The Biography Shelf

Queen Elizabeth I: Life and Legacy of the Virgin Queen
Paul Kendall
Frontline Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399018357, $49.95, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Elizabeth-Life-Legacy-Virgin/dp/1399018353

Synopsis: The forty-four-year reign of Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII = and the last Tudor monarch, was considered a golden age. It saw the emergen=
ce of the great playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Christopher Mar= lowe, while the exploits of Sir Francis Drake and other 'sea-dogs' helped e= stablish England's position among the great maritime powers.

With the publication of "Queen Elizabeth I: Life and Legacy of the Virgin Q= ueen", historian and biographer Paul Kendall looks at Elizabeth's life thro= ugh some of the many artifacts, buildings, documents and institutions that = survive to this day. From the execution of her mother, Ann Boleyn, when she=
was just two-and-a-half-years-old, to her imprisonment on suspicion of sup= porting Protestant rebels, Elizabeth's early life was a turbulent one, but = her accession to the throne ushered in a period of stability.

During her reign, England's wealth and prestige grew through her patronage =
of seafaring privateers such as Drake, John Hawkins and Walter Raleigh. She=
encouraged the exploration and colonization of North America, marking the = birth of the British Empire and the establishment of British trade routes. = Elizabeth was responsible for expanding the English Navy, its defeat of the=
Spanish Armada being considered one of England's greatest military victori= es.

In this magnificently illustrated volume we see her birthplace at Greenwich=
Palace, her childhood homes, her prison in the Tower of London, the palace=
s she lived in, ruins of stately homes she visited, such as Gorhambury Hous=
e, Kenilworth House, Upnor Castle and the Elizabethan town walls at Berwick=
, the many fortifications built during her reign to defend her realm, throu=
gh to her final resting place in Westminster Abbey.

Also found in this fascinating study are books that she presented to her fa= ther and step-mother, Katherine Parr, with the binding embroidered by Eliza= beth, her clothes, letters she wrote in her own hand, her coronation chair,=
her coat of arms asserting her title as Governor of the Church of England = and her signature signing the death warrant of her cousin, the 4th Duke of = Norfolk. This book is not just a journey back in time to the reign of Eliza= beth I, but also a tour across the country to visit the sites which still e= voke that golden era of the Virgin Queen.

Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an in= formative Introduction, a seven page Bibliography, and a four page Index, "= Queen Elizabeth I: Life and Legacy of the Virgin Queen" is an impressive co= ntribution to the study of Elizabethan England in general, and Quen Elizabe=
th I in particular. Particularly and strongly recommended for community, co= llege, and university library Historical English Royalty Biography collecti= ons, it should be noted for students, academia, historians, and non-special= ist general readers with an interest in the life and times of Queen Elizabe=
th I that "Queen Elizabeth I: Life and Legacy of the Virgin Queen" is also = available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).

Editorial Note: Educated at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of=
London, where he also served as an Honorary Midshipman with the University=
of London Royal Naval Unit, Paul Kendall (https://www.paul-kendall.co.uk) =
is a military historian and author from Kent specializing in the First Worl=
d War.

The Scintillating Life of Iulia Hasdeu
Constantin Manolache, author
Diana Livesay, translator
Center for Romanian Studies
c/o Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592111695, $29.99, HC, 386pp

https://www.amazon.com/Scintillating-Life-Iulia-Hasdeu/dp/1592111696

Synopsis: Ably translated into English by Diana Livesay, with the publicati=
on of "The Scintillating Life of Iulia Hasdeu", biographer Constantin Manol= ache presents the life and literary works of the Romanian child genius of t=
he 19th century.

Iulia Hasdeu (14 November 1869 - 29 September 1888) was the daughter of Bog= dan Petriceicu Hasdeu, one of the greatest literary and political figures i=
n modern Romanian history. Iulia started reading at two years old and she w= rote her first historical study at the age of six. At eight years old she w=
as fluent in French, German, and English. She graduated from the Bucharest = Conservatory at eleven with excellent accomplishments in piano and canto, a= fter which she left for Paris and started studying at Sevigne College. She = was the first Romanian woman to be accepted at Sorbonne University.

During her short life, before she was ultimately taken by an incurable illn= ess, Iulia wrote countless poems, short stories, and plays. Her drawings an=
d her letters also survived the passing of time, allowing us a glimpse into=
her tragic childhood and adolescence, her emotions, and her most intimate = thoughts. "The Scintillating Life of Iulia Hasdeu" is a premiere introducti=
on of a remarkably gifted Romanian woman for international readers.

