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Elizabeth II's Reign - Celebrating 60 years of Britain's History
by Jacqui BaileyElizabeth II's Reign examines the recent history of Britain. Exploring the Britain the Queen was born into and took over when her reign began, the Commonwealth, changing social times / family, fashion, technology and work the book builds up a picture of how life in Britain has changed.The book is bought alive with humourous cartoon and by memories in the form of quotes from people who remember the events and changes from the past 60 years. It is illustrated with pictures of the Queen and the Royal family and historical photos of life in Britain.With panels of facts about the Queen and the Royal Family, this is a great read for children and young adults in the year of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.Contents include:Sixty years on the throneThe end of the War (Rationing; marriages and births; a crumbling Empire; united for peace)A new Queen (King for a year; the Queen's father; coronation day; open to the public; good times...and bad)Family life (getting married; seen not heard; school days; pass or fail; all together; women's rights; all sorts of families; somewhere to live; instant houses; building blocks)Healthier and wealthier (paying the price; health for free; changing jobs; haves and have nots; the poverty line; going places; travelling by train; on the roads; it's good to talk; talking and walking, using computers)The way we live (a changing population; favourite food; super shops; well dressed; minis, bell-bottoms and safety pins; at the movies; what's on the box; from ballroom to the Beatles; festival time; by the seaside; packaged up)Looking aheadTimeline; further informationIndex
Elizabeth I's Final Years: Her Favourites & Her Fighting Men
by Robert StedallElizabeth I's Final Years outlines the interwoven relationships and rivalries between politicians and courtiers surrounding England’s omnipotent queen in the years following the death in 1588 of the Earl of Leicester. Elizabeth now surrounded herself with magnetically attractive younger men with the courtly graces to provide her with what Alison Weir has called ‘an eroticised political relationship’. With these ‘favourites’ holding sway at court, they saw personal bravery in the tiltyard or on military exploits as their means to political authority. They failed to appreciate that the parsimonious queen would always resist military aggression and resolutely backed her meticulously cautious advisors, William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and later his son Robert. With its access to New World treasure, it was Spain who threatened the fragile balance of power in Continental Europe. With English military intervention becoming inevitable, the Cecils diverted the likes of Walter Raleigh and the Earl of Essex, despite their lack of military experience, away from the limelight at court into colonial and military expeditions, leaving them just short of the resources needed for success. The favourites’ promotions caused friction when seasoned soldiers, like Sir Francis Vere with his unparalleled military record in the Low Countries, were left in subordinate roles. When Spanish support for rebellion in Ireland threatened English security, Robert Cecil encouraged Elizabeth to send Essex, knowing that high command was beyond his capabilities. Essex retorted by rebelling against Cecil’s government, for which he lost his head. Both Elizabeth and Cecil realised that only the bookish Lord Mountjoy, another favourite, had the military acumen to resolve the Irish crisis, but his mistress, Essex’s sister, the incomparable Penelope Rich, was mired by involvement in her brother’s conspiracy. Despite this, Cecil gave Mountjoy unstinting support, biding his time to tarnish his name with James I, as he did against Raleigh and his other political foes.
Elizabeth Is Missing: One of the Eighteenth Century's Greatest Mysteries—Solved!
by Lillian de la TorreThe true story of the eighteenth-century English maidservant at the center of a fascinating criminal mystery. On New Year’s Day, 1753, Elizabeth Canning disappeared. An eighteen-year-old girl, she was unremarkable in every respect, from her appearance to her disposition, but she was about to become the most famous person in London. When she reappeared one month later, starving and ill, she claimed she had been abducted and held captive by a woman named Susannah Wells, who wanted Elizabeth to work for her as a prostitute. Based on Elizabeth’s testimony, Wells was arrested, tried, and convicted—but the case was just getting started. Convinced the young woman was lying, the Lord Mayor of London set out to uncover the truth. What followed was one of the most celebrated criminal cases of the era. The controversy, which threatened to tear London apart, revolved around one frightened, mysterious girl. Meticulously researched and irresistibly readable, Elizabeth Is Missing is the definitive account of one of the most unusual cases of the eighteenth century, a must-read for fans of historical true crime.
