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| | Location: Home » Pope » Europe » A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors | November 23, 2008 |
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| A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors | 
 enlarge | Author: Michael Farquhar
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy New: $2.50
You Save: $12.50 (83%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $1.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  (90 reviews)
Sales Rank: 20498
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.3 x 0.8
ISBN: 0140280243
Dewey Decimal Number: 920.02
EAN: 9780140280241
ASIN: 0140280243
Publication Date: May 1, 2001
Release Date: May 1, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great short stories about real people! June 4, 2008
Well written and informative short stories about lesser known historical figures. Fun to read because you can finish a story quicklly, perfect for just before going to sleep at night. You will be amazed by these stories.
A Royal Scandal Delight April 8, 2008
As an avid reader of historical novels I bought this book out of curiosity and I found it to be really funny and wonderfully written. Michael Farquhar has written in a such a humorous way, each tale about a historical figure is combined with shocking scandals and funny gossip.
A great read. Highly recommended.
 Mindless Entertainment - If Gossiping is your thing April 2, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
As I walked past this book at the local mega-bookstore my interest was fancied and I bought it on impulse, and because it was an impulsive buy I most certainly not take the time to look at the author's credentials, or look at the research done. As such I cannot blame anyone but myself for reading a book based almost entirely on gossip and propaganda.
Granted, there were some stuff that could be "proved", but much of what this book talks about cannot be proved one way or the other and is nothing more than a collection of he said she said gossip around the various towns or from the various nobles. And oftentimes the sources are the subjects sworn enemy! Of course the enemy is going to claim so and so is a pedophile, or was a murderous, tortuous monarch. Of course this isn't a means to ignore what they say or to discount it as a falsehood. Europe's past ruling families are known far and wide for their hobbies and past times, for their sexual desires and cruel interest in sport and torture, but Farquhar's book implies that this was how the monarchs and queens always acted and, as another reviewer states, ignores the good that many monarchs have produced (yes, even some of the murderous monarchs as well). Of course this would diminish the appeal that this book would draw upon.
After all, who doesn't like to read a good gossip? This is exactly what Farguhar has compiled, and is most definitely the feel of the book as a whole.
I give it three stars because it was a very light and fun read, something you can pick up while sitting on the toilet or as a light vacation read. I would not recommend to those looking for more a more serious look at history, even for those who are not familiar with the times at all. So, 3 stars for sheer mindless entertainment for a few hours.
3 stars.
Fun read February 22, 2008
Sort of a gossip book of little known facts about well known people.
I enjoyed it and am giving it as a birthday present to a history buff friend.
 Very Entertaining November 27, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a very entertaining book. It is a quick read. The stories are short but you can always get another book that expands on that person in history if you want to know more.
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