Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative magazines

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Expect to see a plethora of new books about Queen Elizabeth II in the next year or so.  Andrew Morton's book, The Queen, has arrived and is in a pile, waiting to be read. Tessa Dunlop has written Elizabeth & Philip, a history of their marital life, and Gyles Brandreth's Elizabeth: An intimate portrait.  Brandreth has known the queen and her family for more than 50 years.  Both books are available in the United Kingdom.   

This post, however,  considers closely a selection of commemorative magazines that were published in the weeks after Queen Elizabeth's death in September.  I have chosen what I think are the best of the magazines that I have seen since late September.  While standing in the checkout line at a local supermarket,  I browsed several of the\ magazines that are not listed here because I was not impressed with the publications.  This includes Town and Country's not-so-special Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022 and the Life Magazine special issue.

 Hello! magazine published two commemorative issues: Royal Funeral Edition and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II In Tribute to Her Extraordinary Life and Reign.

The first issue is subtitled The Emotional Final Farewell Queen Elizabeth II Her Historic  State Funeral in Full.  This 130-page publication opens with a "final goodbye" to the Queen from the magazine's Royal Editor Emily Nash.  With text and color photos, the magazine documents the first days of King Charles III's reign, the late queen's journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh and then to London to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Hall and the Lying-in-Service, the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, and the Committal service at St. George's Chapel.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla's travels to Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland following the funeral are also covered.

The coverage of the Queen's death and the aftermath is comprehensive as Hello!  includes all members of the Queen's immediate family and their public presence in the days before the funeral.

The second Hello! magazine (148 pages) focuses on the late queen's life from her birth through her marriage, motherhood, her reign, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her fashion style, the queen in her 90s, the Platinum Jubilee and the breaking news of her death, followed by the family as their share their grief with the growing crowds outside the palaces and other royal residences,  

The concluding pages of this commemorative issue focus on the new king's proclamation.

The cynosure People Magazine's Queen Elizabeth Tribute Edition is "A Celebration of Her Life and Reign."  This 112-page publication has 10 chapters that spotlight different aspects of the late queen's life from her childhood, the war years, marriage and motherhood, the Coronation, the Silver Years, the Golden Years, Her Diamond Era, and the Platinum Jubilee.

The magazine does not include coverage of the queen's funeral.   Good historical details.  People magazine is correct in their assessment: "There won't be another like her."

The Queen is a truly special publication from BBC History Magazine.  The articles were written by historians and biographers Sarah Gristwood, Victoria Arbiter, Stephen Bates, Tracy Borman, and Kate Williams.   Elizabeth's former press secretary Dickie Arbiter also contributed to the 131-page magazine,

Yes, there is an abundance of photographs, but the focus here is the history of the queen's life and reign.  Kate Williams profiles the Queen's early years and her upbringing   Prince Philip and his "partnership" with the queen is examined by Sarah Gristwood.

Victoria Arbiter provided a timeline of the "key milestones" in Elizabeth and wrote two of the articles on the Coronation and Love Behind the Throne, where she discussed Elizabeth balancing family life and the "ceaseless demands of duty as a royal working mother."

Dickie Arbiter offers readers a history of Buckingham Palace.  There are also articles on other royal palaces, the queen's fashions, her prime ministers, her travels around the world (as the most traveled monarch in history), the Commonwealth, social change, the Queen on screen, Elizabeth and the changing world and Stephen Bates's article on the modernization of the monarchy under Elizabeth II.

This issue is divided into three sections: The Making of a Queen, Life as Queen, and The Queen & Her Legacy.

The Queen, with its well-written and diligently researched articles, offers readers more insight into the life and role of the late queen's life and reign.

A digital download is available here:

https://www.historyextra.com/period/modern/digital-download-the-queen-a-guide-to-her-life-and-times-from-the-makers-of-bbc-history-magazine/

The Queen A Royal Life

This is an Australian publication that focused on all aspects of the Queen's life from childhood to her family and reign.  The magazine was first published in May to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee and updated in September after the queen's death. One chapter "The Royal Tours on Home Soil" is about the Queen's visits to Australia.  She first visited Australia in 1954.

