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[[Category:New Reviews|Biography]]__NOTOC__<!-- Remove INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1788360702|title=JosephineCharles, The Alternative Prince: Desire, Ambition, NapoleonAn Unauthorised Biography|author=Kate WilliamsEdzard Ernst

|summary=Until reading this biographyFor over forty years, it had never really occurred to me just how shadowy a figure Prince Charles has been an ardent supporter of alternative medicine and complementary therapies. ''Charles, The Alternative Prince'' critically assesses the first wife of Napoleon BonapartePrince's opinions, one of beliefs and aims against the best-known European rulers background of the age, really wasscientific evidence. It may be common knowledge that her name was Josephine, but There are few instances of us perhaps really know anything his beliefs being vindicated and his relentless promotion of treatments which have no scientific support has done considerable damage to the woman behind the namereputation of a man who is proud of his refusal to apply evidence-based, logical reasoning to his ambitions.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>009955142X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1739805100|title=The DevonshiresLoving the Enemy: The Story Building bridges in a time of a Family and a Nationwar|author=Roy HattersleyAndrew March|rating=4.5

|summary=According to the back of this book, ‘the story of ''Loving the Devonshires is Enemy'' tells the quite extraordinary story of Britain’. That’s an extravagant claimauthor Andrew March's grandparents, but it contains more than a germ of truth. Certainly one would be hard-pushed who first met when grandfather Fred Clayton went to find an aristocratic, non-royal British family who has more consistently been central Dresden to our history since medieval times, as this detailed chronicle demonstrates. From teach in the dissolution early days of the monasteries under Henry VIII presided over Nazi regime in part by Sir William Cavendishthe 1930s. Fred, father a sensitive and thoughtful man, had some vague ideas of "building bridges" which may guard against the first Earl, to the big business that their ancestral home Chatsworth House growing hostilities between nations unfolding in Derbyshire has now become, Europe at the somewhat inaccurately geographically-named Devonshires have often been, or helped time. Fred's attempts to, contribute to, part of the fabric of Britain’s past separate individual people from ideology weren't universally successful but he did make friendships and presentconnections that lasted for a lifetime.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099554399</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Life of Rebecca JonesWill Brooker|authortitle=Angharad PriceThe Truth About Lisa Jewell

|summary=A newly-married couple make their way home from the chapelMeet [[:Category:Lisa Jewell|Lisa Jewell]], riding on a horse-drawn cart as it winds its way round familiar country lanes towards the beautiful valley one of Maesglasau. The horse pauses atop a hill and the valley spreads out before them: most successful British authors I've never knowingly read. Now meet Will Brooker, one of the vessel thousands of their marriage'less successful authors I quite confidently never have read. The centuries-old stone farmhouse in This book starts with the crook of the mountain is to be their homestead; a sturdytwo meeting each other, as well, silent witness to and shows how 2021 drew the tragedy two closer and joy that is an intrinsic part of the fabric of family lifecloser together.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>085738712X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=Wilkie Collins: A Life The meeting was some unspecified combination, it seems, of Sensation|author=Andrew Lycett|rating=4|genre=Biography|summary=Wilkie Collins has come down to us as her anecdote about cup cakes, the chief exponent words of the Victorian ‘sensation novel’. This her latest book she was reciting, and her being in a ''black lace mini-dress with gold brocade'' (certainly a get-up never commonly worn at the genre of story written specifically author events I get to expose deep-rooted domestic or family secretsattend), uncovering illegitimacybut pulled Brooker, bigamy or other irregular activities by supposedly respectable citizens leading outwardly normala professor of cultural studies who has swallowed Roland Barthes, uneventful livesdown the rabbit-hole that is Jewell's diverse output. There were mysteriesBrooker decides he'd like nothing more than to follow her through a year in the published author's life, deceptionsworking to make a success of the latest title, betrayals, evil characters and good innocent onesstruggling with the next in line. Measured by these standardsJewell, he led a ‘sensational’ life himselfdue diligence appropriately done, agrees. When not writing novels, short stories, plays or articles for journals in order to earn a living, And this apparently fine upstanding bachelor maintained two households, two mistresses, and children at the same time – and managed to keep them a secret from the public who would doubtless have been scandalized to know is the truthresult.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099557347</amazonuk>1529136024

