Product Description

Here in a sweep of colourful episodes are the stories of England's monarchs, spanning ten great dynasties, from the invading Normans of 1066 to the House of Windsor today. Richly illustrated and vividly narrated, this is a celebration of over 1000 years of British history told through the lives and deeds of England's Kings and Queens.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #886982 in Books
• Published on: 1997-06-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 248 pages

About the Author
Antonia Fraser is the author of many widely acclaimed historical works including the biographies, CROMWELL: OUR CHIEF OF MEN, KING CHARLES II and THE GUNPOWDER PLOT (CWA Non-Fiction Gold Dagger; St Louis Literary Award). She has written five highly praised books which focus on women in history, THE WEAKER VESSEL: WOMEN'S LOT IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY ENGLAND (Wolfson Award for History, 1984), THE WARRIOR QUEENS: BOADICEAS CHARIOT, THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII, MARIE ANTOINETTE: THE JOURNEY (Franco-British Literary Prize 2001), which was made into a film by Sofia Coppola in 2006 and now most recently LOVE AND LOUIS XIV: THE WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE SUN KING. Antonia Fraser was made CBE in 1999, and awarded the Norton Medlicott Medal by the Historical Association in 2000. She lives in London and is currently working on a biography of Queen Elizabeth I. She was married to Harold Pinter who died on Christmas Eve 2008 and has eighteen grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Royal portraits
Antonia Fraser's 'The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England' has long been one of my favourite books (since my childhood, really), because it has both breadth and brevity simultaneously, a rare feat. Lady Fraser's style is evident here, a non-imposing and non-technical style, that is nonetheless satisfying to all but the most rigourous of academic historians.

Fraser's account begins with the Norman invasion; like many books on royal history, scant attention is paid to pre-Norman figures. Fraser groups the monarchs into categories:

Normans
Angevins
Plantagenets
House of Lancaster
House of York
Tudors
Stuarts
House of Hanover
House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
House of Windsor

Putting together the genealogical tables is a fun exercise--beware here, however, that lesser historical figures are left off the charts (thus, Queen Anne's bevy of children are not represented on the genealogy as none lived to assume the crown or perpetuate the line). Each monarch is given an article about 10-15 pages in length (a good bedtime reading length, I've found). Pictures and paintings help place visually the stories, together with the interspersed essays on coats-of-arms and other topics.

Fraser likes to find the humourous aspects whenever possible. Writing on William IV's distaste for the young Victoria's mother:' 'In 1836 the Duchess of Kent took over a large suite of rooms in Kensington Palace without the King's permission. William was furious. If he died now, Victoria would not be old enough to rule without her mother as Regent. At a public dinner, attended by more than a hundred guests, William said that he hoped his life would be spared long enough to prevent such a calamity.'

His wish was granted.

An ideal gift for anyone, child to adult, who has an interest in the history of the British royals, and a good ready-reference for students, this book is first-rate.

Well written and informative
A rare achievement to write a history book which could never gather dust in a bookcase. This comprehensive guide of royal lives spanning from thenormans to the present House of Windsor is so well constructed it makes anabsorbing read, as well as a useful reference book. It is beautifullyillustrated encompassing portraits heraldry etc. a postive gem

A personal History of all Britains monarchs
This book is great
I have read many books on Kings and Queens but this has to be the best.
Each monarch has about 2 pages dedicated to them. In thses 2 pages you will find out alot about each monarch their goodside and badside. There is also a large selection of pictures. Unlike most others, this book offers personal pictures of each of the monarchs.
This great book is a MUST READ for those interested in Britains royal heritage.