The Tudor books I read as a kid (mostly fiction, some non) focused on Elizabeth as a child - the Royal Diaries series, Carolyn Myer's Young Royals booThe Tudor books I read as a kid (mostly fiction, some non) focused on Elizabeth as a child - the Royal Diaries series, Carolyn Myer's Young Royals books, etc. They all shared a common theme - Elizabeth was a better person and queen than her sister because she had had the better education, using new Protestant books and thought. This was a very wide-spread opinion - even books sympathetic to Mary still set her up as ignorant and misled.
This line of thought is being challenged in recent years, as historians go back and rethink the biases of their sources. And, again, looking at other surviving artifacts to consider a person from - the portraits and gifts given and received. Earenfight focuses her biography on the material facts of Catherine of Aragon's life to reconsider the conventional view of her. She also refuses to consider her from the perspective of her ending, looking at the facts as they come, without hindsight.
Earenfight focuses on how Catherine fit into her world. Her fashion choices influenced the Tudor court, her books are still included in the libraries, her badges still stand on walls. She was much more than conventional history sees her as, and by looking at her more clearly the whole world of the Tudor court gains richness instead of the flat picture of yesterday....more
An academic study of how England's early queens used their jewelry as representations of power and individuality. Tallis combines much disparate reseaAn academic study of how England's early queens used their jewelry as representations of power and individuality. Tallis combines much disparate research under her main theme, discussing how expanding study to include fashion and jewelry strengthen our understanding of how power was perceived at the time.
Making use of portraits and inventories, Tallis considers how jewelry moved about the court, as gifts and inheritances. She focuses especially between Henry VIII's multiple queens and how their jewelry collection combined to project reflected majesty....more
So often when reading histories and biographies, we tend to end up in a bit of silo. Especially in biographies, the focus is on the principle. This leSo often when reading histories and biographies, we tend to end up in a bit of silo. Especially in biographies, the focus is on the principle. This leaves the wider picture unacknowledged, creating the view that each country in the past was its own island, largely uneffected by other countries unless deliberately provoked. The more I delve in history the more it becomes clear that the past was far more interconnected than I learned about in school.
Case in point is this joint biography of 3 queens of Renaissance Europe. Catherine de' Medici and Mary, Queen of Scots are popularly infamous of what not to be as a leader while Elisabeth of Spain is generally a footnote of Felipe II's quest for a son and heir. Chang puts all three women back in the proper places, showing how their many years of living together at the French court helped shape them into the women rulers they became.
My favorite parts were the sections on Elisabeth, mostly because it was new information on a sidelined figure. Chang also does a good job at examining Mary and Catherine sympathetically, showing how their actions were both their own and shaped and reported on by opposing forces....more
Thirtieth year anniversary edition features a new foreward and afterword, main text unchanged. So, obviously, parts are now outdated as more archeologThirtieth year anniversary edition features a new foreward and afterword, main text unchanged. So, obviously, parts are now outdated as more archeological evidence has been discovered and dated. Still though, this is one of the first books to seriously discuss the importance of cloth to humanity and is frequently cited as a base for more current research.
Barber is another author to look at the historical sources at a different slat. Much of the book discusses her methodology and how she uses the sources we do have (art works and surviving tools) to consider what we have lost. She also dedicates time to look at how women are still creating using traditional methods and patterns and their distributions across Europe and the Near East.
Focused more on scientific method, Women's Work has more than proven it's worth as a building block of research into fashion history....more
The subtitle is misleading: not so much about animals and the law, but actually how nature and humanity interact. Roach is clearly interested in her sThe subtitle is misleading: not so much about animals and the law, but actually how nature and humanity interact. Roach is clearly interested in her subject, but it mostly boils down to the fact that animals are living their lives with little care for the humans who have moved in with them
Each chapter is a different subject, so it can be easily picked up and put down, but it does flow together nicely if you read multiple chapters at a time, which can be rare in books of this type....more
I was very excited for this, because it is difficult to find anything on the Scandinavian monarchies in English. And what there is is mostly the EngliI was very excited for this, because it is difficult to find anything on the Scandinavian monarchies in English. And what there is is mostly the English connections through Queen Victoria's grandchildren. Unfortunately, what I got was exactly that: 90% Denmark, 8% Norway, and 2% Sweden.
The first third is a summary of Theo Aronson's A Family of Kings. The remaining sections are heavily Danish and Norwegian, to deal with the wars. Most of the information was not new to me, though it could have been when the book was first published. ...more
A solid overview of the medieval kings of the country that would slowly coalesce into France. Eack king gets his own chapter, with some overlap, depenA solid overview of the medieval kings of the country that would slowly coalesce into France. Eack king gets his own chapter, with some overlap, depending on reign length. Not much attention is paid to the people around the kings - only what is relevant to the man in question.
Firnhaber-Baker does a good job of shining light on frequently overlooked kings and shows how their actions impacted on each other. Dismissing the idea that each king is reacting independently, she shows how each reign is in conversation with predecessors and how those actions build the kingdom....more
1/3rd food history, 2/3rds memoirs of living in a culture and how the food is involved. This is more a collection of essays and interviews than a prop1/3rd food history, 2/3rds memoirs of living in a culture and how the food is involved. This is more a collection of essays and interviews than a proper narrative. Von Bremzen and her parter travel to different cities and eat the food, discussing with friends what that city's 'traditional' food means to them.
