George VI and Elizabeth- The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy by Sally Bedell Smith
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Web ID: 16849830Another great biography by Sally Bedell Smith
Sally Bedell Smith’s George VI and Elizabeth offers a deeply engaging and thoroughly researched account of one of the most pivotal royal couples in British history. This biography delves into the lives of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, exploring their personalities, their reign, and their relationship—one that helped to guide Britain through the tumultuous years of World War II and beyond. At the heart of George VI and Elizabeth is a fresh look at the quiet strength of King George VI, whose unexpected ascension to the throne following the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII, is well-known but rarely explored with such depth. This is not just a repetition of the widely told tale, but an exploration of the internal journey George VI took to embrace his royal role. Bedell Smith delves into his personal struggles, particularly his battle with a speech impediment, offering a nuanced portrayal of a monarch who often felt unprepared for the immense responsibility he inherited. The author goes beyond the public narrative, giving readers a window into the private challenges and insecurities that George VI grappled with as he transformed from a reluctant king into a leader. Sally Bedell Smith’s writing is a hallmark of thorough research and thoughtful analysis. She has a rare ability to take historical facts and turn them into a compelling narrative that reads like a novel. Her work is always characterized by a deep understanding of her subjects and a keen sense of narrative, making her books both informative and accessible to a broad audience. Sally Bedell Smith has once again proven herself a gifted historian and storyteller, delivering a book that will captivate readers with an interest in history, royalty, and the human side of leadership. Whether you are familiar with the royal family or new to their story, this biography is a must-read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Magnificent historical book
Readers follow a very thorough story of the childhood of both George and Elizabeth, their courtship, wedding, children, and life together. We meet all of the family members and business leaders around the world with an in-depth introduction to all of them. The book ends after the death of George VI. I have read numerous books about Bertie and Elizabeth and I must say this is the best one ever. Yes, it is VERY long with well over 700 pages, but I found it totally fascinating and completely filled with more information than I ever found before. It is chock full of all kinds of tidbits of history. A fabulous book. The Queen Mother was always a favorite of mine. I admired her strength, determination, sense of humor and her love for her family. I know that Queen Elizabeth II gained a lot of her traits from her mother. May this wonderful woman rest in peace forever with her beloved Bertie. Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
The Integrity of George VI and Elizabeth
You heard about Elizabeth the second, Churchill who help win in WWII and Edward VIII and Wallis but I never read about George VI and Elizabeth until now. I always wondered what George VI's life was like. I knew he had a speech problem but I never knew how he felt about having the King ship thrusted at him. It seems that he faced every difficulty with courage and kindness, and his integrity showed in his people respect for him and it show in how Elizabeth II governed. I love every bit of this book, from the beginning of Bertie's and Elizabeth's romance and engagement, to becoming King. To caring about all his people during WWII and his caring of his children and finally to his illness and demised. What I don't understand is why this man has only been represented in "The King's Speech," and not for anything else. It seems that Churchill isn't the only person that kept the peoples hope up during WWII or step up to the plate when Edward VIII abdicated the throne over a woman. It is also fascinating that we know very little about Queen Elizabeth II mom, also Queen Elizabeth who stood besides George VI every step of the way and actually loved him and helped him. A real romance. This is kind of a long story but worth every moment and it would be great if someone made a documentary from this book. It's time that everyone know George VI and Queen Elizabeth. I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Random House and NetGalley for this fantastic story about King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Authentic, personal, very thorough biography
Sally Bedell Smith is a veteran British royalty author who has written some excellent biographies in the past, especially one on (then) Prince Charles several years ago (imagine making him interesting!). This offering focuses on the late Queen Elizabeth II's parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The author was given access to a trove of letters and documents which she liberally included throughout the narrative, adding such authenticity and personalization to this history. My favorite part of the book was near the beginning where Prince Albert first takes notice of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. His laser focus love for her never wavered, and he persisted over some time with three wedding proposals until she finally accepted. What followed was a loyal, loving and supportive marriage that strengthened the monarchy at a time when it really needed it- after Albert's older brother David renounced the throne to marry double divorcee Wallis Simpson. The unassuming (but rock steady) Prince Albert unexpectedly was thrust into becoming King. He bravely navigated challenges such as a lifelong stutter and World War II, where he was intricately involved with his Prime Minister, the legendary Winston Churchill. And he relied heavily on his wife Elizabeth, utterly respecting her advice and including her in all matters of state. Hitler once called her "the most dangerous woman in Europe". But her husband King George VI called her "my angel". This is a quite lengthy, thorough tome covering the subject- over 700 pages. The last 30% consists of Acknowlegements, Sources, Illustration Credits and About the Author. I'm not big on reading about war, and a lot of King George VI's reign was tied up with the hardship of WWII. However, the depiction of how this monarch, with the unwavering support of his wife led the nation during such a precarious time was very important. As his wife and mother (Queen Mary) felt, it probably helped cut his life short as he took his role so seriously. This is an excellent biography of this iconic royal couple who indeed saved the monarchy! Thank you to the publisher Random House for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Non-Fiction
