William Manchester's first Churchill volume is one of those books that makes you just love to read.

This clearly isn't a book for all those who are fascinated by the mediocre and skeptical of the possibilities for true greatness. This is an unreconstructed and unapologetic look at a leader whose instincts often cut against the grain of the 20th century, but who would emerge as one of the great heroes of it, just when extraordinary leadership was needed the most.

Manchester is the rare gifted writer who has mastered the biographical craft as well as the sweeping narrative needed to succinctly encapsulate the mores and habits of an entire nation at a particular moment in time. He does this brilliantly in his introduction, about one hundred pages long, which sets the stage with a lavish description of Victorian England. This is one of the best parts of the book.

Early on, it is clear that the ambitious young Winston is headed for big things. This wasn't only because he came from one of Britain's most prominent families -- his father rose to become the second most powerful man in the government, and his mother was romantically linked to the Prince of Wales. Despite this, Manchester convinces us, successfully, that Churchill was the best of his generation, that he would have risen even from less auspicious circumstances (admittedly, this interpretation has its limits, since entire social classes were excluded from Parliament at the time).

Churchill made his career as a political maverick, changing parties not once, but twice, consistently taking positions that brought him close to political death. Yet Churchill survived -- and what's more, he turned out to be one of the most enduring political presences any democracy has ever seen. What is striking about Churchill's career is that it didn't simply culminate in 1940 after a plodding journey up the political ladder. No -- Churchill had first been elected to Parliament forty years earlier, and he rose quickly within a few years of his election. But then his career plateaud for about a quarter of a century. Here you had a man who was considered a future Prime Minister at age 30, who was in a position to be considered the heir apparent in governments of two different parties at various points from World War I until the late 1920s, and yet didn't take the next step. What happened?

The Great War and its aftermath, more than anything, foreordained Churchill's postponed "rendezvous with destiny." It was here where Churchill was the most out of step with prevailing political attitudes. Churchill held close to his heart a heroic vision of Britain, and believed deeply in the nobility of a war fought for a just cause. He also believed in the Empire, and did not think that Britain should relinquish what was already hers, even in a time of relative decline vis a vis the United States. Where most saw senseless slaughter in the trenches of France, he saw selfless heroism, a nation at its best.

The nation, or at least the political classes, did not agree with this interpretation. In a time that Walter Lippman proclaimed was "tired of greatness" and where the great fear was that Britain had overextended herself, Churchill defended greatness and Empire. In his view, strength in the service of democracy, and not blind disarmament, would prevent future wars. This view, ascendant in World War II, and in many ways, ascendant again in America today, was seen as discredited at the time, and Churchill in the 1920's repeatedly butted heads with a Conservative leadership over disarmament and withdrawal from India. The trend was so strong in the other direction that Churchill was effectively cast out of his party by the end of the 20's, and looked destined to repeat the fate of his iconoclastic father, who was cast permanently out into the political wilderness for his own apostasies.

But with this son, there would always be a second act.

"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," is the first of William Manchester's projected three-volume biography of Winston Spencer Churchill. I found it a superbly crafted, supremely well researched account of the first 58 years of the life of the 20th century's greatest statesman. With wit and candor, Manchester chronicles Churchill from his earliest days as the neglected and troublesome first child of Lord Randolph Churchill and his American-born wife, Jennie, to his entry into the political "wilderness" over home rule in India in 1932. Manchester's portrait of his subject is balanced and objective; we see Churchill at his finest: a courageous (almost to the point of foolhardiness) army officer, and later a gifted Member of Parliament who became one of the youngest Cabinet ministers in British history. We also see him at his worst: a Cabinet minister with appalling political judgment at times, quick to meddle in other ministers' affairs while neglecting his own, and with an uncanny ability to alienate not only his political foes, but almost all his political allies as well.

In addition to a wonderfully written chronology of Churchill's life, Manchester provides an overview of the times in which Churchill lived. I was fascinated by the author's account of Victorian England -- its culture, its mores, and its view of itself in the world. The sections which describe Churchill's times make highly entertaining and absorbing reading by themselves.

"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," clearly shows why William Manchester is one of the pre-eminent biographers at work today. The book is written with obviously meticulous scholarship, insightful analysis, and crisp, sparkling prose; I have yet to find a better account of Churchill's life. Now, if only Mr. Manchester would give us that third volume . . .

