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Queen Victoria

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Queen Victoria

By: Elizabeth Longford
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble, Julia Franklin
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Summary

 Drawing upon Queen Victoria's previously unpublished journals, Elizabeth Longford's classic biography recalls the contrasts and curiosities of an earlier era with exquisite detail - and transforms the queen from a severe, time-worn effigy into a human being who loved, feared and fumed.

Longford probes the contradictions of a woman who wore a bonnet instead of a crown at her Golden Jubilee and yet was recognised always as both dignified and formidable. She chronicles both the Queen's public life and her emotional travails, including surprisingly stormy passages in her and Prince Albert's otherwise loving marriage. A refreshingly human image of the Queen emerges: voluble, passionate, politic and articulate, with an irresistible mixture of grandeur and simplicity. Europe Great Britain Historical Politics & Activism Royalty Women England
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Critic reviews

It is hard to imagine how Lady Longford's detailed and vivid volume could have been bettered . . . scholarly yet racily readable, witty yet wise
Gives us more than the general reader has ever had, revealing the Queen as a character at once simple & complex, humble & authoritarian
So sanely and attractively written with each episode blending so easily into the next that the reader is soon carried along in fascination
[Queen Victoria] has in Lady L. her fullest and best-informed, most sensible and sympathetic biographer
A full, authoritative study (Jane Ridley)
Dazzlingly readable, and very enjoyable (Stella Gibbons)
Very few biographies which have reached the public in recent years can have as good a claim to be called "definitive" as has Elizabeth Longford's life of Queen Victoria
Longford has brought Queen Victoria to life again, and presents to a new generation of readers one of the most truly remarkable personalities of history with scrupulous care, fidelity and wit
One of the best I have ever read (Noel Coward)
All stars
Most relevant
I thoroughly enjoyed this amazingly informative narration of the adored Queen's life and the reader was superb in the many roles she acted especially in the voice of the Queen herself.

I would like to ask that one error of fact be corrected. In the final chapter the murder of Bishop Patterson is reported to have been carried out by "Africans". In fact he was murdered in the Solomon Islands where the people are Melanesian. Bishop Patterson was head of the Melanesian Mission (i.e. the Anglican Church) in the Solomons. He was murdered, as he toured the Eastern District, in retribution for the many Solomon Islanders who were kidnapped to work in the sugar plantations of North Queensland. I have seen the use of "Africans" instead of Pacific Islanders before in art exhibitions. At the time it seemed to be a generic word for dark skinned people. But surely in the 21st Century such incorrect vocabulary should be corrected?

Isabel Michie, Noosa, Queensland. ismichie@bigpond.com

A Historical Masterpiece

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If you want the essence of Queen Victoria read or in this instance listen to this book,largely it comes from her journals, so the words and feelings are hers.She did love all of her children,she also loved the ordinary people of her country,she was argumentative,stubborn,hard headed at times,she was also compassionate emotional and loving.above all she loved her family and her people,how fo we know this,because Elizabeth Longford,, has taken her insight and skill to put her feelings for us.a lovely lovely book.

Queen Victoria ..

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Neither Victoria nor Albert come out well from this biography. Victoria comes across as relentlessly stupid and they both behaved appallingly to their children. The much vaunted Albertian education schemes were little short of barbaric. Does this mean Lady Longford wrote a bad biography? No, I think this could fairly be described as definitive. In fairness to Victoria she had a terrible upbringing with, even by Royal standards, a singularly gormless and manipulative Mother. In many ways it's surprising Victoria didnt turn out to be more deranged as an adult than she did. Dear Lehzen (the Governess) was clearly a woman of some force. The ghastly, creepy Baron Stockmar who clearly knew nothing of how to bring up or educate Children (having none himself) and failed to understand anything of UK history or government. Uncle Leo comes across as a money grubbing creep, hanging on to his 50 grand a year at all costs, refusing to bail his sister ouand quite happy to leave her and his dearest Victoria to the vile Conroy.

Excellent Biography

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I was interested to know about Queen Victoria as I had an overall feeling that she was a good queen. This book has turned me against royalty completely. What absolute snobs, the rest of us truly are plebs in their eyes. As for her disgraceful thoughts on the starving Irish as she lives in utter splendour. A women totally self absorbed only worrying about other royals. Her lack of care for her children bred for one purpose only, no wonder the current RF are so dysfunctional. I couldn’t finish this listening to what was in parts nasty and cruel to working class people, although I now know the RF care nothing for the public and never have.

Reads like the rantings of a spoilt small child.

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Unfortunately I had to force myself through to the end.. I am a huge fan of Queen Victoria but this seemed to jump about where her marriage and children were concerned with far too much detail on the political aspect of her role and her prime ministers...

Dull...

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