Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who

Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire

The true story for fans of the PBS Masterpiece series Victoria, this page-turning biography reveals the real woman behind the myth: a bold, glamorous, unbreakable queenâ‚¬"a Victoria for our times. Drawing on previously unpublished papers, this stunning new portrait is a story of love and heartbreak, of devotion and grief, of strength and resilience.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
JANET MASLIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES â‚¬ ESQUIRE â‚¬ THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY

â‚¬Å“Victoria the Queen, Julia Bairdâ‚¬s exquisitely wrought and meticulously researched biography, brushes the dusty myth off this extraordinary monarch.â‚¬Ââ‚¬"The New York Times Book Review (Editorâ‚¬s Choice)

When Victoria was born, in 1819, the world was a very different place. Revolution would threaten many of Europeâ‚¬s monarchies in the coming decades. In Britain, a generation of royals had indulged their whims at the publicâ‚¬s expense, and republican sentiment was growing. The Industrial Revolution was transforming the landscape, and the British Empire was commanding ever larger tracts of the globe. In a world where women were often powerless, during a century roiling with change, Victoria went on to rule the most powerful country on earth with a decisive hand.

Fifth in line to the throne at the time of her birth, Victoria was an ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary role. As a girl, she defied her motherâ‚¬s meddling and an adviserâ‚¬s bullying, forging an iron will of her own. As a teenage queen, she eagerly grasped the crown and relished the freedom it brought her. At twenty, she fell passionately in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, eventually giving birth to nine children. She loved sex and delighted in power. She was outspoken with her ministers, overstepping conventional boundaries and asserting her opinions. After the death of her adored Albert, she began a controversial, intimate relationship with her servant John Brown. She survived eight assassination attempts over the course of her lifetime. And as science, technology, and democracy were dramatically reshaping the world, Victoria was a symbol of steadfastness and securityâ‚¬"queen of a quarter of the worldâ‚¬s population at the height of the British Empireâ‚¬s reach.

Drawing on sources that include fresh revelations about Victoriaâ‚¬s relationship with John Brown, Julia Baird brings vividly to life the fascinating story of a woman who struggled with so many of the things we do today: balancing work and family, raising children, navigating marital strife, losing parents, combating anxiety and self-doubt, finding an identity, searching for meaning.

Praise for Victoria: The Queen

â‚¬Å“Fascinating.â‚¬Ââ‚¬"Vogue

â‚¬Å“In Bairdâ‚¬s deft portrayal, Victoria lives, breathes, and struts before us in all her complexity. . . . On a geopolitical level, Bairdâ‚¬s sweeping historical portrait also illuminates just how interconnected the European royal families were during this time. . . . Historical astuteness aside, the pages gallop along enhanced by titillating morsels of info.â‚¬Ââ‚¬"Esquire

â‚¬Å“A vivid portrait of one of Englandâ‚¬s longest-reigning monarchs.â‚¬Ââ‚¬"Entertainment Weekly

â‚¬Å“[A] success from start to finish . . . [Bairdâ‚¬s] Victoria is a vivid, visceral creature.â‚¬Ââ‚¬"The Christian Science Monitor

â‚¬Å“Like the best biographers, Baird writes like a novelist, and her book is crammed with irresistible detail and description.â‚¬Ââ‚¬"The Seattle Times
Country USA
Brand Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer Random House
Binding Hardcover
ItemPartNumber part_1400069882
Color Black
ReleaseDate 2016-11-22
UnitCount 1
Format Deckle Edge
EANs 9781400069880

Country	USA
Brand	Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer	Random House
Binding	Hardcover
ItemPartNumber	part_1400069882
Color	Black
ReleaseDate	2016-11-22
UnitCount	1
Format	Deckle Edge
EANs	9781400069880

Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire

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