The Queen A Royal Life was published by Partnerships and Magazines, a division of the Herald and Weekly Times in Victoria.  The articles are well-written and a delight to read, especially from an Aussie perspective.  Superbly illustrated.  

A digital copy is available for sale.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/competitions/queen-elizabeth-ii-platinum-jubilee-get-your-124page-commemorative-magazine/news-story/6be2a1ba2504a445f4d66312d3bc85fb

The Australian Women's Weekly Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

The editors have chosen to celebrate the queen's "extraordinary life and legacy" by selecting photos from their archives to illustrate the 250-page magazine.  There are also several long articles: Life Before the Throne, The Dawn of a New Era, Inside the House of Windsor, A Legacy for the Ages, and A Final Farewell.

Juliet Rieden, the royal correspondent for the Weekly, wrote "The Queen headed not just the Windsors but a national and Commonwealth family -- we all felt connected to her, a part of her long journey."

Yes -- there was a special connection, and not just for the UK and the Commonwealth, but also for Americans and others.

This commemorative issue was the first of three issues published by Australian Women's Weekly.  I have not seen the other two editions.

https://www.nowtolove.com.au/aww?fbclid=IwAR3Ydl8nbfrOq_pHNrWwcKvoS5-qqIvOb2EwIm4N4NT1ueE3eoLN00ch68s

This a company in Australia that sells Aussie magazines.  The magazine is available but I do not know if the company sells outside of Australia.

https://www.magshop.com.au/Products/AWM0068/australian-womens-weekly-queen-elizabeth-ii-souvenir-edition

Neither of the Australian publications is available through the US and UK Amazon sites.   EBay may have copies.

The final magazine on the list is Queen Elizabeth II: A Life in Pictures, published by National Geographic.  This was the first magazine I bought .. in the supermarket checkout line!  The price is $14.99 ($17.99 Can).

Erin Blakemore is the author of the magazine's text, which celebrates the Queen's "life of steadfast devotion."

Many of the photos come from National Geographic's archives.  This is my favorite of all the commemorative magazines  -- at least the ones I have seen -- because of its simplicity, thanks to Blakemore's words and the photo selection.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,  This is what I would like for Christmas, but I understand if you can't make it to my house -- the kids come first.

 

Royalty Digest -- final issue of the year

 

Looking to give yourself a wonderful Christmas present.   Royalty Digest Quarterly is the best royal history magazine!   Let's be honest:  it is the ONLY royal history magazine.   

You won't regret your present to yourself.   

https://www.royalbooks.se/

I am the author of the article on Lord Louis Mountbatten and Edwina Ashley's wedding.

More new books to get excited about

 

Sally Bedell Smith is a consummate biographer.  I look forward to George VI and Elizabeth The Marriage that Saved the Monarchy.  Queen Elizabeth II granted Bedell access to her parents' letters and diaries in the Royal Archives.  The book will be published in April 2023 by Random House.

A British edition has yet to be announced.

[In full transparency, if you purchase these books or use the links to shop at Amazon or Amazon.co.uk, I make a few pennies per sale -- whatever you purchase on Amazon through a link.  Amazon pays me in gift cards.  It takes time to reach the monthly threshold to earn a gift card, which I use to buy more books!!!!   Thank you.]

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In Napoleonic Days: Extracts from the private diary of Augusta, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

 

Augusta, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Saafeld (1757-1851) was the grandmother of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  Her diary offers good insight into the time period between 1806 and 1821.   The original edition was published in 1941.  This new edition includes photographs.

It is available in paperback and on Kindle.

Ena and Bee by Ana de Sagrera

 

The late Ana de Sagrera's fabulous Ena y Bee has been translated into English and will be available in the United States in January.

The book's title in English is Ena and Bee.

