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The Queen: The Life and Times of Elizabeth II
Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for 64 years, longer than any British monarch in history. During that time the Queen has endured the ups and downs that long life will bring. She was a beacon of hope during and after the Second World War in difficult times when the world faced a precarious future, and she has served as a role model for generations of men and women who continue to be in awe of her commitment to service, sacrifice, and the Commonwealth of nations over which she rules.
The abdication of her uncle, Edward VIII, in 1936 turned her family’s world upside-down. When her father was crowned King George VI, Elizabeth was thrust into the eye of the storm as a future queen. A shy and reserved child, she grew into a wise and insightful monarch who has dealt ably with nine British Prime Ministers during her long reign, from Winston Churchill to Theresa May. It was, of course, not always straightforward and the Queen has found herself in hot water several times, most notably during the marriage of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. When Diana was tragically killed in a car crash the standing of the Royal Family was probably at its lowest ebb.
It is unlikely that we will ever see a monarch reign so long or so effectively again, holding together a disparate group of nations, each with its own aspirations, customs and traditions. Catherine Ryan has written an intriguing biography of one of the most famous women of modern times, who at 91 years old still seems fit and healthy and looks very unlikely to hand over the reins to her successors any time soon.
The abdication of her uncle, Edward VIII, in 1936 turned her family’s world upside-down. When her father was crowned King George VI, Elizabeth was thrust into the eye of the storm as a future queen. A shy and reserved child, she grew into a wise and insightful monarch who has dealt ably with nine British Prime Ministers during her long reign, from Winston Churchill to Theresa May. It was, of course, not always straightforward and the Queen has found herself in hot water several times, most notably during the marriage of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. When Diana was tragically killed in a car crash the standing of the Royal Family was probably at its lowest ebb.
It is unlikely that we will ever see a monarch reign so long or so effectively again, holding together a disparate group of nations, each with its own aspirations, customs and traditions. Catherine Ryan has written an intriguing biography of one of the most famous women of modern times, who at 91 years old still seems fit and healthy and looks very unlikely to hand over the reins to her successors any time soon.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published January 16, 2018
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161 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 28, 2018
*thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for a free and honest review!*
Beautiful book that i think is perfect for everyone that wants to learn more about "The Queen"!
I personally have no real background knowledge about "The Queen" but i was always curious about her, as one of the longest female leaders and in general i find the entire "kingdom/nobility" very interesting.
And this book was a wonderful introduction into the entire topic, beautifully crafted with wonderful pictures, a nice overview on the history and an overall great book to read through.
Highly recommend it for everyone that is curious, wants to learn a bit of history or is just fascinated by the queen herself!
Beautiful book that i think is perfect for everyone that wants to learn more about "The Queen"!
I personally have no real background knowledge about "The Queen" but i was always curious about her, as one of the longest female leaders and in general i find the entire "kingdom/nobility" very interesting.
And this book was a wonderful introduction into the entire topic, beautifully crafted with wonderful pictures, a nice overview on the history and an overall great book to read through.
Highly recommend it for everyone that is curious, wants to learn a bit of history or is just fascinated by the queen herself!
January 28, 2018
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a nice overview history of Queen Elizabeth II. The book talks out the main events and significant people of her life. It is an excellent way to learn about Queen Elizabeth II, especially if you don’t know much about her. The book is full of pictures, unfortunately, my free digital version did not show all of them to me. The pictures I was able to view were great. This was very easy to read and would make a great coffee table book. I enjoyed the one page picture biography of the important people in her life. The chapters were short, yet informative. I suspect the hardback version will be very nice. It covers 91 years of her life in 192 pages, with pictures on most pages. If you want to learn about the Queen for the first time or just to have a nice overview of her life I recommend this book.
February 2, 2018
The was a wonderful account of the life of Queen Elizabeth II before and during her reign. This book gives a comprehensive history starting with King George V. The book goes into depth on not only the good times but the trials and scandals that faced the monarchy over the many decades.
I appreciated the layout of the book especially in the gorgeous pictures and spreads. The writing in the book gives you a greater understanding of the royals and protocols. It helped shed a light on certain scandals that are well known and helped you to see behind the curtain a bit which helps to give a more sympathetic or objective view of past events. I further appreciated the facts given of the problems that faced the common people and their frustrations when it came to the monarchy, the economy, and other crisis.