Elizabeth I's Secret Lover: The Royal Affair with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
by Robert StedallThis eloquent biography of the most influential nobleman of the Elizabethan Age reveals how Robert Dudley brilliantly captivated the court of Elizabeth I—and the heart of a queen.In many respects Lord Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was the most significant statesman of the Elizabethan Age, ranking only behind the queen herself in precedence. As a great impresario, he honored Elizabeth I to glittering effect and became the forerunner of Shakespearean theater, combining classicism with ribaldry. He attracted the financing of Francis Drake&’s circumnavigation. He was the supporter of academic endeavor, of poetry, and of Puritan scholarship. By employing a network of his own secret agents, he provided information of crucial importance to the crown. As Master of the Horse, he developed English bloodstock to provide horses for royal and military requirements. He saw to it that England&’s navy and army was properly prepared to meet Continental aggression when needed. Lord Robert Dudley has faced criticism from historians by competing with William Cecil to gain the ear of Elizabeth I and thwarting his efforts to arrange a political marriage for her to protect against Catholic aggression from Spain. There can be no doubt that Elizabeth wanted to marry him. He was devastatingly attractive, athletic, and loyal. Perhaps most compelling to readers who enjoy royal scandal, this eloquent new book provides compelling evidence that the virgin queen spent time in her bed with him.
Elizabeth I's Secret Lover: Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
by Robert StedallThis biography details how one man rose to prominence in the Elizabethan court and become the queen’s favorite in more ways than one.Elizabeth I’s Secret Lover details just how Lord Robert Dudley become one of the most influential figures of his time. As a great impresario, he showed Elizabeth I off to her people to glittering effect and became the forerunner of Shakespearian theatre, combining classicism with ribaldry. He attracted the financing of Drake’s circumnavigation. He was the supporter of academic endeavor, of poetry, and of Puritan scholarship. By employing a network of his own agents, he provided information of crucial importance to Government. He built some of the finest houses and gardens of the age. As Master of the Horse, he developed English bloodstock to provide horses for Royal and military requirements. He even saw to it that England’s navy and army was properly prepared to meet Continental aggression when needed.Dudley also has faced criticism from historians by competing with William Cecil to gain the ear of Elizabeth I and thwarting his efforts to arrange a political marriage for her to protect against Continental Catholic aggression. There can be no doubt that Elizabeth wanted to marry him. He was devastatingly attractive, athletic, and loyal, and, as this book shows, there is compelling evidence that the “virgin queen” spent time in bed with him.“A well-researched account of their complicated relationship. If you finished Hilary Mantel’s The Mirror and the Light and are wondering what happened next to the blood-drenched Tudor clan, this could be the book for you.” —Mary Ann Gwinn, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Elizabeth Jane Howard: A Dangerous Innocence
by Artemis CooperElizabeth Jane Howard (1923-2014) wrote brilliant novels about what love can do to people, but in her own life the lasting relationship she sought so ardently always eluded her. She grew up yearning to be an actress; but when that ambition was thwarted by marriage and the war, she turned to fiction. Her first novel, The Beautiful Visit, won the John Llewellyn Rhys prize - she went on to write fourteen more, of which the best-loved were the five volumes of TheCazalet Chronicle. Following her divorce from her first husband, the celebrated naturalist Peter Scott, Jane embarked on a string of high-profile affairs with Cecil Day-Lewis, Arthur Koestler and Laurie Lee, which turned her into a literary femme fatale. Yet the image of a sophisticated woman hid a romantic innocence which clouded her emotional judgement. She was nearing the end of a disastrous second marriage when she met Kingsley Amis, and for a few years they were a brilliant and glamorous couple - until that marriage too disintegrated. She settled in Suffolk where she wrote and entertained friends, but her turbulent love life was not over yet. In her early seventies Jane fell for a conman. His unmasking was the final disillusion, and inspired one of her most powerful novels, Falling.Artemis Cooper interviewed Jane several times in Suffolk. She also talked extensively to her family, friends and contemporaries, and had access to all her papers. Her biography explores a woman trying to make sense of her life through her writing, as well as illuminating the literary world in which she lived.