Critique: In addition to being an informative and well written biography, "= The Scintillating Life of Iulia Hasdeu" contains English translations for m= any of her works and letters making it an ideal and unreservedly recommende=
d addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university li= brary Literary Biography & Poetry collections. It should be noted for stude= nts, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the s= ubject that "The Scintillating Life of Iulia Hasdeu" is also available in a=
digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note #1: Constantin Manolache (14 February 1883 - 21 January 1954=
) was a military prosecutor, chief of military justice, and professor at th=
e University of Bucharest. (https://generals.dk/general/Manolache/Constanti= n/Romania.html)

Editorial Note #2: Diana Livesay is a journalist translator from Cluj-Napoc=
a, Romania. (https://ro.linkedin.com/in/diana-livesay-2187b319b)

From the Battlefield to the Stage
Norman S. Poser
McGill-Queen's University Press
www.mqup.ca
9780228014539, $37.95, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Battlefield-Stage-Lives-General-Burgoyne/dp/02280145=
30

Synopsis: Primarily known today chiefly for his surrender to the American f= orces at Saratoga, New York, in 1777, General John Burgoyne (24 February 17=
22 - 4 August 1792) was one of the most interesting and extraordinary figur=
es of the eighteenth century.

With the publication of "From the Battlefield to the Stage: The Many Lives =
of General John Burgoyne" Norman Poser (Professor Emeritus at Brooklyn Law = School and the author of "Lord Mansfield: Justice in the Age of Reason") pr= ovides a rounded biography, covering not only the Saratoga campaign but als=
o elements of Burgoyne's eventful life that have never been adequately expl= ored.

At the age of twenty-eight, Burgoyne eloped with Charlotte Stanley, the dau= ghter of the immensely wealthy and influential Earl of Derby. Though initia= lly furious, the earl, convinced of the young officer's good character, eve= ntually forgave the couple, and the Stanley family became a major influence=
in Burgoyne's life and career.

He was a socialite, welcome in London's fashionable drawing rooms, a high-s= takes gambler in its elite clubs, and a playwright whose social comedies we=
re successfully performed on the London stage. As a member of Parliament fo=
r thirty years, Burgoyne supported the rule of law, fought the corruption o=
f the East India Company, and advocated religious tolerance.

"From the Battlefield to the Stage" paints a vivid portrait of General John=
Burgoyne, remembering him not only for his role in one of Britain's worst = military disasters but also as a brave, talented, humane man.

Critique: An impressive work of definitively informative scholarship, "From=
the Battlefield to the Stage: The Many Lives of General John Burgoyne" is = exceptionally well researched, organized and presented, making it an especi= ally and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and unive= rsity library 18th Century Biography collections. It should be noted for th=
e personal reading lists of students, academia, historians, and non-special= ist general readers with an interest in the subject that "From the Battlefi= eld to the Stage" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $36.0= 5).

To Tell the Truth: My Life as a Foreign Correspondent
Lewis M. Simons
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781538173169, $35.00, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Tell-Truth-Life-Foreign-Correspondent/dp/1538173166

Synopsis: With the publication of "To Tell the Truth: My Life as a Foreign = Correspondent", Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Lewis M. Simons's recollect=
s his 50 years as a foreign correspondent, one whose powerful stories contr= ibuted to transforming Asia from Vietnam War-era basket case to a global bo= omtown that today rivals the United States.

Simons's investigative work led to the toppling of a dictator in the Philip= pines. He covered the Tiananmen Square massacre in China, bloody coups in T= hailand, attempted genocide and societal collapse in Cambodia, and economic=
advance, decline and rebirth in Japan. He was expelled from India for his = exclusive reporting on Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's political misuse of t=
he armed forces. Breaking his own strict rule against becoming personally i= nvolved with people whose stories he covered, he saved the life of a dying = teenaged Tibetan Buddhist monk.

Simons molds the narrative of his lengthy, action-packed career from foxhol=
e mud and backroom dirt. Layered with moments of tenderness and humor, as h=
is camp-following family often accompanies him, the result is a masterful c= hronicle of war and murder; extreme poverty and suffering alongside repelle=
nt wealth and indulgence; wholesale larceny and ruling-class corruption -- = much of which escaped the scrutiny of other journalists. Readers who apprec= iate real-life historic drama will be enthralled.

