Counting One's Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

by William Shawcross (Editor)

William Shawcross's official biography of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, published in September 2009, was a huge critical and commercial success.One of the great revelations of the book was Queen Elizabeth's insightful, witty private correspondence. Indeed, The Sunday Times described her letters as "wonderful . . . brimful of liveliness and irreverence, steeliness and sweetness."

Now, in Counting One's Blessings, Shawcross has put together a selection of her letters, drawing on the vast wealth of material in the Royal Archives and at Glamis Castle. Queen Elizabeth was a prolific correspondent, from her early childhood before World War I to the very end of her long life at the beginning of the twenty-first century, and her letters offer readers a vivid insight into the real person behind the public face.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Royalty, British Literature, Historical, Womens

688 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

William Shawcross is a widely renowned writer and broadcaster.

Reviews

[Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

How could I not rate this book as amazing when it was basically written by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother herself. What a wonderfully "delicious" read! The word "delicious" has a whole new meaning for me now after reading this book about her. She uses this word quite often to express things that were so precious and happy to her. Besides discovering what a wonderful, thoughtful, loving, brave, strong person that she was, it was also very enlightening to the events in history that occurred during her lifetime. The author kindly filled in some missing information when needed, but on the whole it was written by the Queen herself in letters to others. I feel the author did a very good job selecting the letters to use. One small disappointment was that some personal family information was not included, such as: weddings, births, deaths, etc. Not deterred, I will continue to search for more books to read about the royal family. How interesting, they are not the stiff-shirt, unfeeling people we think they are.

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel that, instead of a review, I should write "How to Read This Book," because I wasn't sure just how to approach it in the beginning.

Q: This book was published to accompany William Shawcross's biography of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother: The Official Biography, which came out a few years prior to this. Do I have to read the biography first?
A: It's up to you. While I'm sure you would get more from the letters knowing more of the background from the biography, I found that the letters themselves were interesting and informative enough to keep me going. What's more, they are accompanied by helpful footnotes, and each section of her life is prefaced by background information, so you'll know what's going on.

Q: I don't know exactly who this woman is, and how she relates to who's ruling today.
A: If you're not up for reading the official 1100-page biography (see above), I found the Wikipedia article on Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother gave me all the information I needed.

All in all, I found that this book was a painless, interesting way to learn a bit of history from a primary source. Even better, I really enjoyed getting to know Queen Elizabeth, and now I find myself wishing I had such a witty, caring, fun-loving pen pal.

I received a review copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of letters gives a more intimate view of one person than you could find anywhere. The Queen Mother's letters reveal exactly who she was in her dealings with others--kind and generous and thankful, yet also firm and opinionated. She was a very strong person, and in every way a lady. I think she's the kind of person most women look up to and wish to be--classy and gracious, but also not someone to be pushed around or meddled with. She was in no way a saint, but definitely a good, genuine, decent person, and an excellent role model. 'Silk hiding steel' very much applied to her. Reading her letters was like meeting a new friend, and I very much enjoyed the experience, which surprised me because I usually hate reading collections of letters and epistolary fiction alike. I think this was different because she was different--you don't meet people like this anymore, which is rather tragic.

It's not perfect; you don't get a view of anyone else's side of the story, and sometimes you don't have a clear understanding of the events she's referring to (although the footnotes help). But then again, you're not really supposed to know what anyone else was thinking--this is the Queen Mother's life, in her own words. It's almost like reading a diary, almost. Her point of view is often interesting, usually humorous, and always delicious.

Recommended for history buffs and people who are interested in Britain's Royal Family.

[Paris Baker]

Such a good and interesting book! The Queen mother seemed like such a wonderful person and i loved getting an insight into her very unique life!

[Conrad Wesselhoeft · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1943, a British military officer named Mark Bonham Carter met a 17-year-old Princess Elizabeth--the reigning queen today--after escaping from a POW camp in Italy. A member of the royal household captured Carter's impression of the princess: "It was a new experience for him to find friendliness so allied to dignity, and kindness to a perfect naturalness. He left treading on air."

One gets the sense from reading these letters that the Queen Mother was cut from the same bolt as her daughter--or more accurately, the reverse. Her letters convey curiosity, kindness, sincerity, and graciousness--all while maintaining her royal dignity. Her prose style falls short of eloquence, but it is nonetheless engaging and heartfelt. Anyone trolling here for gloom, gossip, or acid musings will have to look elsewhere.

Her range of epistolary friends covers a swath of artists, royalty, political leaders, and family members across ten decades of life. Among these are Winston Churchill, Osbert Sitwell, Kenneth Clark, Ted Hughes, Rose Kennedy, and a long list of lords, dukes, earls, viscounts, and their ladies. Letters to her daughter the Queen open: "My Darling Lilibet." She seems to have made friends easily and nurtured these relationships through her ready and loyal correspondence.

