a genuineness
   and trueness to the text -- one realizes one is reading
   about REAL people, and not fairy-tales! I only wish that
   there were more photos in this book...but the tantalizing
   one for each royal house is very, very welcome, nonethe-
   less!
   
   The book contains a list of Monarchist Organizations,
   an extensive bibliography, and a full, (and long!) index.
   The paper is the best available, the print-style large
   enough to be readable, and very well spaced. This book
   a trade-paperback, and has the best paperback binding
   available, (with superiour glue, and a slightly rounded
   spine.) All that is missing is a hard cover, with
   gold engraving!
   
   Definitely a great book, both in content and present-
   ation!



4. This is an exceptionally interesting book because it details all the more obscure monarchies in Europe. I was fascinated by how these particular monarchies were formed, who ruled, what the political situation were and how the monarchies were dissolved.
   
   The information given about former rulers and who are still pretender(s)
   was very informative. I liked this book because it filled in a lot of the gaps that I have read briefly about. Now, the gaps have been filled in.
   A must for anyone who interested more obscure royal houses.



5. Sadly, what could have been a good book turns up very poor. First of all, did anyone EDIT the book? I can't even count the mistakes in the book, especially the absolute murdering of names and places. Parts of the book were written as if the target audience was comprised of 5th graders; elsewhere it was a family tree mess. And worse, parts of the book were misleading and apologistic. Wikipedia did a better job here.

5 comments about The Surnames of Ireland.

1. If you are looking for a detailed family history, this is not the book for you. But it does list thousands of surnames found in Ireland along with three or four lines summarising origin and location. It also includes many rare and exotic sounding names which you will not find in any other book. This book is a starting point only and the serious researcher should also have "Irish Families" and "More Irish Families" by the same author if he is looking for detailed information.



2. There are a lot of names here, but very little information - only one sentence on my family, which I already knew. I expected more information or at least a source to go to for more background. OK for generic research only for rare names.



3. I have used this book repeatedly for my personal studies of Irish Gaelic. It is the definitive work on the subject. It goes so far as to indicate modern (often shortened) Gaelic spellings alongside of the originals so that a name's devivation is evidant. So too are inventions (ie. late-Norman) and borrow-names (ie. Nordic or English) indicated. What did not make it here, appears in the suppliment More Irish Names. Definately not for researchers of their family history (try McLoughlin), but rather the study of the nominclature, the Irish language, or entomology.



4. an excellent book in general, but a very short on native Irish Antrim county names; sometimes confusing them with Hebridean Scottish ones. And God help you if you have an obscure Irish name.. it will not be there.



5. an excellent book in general, but a very short on native Irish Antrim county names; sometimes confusing them with Hebridean Scottish ones. And God help you if you have an obscure Irish name.. it will not be there.

No comments about The Empress, the Queen, and the Nun: Women and Power at the Court of Philip III of Spain (The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science).

No comments about Oxford Companion to Family and Local History (Oxford Companion To...).

1 comments about Prague in Black and Gold: The History of a City.

1. Millions of visitors come to Prague each year drawn by its rich cultural heritage and visual splendour, yet knowing little of its extraordinary past. In this erudite, paradoxical history Peter Demetz dispels the popular sentimental image of his hometown as he tells the story of this great city from its origins through the devastation of the Thirty Years' War, the elegant eras of Mozart and Dvorak and the bleak, modern city depicted in Kafka's work, to the euphoria of the Velvet Revolution of 1989.
   --- from book's back cover

No comments about My East End: Memories of Life in Cockney London.

2 comments about Kings and Queens: A History of British Monarchy.

1. Kings & Queens by Ronald Pearsall is without question one of the most informative and interesting pieces of work on history of any sort, and is so in a brief and entertaining fashion. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about British monarchy. Before I picked it up, I had only a marginal knowledge about the history of the throne, but after reading through the book (and reading about the interesting monarchs again), I feel like I have a very respectable amount of knowledge on the subject. Not only does Pearsall's witty style draw the reader in, but the pictures of each monarch leave as much an imprint on the mind as the text.

   This is a must buy for students of British history.




2. In fact I accidentally stumbled on this book in one of my former university's bookstores as I was thumbing through some books on discount. When I came across this book, which was in that collection, it triggered my memories of my earlier informal learning of British History through the LadyBird history series. When I inquired about that series, a Ladybird representative referred me to a Department that sold either out-of-print books or books that were no longer published. That is when it dawned upon me that the series had probably been discontinued. Nonetheless, this reminded me of the "Ladybird days," of an era when British history was romanticized as being "better" than the history of other societies. However, when I came to read this book, it presented a more realistic picture of British history, whereby you get the impression that British history had similar parallels with other societies in aspects such as despotic rule, lack of respect for civil as well as human rights on the part of its monarchy through the ages as well as the trajectory development and evolution of contemporary Democracy in Britain.
   The main shortcomings in the book include the fact that the author mentions the date of the births of some monarchs, while ignoring others. Another more conspicuous inaccuracy is when he says that Henry V died in 1433, whereas all accounts I have read over the years suggest that he died in 1422. When discussing Edward II, he fails to mention that he was the first Prince of Wales. Aside from such little failings in the book, it is a book that is well illustrated, in addition to offering a less flattering outlook on British history.