William Manchester does much more here than tell the story of perhaps the greatest person of the 20th century--he transports you back to the pre-WWII England to see the events that shaped Winston Churchill's life and political destiny. You not only come away with a true sense of who Churchill was (and he truely was the hand that slammed the door to Hell during WWII)--you also gain real insight into other key British politicial figures of the day including Lloyd George, Lord Halifax, Nevile Chamberlain and many others in the context of their often-changing relationships with Winston.

I came away with a fresh perspective of the key people and geopolitical events of the time; and gained a wealth of useful historical information as well. This, and Manchester's first volume of Churchill's bigography should be required reading in any proper 20th century college-level history course. (They're crafted so well that students might actually read them!)

Beware--you will not want to put it down once you start reading; I didn't.

This book was great. I learned more from this book because it was in so much detail that you felt like you were witnessing everything. The book has alter egos, which at times can be very confusing, especially when the great ship starts to sink. One part is about Elizabeth Farr; traveling in first class. Elizabeth is expected to marry a boring man after she gets back to New York. Elizabeth soon meets a young traveler named Max Whittaker, the son of aquantences. Elizabeth is jealous at the fact that Max is independant, and Elizabeth wants to know how he did it. The other part is about 3 Irish third-class passengers, hoping to make a better life in America; Kathleen Hanrahan, and the brothers: Brian and Patrick Kelleher. When the Titanic begins to sink, the full potential of each character comes out with a beautifully written ending. Their are only two problems. One, the book kept on flipping back in forth from 3rd class to 1st, which got confusing when the Titanic sinks. And the second, the author took some ideas from the movie; but gives a new zest to those ideas. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the sinking of the Titanic.

I have just recently read this book for the fifth time - and still loved it as much as I did the first! All of the main characters are individuals and you get to see all of their stories while they are onboard the Titanic.

First there is Elizabeth, her parents and Max in first class. Elizabeth wants to break free of her arranged marriage and sees the trip as a perfect opportunity to do so, her parents however are refusing to let her. Max is an amateur painter who falls in love with Elizabeth, but her parent are furious!

In third class there are, Katie, Brian and Paddy all leaving Ireland to find work in America. Love is on katie's mind, but which brother does she choose - Paddy, the attractive one, or Brian the sensible one?

It is a must read and it gives you a good insight, in a fictional way, of what it was like for both classes on board the titanic as it meets it's fate! If you enjoy this book, the sequel, Remembering the Titanic is also a must read, showing how they cope the year following the tradgedy.

TITANIC: THE LONG NIGHT by Diane Hoh is a great fictional account of the Titanic disaster through the stories of five fictional teenagers on the doomed ocean liner. Elizabeth Farr is in first class. She is trying to escape both her debut into society and an impending marriage to a wealthy, older man she doesn't love, and to persuade her parents to allow her to go to college. Also in first class is Max Whittaker. Max defied his wealthy parents by travelling to Paris to study art. Now poor, he is only able to travel first class on the Titanic because his wealthy grandmother sent him the ticket. In third class is Katie Hanrahan, a 16 year old Irish girl dreaming of becoming a singer in New York. Katie has left her family and her small village to build a new life for herself. Also in third class are two brothers, Brian and Patrick Kelleher. They also dream of a new life in America. During the voyage, Elizabeth falls in love with Max, and is now more dertermined then ever to break off her engagement to the man she does not care for. Katie falls in love with Patrick, only Patrick is afraid to return her feelings, as he believes that Katie loves his brother Brian. It takes the sinking of the Titanic for true feelings to be revealed. But is it too late? Who will survive? Will Elizabeth, Max, Patrick, Brian, and Katie be among those who get out alive? READ THIS BOOK TO FIND OUT!

First I want to applaud Ms. Weir on her research and attention to detail. It was nice to read a more detailed description of Henry VIII than what you usually get in this type book. So much of the book was spent on Katherine of Aragon and so little on the other 5 wives that I was somewhat dissapointed. There seems to be more information available on Katherine of Aragon, however I question the attention paid to some of the sources Ms. Weir has used. Not the validity of them but the obvious bias of the sources. And Ms. Weir continued her unfortunate habit of losing her objectivity part way through the book. I found this thoroughly frustrating in her book "The Princes in the Tower" and almost as frustrating in this book. Still, this is an interesting book if you can overlook the obvious bias she has when writing of Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.

