Until I read this book, the history of England and her monarchs was clouded in confusion. No longer! A beautiful book, full of color and informative graphics, "Lives" packs much information in one volume. Antonia Frazier has done a wonderful job editing the work of many authors. "Lives" draws the reader into the life and times of kings, queens, bas***ds, pretenders, earls, dukes and mistresses. The role and evolution of Parliment is explored, as well as brief outlines of the world at large in order to maintain historical perspective. Often the authors attempt to correct what they feel were previous historical inaccuracies and judge the reigns of each monarch. From the Norman conquest in 1066 to the present, the history of this great country (and Empire) is one we need to better understand because of England's great influence on not only the US, but the world. I can't wait to read the updated 1998 edition, which I just thumbed through at a local retailer.

If you are not aware of whom the Kings and Queens of England are, or if you are a novice in understanding who these colorful individuals are this is a wonderful book to introduce you to them. This book covers all of them from the beginning (Norman Rule) to present day, and even takes a look at the future of the monarchy. Short biographies on each monarch as well as color photos help put a face and personality to each monarch.

Don't expect this book to offer a detail explanation and action of each monarch since that would require the book to be way to extensive. This is a brief intoduction to each and a wonderful first look. This book is great for either pleasure reading, or reference material.

For anyone who has even a passing interest in the English monarchs (what's the difference between Bloody Mary and Mary, Queen of Scots?) this is the perfect book. Within four to eight pages, depending on the subject, Antonia Fraser gives a wonderful summary of every monarch since Normand time, right up to Elizabeth II. I used this book not only to clarify which Edward or Mary was which, but also to give me teasers about important events in English history. From this I read two books by another great English historiographer, Alison Weir, "The Wars of the Roses" and "The Princes in the Tower." I even used Fraser's book to guide me as I watched "Mrs. Brown" on video! Fraser manages to take these fascinating people and put them in the context of their time, without romantic presupposition or fake dialogue. Fraser delivers documented facts or opinions and still manages to give her work an interesting and engaging voice.

Antonia Fraser is an excellent writer and this is just another example of her amazing ability to write in such a way that hooks her readers and pulls them into the story she so adeptly tells. "Faith and Treason" is just another exapmle of her masterful telling of British History. Every time I read one of her books, I wish that she had written the history books I read in school.

This books tells the tale of a group of men who tired of waiting for religious freedom and decided to take matters into their own hands. They plotted to blow up the Parliament building, with the Parliamanet and King James I inside, in a rather dramatic attempt to regain the right to practice their religion, presumably at the expense of no longer permitting Protestants to do so. Fraser examines the plot from start to finish, tracing it back to the beginning of the Reformation and the frustration Catholics felt throughout the reign of Elizabeth I.

Fraser packs her book with facts, m! aking it a little slow-going at times, but it's worth it. It's probably not something you'll read in an afternoon, but it will captivate from the start.

Few tales better illustrate the old saw, "truth is stranger than fiction," than the story of the Gunpowder Plot. In 1605, Catholic militants disappointed by James I's failure to move towards toleration (allegedly) tried to blow up Parliament by piling gunpowder in a basement. The (purported) plot was discovered in the nick of time. England still celebrates Guy Fawkes' Day to celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot and, among other things, Beefeaters still search the basements of Westminster (in full regalia, no less).

The Gunpowder Plot has long been highly controversial. Catholic apologists have claimed that the whole thing was invented by Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, King James' chief minister, and master of a vast intelligence network, with the assistance of Sir Edward Coke as Crown Prosecutor. Protestant apologists claim the Plot was real, the danger was real, and only narrowly averted (by God's special favor).

Antonia Fraser is a leading popular historian of the Tudor and Stuart periods of English history, as well as an accomplished novelist. She writes well, tells stories lucidly, and has a demonstrated command of the period. In "Faith and Treason," she strikes a balanced note. Yes, there was a plot. But the danger was not very real--Salisbury discovered the plot early, the gunpowder was defective, and Salisbury left it in the basement to be dramatically discovered so that the discovery would have maximum political effect. She makes a compelling case.

