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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
informative
slow-paced
I did not think I would be able to squeeze this book in before the end of the month. But I did it. At 11:56 on March 31st I finished this book.
It’s worth mentioning that this book basically ends at 70%. The final 30% is references and sources, which really speaks to how well researched this book is.
Queen Elizabeth gave the author permission to research in the Royal Archives at Windsor castle and granted her access to the Queens archives.
I was so impressed with the amount of information presented in this book, and equally impressed with the delivery. This is an informative, non fiction, which can sound daunting, but it was so interesting.
One thing that struck me while reading this book, that never occurred to me in the past, is how different the world would look had Edward VIII remained King. When you read about his Nazi ties and sympathies, the war could have ended quite differently.
This is a great book to read if you have an interest in historical non fiction and a must read for those with an interest in the Monarchy.
It’s worth mentioning that this book basically ends at 70%. The final 30% is references and sources, which really speaks to how well researched this book is.
Queen Elizabeth gave the author permission to research in the Royal Archives at Windsor castle and granted her access to the Queens archives.
I was so impressed with the amount of information presented in this book, and equally impressed with the delivery. This is an informative, non fiction, which can sound daunting, but it was so interesting.
One thing that struck me while reading this book, that never occurred to me in the past, is how different the world would look had Edward VIII remained King. When you read about his Nazi ties and sympathies, the war could have ended quite differently.
This is a great book to read if you have an interest in historical non fiction and a must read for those with an interest in the Monarchy.
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Good book, engaging narrative. Bizarre way of sourcing all of the fantastic letters and journals she quotes. She’d be well advised to just use foot or end notes like everyone else does. Makes the book look unserious. Maybe this was done for all the housewives reading the book but it isn’t good.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
An interesting look at a marriage that saved the monarchy because George VI had to replace his spoiled older brother David, who became the Duke of Windsor, a man who flirted with Hitler and was far too immature to be a king. George’s wife was
his steady partner throughout
World War II and his difficult
last years. She’s best known to us as the queen mother as she lived well into her 90s in Buckingham Palace as Queen Elizabeth‘s mother.
his steady partner throughout
World War II and his difficult
last years. She’s best known to us as the queen mother as she lived well into her 90s in Buckingham Palace as Queen Elizabeth‘s mother.
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Death, War
Minor: Drug abuse, Racism
a hefty tome and a smooth read.
Sally has done what every other authorised biographer of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, also did - paint her as a saint. Which, maybe she was? But nobody is as flawless as this Elizabeth.
The snippets from war diaries of the Royal couple were particularly interesting.
I also know this is about the relationship between the King and Queen, but it at times feels a lot more like a story of their life without really delving into the relationship? Once they agree to get married, we don't get a lot of view of how they felt about each other. And I'd love to have seen a single chapter at the end that talked about why the Queen Mother never remarried - did she never meet anyone? Was her love for Bertie actually that strong? Or was she simply a player, playing off Victoria's script to make sure she stayed well loved? Who knows... I do think she was generally beloved enough by the British public that she could have remarried anyone she wanted to and had that genuinely accepted. Instead she spent nearly 50 years single - a full half her life.
Despite its size, its an easy read - easier in the early stages when the chapters are really short, a little harder later when the chapters get longer. But the font and page spacing are comfortable, which is a vast improvement on the cramped pages of many other non-fiction books.
Sally has done what every other authorised biographer of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, also did - paint her as a saint. Which, maybe she was? But nobody is as flawless as this Elizabeth.
The snippets from war diaries of the Royal couple were particularly interesting.
I also know this is about the relationship between the King and Queen, but it at times feels a lot more like a story of their life without really delving into the relationship? Once they agree to get married, we don't get a lot of view of how they felt about each other. And I'd love to have seen a single chapter at the end that talked about why the Queen Mother never remarried - did she never meet anyone? Was her love for Bertie actually that strong? Or was she simply a player, playing off Victoria's script to make sure she stayed well loved? Who knows... I do think she was generally beloved enough by the British public that she could have remarried anyone she wanted to and had that genuinely accepted. Instead she spent nearly 50 years single - a full half her life.
Despite its size, its an easy read - easier in the early stages when the chapters are really short, a little harder later when the chapters get longer. But the font and page spacing are comfortable, which is a vast improvement on the cramped pages of many other non-fiction books.
I don't think it is an overstatement to say the marriage of George VI and Elizabeth saved the monarchy as the author claims in this engaging biography. This is a good place to start in understanding the modern British royal family. However, Sally Bedell Smith is not without her biases, and they come across often in the pages. While it can make sense for an author to admire the covered subject, when the appreciation comes across a bit too often, it can be jarring to the reader. Otherwise, this was a solid biography.
3.5
3.5
I was engaged with this for about 2/3rds of the book, through the early WWII years, but skimmed through the end, since it was history I was more familiar with. Extremely detailed and well researched, but if you are looking for a fair and balanced view of the royals, this is not it—the author presented George and Elizabeth as nearly eligible for sainthood throughout.