Mar 21, 2012

The Real Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Andrew Marr

Author: Andrew Marr
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co., January 3, 2012

"Why should Americans be interested in Queen Elizabeth II, monarch of the United Kingdom and fifteen other countries, from Canada and Australia to tiny Tuvalu? It is a good question. She is a kind of anti-celebrity, a woman happiest in scarf, old coat and rubber boots, out with her dogs or horses. Thought enormously wealthy, she eats frugally, keeping her breakfast cereals in plastic boxes and switching off unnecessary lights as she passes through rooms....Her formal power is very small, and almost entirely irrelevant to the lives of those who are her subjects. (Preface to the U.S. Edition)

In time for the celebration of the Queen's 60th anniversary as Britain's monarch, here is Andrew Marr's biography of  Elizabeth II.

"She is a small woman with a globally familiar face, a hundred-carat smile - when she chooses to turn it on - and a thousand years of history at her back. (Prologue: What the Queen Does)

Publisher's description: A very personal biography of a woman who may be the world's last great queen, published to coincide with the sixtieth anniversary of her reign. Elizabeth II, one of England's longest-reigning monarchs, is an enigma.

Andrew Marr tells us the fascinating story of the real Elizabeth. Born shortly before the Depression, Elizabeth grew up during World War II and became queen because of the shocking abdication of her uncle and the early death of her father. Only twenty-five when she ascended to the throne, she has been at the apex of the British state for nearly six decades. Brought up to regard family values as sacred, she has seen a steady stream of family secrets poured into the open. Yet she has never failed to carry out her duties, and she has never said a word about any of the troubles she has endured.

About the author: Andrew Marr is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author. His best-known book is A History of Modern Britain. He lives in London.

Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary review/feature copy of this book.

6 comments:

  1. I think she is truly a fascinating woman and I would read this one.

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    1. I guess a lot of Americans are not so interested in her life - they may see so much already on TV!

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  2. I would love to read this one. Thanks for posting about it.

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  3. I am so interested in the British monarchy that it seems like this would be a perfect read for me. I don't know very much about Queen Elizabeth, but I do know how she came to be in the position that she is. This was a great review of a book that I need to check out soon. Thanks!

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  4. I bet this one would be very interesting -- enjoy.

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  5. I have been more curious about her since we watched The King's Speech!

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