I must admit I bought Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII with great trepidation. I had read and liked a very comprehensive six-volume biography by an author whose name I cannot recollect, and was therefore wary of reading another author's work on the same subject. I am glad to admit I was mistaken. The book has been well-researched and is written evocatively enough to keep your interest from flagging. As a history student, I am used to poring over dry, dusty tomes; it was a pleasure to feel history come alive as Ms Weir brought to life one of England's most colourful monarchs. To all those who carp about her background research, I have only this to say: From all the reading I have done, her sources are impeccable. Two, you must realise that Tudor and Elizabethan England was far from being puritan. The life-style of the court and aristocracy was one devoted to the pursuit of pleasure. If I cavil at anything, it is that the author does not elaborate about the political situation prevailing. Henry VIII succeeded in giving England much-needed political stability.

Alison Weir has a fine start to a marvelous cycle of history books of the Tudor reign of Henry VIII and his wives and children. The actual beginning of this cycle would be Ms. Weir's book on the Wars of the Roses but this is the true start of the series that looks at the personal lives of the reigning Tudors. This book, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, is a fat and delicious book that brings these very different women to life for the reader. It is the way the author has of drawing the personality out of the sources that is the most rewarding aspect of this book. History lives and is exciting because the reader feels the life within the history. Alison Weir is a marvelous writer and makes the past both exciting and accesible. A fine book of history and a wonderful place to spend a few entertaining hours.

Peter the Great:His Life and World is an magnificient biography, I wish they all were like this. Impeccably researched and written, Massie reveals life in the Russian Royal Court in the time of Peter the Great. Massie's writing style is generally easy reading, but it will still take many evenings to complete this book.

Personalities abound throughout the telling of one of the greatest of all Tsars. What really stands out about this particular book, is that while the book is really about Peter, Massie allows the flow of the book to follow personalties of the time as they enter and exit Peter's world. So as well as learning about Peter, I learnt of Charles' rivalry with the Russian leader, and the battles they fought; Tolstoy, the ambassador to the Ottoman empire, and his constant diplomatic battles with the leaders of Turkey. The Sun King of France. These are just a few examples that litter the book.

Furthermore, social and political issues of the time are discussed, some in great depth. I never realised the stuggles involved with the construction of St. Petersburg, the workers dealing with both the [danger] of the Swedish Army and Navy, as well as the marshes on which the city was built. That the establishment of the Russian Navy was initiated by Peter, was another surprise. I would have thought that a major empire such as the Russian would have already had a navy. The political intrigues between the Royal houses of Europe was another eyeopener for me.

There are always faults with any book; Peter the Great is no exception. Some details would be repeated, some to the point of numbness. How many times do we have to hear about Peter's fondness for the sea? Or the sciences? Still, many people like myself will overlook these and instead, look at the book for what it is; a stunning and comprehensive look into not only the life of Peter the Great, but the world of Eastern and Middle Europe. I began reading the book to learn the story of Peter the Great. That I got a history lesson about Europe in the 18th century is a real bonus.

Peter the Great was a larger than life figure and Massie does a fabulous job describing him and his world in this book. Massie, who is one of the most readable historians I've ever come across, incorporates incredible research and a flair for storytelling to make this both academic and exciting. I began reading the book hoping to learn more about Russia and Peter the Great, but Massie is much more ambitious than that and describes the socio-political climate throughout Europe during Peter's era. It provides a wonderful history lesson and is certainly as thorough as most semester long European history classes. I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone interested in history or enjoys exciting stories about heroic emperors, wars, politics, and foreign cultures. Do not let the length scare you off, this will be one of the best historical books you ever read.

My introduction to Robert Massie came when I first picked up a copy of Nicholas and Alexandra last Spring. Frankly I was expecting a serious history book-- In other words I expected it to be dry, dry, dry! What a great surprise to find I could not put it down. Having that great experience made it a no-brainer to read Peter the Great as well-- it was even better.

Massie's gift is in his ability to write history in a narrative style, identifying the nuances of each setting and character as well as the heros and antagonists, all while maintaining historical accuracy. No wonder we find that Massie's works have been converted into both film and mini-series.

