Queen and Country: The Fifty-Year Reign of Elizabeth II [Hardcover]

William Shawcross (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 23, 2002

The year 2002 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Elizabeth II's accession to the British throne. To celebrate this occasion, William Shawcross, an award-winning writer and journalist, has written an intimate and revealing portrait of the Queen and an absorbing narrative of how the faces of the monarchy, Britain, and the world have changed over the past fifty years. Britain today bears little resemblance to the country the Queen inherited in 1952. There is more criticism than deference; the institution of the monarchy is no longer accepted unquestioningly. Yet, as Shawcross describes here, Elizabeth's long and valiant, sometimes difficult, always challenging reign shows us a monarch who has risen admirably to the occasion and has held the country and the commonwealth together.

Drawn from the BBC's landmark four-part television series, "Queen and Country" combines personal recollections, classic archive film, and contemporary footage, as it examines how the Queen has adapted and succeeded. Exploring several aspects of her public role -- including her relationships with successive prime ministers -- Shawcross shows how she has remained a fixed point in the storm, a reassuring bedrock of stability, calm, and good sense, who has earned the respect and affection of the world.

With more than one hundred photographs, this volume focuses on four parts of the Queen's life. The first explores the central relationship between the Queen and her subjects. Her private life is the subject of the second part as Shawcross describes how she enjoys horse racing, her dogs, shooting, and family life. He also discusses the turbulence of her children's marriages and lives. Part III focuses on theQueen's political role as head of state and explores how close she is to the center of decision making. The final part follows Elizabeth II as she travels the globe and strengthens the ties of the commonwealth.

Written with the cooperation of the Queen's family, friends, and her trusted aides, this unique portrait accompanies the celebration of her golden jubilee that will be one of the most televised and written-about events of 2002. "Queen and Country" is the most authoritative account of Elizabeth's reign that will appear during this year-long celebration.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Watching Queen Elizabeth place flowers at a makeshift memorial to Diana in 1997, journalist (and renowned Nixon-basher) William Shawcross sympathized with the often misunderstood monarch: "I thought how lonely she must feel, and how perplexed she must be by the vast changes through which Britain has passed in the decades since her accession."

The U.K. is now not quite so united, not quite so British, not nearly so powerful as it was in the time of her father, George VI. Elizabeth has struck many observers as a lonely, aloof soul, struggling valiantly to hold a difficult family together while assuring her nation that the constitutional monarchy remains relevant in the modern world.

Over half a century of rule, Shawcross suggests, the queen has risen to every occasion and capably led both the British Commonwealth and the royal family, even if both have given her plenty of troubles in the bargain. This well-written and nicely illustrated portrait does a fine job of showing the many ways she has earned the affections, respect, and consent of her people. --Gregory McNamee

From Publishers Weekly

Celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee, this lavishly illustrated biography attempts to portray the monarch in both her personal and public capacities. Noted journalist Shawcross (Sideshow, etc.), who had the cooperation of the Palace, has set himself a difficult task. Those covering the royals have to navigate between two extremes: the Scylla of salacious gossip and the Charybdis of dull, "officially sanctioned" Palace propaganda. Shawcross could certainly never be accused of salaciousness. The Elizabeth II he describes is unflappable and devoted to her duties as queen. Is Elizabeth, as many of the tabloids claim, a coldly detached and unfeeling individual? Shawcross thinks not. "[C]lose friends... say that though she might not reach out and hug you, she will be thoughtful and concerned about your welfare, and she is a good listener." Shawcross gives us the history of Elizabeth's long reign. As the times have changed, Shawcross contends, so has Elizabeth: "The Queen has not sat back and let the tide of events surge over her. She has responded to the demand for greater openness." Shawcross details the British tabloid wars that have raged since the 1980s and tells how the royal family has increasingly been the subject of invasive and titillating press scrutiny. The book opens and closes with the fallout from Princess Diana's death. This rather reverential biography should please fans of the British monarchy, although it won't exactly satisfy the public's rabid appetite for gossip.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (April 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743226763
• ISBN-13: 978-0743226769
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #677,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shattering the Myth of Monarchy, June 29, 2002

By 

Roger K. Ward (Baton Rouge, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Queen and Country: The Fifty-Year Reign of Elizabeth II (Hardcover)

Those who believe that the institution of monarchy is archaic and serves no purpose in the modern nation-state might find Mr. Shawcross's book somewhat suprising. Employing a succinct writing style, Mr. Shawcross provides his reader with a fascinating glimpse into the woman who, by accident of birth and unforseen dynastic events, has occupied the throne of Great Britain for half a century and who, in a quiet, unassuming way, has exacted considerable influence over the politics of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and world. This book shows the error in characterizing the Queen as a mere figurehead. Indeed, her role as confidant to prime ministers, the political knowledge and wisdom she has acquired through her lengthy tenure as sovereign, her ability to lead by example, and her steadfast willingness to dedicate her life to the service of her nation and the Commonwealth, combine to produce a portrait of a woman who is anything but a token head of state.

This book successfully argues the case for monarchy. Politicians, scandals, and events come and go, but there, above it all, remains the Queen.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Clear, Thorough Bio, April 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Queen and Country: The Fifty-Year Reign of Elizabeth II (Hardcover)

I found this book very interesting. I suggest all Britons campaigning for a republic read this book. It proves how influential and important the monarchy really is. It also proves what a brilliant woman Elizabeth II is and how she has come to embody the ideal constitutional monarch. What I found most interesting is her actual involvement in British (and many Commonwealth) affairs. Most Americans think of her as a mere figurehead who opens up hospitals here and there. This is far from the truth. As she is probably the most experienced diplomat in Britain, her sage counsel to Prime Ministers has proven invaluable. I urge those who pass off Elizabeth as dispensable to read this book and see how indispensable she really is.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Brilliant!, July 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Queen and Country: The Fifty-Year Reign of Elizabeth II (Hardcover)

I read the book in one sitting, and while it covers all a book can given the enormity of its subject, I was left wanting more. Give the author credit for capturing a remarkable monarch.