Fraser is sympathetic to the Catholic plotters, recognizing that they had been pushed too far, but she also doesn't hesitate to call them traitors and terrorists. Contrary to what some reviewers have said, she is not an apologist for either side. Instead, this is a fair and balanced account, written with the verve and style of a novel. Highly recommended.

Antonia Fraser's Faith and Treason is a wonderfully entertaining read that truly brings the Gunpowder Plot alive for the reader in a manner that is both exciting and readily understandable (an important factor in the sometimes confusing world of British history). This piece of history, in Ms. Fraser's capable hands, becomes a story and moves alond at the brisk pace of an adventure novel. This is not to say that the historical and scholarly research is not present only to say that the narrative never feels bogged down with it. This book will definately lead me to read both more of this period of British history and, especially, more of Antonia Fraser.

I am a newcomer to the life of this amazing English king, but this book has been truly fascinating. Well written, informative, and easy to read, I recommend Mrs. Fraser's book to anyone who wants to start learning about Henry. For an expert on the subject, this is probably too basic for you.

This is a pretty good history of the Hanovers and their two immediate descendants. There are alot of pictures, and fairly short biographies of each of them. The book is very informative and a very quick read. I just wish that these biographers would realize that not all of us speak French, there are never any translations. Latin I can read, but French is beyond me, and I would guess, alot of other people.

The first 5 stories feature Jemima Shore, Investigator, as she's called in her work in English television. Although she's not a detective, her reputation has involved her in a number of cases. Like the author, she was educated at a convent boarding school in England, although not the same one; see also Jemima's first full-length novel appearance, _Quiet as a Nun_.

The non-Jemima stories aren't typical mysteries. Two of them involve the killing of family pets; some involve problems other than crime.

"Jemima Shore's First Case" occurred when Jemima, at fifteen, attended school at Blessed Eleanor's. Although nominally Protestant, she's a day student since her parents live nearby. Just now they're both away, so she's boarding at the school temporarily, only to be wakened in the night by the screams of the irreligious Sybilla, who swears she saw one of the statues move in the chapel. (All other Jemima stories are set much later in her life.)

"The Case of the Parr Children" was famous a few years prior to this story; as heirs to the Parr fortune, their custody was disputed when Catherine Parr left her husband for a roaming life with her lover. The judge stuffily decided in favor of the husband's solid, worthy alternative of upbringing complete with nanny - although the supposedly impartial nanny, Zillah, married Parr once the divorce was final. Catherine, having just learned of her ex's death and of Zillah's recent drowning, wants verification that the two little girls really *are* her children, and has come to Jemima for help.

Mrs. B, Jemima's bossy cleaning lady, disapproves of her visits to Holland Pools for exercise, saying "Swimming Will Be the Death of You". Of course, *Jemima* isn't the woman drowned in an accident there.

As a TV personality, Jemima's appearance is part of her stock in trade. When an automated message from Arcangelo's salon calls to say "Your Appointment Is Cancelled" just after a long session abroad, she's concerned mainly with re-scheduling rather than with the murder of the proprietor's son-in-law. The victim was suspected of cheating on his wife with Epiphany, the beauty who fields telephone calls. As constructed, the story suffers from several plot holes; for instance, competent police wouldn't need Jemima's intervention to notice the key clue.

Jemima becomes involved in the disappearance of "The Girl Who Wanted To See Venice" after finishing the filming of an installment on 'The British Honeymoon' on location. Ironically, heiress Nadia Hewling *was* on her honeymoon in the same lavish hotel that Jemima's staying in, but they didn't meet in filming. Nadia left the hotel with only her passport, apparently not even spurred by any quarrel with her husband, although they were not only newlyweds but in her chosen city.

Pamela, the young wife of a successful middle-aged barrister, is determined to arrange the "Death of an Old Dog" without consulting either Richard or her stepson.

Sammy Luke's books have previously done well in the U.K. but not the U.S.; his newest, _Women Weeping_, however, has hit the jackpot, so he's in New York for his first publicity tour. His wife Zara hasn't accompanied him, her mother's illness taking priority over her normal smooth running of his life. Oddly enough, although he's usually a nervous little man, he's having a splendid time, until he starts getting anonymous phone calls whispering "Have a Nice Death".

