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A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors (Paperback)
by Michael Farquhar
| Category:
European royalty, European history, European culture |
| Market price: ¥ 160.00
MSL price:
¥ 138.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
Not a serious, probing historical textbook, but a amusing read about priviledged folks of history and their quirks and picadillos. |
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Author: Michael Farquhar
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Pub. in: May, 2008
ISBN: 0140280243
Pages: 352
Measurements: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA01458
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0140280241
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- MSL Picks -
Michael Farquhar's "Scandal" series is simply fantastic. If school history books included the subject matter presented here along with all the dry dates and places, more students would enjoy history class I'm sure! Many readers are enchanted by historical figures, as indicated by the popularity of such writers as Philippa Gregory, or Jean Plaidy. We want to hear about the sordid affairs of Henry VIII, Louis XVI, and other famous dead people! But, the author doesn't give us fiction. He digs into the past of many royals across the centuries for the juicy stories that actually happened, but aren't necessarily important.
There were books before this one, most notably "Royal Babylon," that made a similar attempt. However, that book was plodding and the writing too formal and dissertation-like. This is where Farquhar shines. He tells each anecdote with simple, elegant language that is easy to read and flows like a fiction novel. It's like reading an episode of "Access Hollywood" for the celebrities of previous centuries. Some will argue that he has his facts wrong, or "it didn't happen that way." They're missing the point. This is meant to titillate, entertain and give readers a peak into a less than glorious past. And it may just inspire some people to look further for more information on some of the historical subjects depicted. Highly recommended!
(From quoting a guest reviwer)
Target readers:
General history readers.
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Michael Farquhar writes about history for The Washington Post. His work has also appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Dallas Morning News, and Newsday, as well as on the Discovery Channel's Web site, Discover Online.
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From Publishers Weekly
In another royal exposé, Farquhar, a writer at the Washington Post, duplicates some of the ground covered in Karl Shaw's Royal Babylon, such as Peter the Great's delight in administering torture (he had his son lashed to death) and the way Britain's Queen Mary cajoled her subjects into giving her their household treasures ("I am caressing it with my eyes," she would coyly coo). Written in a provocative tabloid style (with headings like "We Are Not Abused. We Are Abusive," "A Son Should Love His Mother, But..." and "All the Holiness Money Can Buy"), Farquhar publicly washes the dirty laundry of not only European royalty, but also of Roman emperors and popes. Murderers and torturers who slept with their siblings (and other relatives), the emperors of Rome excelled at corruption. The maniacal pedophile Tiberius Caesar (A.D. 14-37) left the corpses of his many victims to rot on the Gemonian Steps, which descended from the Capitol to the Forum, or alternatively enjoyed watching them being thrown from a cliff ("A contingent of soldiers was stationed below to whack them with oars and boat hooks just in case the fall failed to do the trick"). Many popes were no better. Not content with just rooting out Christian heretics by launching a bloody crusade against the Cathars in southern France, Innocent III (1160-1216) declared himself ruler of the world. He sacked Constantinople and massacred every Muslim he could find. Like Royal Babylon, this gossipy string of anecdotes is a popularized rather than an authoritative history and perfect for travel reading.
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A guest reviewer (MSL quote), USA
<2008-08-04 00:00>
This book is very interesting if you are into history. The people covered in the book range from Roman Emperors around the time of Christ, to bad Popes, to French English Russian German Kings and Emperors. Such examples of these being the family of Napolean, the descendents of Isabella and Ferdinand, the "War of the Roses" the many wives of Henry VIII and their children, and the children of James II. There are many more people and so much iformation, but they are all worth the read. |
A guest reviewer (MSL quote), Canada
<2008-08-04 00:00>
In just over 60 chapters, this gifted author exposes a long series of various types of scandals, plots and curious events that have occurred throughout most of recorded (European) history. The stories are weaved in carefully crafted prose that is also very cleverly tongue-in-cheek. This combination, along with the fact that chapters are only a few pages long, makes the book very entertaining and extremely difficult to put down. The first thing you know is that you've finished devouring the book, only to find your appetite craving for a couple more just like it. This is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. I cannot recommend it highly enough! |
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