"A Perfect Queen" might have been another title for this book. The actual title is taken from her letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury on the eve of World War II. It's worth repeating for its life-affirming philosophy: "Sometimes, one's heart quails at the thought of the things that lie ahead, and then one counts one's blessings--and things don't seem so bad."

I won this in a goodreads giveaway--and I'm glad I did.

[ladywallingford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the official biography of the Queen Mother written by the editor of this book and really, really enjoyed it for the most part. As soon as I saw a book of her letters, I immediately grabbed it at the library and voraciously began reading it. The Queen Mother's letters really bring her to life and help to understand the type of person she was, something which I don't think you can fully get from a biography. She really seemed as if she loved living life to the fullest and enjoyed every minute of it. Also, this was a woman who deeply loved her family I think and was there for them as a support when needed. Anyone interested in the Queen Mother should read this book of her letters. They were a delight to read!

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is quite entertaining: a selection of the surviving letters of the Queen Mother, with the caveat that a great many have not survived (Princess Margaret and Mrs Shand Kidd destroyed a lot), and being letters they are limited to periods when she was not seeing the correspondents (due to absence abroad, for instance), so there are periods without letters to some people. She is fairly careful to be discreet about the royal family (one or two comments slip through). Good for background, e.g. on the war, and sheds some light on how the royal family live(d) generally. What a lot of houses seem to be around on the various estates, apart from the main ones we have all heard of! Despite her rather limited education she comes across as well-read and writes wittily and well, although of course there are in-jokes which don't quite work at a distance of time and circumstance. If you're not really into horse racing, especially steeplechasing, you might want to skip some of the later letters which are pretty much full of it; and, obviously, she was who she was, so there's quite a bit of the glorious British Empire, quite a lot of hunting and fishing (the late King apparently attempted to shoot a lioness which had cubs - was this OK, even then?), and one wonderful oblique remark about Aberystwyth which made me laugh at rather than with her - but on the whole this is enjoyable and shines a light on a lot of 20th century upper class life.

[Chaplain2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a giveaway first-read. I took my time reading it, to savor each letter. I loved this book and am sharing it with family and friends. Counting One's Blessings is a wonderful look at the 20th century through the Queen Mother's eyes, full of warmth and humor, faith and insight, compassion and optimism. It was especially fascinating to read her letters about WWI and WWII, as well as her comments about cultural and international changes in the latter half of the century. I enjoyed reading her closings and signatures, which varied according to the recipient and were often very humorous. Her letters of sympathy or encouragement were heartfelt, simple, and moving. It's no wonder Queen Elizabeth was so well loved by so many, not only in Great Britain but throughout the British Empire and later the Commonwealth.

The editor did an excellent job of sifting through the Queen Mother's letters, and his footnotes about various people mentioned in the letters were very helpful. Also helpful were the occasional historical inserts explaining what had happened between letters. I look forward to reading his biography of this inspiring lady.

Again many thanks to the author, publisher, and Goodreads for this wonderful book. It will occupy a special place among my favorite books -- after I have shared it with friends and loved ones.

[Elma Voogdt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Counting One’s Blessings- The Collected Letters of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother is a book sent to me by a relative from the UK. I was happy about that, because I didn’t have this book in my collection yet and the Queen Mum is definitely high on my list of British Royals favorites. So I was quite curious about its contents.

The book consists of letters that the Queen Mother wrote during her life, at least part of them. It turns out that the Queen Mum wrote a lot of letters.

This collection of letters provides a more intimate picture of who Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was now and what was on her mind. The Queen Mother’s letters reveal exactly who she was in her dealings with others – kind and generous and grateful, but also determined and opinionated. The Queen Mother’s letters really bring her to life and help her understand what kind of person she was.

Her line of letter friends includes a range of artists, royalty, political leaders and relatives throughout her life. Among them are Winston Churchill, Mrs Roosevelt, Rose Kennedy and a long list of lords, dukes, earls, viscounts and their ladies. Opening letters to her daughter the Queen: “My darling Lilibet.” The Queen Mother was loyal and faithful to her friends considering it well-maintained contact through her willing and loyal correspondence.

The book is divided into four parts: the different stages of life of the Queen Mother. The author gives some missing information at the beginning of each volume regarding events of that time, but in general we can say that the book was written by the queen herself in the form of letters to others. I think the author did a very good job in selecting the letters to use. However, very private events have been omitted from the letters.

Reading her letters was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, which surprised me because I am usually not that fluent in reading collections of letters and diaries. Interesting collection of letters covering the entire life of the Queen Mother until her death in 2002. You get a behind-the-scenes look at what life was like for her and her feelings on certain topics such as those of the abdication crisis and many more . Anyone interested in the Queen Mother should read this book of her letters.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's what it says on the tin. After watching the first season of 'The Crown' and rewatching 'The King's Speech' I found myself fascinated by Queen Elizabeth (mother of the current QE) and King George VI. There's stuff about his stutter, how she refused to leave the king during WWII (since he wasn't going to leave and that meant their daughters were staying too), and what not. And so I was pleased to find this book available at my local library.

