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Loading... Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Lifeby Sally Bedell Smith
   Books Read in 2017 (1,665) KayStJ's to-read list (1,254) No current Talk conversations about this book.   ) fmclellan | Jan 23, 2024 |   ) Sweetums | Jul 28, 2022 | I thought some of the book was noteworthy, and I learned a lot about the authors perception of British politics, there was a lot of rambling, title changing, and down-right disdain of Diana, Charles ill fated marriage to a woman much younger, much more spontaneous and loving abilities that Charles clearly lacked. Camilla Parker Bowles was a meddler. As Diana noted, "There were three of us in the marriage; it got quite crowded." Camilla learned the nuances of Charles', she knew he needed to be first. Unlike Diana who had a bright-star personality, Camilla is very content to garden, look at books of fabric swatches, and listen, listen to this ever whining personality. Newspapers reported that Charles needy personality was off scale. People knew he had a self centeredness that would hinder his ability to lead the nation. Much of the book revolved around the love between Camilla and Charles. When they married, they knew each other well, they were both in their 50's when they married, and Camilla was very pleased to simply hold his hand and listen to him. I found it interesting that he started many projects and renovations of historical buildings, only to not follow through. Sadly, he even remarked that there were too many photo opportunities for son William and wife Kate Middleton. Charles is a sad man. Hopefully, he will not inherit the throne. ( ) Whisper1 | Dec 19, 2020 | Charles has a lot of racist liberal tendencies. He thinks that 'primitive' people, POC, who practice their traditional religions instead of Christianity or Islam are more spiritual than 'modern' also known as white men. It's cringeworthy and probably shouldn't be in print. His fascination with traditional medicine is made much of in the book but again is par for the course in this cringeworthy narrative. Modern medicine has incorporated many aspects of so called traditional medicine, those that are found scientifically to work. The authors discussion of traditional medicine as practiced amongst people of color is just chock full dog whistle and colonial racism. This is published much too recently to not simply be a reflection of the authors own racism and internalized sexism. Also the author hates Diana. I am not a huge Diana supporter (  ) LoisSusan | Dec 10, 2020 | ) JoeHamilton | Jul 21, 2020 | no reviews | add a review
Biography & Autobiography.
History.
Nonfiction.
HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The life and loves of Prince Charles are illuminated in a major new biography from the New York Times bestselling author of Elizabeth the Queen—perfect for fans of The Crown. Sally Bedell Smith returns once again to the British royal family to give us a new look at Prince Charles, the oldest heir to the throne in more than three hundred years. This vivid, eye-opening biography—the product of four years of research and hundreds of interviews with palace officials, former girlfriends, spiritual gurus, and more, some speaking on the record for the first time—is the first authoritative treatment of Charles’s life that sheds light on the death of Diana, his marriage to Camilla, and his preparations to take the throne one day. Prince Charles brings to life the real man, with all of his ambitions, insecurities, and convictions. It begins with his lonely childhood, in which he struggled to live up to his father’s expectations and sought companionship from the Queen Mother and his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten. It follows him through difficult years at school, his early love affairs, his intellectual quests, his entrepreneurial pursuits, and his intense search for spiritual meaning. It tells of the tragedy of his marriage to Diana; his eventual reunion with his true love, Camilla; and his relationships with William, Kate, Harry, and his grandchildren. Ranging from his glamorous palaces to his country homes, from his globe-trotting travels to his local initiatives, Smith shows how Prince Charles possesses a fiercely independent spirit and yet has spent more than six decades waiting for his destined role, living a life dictated by protocols he often struggles to obey. With keen insight and the discovery of unexpected new details, Smith lays bare the contradictions of a man who is more complicated, tragic, and compelling than we knew, until now. Praise for Prince Charles “[Smith] understands the British upper classes and aristocracy (including the royals) very well indeed. . . . [She] makes many telling, shrewd points in pursuit of realigning the popular image of Prince Charles.”—William Boyd, The New York Times Book Review “[A] masterly account.”—The Wall Street Journal “Thoroughly researched and insightful . . . In this profile, it is clear [Smith] got inside the circular barriers that protect the man and his position. The Charles that emerges is, as the subtitle suggests, both a paradox and a creature of his passions.”—The Washington Times “[A] compellingly juicy bio . . . Windsor-philes will be mesmerized.”—People “Prince Charles paints an affectingly human portrait. . . . Smith writes about [Charles’s life] with a skill and sympathy she perfected in her 2012 biography of Charles’s mother.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Comprehensive and admirably fair . . . Until his accession to the throne, Smith’s portrait will stand as the definitive study.”—Booklist (starred review) “[A] fascinating book that is not just about a man who would be king, but also about the duties that come with privilege.”—Walter Isaacson “Sally Bedell Smith has given us a complete and compelling portrait of the man in the shadow of the throne. It’s all here, from the back stairs of the palaces to... No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)941.085092History & geography History of Europe British Isles Historical periods of British Isles 1837- Period of Victoria and House of Windsor 1945-1999 History, geographic treatment, biography BiographyLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.4)
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