Emily's young mother Cora calls her "Boots", short for Little Red Riding Boots; they're great readers of fairy stories. Cora doesn't believe in overprotecting Emily; Cora's boyfriend Mr. Inch makes a poor impression, forever closing doors to "protect" Emily from the grownups' conversation. She doesn't fear him, although he reminds her of a wolf, with his big teeth and the way he smiles at her when they're alone. Where's a woodcutter when you need one?

"Who Would Kill a Cat?" Twice-married Felicity's beloved cat Wotan was named when she, not he, was prone to wandering, as a hard-up divorced mother of a young son in London. Now widowed with a large country house - and no money - she has a court of hangers-on: her laid-off brother, her now-teenaged son and his young half-sister, an au pair, and her live-in lover. All have good reason to want her to be happy, but *someone* garrotted Wotan on his wanderings in the woods: the second violent incident at Chessworth lately, after a mysterious robbery.

Nola, a conscientious mother with a much older husband, five-year-old son, and frail health, continually encounters the same face in her travels to and from the British Museum: an ancient face, of indeterminate gender, with a youthful body. "Doctor Zeit" even turns up in the Reading Room, researching the same topic and even using the same references. Very worrying, especially when Nola nearly loses her son on the Underground, only to see that face yet again...

Melanie's friend Letty is sure that her actor husband doesn't know she's cheating on him, until Victor rises to the challenge of the perfect stage setting "On the Battlements".

A very sound portrayal of two young children, as Philip and Polly keep secret the visits of "The Night Mother". Nobody else at school has both a day mother and a night mother, still less a ghost who tells such stories. :)

Jacobine, divorced mother of two, asks "Who's Been Sitting In My Car?" upon finding it stuffed with cigarette butts. She's on good terms with her ex, and anyway the car was bought after the split. Creepy.

This book was very intersting. I thought it was intersting because I was always into the story of Robin Hood, and all his adventures. This book was talking about him and how he's always helping both the rich and the poor. It also talks about how when ever someone needs help or in trouble he is always there to help all the time. The one thing I reaaly liked was that ever page and ever chapter was packed with excitment , drama,romance,and laughter.I would recommened this book from ages twelve and up. This book is also a great book for people who like historical fiction ao if you just like to read for fun. For the people who saw the movie this is a hundred times better then it. In this book there are alot of main charaters, one of them are Robin Hood. If you tryed you can find a lot of them. I have never read a book with so much excitment, drama, romance,and,laughter before in my live. I would give this book four stars. For people who are looking for a good book I would really recommened this book. I hope you enjoy the book.

A lumbering biography of Oliver Cromwell - strange because I got no real feel for or understanding of Cromwell the man. Fraser does not get around to any kind of assessment of Cromwell as real human figure until a few pages before the end of the book, following the grisly details of what happened at the Restoration.

Much of the book reads as a general history of the Civil War, the Commonwealth and the Protectorate. Although Cromwell is of course a major figure throughout, there is little real focus on him in this book - no attempt to analyse his role, to put it in context and to ask what motivated him and what his real impact was. Rather, the book is closer to a hagiography than a biography.

For example, I was astounded that (in my edition), I got to page 87 and the narrative had already reached the year 1642. Cromwell was by then 43. Yet there was precious little to tell me why Cromwell had decided upon taking arms against Charles I. Lack of specific data may be an excuse, but surely this is a fundamental question for a biographer to ask and at least present an hypothesis to the reader. It is crucial to understanding Cromwell and to understanding the causes of the English Civil War.

The book is a long, and at times exhausting, plod of a read - a welter of facts strung together into a narrative. Fine if you're looking for a superficial canter through this (very important) phase of English history, but deeply frustrating if you're seeking a closer understanding.

Fraser's book "Cromwell" is a very well written book about the life of a controversial man. Some people enjoyed his life and others hated it. I feel this would be a great book for anyone writing a paper on his military life or the English Revolution. She does a fairly good job in explaining his life as a military leader. This book also goes into great detail about his life. It almost gets to deep into his family and its history. I Liked the book and found alot of information on him during his reign over England. I found the book useful, because I was writing a term paper on the English Revolution, and it contained alot of the details I was looking to find. This book is not useful unless you are needing detailed information on Cromwell's life as a military leader

I don't know much about the English Civil War. I do know a fair bit about military history (having read a lot of it over the past 25 years) and so I somehow came into possession of a second-hand copy of Antonia Fraser's biography of Oliver Cromwell. This is a well-written, thorough (perhaps a bit too thorough) biography of a fascinating, very deeply religious man and successful soldier.

The author backgrounds Cromwell reasonably well, given that sources for his early life are presumably scarce, but the heart of the book (after the first 90 pages or so) is his military and political career. He started this as a Member of Parliament, became a junior soldier (a captain to start), moved up through the ranks to the top of England's military, then reverted to politics as Lord Protector, and was even offered the crown as king just before he died. All of this last happened in the final sixteen or so years of his life: a very eventful period.

The book divides into three stages after the early life segment: subordinate commander in the Army, commander of the Army, and finally Lord Protector. The last is the longest, with much discussion in detail of English politics of the era, the wars they fought and why, and issues ranging from religious tolerance to the fate of Royalists who stayed in England when the King was executed and Parliament took on the reins of government. The military chapters are especially well done. Fraser isn't a military historian, but she exhibits a considerable grasp of the nature of battles and why things happen the way they do. The battles are covered in considerable detail, so that Cromwell's genius can be understood (he appears to be the only English general in history able to control that country's cavalry) and his impact fully appreciated. The political section of the book bogged down for me a bit, I suppose because the politics of those days hold little interest for me, and that section of the book is the longest. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book greatly, and would recommend it.

The story of Mary Stuart is facinating; however, Antonia Fraser tends to diverge on several occasions in this long drawn-out biography. Fraser accounted for a great many details of Mary's life from her upbringing in France to her rule in Scotland and finally to her imprisonment in England. The details spill over to many others in Mary's court, which made this biography of Mary a little long and laborous. In Fraser's quest for authencity, she used a great deal of French and Latin phrases, but she did not, at times, define the meaning of the phrases. Unless the reader if fluent in either language, there is a sense of missing something. The biography is well researched and the many footnotes, which at times takes away from the flow of the read, prove it.

Antonia Fraser's biography of Mary Queen of Scots would be an easy read if the reader can get past the sometimes grueling details of the other individuals in Mary's court. Despite this obstacle, the life of Mary Stuart, as presented by Fraser, is an interesting one.

For those interested in the Stuart and Tudor periods, try Alison Weir's books, which has a much more even flow to it.

Mary Stuart, only child of James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise, is a gift to biographers through the ages, not least because her life cleaves so easily into three stages: (1) her brilliant debut in the court of the Valois and her marriage to King Francis II; (2) her journey from Paris to Scotland, where she ruled through a series of misadventures; and (3) her flight to England, where she was captured by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth, and eventually executed as a traitor at Fotheringay. Lady Antonia Fraser made her (now enormous) name in 1969 with this work - and the liveliness of her prose is often credited with a wider revival in narrative biography. What is now lost sight of is that Fraser's biography was, in many respects, revisionist in nature: not least because Fraser, herself a Catholic, was uniquely qualified to present Mary's credentials as Roman martyr, while at the same time unflinching cataloging her many personal failures. Another departure from the heroic tradition is her condemnation of 16th century Scottish nobility for the murderous rabble it truly was - especially the loathsome Bothwell. Finally, as Fraser explains at length, the trumped-up conviction and cruelly botched execution of Mary was nothing short of judicial murder. By the way, the early 1970s film starring Vanessa Redgrave, while excellent as a work of romantic history, is unconnected, and bears little resemblance to the grim contemporary environment as depicted by Fraser.

I read Lady Antonia Fraser's book "Mary Queen of Scots" some time ago. It is a fascinating biography of one of England's most tragic figures. This account leaves one question; did Elizabeth I, really want to execute her because she posed a dangerous threat to the throne, or was she simply afraid not to? Most all accounts have Elizabeth struggling with what to do with Mary, Queen of Scots. We will never really find out for sure, but it was a sad life she struggled with even though her son, James, ascended the throne after Elizabeth Tudor left no issue. A very good read and the reader will learn much.