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Four Sisters:The Lost Lives of the Romanov Grand DuchessesMartha Leigh|authortitle=Helen RappaportInvisible Ink: A Family Memoir|rating=5|genre=Biography|summary=A few years ago, Helen Rappaport wrote and published [[Ekaterinburg: The Last Days of the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport|Ekaterinburg: The Last Days of the Romanovs]] Martha Leigh begins her book talking about a childhood spent in a slightly eccentric, immediately recognisable upper middle class English family. Her father is a painstakingCambridge don, chilling account of forever clacking away on his typewriter as he edits the final days and death complete correspondence of the last Tsar of Russia and philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, his familylife's work. To Her mother is a certain extent this biography concert pianist who practises for hours every day. Neither parent is a prequel to that volume, an account of hugely interested in the short lives practicalities of OTMA, as they referred to themselves – life. There is love in the Tsar’s daughters Olga, Tatiana, Marie and Anastasiahouse but also darker undercurrents that a child does not fully understand but knows is there.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0230768172</amazonuk>1800460384

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Holy Fox: The Life of Lord HalifaxPolly Barton|authortitle=Andrew RobertsFifty Sounds

|genre=BiographyPolitics and Society|summary=Of all Where do I start? I could start with where Barton herself starts, with the British nearlyquestion ''Why Japan?'' Japan has been on my radar for a while and if the world hadn't gone into melt-Prime Ministers Edward Wooddown I would have visited by now. I may get there later this year, 1st Earl of Halifaxbut I am not hopeful. And like Barton, must be unique. He was I don't know the one who came closest answer to assuming the mantle only to find question ''why Japan?'' She explains her feelings in respect of the question in the job denied him, and had he done sofirst essay, which is on him Britain’s destiny would have depended. For he was the man whom several confidently expectedsound ''giro' '' – which she describes as being, and many wantedamong other things, to take over after the resignation sound of Neville Chamberlain during the dark days of May 1940''every party where you have to introduce yourself''.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781856974</amazonuk>1913097501

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Boys In The Boat: An Epic Journey to the Heart of Hitler's BerlinFrederic Gros|authortitle=Daniel James BrownA Philosophy of Walking|rating=4.5|genre=BiographyPolitics and Society|summary=You see, Jesse Owens had it easy – all he had to do was run fastI confess I picked this one up from the library in my pre-lockdown forage of random stuff. Alright, he did Now I have to face unknown hardship, heinous prejudice at home and abroad, go out an buy my own copy so that I can turn down the pages I have marked and make sure he was fast enough return to outdo the rest of his compatriots then the world's best to win gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but others who wished its varying wisdom when I need to do the same had to do more. People such as those rowers Some books draw you in the coxed eights squad – people such as young Joe Rantzslowly. He certainly This one had to face hardship, the prejudice borne by those me in the moneyed east coast yacht clubs against an upstart from the NW USAfirst two pages, and when he got to compete he had to use so many more muscles, and operate at varying tempi, with the temperament of the weather and water against him, all in perfect synchronicity with seven other beefcakes. Despite rowing being the second greatest ticket at those Games, Joewherein Gros explains why ''s story walking is not a lot less well known, and probably a lot more entertainingsport''.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447210980</amazonuk>1781688370