I highly recommend this book if you are interested in British history, the monarchy, or just the queen herself.
#netgalley #TheQueen
I appreciated the layout of the book especially in the gorgeous pictures and spreads. The writing in the book gives you a greater understanding of the royals and protocols. It helped shed a light on certain scandals that are well known and helped you to see behind the curtain a bit which helps to give a more sympathetic or objective view of past events. I further appreciated the facts given of the problems that faced the common people and their frustrations when it came to the monarchy, the economy, and other crisis.
I highly recommend this book if you are interested in British history, the monarchy, or just the queen herself.
#netgalley #TheQueen
January 12, 2018
Despite Queen Elizabeth II reigning for most readers' lifetimes, many people don't understand the history or the woman behind the crown. More and more movies and tv shows are being made about her and her life, but skimming the gossip magazines about Will and Kate reveals that the average person doesn't understand a lot about the history of the institution the Queen represents. This book delivers what the movies don't. Information on the biography, family history, royal history, and key figures related to the Queen is delivered in easily digestible format, and features photographs, and beautifully illustrated pages to add interest. If you want to follow up on information after watching The Crown or just have an interest in the British Monarchy, this book is both informative and beautiful to look at.
January 16, 2018
This book is gorgeous! I only have a digital copy, but this book was truly meant to be purchased in a beautiful physical hardback copy I believe. It's packed full of fantastic photos and has thoroughly researched and well written information about The Queen's life and reign, and about the whole British Monarchy in general. I've always been quite fascinated with the Royal family and Great Britain in general. This was a very entertaining and informative read. I will definitely be buying a physical copy to keep on my bookshelf.
January 31, 2018
Are you among those watching The Crown or one of those who is now eagerly awaiting Season 3? While you await your next installment, take a look at this beautifully illustrated book about Queen Elizabeth, her family and her world. This is a book that can be read cover-to-cover or dipped into like a coffee table tome. Learn about the man who cured the King's stutter, Peter Townsend, the Queen and family right up through the present day. Highly recommended for the Royals fan!!
January 24, 2018
Fascinating. Well research. Great mix of visuals and text. Interesting. Thorough and wide ranging in time. Definitely worth reading/gifting for anglophiles or anyone fascinated by history and monarchies.
February 11, 2018
For fans of Queen Elizabeth this is the book for you.Fascinating history beautiful photographs would make a perfect gift .Inwill be gifting myself with a copy of this gorgeous book.
February 19, 2018
Amazing! Anyone who is a avid royal watcher needs this! Some might be old news, but there is some good stuff and great pictures!
**I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
**I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
April 24, 2018
Excellent information on the Queen and royal family. Lovely photographs. With all the hype about the royal family recently especially with Netflix programs, this book is an excellent resource. Great coffee table book! Tons of interesting information. Loved this book.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
April 9, 2022
This Jubilee year has seen the release of many books about The Queen. The Queen: The Life and Times of Elizabeth II by Catherine Ryan was originally released in 2018 and has been re-released with a few updates in March 2022.
The blurb that accompanied this book referred to The Queen as "Her Royal Highness" and so my initial expectations were rather low. Luckily, I have not been able to find the mistake in the book itself. There are a few mentions of the factually incorrect "Princess Diana", though.
The Queen: The Life and Times of Elizabeth II by Catherine Ryan is a hardcover book, designed for the popular market. While the cover is aesthetically pleasing enough, the colourful layout reminds me of history books from my school days. The busy layout simply screams at you, making it difficult to focus on the text. The text itself flows well and seems well-researched though it doesn't contain any references. The added text since 2018 focuses mostly on the Sussexes and the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, as expected. I was glad to see that the author decided to stay neutral, as is more fitting with a book like this.
Overall, it is an enjoyable book as an introduction to Queen Elizabeth's life. The book recognises that a lot more can be said and also offers several titles to expand your knowledge.
The blurb that accompanied this book referred to The Queen as "Her Royal Highness" and so my initial expectations were rather low. Luckily, I have not been able to find the mistake in the book itself. There are a few mentions of the factually incorrect "Princess Diana", though.