Elizabeth Jane Howard: A Dangerous Innocence
by Artemis CooperElizabeth Jane Howard (1923-2014) wrote brilliant novels about what love can do to people, but in her own life the lasting relationship she sought so ardently always eluded her. She grew up yearning to be an actress; but when that ambition was thwarted by marriage and the war, she turned to fiction. Her first novel, The Beautiful Visit, won the John Llewellyn Rhys prize - she went on to write fourteen more, of which the best-loved were the five volumes of The Cazalet Chronicle. Following her divorce from her first husband, the celebrated naturalist Peter Scott, Jane embarked on a string of high-profile affairs with Cecil Day-Lewis, Arthur Koestler and Laurie Lee, which turned her into a literary femme fatale. Yet the image of a sophisticated woman hid a romantic innocence which clouded her emotional judgement. She was nearing the end of a disastrous second marriage when she met Kingsley Amis, and for a few years they were a brilliant and glamorous couple - until that marriage too disintegrated. She settled in Suffolk where she wrote and entertained friends, but her turbulent love life was not over yet. In her early seventies Jane fell for a conman. His unmasking was the final disillusion, and inspired one of her most powerful novels, Falling.Artemis Cooper interviewed Jane several times in Suffolk. She also talked extensively to her family, friends and contemporaries, and had access to all her papers. Her biography explores a woman trying to make sense of her life through her writing, as well as illuminating the literary world in which she lived.
Elizabeth Jane Howard: A Dangerous Innocence
by Artemis CooperElizabeth Jane Howard (1923-2014) wrote brilliant novels about what love can do to people, but in her own life the lasting relationship she sought so ardently always eluded her. She grew up yearning to be an actress; but when that ambition was thwarted by marriage and the war, she turned to fiction. Her first novel, The Beautiful Visit, won the John Llewellyn Rhys prize - she went on to write fourteen more, of which the best-loved were the five volumes of The Cazalet Chronicle. Following her divorce from her first husband, the celebrated naturalist Peter Scott, Jane embarked on a string of high-profile affairs with Cecil Day-Lewis, Arthur Koestler and Laurie Lee, which turned her into a literary femme fatale. Yet the image of a sophisticated woman hid a romantic innocence which clouded her emotional judgement. She was nearing the end of a disastrous second marriage when she met Kingsley Amis, and for a few years they were a brilliant and glamorous couple - until that marriage too disintegrated. She settled in Suffolk where she wrote and entertained friends, but her turbulent love life was not over yet. In her early seventies Jane fell for a conman. His unmasking was the final disillusion, and inspired one of her most powerful novels, Falling.Artemis Cooper interviewed Jane several times in Suffolk. She also talked extensively to her family, friends and contemporaries, and had access to all her papers. Her biography explores a woman trying to make sense of her life through her writing, as well as illuminating the literary world in which she lived.(P)2016 John Murray Press
Elizabeth & Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters
by Andrew MortonPerfect for fans of The Crown, this captivating biography from a New York Times bestselling author follows Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret as they navigate life in the royal spotlight.They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll decided to abdicate the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called 'Lillibet.' And bow to her wishes.Elizabeth would always look upon her younger sister's antics with a kind of stoical amusement, but Margaret's struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system—and her fraught relationship with its expectations—was often a source of tension. Famously, the Queen had to inform Margaret that the Church and government would not countenance her marrying a divorcee, Group Captain Peter Townsend, forcing Margaret to choose between keeping her title and royal allowances or her divorcee lover.From the idyll of their cloistered early life, through their hidden war-time lives, into the divergent paths they took following their father's death and Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, this book explores their relationship over the years. Andrew Morton's latest biography offers unique insight into these two drastically different sisters—one resigned to duty and responsibility, the other resistant to it—and the lasting impact they have had on the Crown, the royal family, and the ways it adapted to the changing mores of the 20th century.
Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World
by Alison WeirMany are familiar with the story of the much-married King Henry VIII of England and the celebrated reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I. But it is often forgotten that the life of the first Tudor queen, Elizabeth of York, Henry's mother and Elizabeth's grandmother, spanned one of England's most dramatic and perilous periods. Now New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir presents the first modern biography of this extraordinary woman, whose very existence united the realm and ensured the survival of the Plantagenet bloodline. Her birth was greeted with as much pomp and ceremony as that of a male heir. The first child of King Edward IV, Elizabeth enjoyed all the glittering trappings of royalty. But after the death of her father; the disappearance and probable murder of her brothers--the Princes in the Tower; and the usurpation of the throne by her calculating uncle Richard III, Elizabeth found her world turned upside-down: She and her siblings were declared bastards. As Richard's wife, Anne Neville, was dying, there were murmurs that the king sought to marry his niece Elizabeth, knowing that most people believed her to be England's rightful queen. Weir addresses Elizabeth's possible role in this and her covert support for Henry Tudor, the exiled pretender who defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was crowned Henry VII, first sovereign of the House of Tudor. Elizabeth's subsequent marriage to Henry united the houses of York and Lancaster and signaled the end of the Wars of the Roses. For centuries historians have asserted that, as queen, she was kept under Henry's firm grasp, but Weir shows that Elizabeth proved to be a model consort--pious and generous--who enjoyed the confidence of her husband, exerted a tangible and beneficial influence, and was revered by her son, the future King Henry VIII. Drawing from a rich trove of historical records, Weir gives a long overdue and much-deserved look at this unforgettable princess whose line descends to today's British monarch--a woman who overcame tragedy and danger to become one of England's most beloved consorts. Praise for Alison Weir's Mary Boleyn, named one of the Best Books of the Year by The Chicago Tribune "This nuanced, smart, and assertive biography reclaims the life of a Tudor matriarch."--Publishers Weekly "Weir has achieved the enviable skill of blending the necessary forensic and analytical tasks of academia with the passionate engagement that avocational history lovers crave."--Bookreporter "Top-notch . . . This book further proves that [Weir] is a historian of the highest caliber."--Washington Independent Review of Books "A refreshing change from recent books on the subject . . . If you want to learn more about this often-maligned woman of the sixteenth century, this is a must-read."--The Free Lance-Star "Weir's research is always first-rate and her narratives accessible. In her latest book, the author has to navigate the historical minefields of gossip, fiction, and conjecture to finally get at the truth."--Tucson Citizen "Engaging . . . Weir matches her usual professional skills in research and interpretation to her customary, felicitous style."--Booklist
Elizabeth of York: Tudor Rose Novel 1
by Alison WeirYou've read Alison Weir's bestselling Six Tudor Queens. This is her captivating new novel. 'Alison Weir gives us her most compelling heroine yet... This is where the story of the Tudors begins and is historical fiction at its absolute best' TRACY BORMAN'One of the great women of history... History has the best stories and they should all be told like this' CONN IGGULDEN--- Mother. Survivor. Queen. ---AN ENGLISH PRINCESS, BORN INTO A WAR BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES.Eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten.Her family's enemies close in. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. Then her uncle seizes power - and vows to make Elizabeth his queen.But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster - and change everything.A great new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies - and husband - wisely, and fight for her right to rule. ---PRAISE FOR THE SIX TUDOR QUEENS SERIES:'This series is a serious achievement' The Times'Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life' Guardian'This brilliant series has brought Henry VIII's six wives to life as never before' Tracy Borman 'Profoundly moving... lingers long after the last page' Elizabeth Fremantle'Well researched and engrossing' Good Housekeeping'Vivid characters and a wonderful sense of time and place' Barbara Erskine'Hugely enjoyable . . . Alison Weir knows her subject and has a knack for the telling and textural detail' Daily Mail
Elizabeth of York: Tudor Rose Novel 1
