subject: The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain. A Review [print this page] The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain: a Magnificent and Authoritative History of Royalty of Britain, the Rulers, Their Consorts and Families, and the Pretenders to the Throne / by Charles Phillips and John Haywood (Lorenz Books, 2006) Hardcover, 256 p. ISBN 9780754816287
The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain is even more comprehensive than the title suggests. After all, Great Britain did not exist before the formal merger of the thrones of England and Scotland. "Complete guide" means it goes back much further in the history of both countries.
There is a page or two devoted to most rulers, with somewhat more space devoted to some of the later ones. Queens and princes who, for various reasons never became king, also get their due. Changes of dynasties frequently entailed a succession war, and the champion of the losing side is known as a pretender.
To keep all of the details straight, the book includes such additional features as timelines and ancestral charts. It also offers a closer look at the Elizabethan and Victorian periods as a whole, the American Revolution, Princess Diana, and other special sections.
When I was in grade school, I developed a special fascination for the kings and queens of England, but I had to satisfy it with articles in the family encyclopedia. I wish something like this had been available at the time. Besides the fact that a chronological account is easier to follow, The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain is profusely illustrated in color.
Many children today can either develop or nourish an interest in history from this book. That doesn't make it a children's book, however. Adults will find a useful summary to refer to as they read more specialized histories. It also offers great help to fans of historical fiction. With so many popular novels about so many members of hundreds of years of English and Scottish royalty, the various charts can be very helpful in keeping track of the story's background.
Whether a coffee table picture book, a reference book, or something to read from cover to cover, The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain admirably serves a number of purposes. One such excellent book appears for sale daily on the All-Purpose Guru Alert. Stop by regularly to see what's featured.
The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain. A Review
