A History of Royals discussion

This one is a little more advanced. For this challenge, please read a Royalty related book for century/time period listed below:
Ancient Periods :

1. 3500 BC - 550 BC

2. 551 BC - AD 1100

3. AD 1100 - AD 1450

4. AD 1450 - AD 1610

5. AD 1610 - AD 1765

6. AD 1765 - AD 1918

7. AD 1918 to present

This challenge requires a total of 7 books.

BONUS: If you want to be an expert, read two books for each time period for a total of 14 books.

I think this is the one that I will try. I am assuming that the books can be fiction or non-fiction?

Wow! I may have to attempt this one too. It has such an allure; especially the ancient eras!

Sounds like a good one to me! Count me in on this one.

Ooh, this one is righ up my alley! I think this is the one I will do this year!

Definitely doing this one! It will help me clear off my to-read shelf considerably and read all those royal biographies I bought from my library's book sale table. I'm going to start off with just the seven but might do the whole 14 if I'm feeling particularly adventurous!

Here's what I'm planning on reading (of course this is subject to change):

1. 3500 BC - 550 BC:Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

2. 551 BC - AD 1100:Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott

3. AD 1100 - AD 1450: The Book of Eleanor: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Pamela Kaufman

4. AD 1450 - AD 1610: The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner

5. AD 1610 - AD 1765: Royal Charles: Charles II and the Restoration by Antonia Fraser

6. AD 1765 - AD 1918: Prince Albert by Robert Rhodes James

7. AD 1918 to present: Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith

I think this is the one I'm going to do as well. just need to go through my books and see what will work.

Christie, thanks for the list of your choices. I'm thinking of this one also but was having trouble with the first few years...lol. Definately, your list gives me something to think about.

I'm joining this one. I'll post my list later. Just looking at my real bookshelves and I think I have all seven.

I think that I will do this one also. Time to hit the library!!

Sounds like a good one. I'm in.

Rebecca wrote: "I think this is the one that I will try. I am assuming that the books can be fiction or non-fiction?"

Yep Rebecca. Fiction or non-fictionn work, as long as the book is Royalty related.

Ancient Periods :

1. 3500 BC - 550 BC - The Heretic Queen :D Done-1/20/13

2. 551 BC - AD 1100- Mistress of Rome :D done 5/17/13.

3. AD 1100 - AD 1450 - Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine :D Done 9/29/13.

4. AD 1450 - AD 160 - The Kingmaker's Daughter:D5/19/13 & Blood Sisters: The Women Who Won the War of the Roses :D done 5/18/13.

5. AD 1610 - AD 1765-.The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II. Done D 7/26/13.

6. AD 1765 - AD 1918 - Alexandra: The Last Tsarina. Done :D 5/29/13.

7. AD 1918 to present - The Royal House of Monaco: Dynasty of Glamour, Tragedy and Scandal :D Done-5/23/13.

Does anyone have any suggestions for the Ancient Period (3500bc-550 BC) and 1918 to the present. I like to read historical fiction and don't have much that I haven't already read.

Thanks.

Have you readHomer's Daughter, by Robert Graves, by Robert Graves, or The King Must Die and its sequel, The Bull from the Sea, by Mary Renault?

For the modern - what about The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley, one of the Maisie Dobbs books, or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society?

If "alternate history" historical fiction is OK, Farthing, by Jo Walton is pretty good.

ETA: If you've read all those, go the non-fiction route?

I just bought the greatest book today. "5000 Years of Royalty: Kings, Queens, Princes, Emperors and Tsars"
It gives a 1-2 page right-up on hundreds of royalties, starting at Gilgamesh, King of Uruk (c.2700BC) and ending with Diana, Princess of Wales. It should be a great help in picking out my characters. :)

Susanna wrote: "Have you readHomer's Daughter, by Robert Graves, by Robert Graves, or The King Must Die and its sequel, The Bull from the Sea, by Mary Renault?

For the modern - what about The Sweetness at the Bot..."

Are those royalty related? I have the Alan Bradley books but haven't read them yet. I thought they were mysteries.

Whoops, forgot the royalty bit.