by Alison WeirBrand-new historical fiction from the author of the Sunday Times-bestselling Six Tudor Queens series. This is the spellbinding, untold story of Elizabeth of York, the first Tudor queen.'Alison Weir gives us her most compelling heroine yet... This is where the story of the Tudors begins and is historical fiction at its absolute best' TRACY BORMAN'One of the great women of history... History has the best stories and they should all be told like this' CONN IGGULDEN--- Mother. Survivor. Queen. ---AN ENGLISH PRINCESS, BORN INTO A WAR BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES.Eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten.Her family's enemies close in. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. Then her uncle seizes power - and vows to make Elizabeth his queen.But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster - and change everything.A great new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies - and husband - wisely, and fight for her right to rule. ---PRAISE FOR THE SIX TUDOR QUEENS SERIES:'This series is a serious achievement' The Times'Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life' Guardian'This brilliant series has brought Henry VIII's six wives to life as never before' Tracy Borman 'Profoundly moving... lingers long after the last page' Elizabeth Fremantle'Well researched and engrossing' Good Housekeeping'Vivid characters and a wonderful sense of time and place' Barbara Erskine'Hugely enjoyable . . . Alison Weir knows her subject and has a knack for the telling and textural detail' Daily Mail(P) 2022 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
Elizabeth of York: Tudor Rose Novel 1
by Alison WeirThe captivating new Tudor novel from Alison Weir, Sunday Times bestselling author of Six Tudor Queens.'Alison Weir gives us her most compelling heroine yet... This is where the story of the Tudors begins' Tracy Borman'History has the best stories and they should all be told like this' Conn Iggulden'A stunning read, and the perfect piece of historical fiction' Reader review ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐'This novel captured my imagination, educated me and emotionally moved me' Reader review ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐---A princess born into a war between two families...Firstborn of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of wearing a crown. But in England, queens do not rule.When her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, his brother seizes power. Two young princes disappear into the Tower. Yet another claimant seeks the crown, the upstart heir of the rival House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite their warring families - and help Elizabeth to the throne she knows is hers by right.A glorious new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies wisely as she fights to become mother and queen of a great new dynasty.Elizabeth of York.The first Tudor queen.Her story.---READERS FELL IN LOVE WITH ELIZABETH OF YORK...'I found her an inspirational woman, full of strength...I truly adored this book''She becomes the matriarch of the Tudor destiny after a series of intrigue, conflict, and most likely murder... a brilliant read''Alison Weir's writing just makes history that bit more exciting and accessible''It was refreshing to read such a detailed and informative book of an almost forgotten Queen''An amazing read as expected from Alison Weir, she breathes life into Elizabeth and those around her'
Elizabeth of York and Her Six Daughters-in-Law
by Retha M. WarnickeThis study of early modern queenship compares the reign of Henry VII's queen, Elizabeth of York, and those of her daughters-in-law, the six queens of Henry VIII. It defines the traditional expectations for effective Tudor queens--particularly the queen's critical function of producing an heir--and evaluates them within that framework, before moving to consider their other contributions to the well-being of the court. This fresh comparative approach emphasizes spheres of influence rather than chronology, finding surprising juxtapositions between the various queens' experiences as mothers, diplomats, participants in secular and religious rituals, domestic managers, and more. More than a series of biographies of individual queens, Elizabeth of York and Her Six Daughters-in-Law is a careful, illuminating examination of the nature of Tudor queenship.
Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte
by Charlene M. Boyer LewisTwo centuries ago, Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte was one of the most famous women in America. Beautiful, scandalous, and outspoken, she had wed Napoleon's brother Jerome, borne his child, and seen the marriage annulled by the emperor himself. With her notorious behavior, dashing husband, and associations with European royalty, Elizabeth became one of America's first celebrities during a crucial moment in the nation's history. At the time of Elizabeth's fame, the United States had only recently gained its independence, and the character of American society and politics was not yet fully formed. Still concerned that their republican experiment might fail and that their society might become too much like that of monarchical Europe, many Americans feared the corrupting influence of European manners and ideas. Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte's imperial connections and aristocratic aspirations made her a central figure in these debates, with many, including members of Congress and the social elites of the day, regarding her as a threat.Appraising Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte's many identities--celebrity, aristocrat, independent woman, mother--Charlene M. Boyer Lewis shows how Madame Bonaparte, as she was known, exercised extraordinary social power at the center of the changing transatlantic world. In spite of the assumed threat that she posed to the new social and political order, Americans could not help being captivated by Elizabeth's style, beauty, and wit. She offered an alternative to the republican wife by pursuing a life of aristocratic dreams in the United States and Europe. Her story reminds us of the fragility of the American experiment in its infancy and, equally important, of the active role of women in the debates over society and culture in the early republic.
