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Queen Eleanor: Independent Spirit of the Medieval World Paperback – October 25, 1999

by Polly Schoyer Brooks (Author)

17 customer reviews

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Accused of being a demon by those who could not tolerate her independence, Eleanor of Aquitaine made her mark as one of the most dynamic and extraordinary figures of the Middle Ages. Born in 1122, Eleanor refused to be confined by the traditional gender roles of her time. She became well educated, gaining political and governing know-how from her father, William X, duke of Aquitaine, and armed herself with the skills necessary to become an influential queen-first of France, and later, England. With an impact that reached beyond politics, Eleanor shaped the future of the arts and humanities. And in a time when women were viewed as inferior to men, the virtues of chivalry and courtly love were born. Once described by a contemporary as "a woman beyond compare," Eleanor of Aquitaine is a figure who will remain controversial, powerful, and enchanting in the twenty-first century.

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Product Details

Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 and up
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (October 25, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0395981395
ISBN-13: 978-0395981399
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > History > Medieval
- #15 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > History > Europe
- #36 in Books > Teens > Biographies > Women

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Customer Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars

5 star		53%
4 star		35%
3 star		6%
2 star		0%
1 star		6%

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful

An Exceptional Overview

By A Customer on December 12, 1999

Format: Paperback

"Queen Eleanor" is a well-written, entertaining account of the life of a queen whom I consider to be one of the most interesting and influential people who ever lived. Did you know that she was the mother of King Richard the Lionheart and Prince John Lackland ("the phony king of England"), both of Robin Hood fame? That her marriage with Henry Plantagenet (Henry II) first brought France under English rule? That she established the jury system in England? It's amazing, really.

The only complaints I would have of the book are that it's not as detailed as it could be (which I understand, because it's a children's book and not meant to give you every detail; for that, see "Eleanor and the Four Kings"); and that it over-sympathizes with Eleanor. I should rather say, glosses over her faults, because they *are* mentioned. But after reading this, you'll come away with the correct impression that Eleanor of Aquitaine was indeed a remarkable woman.

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27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

Good Basic Life Of Eleanor

By Richard R. Carlton on September 28, 2002

Format: Paperback

Brooks copyrighted this herself in 1983 and, although there is no useful biographic information, I get the impression she wrote it for the k-12 school library market. The book feels like it is written for an 8th grade audience but with an admirable extent to the vocabulary and historical contexts. Brooks has done a good job on relating geography, medieval culture and art, and history in an enjoyable and informative read.
Perhaps I don't understand the prejudices of the school library market, but I do wish that books like this would do some referencing and citations of quoted material to give readers the concept of backing up what is said with authoritative research sources.
This is a good solid introductory book on Eleanor. It is comprehensive (unlike so many of the newer Eleanor books that focus on and tend to glamorize only one part of her life). It presents most of the known historical facts and mentions most of the commonly known myths as well (clearly presenting them as unfounded legend). This is a good place to start if you want an overview of Eleanor's life. It's a quick read for adults and a good comprehensive exploration of a medieval life for an elementary or high school student.

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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

A quick, delightful read about a fascinating monarch

By Meghan on January 3, 2004

Format: Paperback

I recently bought this book for a paper I had to do for school. I had read Polly Schoyer Brooks' book about Joan of Arc last year, and had enjoyed it, so I was hapy to find one on Eleanor of Aqutaine. This book was clear and easy to understand, but explained the fascinating life of Eleanor in detail. Each chapter highlighted a different section of her life, from her childhood in Aqutaine, to her marriages and rules as Queen of France and England, and finally to helping her sons rule as kings of England. I was amazed by her long life in the medieval times. This book is a treasure and one I would read again. I especially enjoyed the references to the King Arthur tales and how Eleanor influenced them as a model for Guinevere!

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

The Romantisized Version of Eleanor's Story

By A Customer on March 14, 2000

Format: Paperback

Eleanor of Aquitaine was the only Queen to rule 2 different countries during her lifetime-- first France, then England. She journeyed to the Holy Land and 'took the cross' in the Second Crusade. She was scorned as a demon by those who would not recognize her self-righteousness. Altogether, this idol was very straightforward for the middle ages, especially for a woman.
This book was very well written, although written for children and was not very detailed in areas, especially in talking of her early life before her father's death in Aquitaine, and of the 2nd Crusade. Also, it is way too romantisized; it speaks of her as this perfect Queen, heavenly, and makes light of the fact that she was indeed not thought of generally as a good person. The author gives the impression that everyone thought well of her, except a few notable few. It is very much better as the reading goes on; as when describing her time in England, it is magnificent. A very good read, one of those books to read while sitting around on a rainy weekend, lazily laying on the sofa.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

More for younger audience than adults.

By Demarase Sunmoon on March 24, 2013

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

This is an okay beginner book for learning about Eleanor of Aquitaine. It's not as well researched as Alison Weir's version, but it does well for introducing children into early English history and monarchy. My daughter loved it (and she doesn't even like to read!) and was able to discuss Eleanor with me. I'm very happy in that it has gotten my daughter more interested in reading, and especially in history.

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7 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Do Not Miss This

By A Customer on June 11, 2001

Format: Paperback

This is a wonderfully written book about one of the most interesting figures in history, Eleanor of Aquatine. From her carefree homeland to dreary England, first and second husbands, Eleanor's charactor shines through every page. I seemed to get to know her as a person, not just some charactor whom the author slaps on a few traits and leaves the "finished product" fuzzy around the edges. Do yourself a favor and buy this book for you, your child, you grandchild, your teacher, your... Well you get the point!!

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Great Bio

By Katstutu on January 24, 2014

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

This book is very well written, accurate, and as interesting as it can be. I do my family tree on Ancestry.com and found Eleanor to be my 37th great grandmother but I wanted to know if the information given about her was correct. The first place I thought to find a book was Amazon. And, as always I fount exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks Amazon
Cynthia J Bradford

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See all 17 customer reviews (newest first)

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Highly recommend the seller

Very interesting read. Highly recommend the seller.

Published 1 month ago by Tina Shaver

good historical readable story for kids studying English history

A great story covering all the essentials, appropriate for young children.

Published 13 months ago by Molly Johnson

An excellent biography

This is another terrific biography from Polly Schoyer Brooks. It's perfect for an adolescent audience, but plenty captivating and well-written enough to engage an audience as well. Read more

Published 19 months ago by Krista B Clarke

Very informative

I've heard of Eleanor of Aquitaine before but didn't know much about her.
This book was a wonderful way to get to know more about her.
What a woman she was! Read more

Published 21 months ago by Tea&BookLover

Factual AND FUN! Well written

I wanted to learn more about an incredible queen and found this great book after wading through other textbook style tomes - and falling asleep. This one is wonderful. Read more

Published on December 28, 2012 by Joan Denver

An Interesting Read

I suppose it was overly romanticized. I suppose maybe it was written for a younger audience. But read other books to compare with it then. Read more

Published on September 4, 2012 by Harpingonforever

Sucks!

worst book on the planet makes no sense complete waste of paper and ink how can anyone actually like this book

Published on September 14, 2011 by Joey

Awesome Book!

Queen Eleanor is a women who never gives, even in the last few years of her life. She gave birth to two famous kings, King Richard the Lionhearted and King John Lackland. Read more

Published on November 6, 2001

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