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robert A CaroSharon Blackie|title=The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of AscentIf Women Rose Rooted

|genre=AutobiographyBiography|summary=It's only I normally say that you can tell how much a matter of days since I finished listening book means to [[The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Power me by Robert A Caro|The Years how many pages have corners turned down. Perhaps an even greater measure of Lyndon Johnson: The Path impact is setting out to Power]], the first part of Robert A Carobuy my own copy before I's definitive work on the President and despite having just spent over forty hours on ve finished reading the book one I wanted to learn more've borrowed. I was torn though want to avoid clichés like 'powerful' 'inspiring' 'life- the second book in a series changing' – although it is not often as good as definitely the first two and it struck me that these might not be only time will tell about the most exciting years in Johnsonthird – but clichés exist for a reason and I's life. Was this book going to be the link which took us on to the more exciting times? Not a bit of m not sure I can succinctly put itany better.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>B00GSHD0U6</amazonuk>1912836017

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Robert A Caro0241446732|title=The Years Our House is on Fire: Scenes of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Powera Family and a Planet in Crisis|author=Malena Ernman, Greta Thunberg, Beata Thunberg and Svante Thunberg

|genre=BiographyPolitics and Society|summary=Lyndon Baines Johnson The Ernman / Thunberg family seemed perfectly normal. Malena Ernman was the 36th President of the United States, preceded by John F Kennedy an opera singer and succeeded by Richard Nixon, with both being remembered Svante Thunberg took on most for of the way they left officeparenting of their two daughters. His fiveThen eleven-year term in office was overshadowed at the start by the Kennedy assassination -old Greta stopped eating and talking and increasingly blighted by the debacle which her sister, Beata, then nine years old, struggled with what was Vietnamhappening. In such circumstances, it's natural to seek a solution close to home, but there was something about Johnson which always intrigued me: how does eventually, it became clear to the family that they were ''burned-out people on a poor boy from Texas hill country without an exceptional (or even burned-out planet'good') education become president of the United States? . 'The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path If they were to find a way to Power' tells you all that you live happily again their solution would need to knowbe radical.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00GSHTJZQ</amazonuk>

 {{newreview|title=Born in Siberia|author=Tamara Astafieva, Michael Darlow and Debbie Slater|rating=4.5|genre=AutobiographyFrontpage|summaryisbn=I tend to shy away from reviewing book titles, but this time it seems appropriate – here it's a title that doesn't tell you the half of the story. As much as Tamara Astafieva was born in Siberia, and returned there several times, for many different reasons and with many very different outcomes, this is much more of a picture of the Soviet Union as we in Britain think of it – Moscow, a bit of Saint Petersburg, and little else. That's not a fault – and again it's not half of the story. The story here is so complex, so rich with detail and incident, and itself came about in such an unusual way, that any summary of the book has its work cut out in defining its many qualities.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0704373343</amazonuk>}} {{newreview0648684806|title=Clara Colby: The Pike: Gabriele D'Annunzio, Poet, Seducer and Preacher of WarInternational Suffragist|author=Lucy Hughes-HallettJohn Holliday|rating=3.54

|summary=Gabriele d’Annunzio The path of Clara Dorothy Bewick's life was a strange and perhaps fortunately unique character, a kind of 20th century Renaissance man who almost defies posterity probably determined when her family emigrated to pigeonhole himthe USA. At various times he the time she was a poetjust three-years-old but because of some childhood ailment, novelistshe wasn't allowed to sail with her parents and three brothers. Instead, dramatistshe remained with her grandparents, journalistwho doted on her and saw that she received a good education, adventurer, self-styled demagogue both in and philandererout of school. Although he lost several friends during She was the First World War, as well as only child in the sight of one eye when his plane household and her childhood was shot down, he had a passion for war, seeing bloodshed as manly and death in battle as glorious self-sacrifice. He By contrast, her family had become pioneer farmers in the dodgiest mid-west of moral compassesthe United States and life was hard, as Clara was to find out when she and yet was hardly her grandparents eventually went to join the Adonis he believed himself to befamily. One French courtesan who firmly rebuffed his physical advances later called him ‘a frightful gnome with red-rimmed eyes and no eyelashesClara would only know her mother for a few months: she was married for fifteen years, no hairhad ten pregnancies, greenish teeth, bad breath seven surviving children and the manners of a mountebank’died in childbirth not long after Clara arrived. Had he been alive todayAs the eldest girl, he a heavy burden would have probably been an instant celebrity fall on Clara and media personality with Wisconsin was a very short shelf-life. One half Jeremy Clarkson, one half Russell Brand, one might sayrude awakening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007213964</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=John Van der Kiste1789017977|title=Alfred: Queen VictoriaRonnie and Hilda's Second SonRomance: Towards a New Life after World War II|author=Wendy Williams