Critique: A skillfully written, organized and presented memoir that will be=
of special appeal to readers with an interest in journalism, "To Tell the = Truth: My Life as a Foreign Correspondent" is an impressively informative a=
nd persona/professional account of the career and adventures of a war corre= spondent and a journalist investigating corruption and the tensions between=
the wealthy and the poor in various hot spots around the world. An informa= tive and fascinating read, "To Tell the Truth: My Life as a Foreign Corresp= ondent" will prove a welcome addition to community, college, and university=
library American Biography and Journalism Studies collections. It should b=
e noted for personal reading lists of journalism students, academia, and no= n-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "To Tell = the Truth: My Life as a Foreign Correspondent" is also available in a digit=
al book format (Kindle, $33.00).

Editorial Note: Lewis M. Simons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Simons=
) is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent on foreign affairs th= roughout Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

My Three Dads: Patriarchy on the Great Plains
Jessa Crispin
University of Chicago Press
1427 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
www.press.uchicago.edu
9780226820101, $19.00, PB, 236pp

https://www.amazon.com/My-Three-Dads-Patriarchy-Plains/dp/0226820106

Synopsis: For many Americans, Kansas represents a vision of Midwestern life=
that is good and wholesome and evokes the American ideals of god, home, an=
d country. But for those like Jessa Crispin who have grown up in Kansas, th=
e realities are much harsher. She argues that the Midwestern values we clin=
g to cover up a long history of oppression and control over Native American=
s, women, and the economically disadvantaged.

Blending personal narrative with social commentary, with the publication of=
"My Three Dads: Patriarchy on the Great Plains" Crispin meditates on why t=
he American Midwest still enjoys an esteemed position in our country's myth=
ic self-image. Ranging from The Wizard of Oz to race, from chastity to rape=
, from radical militias and recent terrorist plots to Utopian communities, = "My Three Dads" opens on a comic scene in a Kansas rent house the author sh= ares with a (masculine) ghost. This prompts Crispin to think about her inte= llectual fathers, her spiritual fathers, and her literal fathers. She is cu= rious to understand what she has learned from them and what she needs to un= learn about how a person should be in a family, as a citizen, and as a chil=
d of god -- ideals, Crispin argues, that have been established and reproduc=
ed in service to hierarchy, oppression, and wealth.

Written in Crispin's well-honed voice (smart, assured, comfortable with dar= kness) "My Three Dads" offers a kind of bleak redemption, the insight that =
no matter where you go, no matter how far from home you roam, the place you=
came from is always with you, "like it or not."

Critique: A fascinating and compelling memoir laced throughout with keen so= cial commentary and thought-provoking analysis, "My Three Dads: Patriarchy =
on the Great Plains" is an extraordinary and memorable read that is unreser= vedly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary American = Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists=
that "My Three Dads: Patriarchy on the Great Plains" is also available in =
a digital book format (Kindle, $18.05).

Editorial Note: Jessa Crispin (http://www.jessacrispin.com) is also the aut= hor of Why I Am Not a Feminist: A Feminist Manifesto and The Dead Ladies Pr= oject, the latter also published by the University of Chicago Press. She ha=
s written for the New York Times, Guardian, and Spectator, among other publ= ications.

Frank & Marilyn
Edward Z. Epstein
Post Hill Press
www.posthillpress.com
9781637585863, $30.00, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Marilyn-Fascinating-Relationship-Sinatra/dp/16= 37585861

Synopsis: Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, with the publication of "Frank =
& Marilyn: The Lives, the Loves, and the Fascinating Relationship of Frank = Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe", celebrity biographer Edward Z. Epstein brings = together for the first time these two all-American icons. Their friendship = and on-and-off intimate relationship, kept secret because of powerful other=
s in their lives, spanned seven tumultuous years. At one point, he even pro= posed marriage.

"Frank & Marilyn" follows Sinatra and Monroe from one explosive relationshi=
p to another, their marriages and love affairs eventually leading to a tang= led relationship with each other, sparking a nasty rivalry between Frank an=
d Marilyn's ex-husband (and one-time friend of Frank), Joe DiMaggio.

Frank and Marilyn's ultimately disastrous relationship with John F. Kennedy=
, his brother Robert, and their often ruthless family was a fatal move for = Marilyn. Her death remains a controversial topic to the present day.

