Geri A

The BEST, MOST ENTERTAINING & AT TIMES HILARIOUS!

Revisado: 12-19-24

I loved this book! The Narrator was spot on fantastic!
I think what some of these unflattering reviews, are written by people who don't understand the role of fool in H.8th's time! The only person in the Court who could tell the King the truth about hin, the King!

Truly a GREATEST hits on Audible! You will not be disappointed, promice!

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Could not listen Narrator/"Reader," was dredful!

Revisado: 12-19-24

Reference to title:

Every five to six words start strong then goes down in pitch and volume within the same sentence most of the time. She is not telling Margaret Argile's story! SHE IS JUST READING!
I don't know about you, but I buy Audible books to tell me the story with the emphasis being on what is being told, not just words on a page!
Will purchase book & find time to read it myself!

P.S. Did not know Overall, outside of a really bad narrator, because I could not listen to that awful "reading" Narrator, but had to choose one,
The actual book could be great, I just don't know that yet. 🤔
Same goes for story!

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Excellent!

Revisado: 02-07-23

Very well written & highly recommended! Puts all the nastiness of the Sussex in order!

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The best PERIOD.

Revisado: 12-30-22

Narration, the best! No one could have read/recorded this book any better! All-around, enjoyed immensely.

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Excellent! Remini reading Remini! Great mix!

Revisado: 11-30-22

Wow, very well done all around. Will go back and listen to again! Now onto Rinder's Billion Years!

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without Rosalyn Landor's reading.......

Revisado: 05-24-22

This could have been a completely different review. It is very well written and relaxing to listen to......But: In a historical context I feel Gillian Gill glossed over the major power strugle that went on between them. Yes it was mentioned here and there but never really got into it. I feel that was a major issue and something that deserved more of a mere mention and then all of a sudden she can't pick out a dress or bonet without his approval. That is a complete 180 from a very willfull girl and strong albiet stubborn woman. Something major had to crack for her to change like that and I do not feel this book helps us understand more than most of us history nuts already know.

If your new to Victoria and Albert, this is a great place to start. If you already have read about them, skip it, this is just a gentle refresher.

Enjoy!

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Enjoyed this one very much! W/best narrator too!

Revisado: 04-10-22

First remember this is a novel not a history book, so there will be discrepancies from historical fact to spice it up a bit. I do enjoy Weir's novels/fiction based on historical events very much & her historical/non-fiction too monotonous for words. In that case, I caution you to look for the words "A Novel" if you're more interested in an entertainment by Weir based on facts as opposed to her non-fiction based only on facts for historical reference and education. Trust me on this, I'm a history nut, love it, but her books based on historical accuracy are as dull as dish water! She's a much better novelist based on historical events but not strictly adhered to, but as the basis for her writing.

Big bonus is the narrator, Rosalyn Landor is the best in the biz!

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Should be titled Rein of George & Mary

Revisado: 02-06-22

I'm a Ridley fan, but now, after hearing Joanna David, I'm not a fan of her's & will avoid any book she my narrate in the future.

It was well written, but I found the narrator either very snarky & showing her different opinion than what was written, actually verging on being quite rude. Then at times the reader seemed board and would put me to sleep! This was by far the longest time it took me to listen to an entire book, nearly 12 days!!!!
I really have enjoyed Jane Ridley's books in the past and do feel if it was a different narrator, than Ms. David, it would have been a much better experience.

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A new & Interesting approach to 1936 Abdication

Revisado: 08-11-21

I don't usually give 5 stars, a book has to be near perfect and overwhelmingly engaging. This book came close!

Extremely well researched and written. This NOT another beating a dead horse book that are mostly all the same. Here, yes, most of the names you've heard, but what is different is how deeply they were involved. Using mainly letters, diaries and a few first hand interviews of the children, whose parents were involved and spoke of the Abdication with them or around them. Nothing is made up and written with very little supposition and conjecture. Piecing together what sounds like a warehouse of documents, seems so daunting and extremely difficult yet remarkable, given the finished product 'The Crown In Crisis'.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Abdication of Edward VIII. Out is not only extremely well written, it is also a welcomed fresh look into this momentous time in history & best of all its not dull! At times I was laughing! Especially the letters and diary notes written by the Duff Coopers during the infamous Narlin cruise, the summer of 1936. Lady Cooper's letters to a friend are hysterical! She's a hoot whenever mentioned!

Again, not your usual Abdication History book! It wasn't dry at all! It is also written by using all kinds of first hand accounts, so much so there was no reason to write something in order to fill in the blanks. Terrific!

The only pet peeve I have is glaring mistakes, especially historical ones. Historical books are also educational and people who read them take what is said as fact. There was only one in this book I feel I must correct: In Chapter 15 he refers to Alice the Duchess of Gloucester as Edward's cousin. She was not his cousin, she was married to his brother Henry, and that makes her his sister-in-law! Ok, now that I got that out of my system. LOL

If The Duke & Dutchess of Windsor are in your wheelhouse of interests, do not pass up this book, you will learn things you never knew. Are they still those 2 self-centered narcissists, that are only out for themselves & to hell with everyone else? Yes, this book doesn't change that, in fact their, and especially his, greed, is really shown here!