|genre=BiographyHistory|summary=Prince Alfred Ronnie Williams was the second son of Queen Victoria Thomas Henry Williams (known as Harry) and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg GothaEthel Wall. At the time of his birth There's some doubt as to whether or not they were ever married or even Harry's birthdate: he was second claimed to have been born in line to the throne after his brother1863, the Prince of Wales but he was already many years older than Ethel and was generally known within the family as Affiehe might well have shaved a few years off his age. In his early teens he joined For a while, the Royal Navy - at his own request - and whilst his family and status was undoubtedly no disadvantage quite well-to him, he worked hard -do but disaster struck in the 1929 Depression and five-year-old Ronnie had to adjust to a genuine talent for the navy, eventually receiving his Admiral's baton and visiting all five continents in the course of his service. He was created Duke of Edinburgh (along with various other titles) by the queenvery different lifestyle. His marriage - to Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia - One thing he did inherit from his father was not a happy union, with his wife being not need to be well-liked in society turned-out and obsessed by her precedencethis would stay with him throughout his life. They had six children (one of whom was stillborn) but only one son - 'young Affie' who committed suicide He joined the army at the age of twenty foureighteen in 1942.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178155319X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Trip to Echo Spring: Why Writers Drink Patti Smith|authortitle=Olivia LaingYear of the Monkey

|summary=Coming from a family with an alcoholic backgroundOn the coast of Santa Cruz, Olivia Laing became fascinated by Patti Smith enters the idea of why and how some lunar year of the greatest works of twentiethmonkey -century literature were written by those one packed with a drink problemmischief, sorrow, and unexpected moments. The list soon became In a long one – Dylan Thomasstranger's words, Raymond Chandler''Anything is possible: after all, Jack London, Jean Rhys, to name but a few, instantly came to mindit's the year of the monkey''. In As Smith wanders the spring coast of 2011 Santa Cruz in solitude, she crossed the Atlantic to take reflects on a trip across the USA, from New York City year that brings huge shifts in her life - loss and New Orleans to Chicago and Seattle by hired car and trainageing are faced head-on, as it the shifting political waters in America. |isbn=1526614758}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1912242052|title=O Joy for me!|author=Keir Davidson|rating=3|genre=Art|summary=''Oh Joy for me!'' gives Coleridge credit for being ''the course of which she took a close look at the link between creativity and alcohol which inspired first person to walk the mountains alone, not because he had to for work of six authors, namely F. Scott Fitzgeraldas a miner, Ernest Hemingwayquarryman, Tennessee Williams, John Berryman, John Cheevershepherd or pack-horse driver, but because he wanted to for pleasure and Raymond Carveradventure. Taking her title from a character in Williams’s play ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ who says he is taking a trip to echo springHis rapturous encounters with their natural beauty, an euphemism for the liquor cabinetand its literary consequences, she travels to changed our view of the places which were pivotal in their often overlapping lives and workworld''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847677940</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Graff_Find|title=Hanns and Rudolf: The German Jew and the Hunt for the Kommandant of AuschwitzFind Another Place|author=Thomas HardingBen Graff|rating=3.5|genre=BiographyAutobiography|summary=This dual biography concerns, as the title makes clear, two men. One was from an inherently German, rich Jewish family – they had When Ben Graff's grandfather Martin handed him a powerboat so he could waterski on the lake at their country cottage – who fled the rise plastic folder of the Nazis early in the 1930s, and got away moderately lightly, only losing properties and a large and successful medical career. The other was handwritten notes from an inherently German family, who signed up for First World War service before his agejournal, but only really wanted to be a farmer and family man, yet who ended up running probably historyhe didn's worst slaughterhouset take much notice of it. Both had a connection and a shared destiny that was largely unknown before this book was researched, there's a chance that both of them had At the blood age of one man and only one man directly on their hands from WWII service24, and both of them – again, as the title makes clear – are given Graff didn't realise the dignity gravity of the familiar, first name throughout this incredible bookpages he was holding.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0434022365</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1789016304|title=Penelope FitzgeraldWar and Love: A Lifefamily's testament of anguish, endurance and devotion in occupied Amsterdam|author=Hermione LeeMelanie Martin