Dedicated biographer and entertainment world insider Edward Z. Epstein has = spoken with many people who were familiar with the pair, all of whom talked=
about the Frank and Marilyn they knew -- and the dangers they faced. This =
is a fascinating, largely untold story that's usually glossed over -- but n=
ot with "Frank & Marilyn: The Lives, the Loves, and the Fascinating Relatio= nship of Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe".

Critique: Exhaustively researched, exceptionally well written, impressively=
informative, organized and presented, "Frank & Marilyn: The Lives, the Lov= es, and the Fascinating Relationship of Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe" i=
s a fully compelling and inherently fascinating read from cover to cover. W= hile unreservedly recommended for community library biography collections, =
it should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of Frank S= inatra and Marilyn Monroe fans that "Frank & Marily" is also readily availa= ble in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).

Editorial Note: Edward Z. Epstein (https://www.edwardzepstein.com) was form= erly a long-time media contact for MCA/Universal Pictures in New York. He i=
s the author or co-author of nineteen books, most recently Audrey and Bill:=
A Romantic Biography of Audrey Hepburn and William Holden, currently under=
option for a film. Other books include Paul and Joanne, a biography of Pau=
l Newman and Joanne Woodward, and the original full-scale biography of Clar=
a Bow, The "It" Girl: The Incredible Story of Clara Bow. Mia, his biography=
of Mia Farrow, was the basis for a two-part Fox miniseries. He has written=
articles on Ava Gardner and Natalie Wood for Cosmopolitan magazine, and, a=
former figure skating champion, he writes regularly for The ITNY (Ice Thea= tre of New York) Benefit Journal, and is a recipient of the organization's = Ice Angel Award.

Playing the Long Game: A Memoir
Christine Sinclair, author
Stephen Brunt, author
Random House Canada
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca
9781039004603, $25.00, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Long-Game-Christine-Sinclair/dp/1039004601

Synopsis: Christine Sinclair is one of the world's most respected and admir=
ed athletes. Not only is she the player who has scored the most goals on th=
e international soccer stage, male or female, but more than two decades int=
o her career, she is the heart of any team she plays on, the captain of bot=
h Canada's national team and the top-ranked Portland Thorns FC in the Natio= nal Women's Soccer League.

Working with sportswriter Stephen Brunt (who has followed her career for de= cades), with the publication of "Playing the Long Game: A Memoir", the inte= nsely private Sinclair shares her reflections on the significant moments an=
d turning points in her life and career, the big wins and losses survived, = not only on the pitch. Her extraordinary journey, combined with her candour=
, commitment and decency, will inspire and empower her fans and admirers, a=
nd girls and women everywhere.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Playing the=
Long Game: A Memoir" is an extraordinary memoir that will prove of immense=
interest to her legions of ans and anyone else on the subject of soccer. W= hile available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,=
$11.99), "Playing the Long Game: A Memoir" is an especially and unreserved=
ly recommended addition to community library Sports Biography/Memoir collec= tions.

Editorial Note: Stephen Brunt (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Brunt)=
is an award-winning writer and broadcaster with Rogers Sportsnet and the a= uthor of many bestselling books including Facing Ali, Searching for Bobby O=
rr and Gretzky's Tears. Two of his most recent books are Jordin Tootoo's Al=
l the Way and the hockey memoir from Brian Burke, Burke's Law, which became=
a #1 bestseller. He is the co-founder and artistic director of the Writers=
at Woody Point festival.

Leaving Faith, Finding Meaning
Lynne Renoir
Lynne Renoir Publishing
www.lynnerenoir.com
9780648304364, $14.95 Paper/$9.95 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Faith-Finding-Meaning-Preachers/dp/064830436=
1

"God punishes those who fall below his standard of perfection."

Leaving Faith, Finding Meaning: A Preacher's Daughter's Search for God is a=
memoir that recounts Lynne Renoir's upbringing in a fundamentalist Christi=
an family, headed by a preacher who also was an abuser. Backed by the Bible=
, the Word of God, and a belief system that seemed to condone his acts and = status as a family man, leader, and a firm Christian believer, Lynne's fath=
er ruled his household with an iron hand that mete out justice and love wit=
h equal strength. Punishment was engrained in Renoir's identity -- so much =
so that her isolated world in rural Australia in the 1940s seemed destined = never to change. This was as much due to the equation between God, belief, = and punishment as to Renoir's father's heavy hand.