The early chapters are the strongest ones. The later ones get longer and more rambly, without a clear point. Her overall theme is that 'traditional' food is more fluid and recent than most people think, but she gets too bogged down in her interviewee's feelings (and her own) to do much but repeat herself as the book moves on....more
I do not think the subtitle is accurate or necessary. It's a standard biography of Francis Joseph, quick over childhood, lingering over his marriage tI do not think the subtitle is accurate or necessary. It's a standard biography of Francis Joseph, quick over childhood, lingering over his marriage to Elisabeth, and quick over the remainder of life, with a little postscript about the end of the war. Emperor Francis Joseph did not invite confidences in his lifetime, and that continues in van der Kiste's work on him - most of his attention is on Francis Joseph as a husband, but the information on Elisabeth is outdated and unsourced. ...more
Clear, concise overview of the world Prince Eddy inhabited and was cosseted by. Aronson focuses on the difference between the world according to law aClear, concise overview of the world Prince Eddy inhabited and was cosseted by. Aronson focuses on the difference between the world according to law and the world as lived in.
Not a traditional biography in any sense, Aronson adds enough background to set the stage but keeps his sights on the Cleveland St affair and Jack the Ripper rumors. While we all love a good conspiracy theory, Aronson shows the work on his debunkings of the second. Too much information has been destroyed to come to a conclusion on Cleveland St, but Aronson lays out his information and opinions neatly....more
I don't often read books about people written while they are/were still alive. The truly good information never comes out till after death. Plus, peopI don't often read books about people written while they are/were still alive. The truly good information never comes out till after death. Plus, people who are still living can do more things, which can mess with the biographer's narrative. Anyway, I decided to give this a chance after reading Aronson's Royal Subjects, which includes his notes about preparing and writing this biography.
Margaret tends to be pushed aside in the narrative of her sister's life, stuck in the role of rebellious little sister. Aronson shows how early such an idea was implanted in everyone's minds - from their earliest days, Margaret was cast as the opposite of her dutiful sister before she could even decide it for herself. You tell someone who they are enough times, of course that's what they become.
I think Aronson finds a good balance between sympathy and judgement, extolling her good actions without downplaying her bad side. Looking back on her life, the struggles she faced seem almost quaint. What a whirlwind of social change she lived through....more
My biggest complaint with the first Pakula book I read is that she stayed so focused on the Empress Frederick that you lost the context of the world aMy biggest complaint with the first Pakula book I read is that she stayed so focused on the Empress Frederick that you lost the context of the world around her. So, of course, my complaint with The Last Empress is that there is so much context that you lose sight of the principle. Despite the title, this is not a biography of Madame Chiang, but a history of China during the time she was alive. Everything is included, espescially the biographies of all the men around Madame Chiang.
My other complaints are mostly the author's style. For example, Pakula begins referring to Chiang as generalissimo when he gains power, but then alternates the full word with the abreviated G-mo with no rhyme or reason. She also does not seem to like Madame Chiang much, especially as she gets older, giving the narrative a negative slant that could be exasperating to read.
So, if you want a biography of Madame Chiang, this should not be your first choice. If you consider it a history of China and biographies of the leaders during the early 1900s, you'll be better off....more
Short essays about different women musicians, but mostly about what the women mean to each writer. I skimmed quite a bit, each section being a bit tooShort essays about different women musicians, but mostly about what the women mean to each writer. I skimmed quite a bit, each section being a bit too short to really connect for me.
Anthologies like this are always interesting, because they take a broad topic and let each individual author focus on what they consider most important about their musician of choice. I think it can be quite revealing.
A joint biography of the second Hanoverian king of Great Britain and his wife. van der Kiste goes into the background of George's life in Hanover and A joint biography of the second Hanoverian king of Great Britain and his wife. van der Kiste goes into the background of George's life in Hanover and the transition to life in England. He does a good job of acknowledging the different faults between the generations and tries to keep an objective look at both sides between father son, and grandson. ...more
Excerpts of Aronson's journals over the years of his writing life, from 1979 to 2000. Blending entries about his interviews with different royals withExcerpts of Aronson's journals over the years of his writing life, from 1979 to 2000. Blending entries about his interviews with different royals with discussions on what to write with his publishers and the realities of an author on a publishing tour. I think the behind the scenes writer stuff was the most interesting, simply because it is so rarely acknowledged in a final work and because so much has changed since the 80s. Most of the royalty interviews are not new information, obviously, because they are the sources for his books, but his writing style for his journals is less formal and frequently very funny. ...more
Textbook discussing the creation of school books during colonial India and how the stories in them were adapted from oral tradition to written and whaTextbook discussing the creation of school books during colonial India and how the stories in them were adapted from oral tradition to written and what was changed. Lal discusses the ideas of womanhood and the spaces life is lived, as is reflected in tales. She also challenges the ideas of girl- and womanhood in India and how much of what we think is tradition is actually adaptation to changes and outside point of views. It has some very interesting points, but does get repetitive when read straight through. ...more
Focused on the first 3 Mughal emperors and how they organized the world around them to reflect their power and influence. Women and their positions inFocused on the first 3 Mughal emperors and how they organized the world around them to reflect their power and influence. Women and their positions in the world are mostly controlled in public, but that does not mean they didn't have powerful private positions.
Lal doesn't find new sources; she goes back to the ones we already have and focuses on new ways of looking at them. She also examines the art, looking at the placement of the women in minuatures....more
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