It's what it says on the tin. It's a bunch of letters with no context except for explanatory footnotes. As others say there's not much for gossip here, and while I wasn't looking for that necessarily I also wasn't all that excited by it. With my knowledge mostly limited to what I've seen onscreen (plus the particular narratives for those specific productions) I will say I was probably at a loss for the greater context. People I didn't care about, history I'm not extremely familiar with, etc.

This is not to say that it is bad. For someone who has more knowledge or needs this for reference it's probably a really good resource. It's just for me with a relatively casual interest this might have been better suited as a "later" read after I've read a biography or two or was looking for something specific.

So I'm glad this was available at my library for a borrow. Probably good if you have the interest and the knowledge, not so great for someone who is not as well-versed. Try to find a copy for browsing if you're not sure you want such a large tome in your personal library.

[Freya Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was 8 years old when the Queen Mother passed so I don't really remember much about her. Reading these letters were a lovely insight into the woman. I didn't read this with the accompanying biography but had a basic timeline in my head. Obviously when Elizabeth became Queen there was a lot of media attention because of King Edward's abdication so she was very careful in her letters not to write about too personal matters. Even so it was lovely to get an insight into this 'delicious' woman who though she was one of the most powerful people took such joy in the simple things like fishing and picnics and going for walks. With a life that spanned over a century this is a wonderful look into such changing times in history.

[Emma Dargue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of letters that cover the whole of the Queen Mother's life until her death in 2002. You really get a behind the scenes look at what life was like for her and her feelings on particular subjects ranging from the abdication crisis, to the king and everything in between. The way the letters are ordered makes sense in four clear time frames and come with an introduction in all four time frames as well as a conclusion in the fourth section. These are all really well researched and informative. All in all not a interesting book that gives you real insight to what it is to be a member of the royal family but is probably best dipped into and out of over a series of months.

[Isa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because I'm fascinated by that generation and was curious as to what someone of that social class would have to say about the significant occurrences of the 20th century - as it is, while it's undeniable that she had a rare insight when it came to forming social relations amongst her class, she severely lacked critical thinking in anything else - not really her fault, she was never educated for that, nor did she ever aim for such a thing, but I did come out of this slightly hating her for her upper class twit cluelessness and xenophobia, etc.

[Carl Sagstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic personal viewpoint of much of the 20th century from a woman who saw it all, the best thing about it is it’s her own words and she avoids gossip. I expected some interesting letters but then I couldn’t put it down!
It’s a big book but worth the effort for all the nuggets of wisdom and unique perspectives within.
Fun fact: at 16 she wrote to Lady Violet Bonham Carter...having no idea her granddaughter Helena would play her in a film nearly 100 years later!

[Fran Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although, unlike many, I didn't really care much for the Queen Mother, I liked this book. It's a series of letters that the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth's Mother, wrote over a number of years. The most interesting letters, perhaps, were destroyed by her other daughter, Princess Margaret. These are her letters to Princess Diana.

It's a thick book (almost 700 pages) but an easy read because they are mostly short letters and can be read at what ever pace you like.

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolute monster of a book, which could arguably have been two books, or the later years cut, as there was nothing really worth learning post 1980. As expected, I suppose, all the juicy bits got cut - such as letters around Diana's death, and the divorces. Still, was a massive shame.

Really enjoyed the first half of the book and reading her wartime thoughts, and it does seem that Elizabeth was a very good egg.

Tinkity tonk, and down with the nazis!

[Piper Winchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful letters.
It's a huge book but worth the time.
I feel like I got to know Queen Elizabeth, I didn't know much about her before going into this. But I'm going to read more about her because she's swell.

[Carlos]

I did not read this book as a novel. I still use it like a reference book. I open it at random and read a few pages. You will not find scandolous writting of course but I was often surprised with the insight Queen Mother showed.

[₵oincidental Ðandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prolific correspondent, the Q.M.'s (evidently) famous charm comes through in her decades-long correspondence. Very lively, very charming; wasn't quite sure what to expect but it far exceeds any preconceived ideas or expectations. An easy & thoroughly enjoyable read that trots along nicely.

[Katherine Crisp · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming book this was. I knew little about the Queen Mother apart from the obvious stuff. Reading her letters revealed a fabulous sense of humour and a very loving, warm person. It brought her to life more than a biography could.