Actually, both Homer's Daughter and the Mary Renaults would qualify, as the narrator of the first is the local ruler's daughter, and Theseus, son of the ruler of Athens (and then ruler of Athens himself) is the narrator of The King Must Die/Bull from the Sea.

Laura wrote: "Does anyone have any suggestions for the Ancient Period (3500bc-550 BC) and 1918 to the present. I like to read historical fiction and don't have much that I haven't already read.

Thanks."

Have you read The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. trilogy? Would be great for the early period.

I like the idea of this challenge. I already have some ideas for the different eras.

As for suggestions for the Ancient period, I have very much enjoyed Joyce Tyldesley's books about Ancient Egypt. They are non-fiction but very readable.

Looking at my TBR bookshelves, I think I have all but one of the eras covered. The one I'll have trouble finding is the 1918 - present......I tend to read a LOT of medieval and some earlier than that.

So, do alternate reality or "mash-up" books count? I have and am wondering if I could use that.

Shirley wrote: "I just bought the greatest book today. "5000 Years of Royalty: Kings, Queens, Princes, Emperors and Tsars"
It gives a 1-2 page right-up on hundreds of royalties, starting at Gilgamesh, King of Uruk..."

That sounds like a great reference, Shirley.

Gayle wrote: "Looking at my TBR bookshelves, I think I have all but one of the eras covered. The one I'll have trouble finding is the 1918 - present......I tend to read a LOT of medieval and some earlier than t..."

We have actually tried to keep more to actual historical fiction or non fiction about Royalty, and stay away from the alternate history books or the fantasy books. Sorry.

I apologize to everyone. I just realized that I had left a crucial peace of information out of the description of this challenge. As with everything else in this group, all books must be about Royalty in order to qualify for this challenge. I have updated the challenge description. Again, sorry for the omission.

Having first seen this challenge I felt daunted by it but having looked through my tbr list and compared dynasties with the timeframes this is definitely the challenge for me. You never know I might even get to doing it twice! Here are my initial thoughts and the dynasties with the time frames. I mainly know English history so would welcome people adding additional dynasties to the time frames to help people in picking books. Help with identifying dynasties and books for the earlier time frames would be much appreciated!

1. 3500 BC - 550 BC (Greek, roman) - Neferiti

2. 551 BC - AD 1100

3. AD 1100 - AD 1450 (angevine, Lancaster and York) - falls the shadow, skp, lady of the English, elizb. Chadwick

4. AD 1450 - AD 1610 (Lancaster & York, valois, Hapsburgs, Tudor) - sister queens

5. AD 1610 - AD 1765 (Stuart,bourbon, Hanover, romanov) the kings mistress, Gillian bagwell

6. AD 1765 - AD 1918 (romanov, Hanover, saxe coberg gotha) - Caroline and charlotte, plowden, Catherine the great, maissey

7. AD 1918 to present (Windsor) - that woman, Anne seba (my one hangover from last years challenge!)

I'll put proper links in to the books later.

Awesome challenge, Lyn!! I may try to take part in this one this year :)

Gayle wrote: "Looking at my TBR bookshelves, I think I have all but one of the eras covered. The one I'll have trouble finding is the 1918 - present......I tend to read a LOT of medieval and some earlier than t..."

We have actually tried to keep more to actual historical fiction or non fiction about Royalty, and stay away from the alternate history books or the fantasy books. Sorry.

No apologies necessary. That's why I asked!

Gayle wrote: "Gayle wrote: "Looking at my TBR bookshelves, I think I have all but one of the eras covered. The one I'll have trouble finding is the 1918 - present......I tend to read a LOT of medieval and some e..."

And I['m glad that you did!

Jennifer wrote: "Awesome challenge, Lyn!! I may try to take part in this one this year :)"

This one would be cool, huh Jen. If I do one, it will probably be this one, too.

Shirley wrote: "I just bought the greatest book today. "5000 Years of Royalty: Kings, Queens, Princes, Emperors and Tsars"
It gives a 1-2 page right-up on hundreds of royalties, starting at Gilgamesh, King of Uruk..."

who is the author? can you post a link to this book? it looks interesting! thanks

Lyn M wrote: "I apologize to everyone. I just realized that I had left a crucial peace of information out of the description of this challenge. As with everything else in this group, all books must be about Roy..."

ah -- that makes sense! Still a great challenge though! Back to my TBR shelf!!