His account of the succession of Peter to Regent Sophia's intrigues is heart stopping. You see directly into the private and public life of this unique Tsar who attempted to drag Russia into the modern era- The good the bad and the ugly. It is simply great stuff!

If you are interested in Russia, start out with Peter the Great and go on to Nicholas and Alexandra. These are both excellent books!

This book is not a novel. It is an unusually constructed history in three volumes, written by a word-class writer. It is a heavy read. In this volume, Solzhenitsyn describes arrests, interrogations, tortures, trials, prisons, and methods of transporatation from the prisons to the labour camps. He gives a brief history of the genesis of Gulag, its principles and its expansion, in the chapter "A Brief History of Our Sewage Disposal System." Solzhenitysn marshalls an impressive range of facts and first hand anecdotes in addition to his own experiences, usually relating them in a straightforward manner, sometimes with bitter, vicious sarcasm, sometimes with passionate anger. The book is an astounding achievement, especially when one considers that he wrote it in sections, hiding each as it was completed; he was never able to refer back to what he had previously written, yet I noticed no repetitions. The book is an astounding achievement, immensely powerful, but very depressing, sometimes heart-breaking. Nonetheless, anyone who wishes to be well-informed in general, or about history in particular, must read it.

Gulag provided for me a powerful and shocking history lesson I had never been taught in high school or college. So much has been taught on Hitler, but barely anything of substance on Soviet Communism. After reading this book, you'll understand the reasons for the so-called paranoia of McCarthyism. Ronald Reagan had it right when he called the Soviet Union an "evil empire." I found this book so compelling, though heart wrenching, that I went on to read "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" as well as a recent biography on Solzhenitsyn by D. M. Thomas called "Alexander Solzhenitsyn: A Century in His Life." I have come to the conclusion that nobody but a man like Solzhenitsyn could ever have written Gulag.

This is probably as significant a book as has been published in the 20th century. Not because it changed the course of history or influenced a huge number of people. It did neither of these things. The history it deals with was already long passed and its size and severity kept it from being read by a mass audience. Still, it is significant because it tells a story that otherwise could not have been told. The full extent of what happened during the half century of Soviet rule to millions of Soviet citizens is the focus of this book and Solzhenitsyn's narrative, often numbing in the regularity of repeated cycles of arrests, 'trials', and imprisonment, seems to be his effort at repaying those who perished - at insuring that they are remembered and that those who subjected them to lives of torture are remembered for what they did.

Solzhenitsyn is a true hero of the 20th century. A military officer of the Soviet Union during WWII, he was imprisoned for writing a letter that included a joke about Stalin. During his time in prison he met numerous others who had been in different camps - different places and different types - and started piecing together in his mind the full scale of the vast Gulag enterprise which eventually consumed more of his contrymen than the total count of those of all countries who died in WWII. That the size and scope of this mass internment was kept virtually a secret to most of the world (and to most Russians)for so long is only part of the horror to which Solzhenitzyn is responding.

From his first book, A Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovitch, a small volumn about a single day in the life of a typical Gulag prisoner - smuggled out of Russia and published in the West - he has devoted his life to various tellings of his country's recent history. Most of it to do with the Gulag. This isn't pleasant stuff. It isn't tight fiction like Darkness At Noon. This is the real stuff with no prettifying. He feels that someone had to tell the truth. We owe it to him to listen.

....

OK, just go order this book right now and read it.

Now that we have that out of the way. Wow what a story! Ernest Shackleton what a man. Since the south pole had already been "discovered", in 1914 Shackelton decided to dog sled across the continent of Antarctica! Unfortunately opon reaching the east coast his ship became locked in the ice eventually completely demolished by the ice flow. Cast out they lived on a floating ice pack for five months! When they were down to one small berg they abandoned the ice and sailed in very small lifeboats to a barren rock Elephant Island. Here the majority stayed behind and Shackleton and small group sailed again in one of the lifeboats over 600 miles to a whaling port! Talk about endurance, the word pales in the accomplishment of these men. And mostly in the fortitude of will that one man Shackleton had.

Some enlightening aspects:

The men on Elephant Island so desperate for cigarettes they smoked the inside packing of their boots.

