Thursday, July 12, 2012

Royal Book Challenge: The Queen: A Life in Brief by Robert Lacey

24/500
The Queen: A Life in Brief by Robert Lacey
Published 2012
166 Pages
ISBN: 9780062124463

In the introduction, noted author  Robert Lacey writes, 'this little book is intended to distill and reshape what I've learned into one pleasant afternoon's reading.'

And so it does. Even if it took me more than an afternoon to read it.

Despite being written by the well respected and noted royal historian Robert Lacey, I was skeptical. Could a book about the Queen, the second longest serving monarch in British history, ever be brief yet do justice to her at the same time? With book-a-zines, documentaries and a dozen or more new books attempting to offer fresh perspectives on Queen Elizabeth's life and reign, The Queen: A Life in Brief, is just another book amongst them.

So far, none have offered any new insights or revelations that haven't already been published before. This book breaks no ground in this respect either. It just offers the Queen's life story in a more condensed fashion. Which is very appealing considering the weighty, repetitive books competing with it.

The amount of releases marking her Diamond Jubilee makes me wonder whether there will be anything new left to say when she dies. Other than updating these publications with the date of her death, my prediction is that there won't.

© Marilyn Braun 2012

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

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