Elizabeth & Philip: A Story of Young Love, Marriage, and Monarchy
by Tessa DunlopThis deeply moving story explores the attractions—and the tensions—that defined the most extraordinary royal marriage of the past seventy-five years.She was peaches-and-cream innocence; he was a handsome war hero. Both had royal blood coursing through their veins. The marriage of Britain's Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in November 1947 is remembered as the beginning of an extraordinary lifelong union, but their success was not guaranteed. Elizabeth and Philip: A Story of Young Love, Marriage, and Monarchy plunges the reader back into 1940s Britain, where a teenage princess fell in love with a foreign prince. There were fears of a flirtatious "Greek" fortune hunter stealing off with England's crown jewels—and then subsequent efforts by the Establishment to reframe Philip as the perfect fit for Britain's most famous family. Drawing on original archives as well as interviews with Elizabeth and Philip's contemporaries who are still alive today, historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop discovers a post-war world on the cusp of major change. Unprecedented opinion on Philip's suitability was a harbinger of pressures to come for a couple whose marriage was branded the ultimate global fairytale. Theirs was a partnership like no other. Six years after Elizabeth promised to be an obedient wife, Philip got down on bended knee and committed himself as the queen's "liege man of life and limb." This deeply touching history explores the ups and downs, as well as the attractions and the tensions, that defined an extraordinary relationship. The high stakes involved might have devoured a less committed pair—but not Elizabeth and Philip. They shared a common purpose, one higher even than marriage, with roots much deeper than young love. Happy and glorious, for better or for worse, they were heavily invested in a God-given mission. Monarchy was the magic word.
Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe 1762-1850: A Biography
by Mary Beacock FryerThe diaries, letters, and sketches of Elizabeth Simcoe are drawn upon as sources in this portrayal of the energetic and remarkable woman who came to Upper Canada with her husband when he was appointed lieutenant governor.
Elizabeth Robins: 1862-1952
by Prof Angela John Angela V. JohnA woman of extraordinary energy, talent and versatility. Elizabeth Robins was an actress who popularised Ibsen on the British stage, a prolific and popular writer of novels and non-fiction, and an Edwardian suffragette. Her extensive circle of friends included Florence Bell, Henry James, John Masefield and William Archer. She worked with the Pankhursts and knew the Woolfs. Through examining the life and work of this vivid and transatlantic figure born during the American Civil War yet surviving into the England of the 1950s, Angela John raises questions about the shaping of historical identities. Situating Elizabeth Robins's achievement in the context of the British and American cultural history of the period, this is a book which will attract historians, teachers and students of theatre studies and all those fascinated by biography.
Elizabeth Seton: American Saint
by Catherine O'DonnellIn 1975, two centuries after her birth, Pope Paul VI canonized Elizabeth Ann Seton, making her the first saint to be a native-born citizen of the United States in the Roman Catholic Church. Seton came of age in Manhattan as the city and her family struggled to rebuild themselves after the Revolution, explored both contemporary philosophy and Christianity, converted to Catholicism from her native Episcopalian faith, and built the St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Hers was an exemplary early American life of struggle, ambition, questioning, and faith, and in this flowing biography, Catherine O’Donnell has given Seton her due.O’Donnell places Seton squarely in the context of the dynamic and risky years of the American and French Revolutions and their aftermath. Just as Seton’s dramatic life was studded with hardship, achievement, and grief so were the social, economic, political, and religious scenes of the Early American Republic in which she lived. O’Donnell provides the reader with a strong sense of this remarkable woman’s intelligence and compassion as she withstood her husband’s financial failures and untimely death, undertook a slow conversion to Catholicism, and struggled to reconcile her single-minded faith with her respect for others’ different choices. The fruit of her labors were the creation of a spirituality that embraced human connections as well as divine love and the American Sisters of Charity, part of an enduring global community with a specific apostolate for teaching.The trove of correspondence, journals, reflections, and community records that O’Donnell weaves together throughout Elizabeth Seton provides deep insight into her life and her world. Each source enriches our understanding of women’s friendships and choices, illuminates the relationships within the often-opaque world of early religious communities, and upends conventional wisdom about the ways Americans of different faiths competed and collaborated during the nation’s earliest years. Through her close and sympathetic reading of Seton’s letters and journals, O’Donnell reveals Seton the person and shows us how, with both pride and humility, she came to understand her own importance as Mother Seton in the years before her death in 1821.