|summary=Penelope Fitzgerald came from an earnest Melanie Martin read about what happened to Dutch Jews in occupied Amsterdam during World War II and renowned academic family, the Knoxes, which included several prominent clerics; her grandfather was the Bishop of Manchester. A considerable biographer herself, entranced by what she wrote a book on the Knox brothersdiscovered, these included two Oxford pastors (one particularly in ''The Diary of whom, Ronald Knox, converted to Catholicism, was famous as a biblical translator and whilst chaplain at Trinity College became a mentor to the future prime minister, Harold Macmillan), a top Bletchley cryptographic analyst and PenelopeAnn Frank''s but then realised that her own eminent father, family'Evoe' who was editor of Punchs stories were equally fascinating. Fitzgerald wrote prolifically A hundred and seven thousand Jews were deported from childhood and fulfilled some of these high expectations by gaining a brilliant First at Somerville. Graduating in 1938, she was already known for her membership of the smart setcity during the war years, for her student journalism but only five thousand survived and a reticent, indeed peremptory manner. Women Martin could not actually graduate at Oxford until understand how this could be allowed to happen in a statute was passed in 1920. Hence she was amongst Oxford's early women graduatescountry with liberal values who were resistant to German occupation. Her striking appearance within Most people believed that the smart set earned her occupation could never happen: even those who thought that the Germans might reach the city were convinced that they would soon be pushed back, that the Amsterdammers would never allow what happened to escalate in the nickname of way that it did, but initial protests melted away as the organisers became more circumspect. It''blonde bombshell''s an atrocity on a vast scale but made up of tens of thousands of individual tragedies.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0701184957</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=John Freeman1786893452|title=How to Read a Novelist: Conversations with WritersThe Ungrateful Refugee|author=Dina Nayeri

|summary=As Here in the West, we see news reports about immigrants on a book reviewer there regular basis – some media welcoming them, some scaremongering about them. But all of those stories are certain people whom I hold in high regard written by journalists – almost always western, and one of these is John Freeman. Not yet forty he has an enviable record as an editor almost always, no matter how deep the investigative journalism they carry out, outsiders to some of the big names in literature world and it seems the situations that every book of note for a decade and a half has been greeted by his reviewrefugees find themselves in. DonIt't be misled by s rare that we find out the journeys from the title ''How to Read a Novelist'' - refugees themselves – and this isn't is a guide rare opportunity to literary criticismdo that, in this intelligent, but powerful and moving work by Dina Nayeri -someone who was born in the middle of a collection of Freeman's interviews with eminent authors. There are fifty six revolution in total, ranging from literary giants such as Toni Morrison, Ian McEwanIran, Gunter Grass and Kazuo Ishiguro through fleeing to popular crime fiction writers such America as Donna Leona ten-year-old.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472109376</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=0857058320|title=Inside The Centre: The Life of J Robert OppenheimerLord Of All the Dead|author=Ray MonkJavier Cercas and Anne McLean (translator)|rating=54