Shackleton dirty, stinky and having just climbed over impassible mountains knocking on the door of the whaling portmasters door and stating:

"My Name is Shackleton".

I highly recommend this white-knuckle, bone crunching, gut-wrenching adventure story that you will not be able to put down and will enthrall you. I was so excited I also bought the complete photo record by Frank Hurly.
....

I literally couldn't put this book down. And that rarely happens. Yes, the story begins slowly as Lansing has to give us some background on the crew and some context for the expedition, which goes as planned for the first few months. But both the story and Lansing's telling of it become increasingly compelling as the events become more and more unbearable.

I mean, think about being stuck on a floating island of ice for 5 months, eating seals and penguins, exposed continually to sub-freezing (even sub-zero) conditions roughly 1000 miles from civilization's last outpost. And the truly horrendous conditions are yet to come! The story pushes you well into the territory of the unimaginable... and just keeps going. There seems no end to their trials, no constraints on the degree of their suffering. And yet all survive.

Others have said the Lansing version is the best, and I was very satisfied to read it first. It has narrative power. But I would also recommend you buy Caroline Alexander's book as a companion, mainly for Hurley's amazing photos but also for even more context on the flawed aspects of most expeditions during this period and the class differences among the Endurance's crew.

Still, this a story everyone should know. It really stretches the limits of what one imagines is humanly possible for one to endure. It's as if Shackleton and his men made definitive claim, for all time, to some capacity for survival that should make us all potentially much stronger than we tend to think we are.

The story of the ill-fated 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, bent on glory, but ultimately humbled to the barest thread of survival. The Endurance becomes locked in an ice pack in the Weddell Sea, and is eventually crushed and sunk. The ship goes screaming into the icy deep. The men scurry for safety onto the surrounding ice. And that's just the beginning. I'm frankly surprised ANYONE survived this horrendous ordeal; if this were a novel, I'd say it's far-fetched. But it happened, and all hands survived. Imagine an acute scarcity of food, months on end in darkness, an interminable landscape of featureless whiteness, no sanitary facilities, and all through this you're cold and wet, and it's windy, and the temperature's below zero. You eat your sled dogs. You're nauseated from undercooked food. Your face and hands are frostbitten. You shiver even in your sleep. And no one knows you're marooned. Your only escape is to travel by open boat through the gale-wracked Drake Passage-the most treacherous body of water on Earth. Imagine your fingers are frozen numb, and yet you must chip off ice from the sail, and raise the sail, and tie the lines fast. Otherwise you'll sink and die. These men did the impossible-and they lived to tell about it.

I first read this delightful book in sixth grade. I believe the book had just been published. The Durrell family found a place in my heart and they are still there, arguing happily, all these years later. This is the type of book that needs to be re-read every five years or so. There are so many levels to the book that as one matures, it can be enjoyed anew with each re-reading.
The book, an autobiography, traces the life and adventures (both as he explores Corfu and with his large, slightly dotty family)of the young boy, Gerry. One cannot help learning about various flora and fauna, and the book also revels in dry humor; so much that the reader will find himself/herself laughing uncontrollably.
The late Gerald Durrell brings the island of Corfu, Greece into one's brain and it is as if one had been there. The bright, hot sun, the cerulean blue ocean, the whitewashed houses ... and most of all, the slow-paced, often maddening outlook of the Greek people all help bring this book alive. To paraphrase Durrell: While on Corfu, it is good not to grasp reality too tightly, but rather to accept the lovely, unexpected siren-song of the island.
I highly recommend this book, from about sixth grade through adult.

Do you adore British wit? True English eccentrics? The REAL story behind Great Writers? Books that make you laugh out loud again and again? This is a warm autobiographical remembrance by famed Zoo-Keeper Gerald Durrell, of the years in his childhood in the 1930s when the entire family took off on a whim to live in the Island of Corfu, Greece. It is quite simply such a wonderful -- fun -- read that it promptly went to the best-sellers lists round the world when it was first published more than 35 years ago. Which enabled Gerrald to realize his life-long dream of building his own zoo for endangered species -- and annoyed the daylights out of his very SERIOUS novelist and writer older Brother, the award-winning Lawrence Durrell. (Poor Larry, not only to be beat at your own game by a kid brother who doesn't even care about writing, but to have the follys of your own early 20s exposed to the literate world just when you hoped to be taken seriously by everybody!) Read this book. Buy this book! I guarantee you'll find yourself laughing out loud uproariously and then you'll rush out to buy extra copies for all your friends!

