This just read.
Jul. 8th, 2008 02:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lhskarkaLadies of the Bedchamber: The Role of the Royal Mistress by Dennis Friedman
This one covers English Kings and their mistresses, starting with Henry VIII (of course) and ending with Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.
I lost interest somewhere around Edward VIII, but finished anyway because it's a short book.
Most noteworthy comment I can make is that this is the first book on the topic that I have come across with a Freudian viewpoint. As usual for me, trying to tie anything to Freud seems laughable and makes it difficult for me to take the author seriously. (It also makes me think of Doctor Who - "Are you my mummy?")
Second most noteworthy item is the vitriolic tone the Mr. Friedman takes when discussing Henry VIII. While I know that everyone isn't a fan of Mr. Tudor, I don't think I've read anything before that was so positively dripping with contempt.
It certainly does offer a different perspective on these rather public relationships. I mean, here I thought that Edward VIII renounced the throne at the insistance of Parliment for being a Nazi sympathizer, when actually it seems that he was raised unloved by his mother and was looking for a replacement! Who knew? ;)
Overall anlysis: Amusing perhaps, but not particularly insightful.
This one covers English Kings and their mistresses, starting with Henry VIII (of course) and ending with Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.
I lost interest somewhere around Edward VIII, but finished anyway because it's a short book.
Most noteworthy comment I can make is that this is the first book on the topic that I have come across with a Freudian viewpoint. As usual for me, trying to tie anything to Freud seems laughable and makes it difficult for me to take the author seriously. (It also makes me think of Doctor Who - "Are you my mummy?")
Second most noteworthy item is the vitriolic tone the Mr. Friedman takes when discussing Henry VIII. While I know that everyone isn't a fan of Mr. Tudor, I don't think I've read anything before that was so positively dripping with contempt.
It certainly does offer a different perspective on these rather public relationships. I mean, here I thought that Edward VIII renounced the throne at the insistance of Parliment for being a Nazi sympathizer, when actually it seems that he was raised unloved by his mother and was looking for a replacement! Who knew? ;)
Overall anlysis: Amusing perhaps, but not particularly insightful.
