United Kingdom Books

If you've ever had a hankerin' for knowledge, trivia or just an insight into the kings and queens of England, this is the source. Dame Longford has provided historical and contemporary references, sotries and tales of the British royals from Boudiccea, the Warrior Queen to Alfred the Great, from Aethelred to Victoria to Elizabeth II. the Book opens with a detailed genology, including the Saxons and Danes, Normans, Plantagenets, Yorks, Lancastrians,Tudors, Saxe-Coburg-Gothas and Windsors. Each dated entry

I am frequently called upon by community groups to give a talk on the British royal family, given that I have worked in parliament, studied history in London, and have met several of the royals. This is rare among persons in midwestern America. Fortunately, there is no lack of material, and my talks are never the same.

One of my sources for interesting side notes and comic relief for these talks is 'The Oxford Book of Royal Anecdotes', edited by Lady Elizabeth Longford. Had there been tabloids throughout history many of these stories might have featured prominently (albeit probably with the occasional alien thrown in for good measure of sensationalism).

Longford does not commit the sin of most historians of the royals of beginning with William the Conqueror--there was a Britain before 1066. She includes Celts, Danes, and Saxons. Alas, she does not include Scots or others explicitly after 1066, but their stories are woven into the stories.

Longford's sources include histories, biographies, poems, newspaper accounts, diaries, and personal correspondence in library and museum collections. Many anecdotes are pulled from other histories--those bits that are neglected because the substance of the weightier matters overpowers them. Thus, this collection helps the hidden jewels to shine.

One example of Longford's treatment would be in recounting the shifting image over time of the reign and fate of Edward II. She gives brief details of biographers from 1313 (during his reign), 1327 (the year of his deposition), a seventeenth century biographer, and a modern biographer. In this we see that while the verdict of history holds sway, it needn't stay constant. Today's hero becomes tomorrow's villain, and yet later tragic character.

Here one can also see various bits about John Brown, friend and servant and supposed lover (even, some speculated, husband) of Victoria--their relationship is presented from many sides, and Longford resists jumping to conclusions herself.

From her epilogue, Longford states: 'This has been the story of many dynasties and one royal line. That line goes back a thousand years, yet it has shown infinite variety rather than recognisable family traits. Indeed it seems to cover the whole human spectrum, though in heightened or exaggerated form because of the royal ambiance.... The hushed abdication broadcast from Windsor Castle has replaced the crunch of the axe on Tower Green. Even anthologists can have no regrets.'

My 7-year-old daughter is a ferocious reader who loves non-fiction & fiction. She loves this book; the two-page format with lots of colorful pictures in combination with the inviting, questioning text are great. We love also the Eyewitness books, but this is a winner because it does more than, hypertext style, show pictures with captions -- the continuous narrative builds the bigger picture. I think many children would really enjoy this book; definitely schools would benefit by it.

This is the first of two volumes that cover the history of Britain from the Celts to the modern age. Each 2-page section is illustrated in color and contains a clear overview of even the most complex topics. Photographs of artifacts and sites are included, and the narrative is written in a way that is intended to involve the reader by posing questions and including descriptions of modern archaeological efforts. Suitable for older elementary and middle school students, this would be an excellent classroom resource or core text.

Until I read the book I thought I knew Oxford . A well written journey through the personality of a town called Oxford .

"Oxford: A Cultural and Literary Companion" is an excellent short introduction to a fascinating town, especially for the first-time visitor. It's arranged chronologically, with each chapter spotlighting a key character in Oxford's history era by era...King Charles I, Dr. Johnson, Oscar Wilde, even the fictional Inspector Morse. The colleges most associated with each period get major coverage, and Mr. Horan uses a compact yet readable style to describe the many qualities, quirks and anecdotes that set off one college from another.

While any rundown of Oxford should concentrate on the university, Mr. Horan doesn't fail to delve into much else that makes up the town. Green spaces, bookstores, taverns and residential areas all receive their fair share of treatment, much of it spiced with wit.

My first visit to Oxford came last month, and I found this book an excellent guide to have along. It pointed me to the Gardener's Arms for one thing, a small pub off the beaten path that served as Bill Clinton's "local" during his second year in Oxford (if he didn't inhale, hope he at least swallowed).

The book's only main flaw, as I see it, is that it's pretty weak in the map department. Even so, I'd recommend this book both to travelers to Oxford or to casual readers interested in the subject.

An interesting history of the art of hand printing books. Fantastic pictures.

In a mere 48 pages, author Michelle Brown, currator of illuminated manuscripts at the British Library, has put together a wonderful expose of the Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the beautiful illuminated productions to come out of the Irish monastic/scholarly traditions of the so-called Dark Ages. One can wonder how an age that could produce such exquisite books as the Lindisfarne Gospel could ever be called 'dark'.

The Lindisfarne Gospel is a piece of art, and a piece of history. It is a significant milestone in the history of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon development. Brown's book has illuminations of a more modern sort on every page, pictures and graphics, illustrating the beauty, grandeur, and history of this great work. The Lindisfarne Gospels helped to define Christianity for the local culture, connecting it with the larger world of Christendom.

The Lindisfarne Gospels' artistry lies not only in the beautiful pages, but in great attention to detail throughout. The colours and pages, the hinges and covers, the stitching and construction all testify to an unparalleled care for craftsmanship. The influences of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon imagery is clearly seen in the illuminations and construction, which in turn influenced the further development of those traditions. The calligraphy was influenced by Roman, Greek and Germanic lettering, blending things together in an astonishingly complementary way.