|summary=Thinking back ''Lord Of All the Dead'' is a journey to uncover the early 1960s, Bertrand Russell, the subject of another prize winning biography by Ray Monk, was frequently seen on black author's lost ancestor's life and white television declaring his concerns over Nuclear Weaponsdeath. He stated, 'Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under Cercas is searching for the influence of a meaning behind his great fear.uncle' For nearly seventy years, mankind has wondered s death in the words of StingSpanish Civil War. Manuel Mena, Cercas'How can I save my boy from Oppenheimer's deadly toy?' As concerns about nuclear proliferation in relation to Iraqgreat uncle, Pakistan and North Korea escalate it is salutary to return to a thorough biography of the man, known as figure who looms large over the book. He died relatively young whilst fighting for Francisco Franco's forces. Cercas ruminates on why his uncle fought for this dictator. The question at the father centre of the bomb, that felt a deep and urgent need this book is whether it is possible for his great uncle to be at a hero whilst having fought for the centre and to belong, J Robert Oppenheimerwrong side.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099433532</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1788037812|title=Magic WordsThe Fraternity of the Estranged: The Extraordinary Life of Alan MooreFight for Homosexual Rights in England, 1891-1908|author=Lance ParkinBrian Anderson

|summary=I don't think that I ever saw [[:Category:Alan Moore|Alan Moore]] when I lived Originally passed in Northampton1885, and I don't think I coincided with the publication of ''Maxwell the Magic Cat'' law that had made homosexual relations a crime remained in the local newspaperplace for 82 years. But during this time, restrictions on same-sex relationships did not go unchallenged. So I missed out Between 1891 and 1908, three books on the memorable frame nature of someone else who is six foot homosexuality appeared. They were written by twohomosexual men: Edward Carpenter and John Addington Symonds, albeit a generation older and looking so hirsute he would seem to be afraid of scissorsas well as the heterosexual Havelock Ellis. But I certainly would not have been alone in not recognising him for what he is. How many Northampton housewives flicked past Exploring the daily panels margins of ''Maxwell'' society and studying homosexuality was common on the European Continent, but barely talked about in complete ignorance the UK, so the publications of who Alan Moore actually is? these men were hugely significant – With no idea that the years he spent drawing that cartoon for £10 a week – later contributing to be £12.50 – were just him gearing up to be the biggest man scientific understanding of letters in homosexuality, and beginning the comic book world?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781310777</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=Alan Turing (Real Lives)|author=Jim Eldridge|rating=4|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Alan Turing was one of Britain's greatest thinkers of the last century. He did pioneering work on computing struggle for recognition and artificial intelligence. He was also a hero of World War IIequality, working in leading to the famous codemilestone legalisation of same-breaking community at Bletchley Park, cracking German naval codes used to lethal effect organising U-boat attacks. Turing was the man who beat the Enigma machinesex relationships in 1967. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472900103</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Buckland_Zoo|title=CherThe Man Who Ate the Zoo: Strong EnoughFrank Buckland, forgotten hero of natural history|author=Josiah HowardRichard Girling