The book was published by Fonthill in the United Kingdom in May.  I make a few pennies on every sale from purchases through a book link.    Once you have clicked a book link, you can move to other departments: electronics, food, clothing, pet supplies, office supplies ... anything on Amazon.  I will receive a teeny percentage from Amazon for every purchase made through the original link.

Amazon got rid of the search box more than a year ago so it is important to go through a link.  Amazon and amazon.co.uk reward me with Amazon gift cards.

I need to earn $10 a month or more to get a gift in the US.  The threshold in the UK is £25.00.  It takes me at least two years to earn £25.00.

The pennies I earn does not come from the buyer or the seller, but from Amazon sharing "profits."

Enjoy shopping!!   Thanks for your support.

 

Charlene: In Search of a Princess

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South African journalist Arlene Prinsloo is the author of Charlene: In Search of a Princess. This is the first English-language biography of the former Charlene Wittstock, who married Albert II, Prince of Monaco in 2011.

 The publisher is Jonathan Ball, which is based in Capetown, South Africa.

The book will be published in the US and the UK in early 2023.  Pre-Ordering is available.   

I have received a copy of this book and I look forward to reading it.

 

A Royal Roundup

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My trip to London was wonderful but I came home with a parting gift: COVID-19.  A mild case but had residual congestion and breathing issues (tied to the congestion) that required a few drugs!  The congestion finally dissipated in mid-July.

 Mix in work and Nationals games and you have a pile of books ready to read and reviewed.

This post will be a roundup of royal books, good, bad, and indifferent.

A Royal Life by HRH The Duke of Kent and Hugo Vickers is a fascinating read as we glean insight into one of the British Royal Family's hardworking royals.   Prince Edward was only 6 years old when his father died in an air crash while on active duty in August 1942.   The new Duke of Kent would grow up without a father but had the support of his mother, Princess Marina, his younger siblings, and an extended family.

This biography is based on conversations between the Duke of Kent and Hugo Vickers, who also spoke to the Duchess of Kent, Lord St Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor, Lord Nicholas Windsor, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Count Hans-Veit of Toerring-Jettenbach, and Archduchess Helen of Austria.  Vickers also spoke with several members of the duke's household and also relied on several written accounts by Cecil Beaton, Sir Charles Johnston, a diplomat, who was married to Princess Natasha Bagration, and Baroness Agnes de Stoeckel.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Royal Life which gives a voice to the Duke of Kent's life. In response to a question from Hugo about having "a more interesting life" as a member of the royal family, the duke said: "It certainly gave me a lot of opportunities to meet people and travel.  I have done a great deal of traveling through the years.  So, yes, it certainly gave me advantages of that kind."

The Queen showed her support for her first cousin, the Duke of Kent by having him join her on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Platinum Jubilee.

The duke's younger son, Lord Nicholas Windsor, told Hugo: "I think he takes pride in playing part in supporting the Queen."

Most of the photos have not been published and come from the duke's private collection,

A Royal Life (Hodder & Stoughton) is a delightful, engaging, and refreshing read.  Highly recommended.

Tina Brown's The Diana Chronicles was one of the best books about the late Diana, Princess of Wales.  I cannot say the same about Brown's newest book, The Palace Papers (Crown).  It is long --570 pages -- but disappointing.  

Brown relied too heavily on the tabloids, which, for me, is never a good sign for someone who is a serious biographer. The book may be "stylish, witty, and erudite," 

The book's premise is to fill in what has happened in the Royal Family since Diana's death.  Is the premise fulfilled, yes, but Brown's prose offers little new information that I could glean, but I am sure the material in this book will be unique to the average reader?

We have all the scandals (Andrew, Harry), the marriages, Charles to Camilla, William, Harry, and Meghan.   

Think of this book as a vacation read and then leave it behind for someone else.

Crown published The Palace Papers.   Century is the UK publisher.

It is not The Royal Book of Year.