[Mark Hollingsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read William Shawcross' biography of the Queen Mother in early 2012, and thoroughly enjoyed it. This book added to my knowledge, sympathy and understanding of this most remarkable woman. I am glad I read the biography first, because these letters enable you to not necessarily read the book in chronological order, but you can now revisit areas of the biography and read the detailed correspondence in full that Shawcross used to extract from and create his narrative.

In today's frenetic world with text messaging and e-mail speeding up so much of our communication I spent many enjoyable evenings reading the beautifully crafted letters in this book. Even more intriguing to me was to find that the style and tone, and above all graciousness, of the writing of the Queen Mother never changed over 80 years. She wrote with the same sense of warmth and humour when she was 101, as she had been writing when she was 21!

The Queen Mother never gave an interview to a journalist or the media in her entire life, that is why this book and these letters are so important, because it captures in a way that a journalist could never do the feelings of this most remarkable woman, and her perspective on the history of the 20th century.

[Cafrine]

Not rating it, mostly because I don't think it's appropriate to give a rating to something the author didn't intend to be public.

That said, I thought this was a touching, wonderful insight into the life of the Queen Mother. I particularly enjoyed the insights throughout her years as Queen, seeing the war through her eyes. I was stunned in parts by the sheer number of people she knew and conversed with, the interconnections, the names that popped up in the start only to have their grandchildren pop up again. The casual way she spoke about other royal families was charming, the way she spoke about Wallis Simpson was a pity (such bitterness - understandable, but useless), the way she was always up for a good drink and good race was good fun. I wasn't aware she and Prince Charles were so close, and I liked that. I wasn't aware that the Royal grandparents played any major part at all - it's so contrary to the image portrayed.

Anyway, a truly fascinating read, well worth the time.

[Nicole N. (A Myriad of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thing I thought when I finished this book? Delightful. Very delightful, insightful, and funny.

I didn't know much about The Queen Mother except that she rejected her husband a few times before finally accepting (and that I learned from watching "The King's Speech" lol).

This is the second book that I've read in diary and/or letter format, and I really did enjoy it. You get some much insight and a great look into the lives of the character. The Queen Mother lived such a long life and lived through so many things, she was really a go-getter and a tough lady! She was so encouraging and really spoke her mind. I would definitely read this book again or recommend in to anyone if they enjoy learning about the British royal family.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This selection of the Queen Mother's letters was an enjoyable read which brought a smile to my face many times. The Queen Mother seemed to develop a more humorous personality as the years went on, and this is evident in her letters.

One of the things that struck me most was the Queen Mother's sense of mortality during World War II. In a letter to her eldest daughter, she talks about dividing up her jewels with Princess Margaret should anything happen to her. It serves as a reminder of the difficult and dangerous times she lived through.

This volume will be of immense help to anyone researching the Queen Mother's life. Though it did take me a while to get through it, it was a worthwhile endeavor.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're hoping for dirt on the Royal Family this is not the book for you. When she married Prince Albert she decided that discretion would be wise as she couldn't be sure that Family business might not be leaked to the Press. It was interesting to see her mindset during the Abdication Crisis but once the Duke of Windsor left the country he's only mentioned in passing four or five times. Britain was at war and that was foremost on her mind. George VI was the love of her life and he had to ask her three times before she finally said yes. She was still dancing an eightsome reel at 101! A very plucky woman.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I find diaries and letters fascinating, especially those written in the early part of the 20th century and for me those were the most interesting letters in this book.

I was disappointed that many of the letters were quite bland. There is nothing there that is going to "frighten the horses". I don't want scandal but I think that if we are to really get an insight into the personality of someone then we need to know their reactions to some of the major events that enter their lives.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Queen Mother was a prolific letter writer in her 101+ years. She was born in 1900 and lived until 2002. Two world wars, unexpected accession to the throne (when Edward VIII abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson), her own daughter's early accession to the throne -- she lived through a lot. She had a great sense of humour which is illustrated in many of these letters. She loved horse racing (steeple chasing) and a good drink. She also had a very close and loving relationship with her grandson Prince Charles.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated with British history, especially royal history, so when I saw this book up for a giveaway, I entered to win it. I was lucky enough to win it and finally got around to reading it. I loved every page of it. It was such a great experience to read the Queen Mother's own letters and learn more about her and the British Royal family. I highly recommend to anyone who is fascinated with British history and the British Royal family.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet book of letters written by the Queen mother during her life time. It's not a book to read quickly, because it is entirely letters. She was a prolific letter writer from about the age of 11 til her death in 2002, at the age of 102. It was a glimpse into the royal families personal life and service to England during the 2oth century. I really enjoyed it.

[Heidi Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply adored this book. To see the Queen Mother's life shared in her letters was just beautiful.

The thing that resonated with me most though was that no matter what station you are born to in life or what obstacles you have to overcome, family is all there is for all of us.

Definitely keeping this beautiful book on a special shelf in my library. H x