Gerald Durrell recounts his childhood in Greece. His very British, highly eccentric family - and his love of nature - blend in unexpected ways. By turn hilarious and poignant, the book draws sharp character sketches of the author's relatives (including his equally famous brother, the author Lawrence Durrell). Sharing the spotlight are the fascinating flora and fauna young Gerald stumbles across on his island. Even if you thought you couldn't stand Biology as a student in school, Durrell's descriptions are so beautifully written, each discovery so exquisitely etched that you cannot but wonder at the beauty of Nature - and the amazing gift of prose that Durrell, a naturalist by profession, brings to this unforgettable book. It makes you thirst for more of the same, and happily for us, Durrell has written several books.. worthy sequels to this tour de force.

Romanov.... that is a very powerful name... and yet, it is just a name, you were either born with it or you weren't... but for the simple fact of bearing this name, many people had to die... and yet it is just a name. It is a name that says POWER, LOVE, INTRIGUE, MYSTERY, ESCAPE, TRAGEDY.... but it is also a name that for Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexei meant FAMILY, and as a family they stuck together, through illness, war, infamy, and even death.
This book tells an incredible love story, that could beat any novel out there, and proves that life is always more mysterious, magical but also more cruel than fiction. It portrays the Romanovs as a family, and gives you an insight on their lives, their thoughts, their letters, their friends and their sufferings. It also lets you take a peek at Tsarist Russia, its power, its magic, its fancies, its relations with other empires, and many other things.
Robert Massie is an expert on this subject, and you can see that a lot of research went into creating this book.
I gave it 4 stars and not 5 because it is a bit outdated when it comes to the finding and retreaval of the bodies, but this is covered in a latter book by the same author.
Highly recommended, especially is you like history.

This is generally considered to be the definitive biography of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. Massie's expert storytelling is well-suited to the compelling story of the last Russian tsar and his consort. The history of Russia was no doubt changed by the deliberate myopia and general inadquacies of these two people. Nevertheless, Massie manages to uncover a more sympathetic side to the ill-fated duo. Massie's writing is as good as that of any acclaimed novelist - there's a fascinating and fastpaced plot, finely nuanced lead characters, an intriguing supporting cast, all against a beautiful background of a majestic bygone era.

This book was researched and written before the fall of the Soviet empire when the state archives were opened and new information about the Romanovs was revealed. Consequently, this book is necessarily incomplete, especially as concerns the execution of the royal family. Massie has since written another text called "The Romanovs: The Last Chapter" which devels deeply into the newly available data and the forensic studies that followed. Consider it an essential volume II to "Nicholas and Alexandra".

Most book lovers have a little list of super-favorites that they turn to year after year, and this classic by Robert Massie has been on my list for more than two decades. Massie brings the last years of the Russian Imperial court to astounding life, turning meticulously researched detail into a tapestry more compelling than fiction. You feel you've been there and met the Romanovs and the people around them, walked their halls, ridden in their trains, even faced their final terrors. Its as good as stepping into a time machine. How many times have I looked up from this paperback (I've gone through several copies over the years) and found that I've lost track of time. Recently, several lavishly illustrated books have come out with long-hidden photos of what NICHOLAS & ALEXANDRA describes -- gorgeous though those photo books are, they do not give you as powerful a sense of time and place as Massie's exceptionally readable prose. Details of Russian history, which could be ponderous for most readers, become lively and engrossing here. I love history, and no book in the genre pulls me back as often (or with as much satisfaction) as Massie's NICHOLAS & ALEXANDRA.