 

 

I bought Princess Mary The Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood while shopping in the gift store at Harewood House in June.  This is a 44-page booklet, a well-illustrated book written by Anna Robinson and Tara Hamilton Stubber.

The book was edited by David Lascelles, the current Earl of Harewood and Mary's grandson.

This booklet may have been a catalog for an exhibit at Harewood House on Princess Mary.  The authors provide a good synopsis of Mary's life.  It is available for sale only through Harewood House.  Yes, you can order from the United States -- and of course in the UK as well.

https://shop.harewood.org/en-us/products/princess-mary-the-princess-royal-countess-of-harewood

I loved Nancy Goldstone's Daughters of the Winter Queen.  I wish I could say the same thing about her latest book, In the Shadow of the Empress (Little Brown: $32.00).   The book is subtitled The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and her Daughters -- this is a bit confusing because the book is about Maria Theresa and her daughters, the youngest was Marie Antoinette.

 

Six of Maria Theresa's daughters lived to adulthood. Gladstone focuses on three of the daughters, Maria Christina (Mimi), Maria Carolina (Charlotte), and Maria Antonia.  All three made advantageous marriages, Mimi to Albert of Saxony, Charlotte to Ferdinando IV, King of Naples, and Maria Antonia to King Louis XVI of France. 

Mimi married for love, and the other two marriages were political and dynastic alliances.  Charlotte would show her mettle as a queen consort whose husband was not up to the kingly task, especially after Napoleon began his conquest of Europe.

Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI lost their heads in the French Revolution. Their youngest son, King Louis XVII, died in prison.  Only their daughter, Marie Therese survived.

I must admit that I found it difficult to get through the six hundred pages as the author's storytelling resembled driving on a gravel road going nowhere.  The three sisters' lives were fascinating -- and of course -- there are many biographies about Marie Antoinette -- but just as I find myself getting interested in what Charlotte was doing (and her life was the most interesting and the most productive of the three sisters), Gladstone jumps to Mimi's life.

What really aggravated me - and others -- was Gladstone's assertion that Marie Antoinette's two younger children, Louis XVIII and Sophie, were fathered by the Swedish nobleman Axel von Fersen.  There is no conclusive evidence that Louis XVI was not the father of all four of Marie Antoinette's children although there is no doubt that Marie Antoinette and Axel were lovers.

The Shadow of the Empress is a near miss, not a hit.  Not a complete mess because I want to read more about Maria Carolina, Queen of Naples, who befriended Emma Hamilton, Lord Nelson's mistress (later wife).

 

King Simeon II of Bulgaria's memoirs, A Unique Destiny was first published in 2014, but it was not until 2021 that an English translation was published by Stackpole Book ($34.95).

Born in 1937 as the only son of King Boris III of Bulgaria and Princess Giovanna of Italy, Simeon became king in 1943, when his father died mysteriously after a visit to Hitler.    Simeon was only 5 years old.  

Bulgaria was one of the Balkan nations, along with Romania, Serbia, and Albania, which was infiltrated by Soviet-trained communists, thus becoming the spoils of war for the Soviet Union.

In 1045, Simeon's regents, including his uncle, Prince Kyril, were forced to dig their graves before being shot to death.  A rigged plebiscite in 1947, observed by the Soviet Union, led to the end of the monarchy and the establishment of another communist republic.   Queen Giovanna, King Simeon, and Princess Marie Louise left Bulgaria, settling first in Egypt, where members of the Italian Royal Family were living in exile before finding a home in Portugal.

Simeon married a Spanish aristocrat, Doña Margarita Gómez-Acebo y Cejuela in 1962.  They are the parents of four sons (the eldest son Kardam is deceased) and one daughter and lived in Spain.  

In 1996, Simeon returned to Bulgaria for the first time since 1947.  He got involved in politics, forming a new political party.   He was elected as Prime Minister in 2001, serving until 2005.

A Unique Dynasty offers good insight into Simeon's life as he writes about his family history, exile, and his move to Bulgaria, giving up his claim to the throne to devote his energies to a developing post-communist nation.   

This is a definite must-read although I would have liked more family information on Margarita, the children, and their families.

Simeon's life has been lived in full.

 

 To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Princess Vera Konstantinova of Russia, Paul Gilbert put together a slim volume (138 pages) of Vera's "Fragments of Life (2) about her family. 

 Vera, who was born in 1906, was the youngest of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich and Princess Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenberg. Grand Duchess Elisabeth and her two youngest children, George and Vera, and other family members were able to escape Russia with the help of Queen Victoria of Sweden.    In 1922, the family moved to Altenberg where Elisabeth's brother, the former Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Altenberg lived.  

There would be Vera's second escape in 1945 as Soviet troops moved into what would become East Germany.  Vera stayed in Hamburg for several years before emigrating to the United States in 1951.

Princess Vera worked for the Tolstoy Foundation for many years.  She died at Tolstoy Foundation's home in Nyack, NY.

Although she was a child during the Russian Revolution, Vera understood that her world was changing, as three of her brothers were killed by the Bolsheviks in July 1918.  

Unfortunately, the book is not well-written and is crying out for a good editor.  However, the articles would have been better suited for a magazine. The book is a quick read, which may appeal to Romanov enthusiasts.

A broad selection of images of Vera are included in this book.  

The White House History Quarterly did a fabulous job with the Winter 2022 issue: Queen Elizabeth II The Royal Visits On the Occasion of Her Platinum Juilee 1952-2022.

The issue features chapters on the Queen's early visits, Blair House, the anniversary visits (1976 and 2007), the gifts exchanged by the Queen and the Presidents, a visit to Ronald Reagan's California, Julia Child, and the 1976 dinner, and soft diplomacy.   Super photos and each article include endnotes.   

This is a scholarly journal published by the White Historical Association.  I recommend purchasing this issue, which is a superb discernment of the Queen's relationship with the United States.

The cover features a regal portrait of the Queen. Her jewels sparkle!!

https://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2022/02/white-house-history-quarterly-queen-and.html

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II

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 Expect to see a surfeit of magazines and books commemorating the life of Queen Elizabeth II in North America and in the United Kingdom. Several, including the People and Life commemorative magazines, are already out on newsstands, in bookstores, and in supermarket checkout aisles.

This article will be updated when new publications are released.  I have bought the People magazine, the People Commemorative issue, and the National Geographic magazine.  If you purchase any of these publications and anything else (through the links), I will earn a few pennies  -- really, it is a few pennies per item.  

Under the Spell of a Myth Empress Sissi in Greece

 Stefan  Haderer's book, Under the Spell of a Myth Sissi in Greece is now available in English.

"Sisi was initially drawn to Corfu during her first marriage crisis in 1861. Almost 25 years later the Empress of Austria returns to the Greek island. Greece becomes the new home of her dreams and the white palace near Gasturi, the Achilleion, serves as the “asylum of a great wounded soul.” What are the real reasons, though, for Elisabeth’s deep attachment to the country and its people?

After many years of research, author Stefan Haderer takes us on a compelling journey. Thanks to sources so far unknown, he sheds light on Elisabeth’s life up to her tragic death as observed by those closest to her: her ten Greek readers and loyal travel companions, her ladies-in-waiting, the captain of the Miramar, and many more. On this fascinating voyage, we accompany the legendary Empress from Corfu to Athens, from the ruins of Mycenae to Troy, to the Cyclades Islands, and to areas in Western Greece barely visited by tourists."

Courtiers by Valentine Low

 

Valentine Low, who covers the Royals for The Times, has a book coming out in late September.

Courtiers will be published by

Who advises the royal family, what influence do they have and how have they shaped history?

From Amazon:

Throughout history, the British monarchy has relied on its courtiers - the trusted advisers in the King or Queen's inner circle - to ensure its survival as a family, an ancient institution, and a pillar of the constitution.

