Customer Reviews

The Public and Private Worlds of Elizabeth I

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Public and Private Worlds of Elizabeth I is a nicely written look into her personal and private life. It is very informational; from the workings of Elizabethan politics to the fashion of the time. It is informative with out getting overly academic. It is great for anyone wishing to research and/or recreate aspects of that time period. I encourage anyone who is intererested in Elizabeth I to purchase this book. One of the greatest features of this book is the full color pictures. Definitely a must have!!! A wonderful coffee table book too.

After checking this book out of the library multiple times, I decided to buy it because of the balanced overview of the Queen and her England. Many biographies of Queen Elizabeth I are riddled with the author's personal prejudice for or against the Queen and this one does not. I enjoy the photos as do students in the workshops I teach.

Excellent, excellent book for anyone who is interested in Quenn Elizabeth I or the Elizabethan era. Interesting little tidbits of knowledge about court life, politics and Elizabeth's private life. The pictures are absolutely beautiful and go along so well with the the written text. Definate A+!

I've collected significant books on ER (Elizabeth Regina) since I first encountered her in world history classes 40 years back at college. Though this book offers some new information that is new even to one familiar with Gloriana it offers it in different manner by way of glorious color photography. Beyond that it also offers a more personal view of Elizabeth in her privy chambers when alone or in small groups when not on 'stage' or display as England's queen.

Some of the things discussed that are unique is Elizabeth's feelings that no one, but no one, could ever be allowed to outdress the queen. She once boxed the ears, as the author states, of one woman (Mary Shelton) who married without royal consent. And when Sir Walter Raleigh married without concent both he and his new bride were arrested and quickly found themselves in the Tower. Again when on seasonal progress, usually summer months, she expected to receive gifts, and if the gifts were not enough to please her, she would sit it aside to take whatever she wished from among her host's own possessions. Also as she aged (1533-1603) she began to cover herself and her hair with pearls and other jewels thinking people would be distracted by such opulence taking little notice quite so much how she had aged.

The book also gives good example of her playing off several men from Essex, Leicester, Sir Christopher Hatton, to her French 'frog', all thinking they would marry her, when she had no intention whatever of ever marrying anyone. She had barely survived the tower and her mother's fate to reach the crown, and she was determined to share that great power with no man. She was married to England and its people, the chapter "From the Prison to the Palace" evidences that quite well. As the author writes "Never again would she allow herself to be controlled by anyone-except her subjects.". She at times referred to herself as "Elizabeth Jonas" feeling as with Jonah of the Bible she had escaped death several times during her earlier years.

The book offers a great of array of color pictures helping the reader to visually understand both the Tudor reign and the Tudor palaces. A full court during Elizabeth's reign could be numbered between "800 and 1200 people.", with Elizabeth's personal staff running at close to 200 people. Many other palatial 'homes' are shown as well, buildings for the most part used mainly for court funtions and progress with a couple extravagantly built ones that were never used at all. A couple of these buildings are now derelict lying in ruin or close to it. And as mentioned concerning one of Henry VII's palaces (originally belonging to Cardinal Wolsey, Hampton Court contained 800 rooms!) these large buildings were almost beyond belief, with yet another (Nonsuch) having at least 85 chimneys. It had been named Nonsuch as the builders felt there would never be none such other buildings like it.

No matter what books one may have read this book, being much more than a 'coffe table' book, will help bring added life to all the others. If one is interested in Elizabeth's reign 1559 to 1603 this is a book that is almost a must read.

Semper Fi.

I also have checked this book out from the library - about 10 times. I can't get enough of it! So here I am tonight, placing my order!!!

This is a lovely book to begin your romance with the Queen. The author, Watkins, has written in a beautiful, understandable and compassionate approach. One would want to have this by one's bedside... Slip away into the dreamworld of what it must have been like to be Queen!

Large glossy pages, fully photographed with the original paintings of Elizabeth's portraits, the images are enhanced with additional close-ups of her face. These are adorable and fun! You can feel her personality coming through in the expression of her eyes, mouth, her jewels and costuming, shifting and changing over the years as well.

This is an awesome book for any student who wants to learn more about the times in which Elizabeth lived... As well as those who want to study the fashions, jewelry, the styles of painting, architecture and landscapes. Richly photographed by Mark Fiennes, it shows the places where the Queen resided in real life. There are also many photos of her personal possessions, giving us a glimpse of the human side of her world.

Like I said, I can't get enough of this book! It is written to cover every aspect of Elizabeth's life in full detail. I just now must own my own copy! This is too great of a work to pass by; one you will keep coming back to.

This work has a wealth of information about Elizabeth I and
the era itself. She is portrayed as an elegant monarch, dressed
in silk and other fine clothing. A portrait of Elizabeth
depicts her stately appearance as a Tudor. Elizabeth liked to
stroll in the area of the Great Hall at Hatfield. A personal
astrolobe is depicted-a fine personal item created circa 1560.
Her coronation was a stately affair depicted in a personal
portrait considered to be priceless today. This work is perfect for historians and others interested in the period of Elizabeth. The full color portraits are valuable
in their own right.