In order to realize freedom, she would not only have to break the chains of=
oppression at home, but would have to entirely reinvent her concept of and=
relationship to God. This complex journey is the heart of her ultimately u= plifting story, which should be in any spiritual reader's collection. Anyon=
e who finds that they are undertaking the momentous task of revising life a=
nd belief itself will find much that resonates in Renoir's memoir.

From the legacy of violence that passes between generations to Renoir's ult= imate moves away from these engrained patterns, readers will relish the pro= gression of hope and faith. It leads to a powerful story of escape and a re= turn to a more loving belief system that embraces God in a different way. I=
n some ways, her story of escaping abuse is familiar and akin to others rai= sed in turbulent family waters. But the additional challenge of finding mea= ning outside of the form of faith she was raised in creates a powerful addi= tional layer of complexity that results in a delightfully unexpected journe=
y.

Libraries looking for powerful memoirs that examine the roots of Christian = belief, patriarchal family structures, abuse, and redemption will find Leav= ing Faith, Finding Meaning a potent story holding much fodder for discussio=
n for several kinds of reading groups: faith-based circles, and book clubs = looking at memoirs of abuse, escape, and spiritual freedom.

The Man Behind the General
Tom Sarmento, author
Marty Turner, author
Dorrance Publishing Company
585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9798886830347, $28.00, HC, 212pp

https://www.amazon.com/Man-Behind-General-Tom-Sarmento/dp/B0BL2S1T7W

Synopsis: "The Man Behind the General" is the fascinating and personal stor=
y of Tom Sarmento's life as a son, a father and a grandfather. For seven se= asons, Tom and his team built and maintained those fantastic cars (all name=
d The General) that were so much a part of iconic Dukes of Hazzard televisi=
on series. All those memorable tales are what comprises "The Man Behind the=
General". Even though it was only a small but significant part of Tom's li=
fe and career, with many of the show's fans, Tom Sarmento continues to ente= rtain to this very today.

Critique: Of special and particular interest to its legions of fans, The Du= kes of Hazard series featuring a stunt car that was continually having to b=
e replaced several times each season of the show, "The Man Behind the Gener= al" is illustrated throughout with black/white photography and highly recom= mended for personal, community, and academic library American Biography/Mem= oir and 20th Century American Television History collections and supplement=
al curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Man Behind the Ge= neral" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.00).

Editorial Note #1: Tom Sarmento (https://scottky.wixsite.com/tomsarmento) w= orked at the Universal & Burbank Studios on several movies and television s= hows, before working for The Dukes of Hazzard for seven seasons. His stunt = career started on The Fall Guy and lasted ten years as a Screen Actors' Gui=
ld member. Tom was a producer for Payback in 1990. He continued to do stunt=
work and build stunt cars for Hazzard Fests from 2002-09 around the United=
States, Canada and Europe.

A Parthenon on our Roof: Adventures of an Anglo Greek Marriage
Peter Barber, author
Charly Fuller, illustrator
UK Book Publishing
https://ukbookpublishing.com
9781915338204, $9.99, PB, 309pp

https://www.amazon.com/Parthenon-our-roof-Adventures-Marriage/dp/1915338204

Synopsis: A laugh out loud romantic comedy of a memoir by Peter Barber (and=
featuring occasional illustrations by Charly Fuller), "A Parthenon on our = Roof: Adventures of an Anglo Greek Marriage" is the story about Peter's Ang=
lo Greek marriage to his Alexandra his fiery Greek wife.

What could go wrong on marital journey into the heart of his adopted Atheni=
an family!

Critique: Laced throughout with anecdotal humor, love, and well observed cu= ltural descriptions and insights, all mixed with the beauty of Greece and t=
he Greek islands, Peter Barber's "A Parthenon on our Roof: Adventures of an=
Anglo Greek Marriage" is a fun read from cover to cover. While especially = and unreservedly recommended for community library Biography/Memoir collect= ions, it should be noted for the personal reading lists that "A Parthenon o=
n our Roof: Adventures of an Anglo Greek Marriage" is also available in a d= igital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Peter Barber (https://peterbarberbooks.co.uk) is a British-= born author who now lives between England and Greece. Peter is married to h=
is Greek wife Alexandra. Peters' books are non-fiction humour and based on = true life experiences and musings. Peter is a member of the UK's Society of=
Authors and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/peter.barber.771

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
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for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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