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Victoria

A Life

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Victoria

By: A. N. Wilson
Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
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Summary

To many Queen Victoria was a ruler shrouded in myth and mystique, portrayed as an aging, stiff widow. But in truth Britain’s longest-reigning monarch was passionate, expressive, humorous, and unconventional.

A. N. Wilson’s exhaustively researched and definitive biography includes a wealth of new material from previously unseen sources, showing us Queen Victoria as she’s never been seen before. Wilson explores the circumstances that led to Victoria’s coronation, her isolated childhood, her passionate marriage to Prince Albert, and her widowhood, all set against the backdrop of this momentous epoch in world history.

©2015 A.N. Wilson (P)2015 Oakhill Publishing Europe Great Britain Historical Politicians Politics & Activism Royalty Women Imperialism Witty Middle Ages Winston Churchill Socialism War Latin American
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Critic reviews

"[A] splendid biography--this book is a gem: thoughtful, witty, insightful, striking a balance between political commentary and personal gossip.... As this terrific biography shows, there really was a human being behind the gloomy portraits." (Dominic Sandbrook, Evening Standard)
"Subtle, thoughtful...a shimmering and rather wonderful biography." (Kathryn Hughes, Guardian)
"Wilson is affectionately alert to the rich contradictions of his subject's personality, and his deliciously readable biography becomes increasingly fascinating as Victoria's reign unfolds." (Jane Shilling, Daily Mail Book of the Week)
"Wilson is an excellent history teacher. He orders and narrates the hugely complex socio-political events and party infighting of the 19th century with a rare clarity.... His own achievement, sustained by a lifetime's scholarly fascination with the Victorian era, is also in its way, awesome." (John Sutherland, Financial Times)
"A. N. Wilson has written a sympathetic but by no means hagiographic biography of her that will probably overturn many people's prejudiced conception of her.... Wilson's picture of her is a rounded one, with her vices and virtues." (Theodore Dalrymple, The Times)
All stars
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The unfailingly marvellous A.N.Wilson delivers a magisterial survey of both the life and times of Victoria and a corrective to the “we are not amused” cliche that still prevails. He writes enormously sympathetically and even generously about Victoria - and followers of A.N. will know that he is more than capable of sharpening his quill to deadly effect if he so desires. At times the reader might want him to linger and dawdle, but honestly there’s so much ground to cover that restraint must have been the watchword. Clearly there was a tragic suppression of Victoria’s diaries and letters after her death, not least in matters of John Brown, dealt with tantalisingly here. Hats off to the narrator, who conveys the humour of Wilson’s prose and serves up no end of accents when required. I feel I now need to get the book so I can dip in and out at leisure. Recommended!

Strangely riveting

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wonderful book well researched and well written.
Always knew parts of the story, but it really bought Victoria to life. Also never really knew what happened to all her children till now. Thank you A.N Wilson for the history lesson.

loved this book.

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The story of Queen Victoria is the story of an age. Everyone has heard of the Victorians, the name interchangeable with the last two thirds of the nineteenth century and with many of my friend from around the world they too often describe their histories in the sense of ‘The Victorian Age’.

This book encapsulates this perfectly, showing how a woman sat atop of a ‘man’s world’. Growing from an ‘ignorant silly girl’ as Sir John Conway would say to that matriarch of the royal dynasties of Europe to who all were in awe of. It is also great to read alongside other great histories of the nineteenth century such as Sir Richard J Evans ‘Pursuit of Power’ or Sir David Cannadine’s ‘Victorious Century’. Both are great and all tell the same story.

A N Wilson is a famous biographer and it is easy to see why here. The book is beautifully written and not difficult to follow. Victoria stays central to the plot. He does a great job in showing how Victoria starts as a naive young girl dominated by the men around her, to the icon we know today who formed the modern monarchy in connection with the public, and allowed it to become the constitutionalise institution revered today. She started the reign in the aftermath of her ‘dreadful uncles’ when the crown was under scrutiny for its farcical reputation as a house of drunken spendthrift. It ended with huge respect.

Personally I like more heavy biographies that really deep dive the character and the events they played a part in. Here this book is fast flowing which may suit a lot of people. However, I found at times events came and went in the blink of an eye. Having said that, there is a lot to learn from this book and really got a sense of her personality, involvement in politics and current events, what she thought about her subjects (she was loving of all citizens of the empire) and her interactions with the people around here. Her relationship with Prince Albert, John Brown, Gladstone, Disraeli, Edward VII, her daughter Victoria and grandson Wilhelm II are discussed in detail to name a few. It is a great book about a great woman and I thoroughly recommend it.

Story of an Icon

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A masterful construction of chronological history, analysis and connection with later events that make this more than a biography, more an account of an age in which Victoria is the central character. Wilson offers many insights to key events based on a huge command of his subject and of the times that left me wanting to find out more, and which challenged my previous perceptions. Moreover, he has a created something that is both engaging and entertaining. I can imagine returning to enjoy this book again.

A masterful analysis of the woman and her times

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An excellent biography and reading of Queen Victoria addressing the many aspects of her life and reign.

Well read throughout.

Inspiring and edifying

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