Do yourself a favor & don't miss this fresh and interesting approach to an overly told story, you just may learn something new about the year leading up to the Abdication and touches a little on what happens after. All in all Walli saved the monarchy and Great Britain by taking this useless man child, who thank God gave up the throne & thus was never coronated! Whew, dodged that bullet!

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Excellent! UPDATED review after 2nd listen.

Revisado: 07-31-21

Just listened to this Biography about Queen Mary for the second time.

I did so for a reason. I had just finished "MATRIARCH" by Anne Edwards, which was very well done, but with a very few, shall we say, historical discrepancies. I still highly recommend her book as well. Ms. Edwards is a very thorough researcher as she knows her subjects well and is an excellent biographer in he own right. Her writing style keeps you interested in the subject throughout. I have read the majority, if not all of her books. HOWEVER.........

......... After listening to both books in very close succession, this Biography of Queen Mary is still the Best hands down!
in my humble opinion, if you only want to choose one, you MUST choose this one, "QUEEN MARY" written by James Pope-Hennessey. Yes, this Biography was written in the 1950's, when it comes to posthumously written biographies, that should not matter, it's not like their life story is going to change! MOST Historians, Hugo Vicors for one, also say this is still the Best written biography period! Please do not pass this up because of when it was written! But it because it is, by far, the Best written biography about Queen Mary; also regarded as, if not the Best, by some historians, those same historians still considered "QUEEN MARY" by James Pope-Hennessey, as one of the best biographies of the Twentieth Century! I agree with them 100%, and my interest is historical biographies, I've read or listened to very many (over 100). So, PLEASE believe me when I say this is by far the Best written so far!
A very close second is the biographies of "PETER THE GREAT" and "CATHERINE THE GREAT" by Edward K. Massie. Those were both great and very well written as well. Now you have two more just reads! LOL However, the audio version of "CATHERINE THE GREAT" was very well done, the audio of "PETER THE GREAT" was not so good, the narrator is horrid! UNFORTUNATELY, that is a must read.

Best Factual & Interesting Biography Ever Written! No BS to make it entertaining! Imagine the actual truth and excellent writing can do that! What? Yes, it can be done, and this Biography proves that! This is not like the majority of biographies written, which are more often than not that writer's 'interpretations' of the information collected, the BS filled books that are loosely called biographies today. Now read an honest and real Biography here, Queen Mary by James Pope-Hennessey. Then you be the judge and see for yourself what a first rate biography truly is! This IS the BEST!!!!!!

Extremely well written, based on her own writings in her diaries and correspondences with and about family, the writings of her husband George V' to her, which were so sweet and excerpts from his diaries. It is said that Queen Elizabeth II gave Mr. Pope-Hennessey unprecedented access to the Royal Archives, and she did! Along with the Archives of many friends and relatives both in Great Britain, Europe and the US. This book is by far the best researched and most in-depth biography I have ever read/listened to. It is amazing to realize the unimaginable amount of diaries, correspondence, interviews he pulled together and then to take all that first hand information, put it in chronological order and then write this amazing biography of what turns out to be an extremely remarkable person.

One has to be a very remarkable & honest writer to do what Pope-Hennessey has done, he let his subject, Queen Mary herself (and her closest relations & friends return correspondence,etc.) write this book. This is a true historical account of her life, something that is rarely done today. He never wrote about rumors or speculations and made them factual, he would prove or disprove the rumors, mostly disprove with the actual facts!

When he was chosen to write this Biography by The Palace, he originally turned it down, when he finally accepted, the Queen placed no restrictions on what he could see in the Archives of what he could say/write about. This is the product of QE II & the Palace trust in him as a writer, in my opinion he does not disappoint!

This is pure truth and unvarnished facts put together, for a look into the life of a person who was in the front row of an amazing amount of history! From Queen Victoria to Elizabeth II! Five Sovereigns, three Coronations (including her own as Queen Consort of George V), the first and second World Wars, the loss of so many relatives, the of majority of European Royal Families & Russian Czar Nicholas& his family, due to these wars, the Abdication Crisis caused by her own son,David aka Edward VIII aka Duke of Windsor (&Wallis Simpson, Dutchess of Windsor) and her other son Albert/Bertie and wife Elizabeth (George VI & Queen Elizabeth aka the Queen Mum (The Kings Speech) having to step into the breach, putting her Granddaughter as heir presumptive and then heir, todays much beloved Queen Elizabeth II, you can see who she gets her stoicism from, Queen Mary!

If you enjoy: Royal Biographies this is a must read; History in general, you can't miss this first hand account of one of a few people who lived through so many events that shaped the world as we know it today. Buy 'Queen Mary' by James Pope-Hennessey now!

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