Written about the "headstrong" Austrian archduchess Maria Antonia (as the future Queen of France was called as a child), this book portrays her as a girl who wants to be herself. Tired of her mother's incessant attempts to mold her into a beautiful, ladylike Queen, Maria Antonia just wants a chance to develop her own character and make decisions for herself. This book also deals with Maria Antonia's marriage to Louis XVI, the Dauphin (or Crown Prince) of France. Maria Antonia has been meticulously prepped so that she will make a good impression on the Dauphin and his grandfather, the incumbent French monarch. However, when she actually meets her fiance, Maria Antonia discovers to her shock (and horror) that he is not at all handsome and that he is overweight--which is completely the opposite of what she was expecting him to look like. But Maria Antonia and her husband grow closer throughout the final third of the book and become good friends at last. They are on the verge of falling in love when the book ends. Maria Antonia also has to deal with Countess du Barry, the King's mistress. Du Barry is unfriendly to Maria Antonia and goes out of her way to insult the young Dauphine. In spite of this, Maria Antonia is expected to talk to du Barry and be courteous to her--which the Dauphine refuses to do. The book also talks about Maria Antonia's bond with her older sister Elizabeth, who was once a great beauty but whose skin is now scarred as a result of smallpox. Titi, or Theresa, who is Maria Antonia's seven-year-old niece (the daughter of her older brother Joseph and his late wife Isabella of Parma), is also a close friend of the Archduchess. A principal character in this book is Queen Maria Theresa (Maria Antonia's mother), who is controlling and strict (but not cruel). This book interested me in the history of the Habsburg family (of which Maria Antonia was a member). The author aptly describes the scenery of Maria Antonia's home(s) in Austria--expertly enough so that I could recognize every single landmark mentioned in the book when I visited Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, coincidentally a few days after I finished the book. An excellent read!

The year is 1769; the place, Austria. The pressure is on thirteen-year-old Maria Antonia, youngest daughter of the Empress Maria Theresa, to excell so that she will be chosen to marry the future king of France. Antonia, as she is called, must learn French language, fashions, customs, and etiquette so that she can impress the king's messengers. She is given no time to act her age; when she does attempt to enjoy life as a girl should, she is severely punished. When she is sent away to France, her life is little better - she makes enemies of the mistress of the current king, who is the grandfather of her husband-to-be. She is forced to observe customs she can barely keep straight. And she is having a hard time getting along with her fiance. I viewed Marie Antoinette differently after reading this book. It was obvious from the book and the afterword that Marie and her husband were not trained well by their parents and teachers on how to become good rulers, and Marie had been taught from the time she was young that the most important thing was to look good. This is most likely why they became such bad rulers and ended up losing their lives.

This book, Marie Antoinette, was written by Kathryn Lansky. It was set in the years 1769-1770,when Marie Antoinette was a young teenage girl, growing up in the palace of her mother, Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria.

In the first part of the book, Marie Antoinette's mother is trying to make a match between her and the Dauphin, Prince Louis 16th of France. Marie must have her portrait done and learn French etiquette (which she thinks is very boring) if she is to become the Queen of France. Thankfully, she has her riding lessons, which she loves. After the plans for the wedding are set, she must prepare to go to France, to marry Louis and join the French court as his wife. She tells in her diary of all the endless preparations to be made for the journey, like being fitted for fancy new French dresses. Then when Marie goes to France, she must adapt to the ways of the French court. For example, when she eats meals with her husband, she is watched by thousands of courtiers. She really hates being displayed in front of everyone like an animal in a cage! But she does enjoy horseback riding with Louis.

There are some really neat things about this book. First, the author wrote this book in diary form, with the date and year at the top of each quote just like a real diary. Second, when you read Marie's diary it is just like she is talking to you about her innermost thoughts and feelings. She tells you the sad, lonely, angry and the happy times that happened in her life. Third, the author did a great job explaining the book in great detail. For example, when Marie had to have her hair done for a fancy ball, afterwards she had to sleep with her hair on a board, to preserve the hairstyle! Another example is when she taught her young prince husband how to throw a snowball for the very first time. I love the way the author wrote this book in such a fun way to read!

This diary book has a blue and gold cover just like the one in the story. The edges of the pages are a beautiful gold color. On the front of the book, there is a beautiful picture of Marie Antoinette all dressed up for a ball. There is a section in the back of the book that has historical facts, plus pictures of Marie Antoinette and her family, where you can see how big their fancy ball dresses really were!

This diary tells of the events of Marie's life as a teenager, as well as her thoughts and feelings as an 18th century princess. Marie Antoinette was a very pretty, fun-loving girl who is really interesting to read about. This book shows how girls today are the same and different from girls back then, in an exciting, fun-to-read way.