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Original poster

Recommend a historical bio for a long beachside read, please!

41 replies

VeryAngryGusset · 27/08/2009 09:31

Could anyone point me in the direction of a historical bio I might enjoy? I like to get stuck into something interesting at the beach and at least feel as if I'm learning a bit!

To give you an idea, bios I have read and enjoyed are:

Alison Weir: Wars of the Roses; Children of England; 6 Wives.

Antonia Fraser: Marie Antionnette; Mary Queen of Scots; Charles II.

Claire Tomalin: Unequalled Self (Pepys); Mary Wollstonecraft; Jane Austin.

David Starkey: Elizabeth I.

Vera Brittan: Testament of Youth.

I also read and enjoyed a bio of Fanny Burney but can't recall author.

OP posts:
Wheelybug · 27/08/2009 12:48

Kate Williams - England's mistress - about Emma Hamilton, Nelson's mistress. V. good

Also, she wrote one about Queen Victoria - 'Becoming Queen'. I have it on my to be reads but haven't yet but her style is v. readable.

Also, The Mitford girls by Mary S Lovell. Great - v readable.

MummyDragon · 27/08/2009 12:27

Christopher Hibbert has written some great historical bios. I've read a few of his - the ones about the Medici and Nelson were very good.

Original poster
VeryAngryGusset · 27/08/2009 12:26

Ooh lots of fab ideas here - keep them coming! I think Unequalled Self is the best bio I've read too.

OP posts:
Pielight · 27/08/2009 12:21

I've just thought of the PERFECT book for you

Among the Bohemians by somebody Nicholson.

perfect for you

saadia · 27/08/2009 12:19

My fave is Juliet Barker's biography of Charolotte Bronte - full of fascinating historical detail and based quite a bit on CB's correspondence - but it is a pretty hefty book.

Pielight · 27/08/2009 12:10

My favourite historical bio of all time (and think Unequalled Self v. v. hard to beat, about as perfect a bio as I can think of) are Richard Holmes's two books about Coleridge. They are extraordinary. Honestly.

But you do need to care about Coleridge quite a lot (which I do). They're v. detailed, v. clever and v. beautiful.

Pielight · 27/08/2009 12:07

I enjoyed the Speer too - heavy going for a beach though.

Also enjoyed the VW book. And more recently Hermione Lee's book about Thomas Hardy, that is v. good.

Also the Mrs Beeton was fun - by Kathryn Hughes - she's also written a great book about George Eliot and also one on Victorian Governesses if you're interested.

There's a lovely book about the poet John Clare by Jonathan Bate that I'd really recommend.

I want to read the Hilary Spurling book about Matisse but haven't yet.

EleanoraBuntingCupcake · 27/08/2009 10:23

dh loved Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth by Gitta Sereny.

BalloonSlayer · 27/08/2009 10:11

My Mum loved "Mrs Jordan's Profession" by Claire Tomalin. Dora Jordan was a famous actress who was the partner of a King, had many children by him but they never married.

I have never read it as I struggle with historical biogs meself - apart from Alison Weir's which I love.

How about the Dickens biography by Peter Ackroyd?

wigglybeezer · 27/08/2009 10:09

The book I was talking about is called "Fortunes Daughters"

Original poster
VeryAngryGusset · 27/08/2009 10:08

Ooh those all sound interesting - will look them up. Thanks!

OP posts:
wigglybeezer · 27/08/2009 10:03

I have just read a book from the library (sorry can,t remember the name ATM, must be getting old) that was a biography of Winston churchill's American mother and her two sisters, 'twas very entertaining and covered a lot of history too.

rasputin · 27/08/2009 09:52

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rasputin · 27/08/2009 09:49

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Original poster
VeryAngryGusset · 27/08/2009 09:43

Rasputin, you are on my wavelength! - I've read that one too! Really liked.

OP posts:
rasputin · 27/08/2009 09:41

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