The Queen: The Life and Times of Elizabeth II by Catherine Ryan is a hardcover book, designed for the popular market. While the cover is aesthetically pleasing enough, the colourful layout reminds me of history books from my school days. The busy layout simply screams at you, making it difficult to focus on the text. The text itself flows well and seems well-researched though it doesn't contain any references. The added text since 2018 focuses mostly on the Sussexes and the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, as expected. I was glad to see that the author decided to stay neutral, as is more fitting with a book like this.
Overall, it is an enjoyable book as an introduction to Queen Elizabeth's life. The book recognises that a lot more can be said and also offers several titles to expand your knowledge.
January 13, 2018
British royalty has always been a fascination of mine, so this was a really interesting read. I have just a couple of critiques.
PROS: Absolutely beautiful. Really gorgeous photos, big photo spreads. The formatting of the book is lovely in design and layout. Interesting tidbits of insight into the Queen's long history, starting before her birth until 2017. I read this book in digital form and think it would make a wonderful gift in hardback for a royal enthusiast.
CONS: It actually seemed maybe just a smidgen *too* in depth, listing date ranges within paragraphs multiple times in such a way that it disrupted the easy flow of the text. The dates are important information, of course, but the prose could be a bit dense to get through.
Would read again and would like to check it out in physical form!
PROS: Absolutely beautiful. Really gorgeous photos, big photo spreads. The formatting of the book is lovely in design and layout. Interesting tidbits of insight into the Queen's long history, starting before her birth until 2017. I read this book in digital form and think it would make a wonderful gift in hardback for a royal enthusiast.
CONS: It actually seemed maybe just a smidgen *too* in depth, listing date ranges within paragraphs multiple times in such a way that it disrupted the easy flow of the text. The dates are important information, of course, but the prose could be a bit dense to get through.
Would read again and would like to check it out in physical form!
March 11, 2018
This is a very comprehensive and interesting history of Queen Elizabeth II and her family, their roles in the history of Britain, and what it takes to rule a monarchy. This book was thoroughly researched and includes information not just about the Royals, but also short biographies of many people associated with them. It also includes many beautiful photographs that relate to what is being described in the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you to Chartwell Books and NetGalley for this e-book. This did not influence my review in any way.
Thank you to Chartwell Books and NetGalley for this e-book. This did not influence my review in any way.
February 25, 2018
"The Queen" is essentially a coffee-table-type biography of QEII. What's good is that it is a fascinating piece, and the images selected are interesting. The text, however, doesn't take us very deeply into QEII's life, and the book overall, designed as it is for mass audiences, can't really substitute for a genuine monograph on the Queen's life. (Review in exchange for an ARC from Netgalley.)
June 24, 2019
There is a lot of information in this book. I felt that it was a comprehensive look at Queen Elizabeth. She is not perfect nor is her family by any stretch of the imagination and yet she is remarkable. Not sure why I am so fascinated by her and the royal family. I used to want to be in their shoes but not anymore. It is a hard life in many ways and your freedom is just not the same.
August 25, 2020
This is a really good book for light reading history lessons. The pictures are amazing, and the overview of the Queen's life thus far was thorough without being too detailed. It's a great collector's item, for sure!
August 31, 2020
Really nice book. Fascinating historical detail, mini biographies of various 'players' on the British royal stage, lots of photos. There were several details about the queen's early reign that I hadn't heard of and a timberline in the back. This book is for royal newbies and seasoned fans.
February 10, 2023
This book was a great biography of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as her close family and cohorts. The book itself is beautiful and features vivid photographs. It could certainly be updated now after the events of the last year or so.
May 6, 2018
Since I’m an Anglophile, this was right up my alley!
May 25, 2019
This held my attention in all cases except the Royal Family's monetary allowances. I especially enjoyed the single page biographies of important adjacent individuals.
February 23, 2020
Nice review of all things Queen.
April 17, 2021
Seems fitting to read this today (Prince Philips funeral).
A Beautiful book on a beautiful woman, lovely pictures and get to know people around her as well.
A Beautiful book on a beautiful woman, lovely pictures and get to know people around her as well.
May 12, 2021
Lots of photos & interesting info (& gossip?¿).
April 2, 2022
Always to see pictures of the queen.
June 2, 2022
While the photos were gorgeous with some background information about the Queen’s courtiers, I noticed a gossipy and unkind tone. I was disappointed by the writing.
March 30, 2024
Very very good!!! I miss Queen Elizabeth II, even if I am not English.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews