Kings, Queens, Bones and Bastards

I also found that Hilliam's method of tracing the lines of descent of the various royal houses of Great Britain seemed designed to confuse, rather than enlighten, the reader. I think that it even confused the author himself(see page 10).

On the plus side, the sections on Bones and Bastards are entertaining to read, if you don't plan on using this book for research purposes.


Chill out - people   April 3, 2001
 30 out of 36 found this review helpful

Honestly, people - calm down. Did any of the previous readers/reviewers honestly expect a book with the title "Kings, Queens, Bones and Bastards" to be a flawless description of centuries of English history ? And that with scholarly accuracy and intellect ? Take it for what it is worth. Read the "Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy" if you want accuracy. This book is a highly entertaining, easy read. I highly recommend it for its amusing anecdotes and enjoyable style.


Full of mistakes   December 7, 1999
 18 out of 22 found this review helpful

After just a quick glance through this book, I found it full of mistakes that any sort of historian or biographer of the English royal families from Egbert through Elizabeth II should NEVER make. References to the Earl of Stanley, and to Anne Neville ending up married to Richard III through her father's machinations (when her father was long dead by the time Richard III married her) are inexcusable. I have to say that I was VERY disappointed in this book and deeply regret the money I spent to buy it.


Kings,Queens,Bones and Bastards   March 26, 2000
 16 out of 16 found this review helpful

For any anglophile, this book would be a worthwhile investment. It contains clear and accurate representations of all nine dynasties of the English Monarchy as well as sections referencing Kings, Queens and Consorts,and resting places of the monarchs. There is also a rather delightful section about the skeletons in each king's closet! I am very glad I purchased this book and would encourage others interested in British history to do so as well.


A Brief Look at the Successes and Foibles of the Monarchy.   October 24, 1999
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

The title gives it away: brief but sometimes slightly irreverent (drily humorous) biographies of the monarchs of England, their consorts and their children. Each "little bit" is seldom more than a page (often less) but provides a fascinating insight into the life and actions of the King or Queen. Separate sections are devoted to the monarch, the consort(s), illegitimate offspring and their fates, and details of demise. Witty and entertaining without being snide - a great book to pick up and read over and over, especially for a British history buff.