This is a Non-Fiction Book. I found the first part of this book very interesting, but then I found it to be very boring. I had trouble following who they were talking about at times. I would like to say I do not read a ton of non-fiction books, so that could be a lot of the problem. I just do not think this book was the book for me. I did end up DNFing this book around 30%. There are some really cool pictures in this book that I really enjoyed. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Good Book
George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy by Sally Bedell Smith is a wonderful nonfiction that highlights the individuals separately and together that helped form England’s modern history: King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth. I have really enjoyed the author’s take on Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III in her previous biographies, so of course I was excited to read this one. It did not disappoint. I always love the author’s way with words. How she crafts history and nonfiction into effortless works of art. No matter the content, I seem to fly through the works with ease. Her passion, research, and effort shine through in this book where she focuses on the individuals Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon and Prince Albert as they were before marriage, and of the time during their marriage. The in-depth look was fascinating, illuminating, and respectful. It definitely does justice to a wonderful couple. 5/5 stars
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fascinating Tremendous Biography
When I had the opportunity to read the biography of George VI and Elizabeth by Sally Bedell Smith, I was excited to learn about Great Brittan’s history during a pivotal time in the world. I believe there is no better way to learn history than through biographies. I absolutely loved this book! It was great! So many factors made this book great. First and foremost, Prince Albert, who was later crowned King George VI and his wife Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, who became Queen Elizabeth. Later, and for many years, she was known as the Queen Mum. One can’t help but see God’s divine hand of providence in raising up these two and preparing them for leadership during a critical time when evil threatened to overtake the world. Though they were royalty, they also seemed to be well-grounded, genuine, decent, honest, and caring people. It was interesting to learn of Elizabeth’s reluctance to marry Prince Albert, thought she cared deeply for him. They seemed like the perfect match and I cannot quite imagine Albert growing into the man who would be king apart from his relationship with Elizabeth. Perhaps the weight of the monarchy weighed heavy on her and she knew the high cost she would pay. Having previously read a biography on Prince David, King Edward the VIII, the abdicating king, I found myself grateful that King George VI was his successor. You cannot help but see God’s merciful hand in removing the morally depraved, hedonistic, self-absorbed man who sided with the Nazis. Can you imagine how WWII might have ended with Edward VIII as king? King George VI was the right man at a pivotal time in history. King George VI was a reserved, wise, and learned man. He became a great leader with his strong, wise, committed wife, Queen Elizabeth, by his side. I also found interesting the early life of Princess Elizabeth, future Queen Elizabeth II. From a very young age, she raised, educated and well equipped to step into the role as Queen of England at a very young age. Another fascinating aspect of this biography were the relationships forged between King George and Queen Elizabeth with various leaders, like Churchill, Roosevelt, and others. Also interesting were the various family ties with European royal families. The life of royalty and aristocracy was so very different than the average citizen. I appreciated the humility and willingness of the King and Queen to be with their people especially during the brutal suffering the English endured during WWII. Author Sally Bedell Smith did a tremendous amount of research and had access to a large volume of records to write the biography of George VI and Elizabeth. She did a great job combining all the information she had, but kept it personable and relatable. The people, King George, Queen Elizabeth and their family and friends did not get lost in the facts and information about their lives and times in which they lived. It truly was The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy. As a side note, it is interesting to see what’s happening in the modern-day monarchy and how some of the family patterns, both good and bad, are being repeated. I loved reading George VI and Elizabeth by author Sally Bedell Smith. It was fascinating and a tremendous book that I did not want to put down. It was one of the best biographies I have ever read. I highly recommend this book. If you like history, WWII, learning about the royal family, or biographies be sure to read this book. It is a long book, but well worth your time and effort. I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of George VI and Elizabeth – The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy by Sally Bedell Smith. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.
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