|summary=Having looked at the title and sub-title, As a conservationist in Victorian England before the latter being no more than the two-word title of one of her latter-day hitsterm existed, I assumed this Frank Buckland was going to be very much a fairly comprehensive biography man ahead of the American singerhis time. The sub-titleSurgeon, ''Strong Enough''naturalist, taken from one of her latter-day hit singles, reveals nothing. Not until I had almost finished itveterinarian and eccentric sums him up perfectly, and any biographer is immediately presented with a little puzzled at it not being quite what I had expected, did I finally look at the blurb on the back – at which point all became clear. This was not the full story of a showbiz career which has lasted close on half a century, but for the most part an extraordinarily detailed account of her 1975 TV variety showcolourful tale to tell.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0859654842</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleisbn=Empress Dowager CixiWilliams_Captain|author=Jung Chang|rating=5|genretitle=Biography|summary=It’s easy to see why Jung Chang selected Cixi as the focal point for her study Captain Ronald Campbell of China’s tumultuous modern history. Cixi is a truly fascinating womanBombala Station, one of few human beings whose existence can be honestly said to have shaped the course of history. Cixi’s biography is not only a fascinating read due to her own political machinations, but also because of the immense transformations that occurred in China during her lifetime. Jung Chang offers a detailed exploration of the period from Cixi’s entrance to court in 1852 to her death in 1908, during which time the ancient dynastic customs of China gave way to the advent of the industrial age.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224087436</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=BertieCambalong: A His Military Life of Edward VIIand Times|author=Jane RidleyIvor George Williams|rating=54

|summary=Several In March 1829 Ann Parker married Captain J A Edwards of the main facts about King Edward VII (1841-1910) are reasonably well-known17th Regiment of Foot. Considered oversexed by his parents, Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort, he He was blamed by the former for breaking in command of the latter's heart troops and causing convicts on board a ship sailing from Plymouth to Sydney, Australia: his early death with the news that he (Edward) had enjoyed himself with a lady of the nightwife and young son accompanied him. He was notoriously unfaithful not destined to live a long life, dying suddenly at the age of 34 at Bangalore, leaving his widow to raise their two young sons. Edwards' death left his charming but prematurely deaf and lame wife Alexandra, hated reading books and learning but became widow in a first-class unofficial ambassador difficult position: not only did she have their farm to courts and countries abroadmanage, and despite low expectations of others and poor health he made an excellent King but she was also responsible for the last nine convicts who worked the land. Two years of his lifelater she would marry Captain Ronald Campbell.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099575442</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Anthony SummersPeacock_mountain|title=Not In Your Lifetime: Into The Assassination Mountain, A Life of JFKNan Shepherd|author=Charlotte Peacock

|summary=Chances are Mostly we choose what books to read because there have been major disagreements is so little time and splits in your family. One black sheep might have supported so many books… I can understand the wrong football team. Some of you will be strictly ''Strictly''approach, but I also think we sell ourselves short by it, and we sell the rest ''X Factor''. But probably nothing compares to what went on in the Leo household over decades in Eastern Berlinmyriad lesser-known authors short as well. One of our author's grandfathersSo while, Gerhardlike most other people I have my favourite genres, was too Jewish and bourgeois to survive life in Germanyfavoured authors, fled to Franceand while, and came back a Communist having fought against Nazism. His counterpart Werner ended like most other people I read the war with some semblance of PTSD, reviews and more or less landed in Communist Berlin due to facts of administrationfollow up on what appeals, yet became I also have a fullythird-fledged Party activist. Author's mother Anne worked as a journalist on the Communist mouthpiece newspaper, even if she managed to doubt things she was forced string to write during the Prague Spring and more. Her husband Wolf – Werner's son – in a similar industry was involved in sort-of Photoshopping for propaganda, and often sabotaged his own output. He was violent, awkward, but very anti-establishment. And if you can't see how having a non-Communist in such a family in the heightened times of Cold War Berlin would be, you certainly will after my reading this gripping collective biographybow: randomness.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908968516</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Barbara A Perry|title=Rose Kennedy: The Life and Times of a Political Matriarch|rating=4.5|genre=Biography|summary=It's about fifty years since the assassination of President John F Kennedy and it was he (and particularly his death) who brought the Kennedy family Move on to the attention of a new generation. An earlier generation had been split about the virtues (or otherwise) of his father, Joe Kennedy, multi millionaire and United States Ambassador to Great Britain. But behind both of these men was mother and wife, Rose Kennedy and Barbara A Perry has produced a superb biography using letters, diaries [[Newest Business and other archived material recently made available.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0393068951</amazonuk>}}Finance Reviews]]