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suzyj_75's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
georgilvsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
‘Who the f**k is it? came a ghillie’s gruff voice from within. ‘Don’t worry,’ the Queen Mother thrilled merrily in the downpour, ‘it’s only the Queen!’
Now I am VERY surprised by how much I LOVED this book! It’s no secret that I enjoy reading history but I’ve never really been a ‘fan’ of reading about The Windsors/ The House Of Windsor.
However, I adore Gareth’s work and that is the only reason I picked this one up. And it was fantastic! I doubt I will read anymore books on The Windsors but I have no regret about reading this one.
A lot of fun, very interesting and this is one of the reasons that Gareth is becoming a favourite author of mine :)
‘The chopper has made more difference to my life than it has to any queen’s since dear old Anne Boleyn’s.’
Now I am VERY surprised by how much I LOVED this book! It’s no secret that I enjoy reading history but I’ve never really been a ‘fan’ of reading about The Windsors/ The House Of Windsor.
However, I adore Gareth’s work and that is the only reason I picked this one up. And it was fantastic! I doubt I will read anymore books on The Windsors but I have no regret about reading this one.
A lot of fun, very interesting and this is one of the reasons that Gareth is becoming a favourite author of mine :)
‘The chopper has made more difference to my life than it has to any queen’s since dear old Anne Boleyn’s.’
natsslapp_111222's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
lauraajohnsonrn's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the way Gareth Russell approached this biography was a bit of genius as it created a great way for the reader to sort of dip their toe into this part of the Windsor family story without being overwhelmed by too much information.
I will say though I do feel it was a bit skimpy in the later years of the Queen Mother’s life, particularity concerning the relationships she had with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This left it sort of unbalanced after the informative chapters of her youth and the middle heavy with war and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The more I learn about the Queen Mother though, the more I admire her unwavering ability to connect with people and put them at ease. I found her quick wit and her sarcasm utterly charming and at times hilarious!
Truly a good read!
I will say though I do feel it was a bit skimpy in the later years of the Queen Mother’s life, particularity concerning the relationships she had with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This left it sort of unbalanced after the informative chapters of her youth and the middle heavy with war and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The more I learn about the Queen Mother though, the more I admire her unwavering ability to connect with people and put them at ease. I found her quick wit and her sarcasm utterly charming and at times hilarious!
Truly a good read!
booksrockcal's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.75
Cecil Beaton, the photographer, once described Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother as a marshmallow made on a welding machine. That is an accurate description based on this book. The author approaches his subject by recounting incidents from her life of 102 years. It’s all here- her support of George VI, her antipathy toward the Duke of Windsor, her love for her family and her daughters- what is apparent in this book vice others is her kind, generous, witty personality and her ability to put anyone at ease from the residents of the east end of London whose houses were bombed in the Blitz to the members of the British aristocracy. I particularly enjoyed reading about her early years in Scotland, growing up in Glamis Castle.
mari1532's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
I am a fan of Russell's work, particularly his podcast Single Malt History with Gareth Russell. So when I heard he was releasing a new book (sadly his Young Damned & Fair is still on my TBR pile) I investigated if I could get a copy of it through my local library and I was lucky enough that they had ordered a copy.
This is not a traditional biographical book, so if you do not know a great deal about Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the Queen Mother, I would recommend starting with a different book. That being said this book will definitely give you a glimpse into Elizabeth as a person outside of the offices that she held during her lifetime. All of the anecdotes that Russell included were entertaining and interesting. I am sure that this took a great deal of work as many of the sections were from anecdotal stories of people who knew or knew someone who knew Elizabeth.
I really enjoyed Russell's weaving of Elizabeth's enjoyment of drinking throughout the book. It is clear that she really enjoyed an intense drink quite regularly and the way that she forced guests to imbibe was also quite entertaining to read about. Also, my favourite story had to be the tour where she walked in on a guest in the bathroom.
History lovers and people with an interest in the monarchy are sure to enjoy this book.
This is not a traditional biographical book, so if you do not know a great deal about Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the Queen Mother, I would recommend starting with a different book. That being said this book will definitely give you a glimpse into Elizabeth as a person outside of the offices that she held during her lifetime. All of the anecdotes that Russell included were entertaining and interesting. I am sure that this took a great deal of work as many of the sections were from anecdotal stories of people who knew or knew someone who knew Elizabeth.
I really enjoyed Russell's weaving of Elizabeth's enjoyment of drinking throughout the book. It is clear that she really enjoyed an intense drink quite regularly and the way that she forced guests to imbibe was also quite entertaining to read about. Also, my favourite story had to be the tour where she walked in on a guest in the bathroom.
History lovers and people with an interest in the monarchy are sure to enjoy this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Dementia