Elizabeth Started All the Trouble
by Doreen RappaportShe couldn't go to college. She couldn't become a politician. She couldn't even vote. But Elizabeth Cady Stanton didn't let that stop her. She called on women across the nation to stand together and demand to be treated as equal to men-and that included the right to vote. It took nearly seventy-five years and generations of women fighting for their rights through words, through action, and through pure determination . . . for things to slowly begin to change. With the help of these trailblazers' own words, Doreen Rappaport's engaging text, brought to life by Matt Faulkner's vibrant illustrations, shows readers just how far this revolution has come, and inspires them to keep it going!
Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon
by Kate Andersen BrowerFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Residence and First Women, the first ever authorized biography of the most famous movie star of the twentieth century, Elizabeth Taylor.No celebrity rivals Elizabeth Taylor’s glamour and guts or her level of fame. She was the last major star to come out of the old Hollywood studio system and she is a legend known for her beauty and her magnetic screen presence in a career that spanned most of the twentieth century and nearly sixty films. But her private life was even more compelling than her Oscar-winning on-screen performances. During her seventy-nine years of rapid-fire love and loss she was married eight times to seven different men. Above all, she was a survivor—by the time she was twenty-six she was twice divorced and once widowed. Her life was a soap opera that ended in a deeply meaningful way when she became the first major celebrity activist to lead the fight against HIV/AIDS. A co-founder of amfAR, she raised more than $100 million for research and patient care. She was also a shrewd businesswoman who made a fortune as the first celebrity perfumer who always demanded to be paid what she was worth.In the first ever authorized biography of the Hollywood icon, Kate Andersen Brower reveals the world through Elizabeth’s eyes. Brower uses Elizabeth’s unpublished letters, diary entries, and off-the-record interview transcripts as well as interviews with 250 of her closest friends and family to tell the full, unvarnished story of her remarkable career and her explosive private life that made headlines worldwide. Elizabeth Taylor captures this intelligent, empathetic, tenacious, volatile, and complex woman as never before, from her rise to massive fame at age twelve in National Velvet to becoming the first to negotiate a million-dollar salary for a film, from her eight marriages and enduring love affair with Richard Burton to her lifelong battle with addiction and her courageous efforts as an AIDS activist. Here is a fascinating and complete portrait worthy of the legendary star and her legacy.Elizabeth Taylor features a photo insert.
Elizabeth the Beloved
by Maureen PetersFrom earliest childhood, Elizabeth Plantagenet's life was interwoven with the destinies of three kings: Edward IV her father, whose lechery left her destitute, Richard III, her uncle, whose kindness turned to passion, and Henry VII, her husband, who used her as a shield against his enemies. Surrounded by her loving family and a peaceful court, Elizabeth of York seemed content as England's first Tudor queen. But beneath this serenity she hid an aching loneliness and a heart that had broken on Bosworth Field.
Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch
by Sally Bedell SmithIn this magisterial new biography, New York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith brings to life one of the world's most fascinating and enigmatic women: Queen Elizabeth II. From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world's most famous monarch? Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II, who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure, intelligence, and grace. In Elizabeth the Queen, we meet the young girl who suddenly becomes "heiress presumptive" when her uncle abdicates the throne. We meet the thirteen-year-old Lilibet as she falls in love with a young navy cadet named Philip and becomes determined to marry him, even though her parents prefer wealthier English aristocrats. We see the teenage Lilibet repairing army trucks during World War II and standing with Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on V-E Day. We see the young Queen struggling to balance the demands of her job with her role as the mother of two young children. Sally Bedell Smith brings us inside the palace doors and into the Queen's daily routines--the "red boxes" of documents she reviews each day, the weekly meetings she has had with twelve prime ministers, her physically demanding tours abroad, and the constant scrutiny of the press--as well as her personal relationships: with Prince Philip, her husband of sixty-four years and the love of her life; her children and their often-disastrous marriages; her grandchildren and friends. Compulsively readable and scrupulously researched, Elizabeth the Queen is a close-up view of a woman we've known only from a distance, illuminating the lively personality, sense of humor, and canny intelligence with which she meets the most demanding work and family obligations. It is also a fascinating window into life at the center of the last great monarchy.
Elizabeth Widville, Lady Grey: Edward IV's Chief Mistress and the 'Pink Queen'
by John Ashdown-HillThe author of The Mythology of the &“Princes in the Tower&” separates fact from fiction in this biography of an influential former queen of England. Wife to Edward IV and mother to the Princes in the Tower and later Queen Elizabeth of York, Elizabeth Widville was a central figure during the War of the Roses. Much of her life is shrouded in speculation and myth—even her name, commonly spelled &“Woodville,&” is a hotly contested issue. In this fascinating and insightful biography, Dr. John Ashdown-Hill sheds light on the truth of her life. Born in the turbulent fifteenth century, she was famed for her beauty and controversial second marriage to Edward IV, who she married just three years after he had displaced the Lancastrian Henry VI and claimed the English throne. As Queen Consort, Elizabeth&’s rise from commoner to royalty continues to capture modern imagination. Undoubtedly, it enriched the position of her family. Her elevated position and influence invoked hostility from Richard Neville, the &“Kingmaker,&” which later led to open discord and rebellion. Throughout her life and even after the death of her husband, Elizabeth remained politically influential: briefly proclaiming her son King Edward V of England before he was deposed by her brother-in-law, the infamous Richard III, she would later play an important role in securing the succession of Henry Tudor in 1485 and his marriage to her daughter Elizabeth of York, thus and ending the War of the Roses. An endlessly enigmatic, historical figure, Elizabeth Widville has been obscured by dramatizations and misconceptions. In Elizabeth Widville, Lady Grey, Ashdown-Hill attempts to set the record straight.
An Elizabethan Adventurer: The Remarkable Life of Sir Anthony Sherley
by Dan O'SullivanAnthony Sherley (1565-1633) was one of three brothers from a Sussex gentry family, whose adventures abroad fascinated their contemporaries. Their doings were celebrated and exaggerated in printed pamphlets and a play on the London stage, but are scarcely known today. Anthony was a soldier fighting in France and the Netherlands, and then an unsuccessful privateer, before his patron, the earl of Essex, chose him to lead a group on a mission to Ferrara, which proved abortive. Sherley then undertook on his own initiative to take his followers on a highly risky journey across Turkey to Persia. He hoped to persuade the Shah to ally with the West against their mutual enemy, Ottoman Turkey. Surprisingly, Shah Abbas the Great (1587-1629) approved the plan, and sent Sherley back to Europe as his ambassador. But after that things went badly wrong. Essex lost all influence at court, and was eventually executed for treason. Sherley was refused permission to return to England. He was on his own, and had to find new ways of living and earning. After various episodes in Venice and Morocco he ended up in the pay of Spain, and was chosen to command a fleet created to stop pirates from attacking Spanish possessions. After the failure of this project he was forced to retire to Granada, and lived the rest of his life on a meagre royal pension. But he continued trying to give advice, based on his past experiences, to the king of Spain and his ministers. The book will concentrate on Sherley’s career, but will broaden the theme by including chapters on his father and his two brothers, and in particular on Persia and Shah Abbas, the Persian king whom he met. Anthony was an irascible, complex character, often derided and disliked. This biography is more sympathetic than previous ones, and discusses his self-fashioning and his belief in his personal honour, both of which might account for some of his misdemeanours, especially after the death of his patron.