Today, as ever, a vast team of people hidden from view steers the royal family's path between public duty and private life. The Queen, after a remarkable 70 years of service, is entering the final seasons of her reign without her husband Philip to guide her. Meanwhile, Charles seeks to define what his future as King will be, with his court wielding ever greater influence as he plans for his imminent accession.

The question of who is entrusted to guide the royals has never been more vital, and yet the task those courtiers face has never been more challenging. With a cloud hanging over Prince Andrew as well as Harry and Meghan's departure from royal life, the complex relationship between modern courtiers and royal principals has been exposed to global scrutiny. William and Kate - equipped with a very 21st century approach to press and public relations - now hold the responsibility of making an ancient institution relevant for the decades to come.

Courtiers reveals an ever-changing system of complex characters, shifting values and ideas over what the future of the institution should be. This is the story of how the monarchy really works, at a pivotal moment in its history."

You do not need to live in the UK to order products from Amazon.co.uk

Kori Roff Lawrence's new book, Royal Weddings of the 1840s

 

From Amazon:

This book delves into the European royal weddings which took place from 1840 until 1849. This involves over a dozen royal houses from England and Russia to Spain, Austria and the various kingdoms of both a pre-unified Germany and a pre-unified Italy."

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant photo exhibit

 

@Harry Reichhold.  

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant

An extraordinary new photographic exhibition at London Bridge Railway Station 

By Henry Reichhold

A vibrant and colourful photographic exhibition has just opened at London Bridge Railway Station, celebrating the spectacular Platinum Jubilee Pageant.

Photographer Henry Reichhold has created two huge collages from over 800 images - the artworks showcase the huge range of events that made up the Pageant and capture the excitement of the day in exquisite detail and bold bright colours. 

Explore the images and discover the big events such as the Royal Family on the balcony, and singer Ed Sheeran on stage, or look deeper to uncover the many narratives that make up the artwork that tells the whole story. The exhibition can be seen at London Bridge Station Tooley St Overground exit, and will run until the 31st of August. 

all photos @Henry Reichhold 

Please contact

Henry Reichhold for further details on henry@reichholdarts.com or 07852 192371. 

A short film accompanying the exhibition can be viewed here:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efDcuaJjt50

A History of Royal Jubilees by June Woolerton

 

June Woolerton has written a timely book,  A History of British Royal Jubilees  (Pen & Sword), focusing on the jubilees of King George III, Queen Victoria (the first to have a Diamond Jubilee), King George V, and Queen Elizabeth II.

At Royal Central.  June is known as Lydia Starbuck.

https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/why-didnt-queen-victoria-have-a-silver-jubilee-178846/

This book is available now in the UK. It will be available for US readers in October.

 

Ena and Bee

 

Ana de Sagrera's excellent biography, Ena y Bee is now available in English,   It has been published by Fonthill.

A Romanov Roundup: the letters of Anastasia and Alexei

 

As it turned out,  Grand Duchess Anastasia was the boldest of the four daughters of Nicholas II and Alexandra.  She was a young woman, filled with compassion and perspective, who "had no tolerance for pretension.  "  Anastasia was only 17 years old when she was murdered with her parents, siblings, and several loyal retainers on July 16/17, 1918.

Having already translated diaries and correspondence of the three older Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, and Maria, Romanov historian  Helen Azar has turned to the writings of Anastasia Romanov The Tsar's Youngest Daughter Speaks through Her Writings (1907-1918).   The book was co-authored/translated by George Hawkins.

This 415-page book includes correspondence between the young Grand Duchess and her parents, grandmother, Empress, Aunt Irene, Aunt Olga, friends, and teachers as she emerges from childhood to young woman.

Many of the letters are short letters that include birthday greetings, religious days, and, most important, the final year of Anastasia's life when she and her family were prisoners of the Bolsheviks

I am drawn to Aunt Irene's  (of Prussia) letter to Anastasia  (June 17, 1914) to offer birthday greetings, "fancy already 13".  Irene, Empress Alexandra's older sister, also wrote about the imperial family's recent visit to Livadia in the Crimea and to Constanta in Romania  Nicholas and Alexandra and their family visited the Romanian royal family, where Queen Marie was eager to arrange a marriage between her eldest son, Crown Prince Carol, and Nicholas' eldest daughter,  Romania.   

Empress Alexandra and Queen Marie were first cousins,  but Alexandra did not share her cousin's enthusiasm for the marriage. 

The letter was written 11 days before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, which was the final match that led to the first world war.   

For Anastasia and her sisters and her younger brother, Alexei, who was a hemophiliac, their parents and tutors tried to maintain a semblance of pre-war life.  

Anastasia was at her happiest when corresponding with her father, even better when he would return from the front.  But there is little discussion of the war or the social upheaval outside the Palace.   In a letter written after Nicholas' abdication, Anastasia writes to her father:  "Well, my dear Papa darling. I'll finish now. I kiss you awfully firmly and love you! 1000. God be with you. All the best. Lovingly yours, your faithful and devoted Kaspyitz"  

The father-daughter love could not be constricted by imprisonment in Tobolsk and finally in Ekaterinburg.

George Hawkins is the editor/translator of  Alexei, Russia's Last Tsarevitch - Letters, diaries, and writings.  This nearly 700-page book opens with a brief introduction, followed by a chronology from 1904 until 1918.  The first entry is an excerpt from Nicholas II's diary, where he writes about the "unforgettably great day" when his son, Alexei was born.  

It is not until 1911 that Alexei's first written words appear.  The first chapters are diary excerpts and correspondence of Imperial family members writing about the young heir. Including other voices certainly helps the reader to understand Alexei.

He often wrote about illness (hemophilia), including the pain, but never truly complained.  Alexei was a young boy, who was determined to live a full life, even though he was under constant watch by his parents, his doctors, and the young soldiers who were his nurses-cum-playmates.

Kudos to Helen and George for the translations of Anastasia and Alexei's correspondence and diary entries.  But there are distinct problems with both books.  Publishing the letters in English is fantastic, but what is missing is the historical perspective and scholarship. 

Every chapter should begin with a text that informs readers about what happened during that year.  Tell the readers what the letters mean, the relationships, and the people mentioned in the letters and diaries. 

In other words: offer context.  Provide the historical perspective and scholarship that the letters and diaries demand.  

Where is the scholarship that these works deserve?  Both books were self-published through Amazon. I acknowledge that this is a good way to earn money.   But -- and this is a big but -- quality control is cast aside because the books were rushed into print.   This is a disservice to the material that both authors have translated.   University publishers, for example, invest time and money in their publications, making sure   Helen and George's books are far too important to be self-published   Neither had editors to guide them through the process of finalizing the manuscript before the book goes to press.

Publishers also have marketing and publicity departments, the latter of which sends ARCs to Library Journal Kirkus as well as book reviewers, historians, and others, people who can provide lucid and competent reviews of the subject matter.   The books also receive important cataloging information for libraries.   

Publishers also get books into bookstores and libraries, public and private.  But without the marketing and publicity, these books will receive minimal attention.

Most of the photos used in both books were supplied by GARF, the Russian archives.  The quality of the reproductions is not good, and many are too small to really appreciate. 

Both books include minimal footnotes, but the authors commit the cardinal sin of not including an index to names, places, subjects, and topics.  Seriously, an index is worth its weight in gold to researchers. 

This review is not a criticism of Helen and George's work. They have done a fabulous job in translating the correspondence from Russian to English.  My grumbles are toward the decision to not take the time to present their work to serious publishers who would be able to advise and release scholarly tomes that would reach a much wider market.   They need to put flesh on these letters.  

In other words, the historical and biographical of Who, What, Where, How, and Why.   

The authors have in their hands a historical treasure trove ... and both have the ability to produce a scholarly tome!