Cindie wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "I apologize to everyone. I just realized that I had left a crucial peace of information out of the description of this challenge. As with everything else in this group, all books mus..."

I'm sure you have plenty of books that fit the bill, Cindie!

Debbie, I will try to post a link as soon as I figure out how. lol :)

I like this idea. So far:

Period A.D. 1450-1610 Her Highness, the Traitor

Linda B.

Shirley wrote: "Debbie, I will try to post a link as soon as I figure out how. lol :)"

use the "add book/author" above the reply box

Debbie wrote: "Shirley wrote: "Debbie, I will try to post a link as soon as I figure out how. lol :)"

use the "add book/author" above the reply box"

Here is the link to Shirley's book: 5,000 Years of Royalty: Kings, Queens, Princes, Emperors & Tsars by Thomas J. Craughwell.

I had a hard time finding it and had to search by ISBN number to get it to come up.

Lyn M wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Shirley wrote: "Debbie, I will try to post a link as soon as I figure out how. lol :)"

use the "add book/author" above the reply box"

Here is the link to Shirley's book: 5,000 Year..."

Debbie and Lyn, thank you so much. Not hard to tell I have difficulty finding my way around the computer. lol.

Lyn, I had a hard time with it also. My next step was to look up the ISBN number.
Thanks for posting the link.

Lyn M wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Shirley wrote: "Debbie, I will try to post a link as soon as I figure out how. lol :)"

use the "add book/author" above the reply box"

Here is the link to Shirley's book: 5,000 Year..."
thanks! wish it came in kindle form

Shirley wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Shirley wrote: "Debbie, I will try to post a link as soon as I figure out how. lol :)"

use the "add book/author" above the reply box"

Here is the link to Shirley's bo..."

Most of them can be found by typing in the title, but this one does not come up that way for some reason????

I'm in. This looks like a great challenge to get me reading outside my usual history comfort zones.

Lady Robyn is the consort to Edward who becomes third in line for the crown a third into the book after the signing of Act of Accord in 1460. I am asking because Robyn is placed in the War of the Roses by witchcraft from the twentieth century. But I checked wiki and the history is spot on. Robyn does not alter history, just becomes part of it.

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great
Fits the time period 1610-175-65
Novel about the reign of Elizabeth the Great of Russia (Romanov dynasty)
Fits the time period 1450-1610--Four Sisters, All Queens

1. 3500 BC - 550 BC

2. 551 BC - AD 1100

3. AD 1100 - AD 1450 The Kingmaker's Daughter

4. AD 1450 - AD 1610 Four Sisters, All Queens


5. AD 1610 - AD 1765 The Winter Palace; The Royal Harlot

6. AD 1765 - AD 1918 The Second Empress


7. AD 1918 to presentElizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

Two eras fulfilled:

3500 BC - 550 BC
http://www.epinions.com/review/Joan_W... -- A Relunctant Queen by Joan Wolf (fiction)

AD 1918 to present
http://www.epinions.com/review/Peter_... -- The Great Survivors by Peter Conradi (nonfiction)

Rebecca wrote: "Two eras fulfilled:

3500 BC - 550 BC
http://www.epinions.com/review/Joan_W... -- A Relunctant Queen by Joan Wolf (fiction..."

Good Job Rebecca. I love the links. That way I can check out your reviews and see what you thought of the books.

1 down:

1450-1610 AD The Twentieth Wife

1. 3500 BC - 550 BC

2. 549 BC - AD 1100

3. AD 1100 - AD 1450

4. AD 1450 - AD 1610
year 1492

5. AD 1610 - AD 1764

6. AD 1765 - AD 1918

7. AD 1918 to present

Lyn, could you answer my question in message 42 please?

April wrote: "Lyn, could you answer my question in message 42 please?"

Sorry, April, I didn't realize you were asking a question. ;P Anyway - if the history is spot on and the character isn't changing history, then I would say it is acceptable. The main thing is...Do yo see the book as mainly a historical fiction book, or mainly an alternate history book. It sounds like the former to me, and therefore it would be okay.

HF for sure for Lady Robyn.

Thanks!