Queen Victoria: Fifty Golden Years

by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Originally published as part of the celebrations for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1888, this book is now being re-issued using much of the original text and exquisite hand-painted colour plates. From young girl to grieving widow, each picture of the milestones in the Queen's long life is framed with delicate flower painting in typical Victorian style. As well as the delightful images, this book also provides a unique contemporary account of the reign of one of Britain's most celebrated monarchs who ruled over an Empire stretching to all corners of the globe.

96 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2007

About the author

Dinah Maria Craik (born Dinah Maria Mulock, also often credited as Miss Mulock or Mrs. Craik) was an English novelist and poet. She was born at Stoke-on-Trent and brought up in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

After the death of her mother in 1845, Dinah Maria Mulock settled in London about 1846. She was determined to obtain a livelihood by her pen, and, beginning with fiction for children, advanced steadily until placed in the front rank of the women novelists of her day. She is best known for the novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856). She followed this with A Life for a Life (1859), which she considered to be the best of her novels, and several other works. She also published some poetry, narratives of tours in Ireland and Cornwall, and A Woman's Thoughts about Women (1858).

She married George Lillie Craik a partner with Alexander Macmillan in the publishing house of Macmillan & Company, and nephew of George Lillie Craik, in 1864. They adopted a foundling baby girl, Dorothy, in 1869.

At Shortlands, near Bromley, Kent, while in a period of preparation for Dorothy's wedding, she died of heart failure on 12 October 1887, aged 61. Her last words were reported to have been: "Oh, if I could live four weeks longer! but no matter, no matter!" Her final book, An Unknown Country, was published by Macmillan in 1887, the year of her death.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book is basically a re-print of a book which was printed, as a tribute to the Queen, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her coronation. It is totally Victorian and totally delightful, and gives a good insight into the way Queen Victoria was regarded by her people.

[Sarah u · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice quick read and a good insight into the reign of Victoria through the eyes of a contemporary. Not bad for a 50p in the charity shop find!