This book would be a gem for the pictures alone; with the brief, insightful text by Michelle Brown, the book becomes a real gift to the reader.

Even before I discovered that Dr. Scarrow's book is in the British Parliament's House of Commons Library, I thought it was a remarkable work. Since finding out that fact, I've been pleased to have my high opinion of her research validated. Her command of her subject matter is superb and I highly recommend this book if you want to find out more about the strategies of German and British political parties in the middle years of the last century.

Ms. Scarrow has taken what might appear to be a dry and uninteresting subject to most laypeople and made it accessible and fun. Great job Susan. I can't wait until my book club brings up your book for discussion at our next Monday Night Book Club.

This is an outstanding reference for the researcher and patent attorney alike. The book provides a solid overview of patent law in the major markets, with emphasis on pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechhnology patents. What distinguishes this book from others in its class, however, is the emphasis on practical and strategic aspects of patent filing and enforcement. The author has a lifetime's worth of experience in this field, and it shows. Moreover, the book is uncommonly well-written, with clarity and occassional humor. Highly recommmended!

This is quite simply the best general work on patent law and practice I've ever read. Presented in clear, crisp language and with wit and flair, it is essential reading for anyone in the patent and allied professions and I would suggest mandatory reading for any students.

Compared the suggestions to our actual experiences in London and Mr. Cochran has come up with some great ones, off the main tourist track andd seemingly up to date. Will be using this before our next trip.

This is the second time I've been to London, so I wasn't keen on seeing the totally touristy places this time around. This book had some great recommendations for unusual sites (I loved the Hunterian Museum!), lovely restaurants and generally well-priced places-to-stay. The informal but informative style was really great.
Since we went to Paris on this trip, too, I only wish the Paris version had come out before we had gone!

I was lucky enough to go to Paris three times, each time carrying Pauline Frommer's Paris book with me everywhere. Twice I went for less than two days and the third time for five days. The layout of the book is great. She has it broken down by the arrondissements (or districts). In each arrondissement there are recommended places to stay and eat. She is not shy about her recommendations and you get the feeling she actually knows the owners and employees at each establishment. Paris is a huge city and with this book I felt that I had some little connections to the people when I went to the recommended establishments. I went on two of the walks recommended in the walkabout section and each walk I stopped at the recommended cafes and they were wonderfully Parisian, not cafes catering to American tourists but thankfully still spoke English. There is a chapter on Paris' 10 iconic sites but also easy itineraries for one, two, three or 4 + days in Paris, which was very helpful to me since my time was limited. The best recommendation for me was to stop by Quai St.Bernard on a summer evening to watch people dance along the Seine doing the tango, something I would have walked right past if it was not for the book. All of the advice given was worth the $16.99, I have some wonderful memories of Paris and can't wait to go back. I would highly recommend purchasing this book if you are going to Paris. I felt I was given advice from a friend to all of the great spots to see while visiting her city.

I can highly recommend this book for all visitors to Paris. I travel frequently and recently went to Paris with a friend who has never been to France before. We both found the book to be very useful and full of helpful hints. I especially appreciate the way the restaurant section is organized and I also enjoyed the author's personal opinions about her favorite (and/or least favorite) places and activities.

This is an erudite investigation into the life styles of both Whistler and his patron Frederick Richards Leyland. Whilst being essentially an art book, it deals with its subject matter in a lively mannner which could well form the basis of a movie script.

"Remember," wrote the British art critic John Ruskin in 1853, "that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless; peacocks and lilies for instance." When a peacock unfolds its plumage, the eyespots on its feathers form exact logarithmic spirals, like those in a daisy, a pinecone, and a sunflower. Twenty years later, Ruskin's remark inspired the Aesthetic Movement ("Art for art's sake"), of which the chief proponents were the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde and the American painter James A.M. Whistler. Wilde sometimes wore a sunflower in his lapel; and Whistler, as is documented in this thoroughly researched and richly illustrated volume (with 250 illustrations, nearly half in color), created an opulent dining room for London businessman Frederick Leyland, with peacocks as the main motif. Completed amid controversy in 1877, Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room was dismantled and sold after Leyland's death, and, in 1923, reconstructed in the U.S. at the Freer Gallery of Art, a branch of the Smithsonian Institution, where it remains on view. A key event in design history, it was restored physically in 1989 through 1992; and now this book restores it historically, thereby "dispelling some of the myths and misconceptions that had settled over the story like mantles of aging varnish." As a cultural biography, the book's greatest virtue is its breadth of focus: Just as Whistler's interior served as an elaborate setting for Leyland's Chinese porcelain collection, Merrill provides a rich wide factual setting for the Peacock Room. (Copyright © by Roy R. Behrens from Ballast Quarterly Review, Vol. 14 No. 3, Spring 1999.)

First of all, thanks to Amazon for an excellent service.. I live in Ecuador (South America) and don't have too much chances to get good contemporary art books. This book gives the opportunity to see many of Doig's first works and the recent ones. The buyer won't feel dissapointed. You can get to see the images on a good size, the color reproduction is acceptable. Doig's paintings does not only show a lot of his imagination but also an awesome technique. It is not boring at all to contemplate the million details he makes all over the canvas. Great use of the palette. Excellent resource for painters esentially because in this type of work you get to understand that you have to get over your fears or to make mistakes. Doig's paintings give you a real sense of freedom and the love of the artist for his job.

To Amazon: I gave you my whole trust and you made a perfect job. Congratulations

Doig is really one of the best living artist, and this book really does him justice. The book includes older work as well as recent. Reproduction is excellent. I can not give a better recommendation.