Queen Victoria / Edition 1

by Walter L. Arnstein

Overview

In this engaging study, Walter L. Arnstein explores both the private life and the public role of the young princess who inherited Britain's throne as a teenager and who became the octogenarian symbolic head of the largest empire in the history of the world.

Arnstein incorporates the findings of past studies and recent research (including articles of his own based on previously unpublished letters and journals) to shed light on often-neglected aspects of Victoria's life and reign: her concern with gender roles, religion, politics, and Ireland; as well as her involvement with both the controversial domestic issues and the great international conflicts of the era. Wherever the historical evidence allows, Arnstein enables the monarch to speak in her own words, demonstrating that Victoria was not only the queen who became an adjective, but also a highly-quotable, multi-dimensional human being.

Concise, authoritative and attractively illustrated, Queen Victoria provides the economic, social, cultural and political background knowledge to make the life of this fascinating monarch intelligible even to readers unfamiliar with her now distant world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780333638071
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/01/2005
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

WALTER L. ARNSTEIN is Professor Emeritus of History and Jubilee Professor Emeritus of the Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
WALTER L. ARNSTEIN is Professor Emeritus of History and Jubilee Professor Emeritus of the Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
The Cloistered Princess
The Royal Teenager
The Model of Domesticity
The Reigning Partner
Britain's Champion
The Reclusive Widow
The Guardian of the Constitution
The Imperial Matriarch
The Paradoxical Monarch
Appendices
Select Bibliography
Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Wise, based on extensive research, and blissfully concise, Queen Victoria is richly illuminating on both her political and personal life. For scholars, students as well as for those who enjoy a good read, this is a book to be savored.' - Peter Stansky, Stanford University

'Professor Arnstein is to be congratulated on the admirable clarity and brevity of his text.' - Kim Reynolds, Research Editor, New Dictionary of National Biography

'Excellent up-to-date concise study of Victoria and her reign.' - Sarah Richardson, University of Warwick

'His book is distinguished by its fairness and cogency.' - Brad Hooper, Booklist

'The book is not too long yet is rich in information about Victoria's personal life and about her reign...' - Sally Weeks, Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette

'This is a sharply observed and excellently written book.' - History Today

'Arnstein has clearly succeeded in his aim of providing a succinct and up-to-date overview of Victoria's life which brings her firmly back into the mainstream of Victorian history from which she has been marginalised for too long.' - Roland Quinault, The English Historical Review

'The first royal biography written by a professional historian is Arnstein: Queen Victoria ... an outstanding and pioneering example of how historically-informed royal biography can - and should - be written for the modern period.' - David Cannadine, Historical Research

'For readers seeking a compact life of Queen Victoria, this biography is just the thing.' - Stanley Weintraub, The Historian

Editorial Reviews

"Provides a well-rounded portrait of the queen while at the same time highlighting relatively little known aspects of her life...This is a sharply observed and excellently written book." --History Today

"Wise, based on extensive research, and blissfully concise, Queen Victoria is richly illuminating on both her political and personal life. For scholars, students, as well as those who enjoy a good read, this is a book to be savored."--Peter Stansky, Stanford University

"For readers seeking a compact life of Queen Victoria, this biography is just the thing." --The Historian

"The greatest strength of this particular treatment of Victoria's life is that it is useful for a wide audience. Experts will read it with informed pleasure. General readers will be fascinated by the almost endless array of pageant and drama that was nineteenth century Britain, presented in a seemingly effortless style." -- History: Reviews of New Books

"The book is not too long yet is rich in information about Victoria's personal life and about her reign."--Sally Weeks, Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette

"His book is distinguished by its fairness and cogency."--Brad Hooper, Booklist

"The book amply reflects Professor Arnstein's deep knowledge of the Victorian era--the product of many years of teaching and research. Consequently the activities of Victoria and her circle are not just ably narrated but also clearly contextualized." -- English Historical Review

"The first royal biography written by a professional historian...and as such is an outstanding and pioneering example of how historically-informed royal biography can--and should--be written for the modern period." -- David Cannadine, University of London

"

"Provides a well-rounded portrait of the queen while at the same time highlighting relatively little known aspects of her life...This is a sharply observed and excellently written book." --"History Today"

"Wise, based on extensive research, and blissfully concise, Queen Victoria is richly illuminating on both her political and personal life. For scholars, students, as well as those who enjoy a good read, this is a book to be savored."--Peter Stansky, Stanford University

"For readers seeking a compact life of Queen Victoria, this biography is just the thing." --"The Historian"

"The greatest strength of this particular treatment of Victoria's life is that it is useful for a wide audience. Experts will read it with informed pleasure. General readers will be fascinated by the almost endless array of pageant and drama that was nineteenth century Britain, presented in a seemingly effortless style." -- "History: Reviews of New Books "

"The book is not too long yet is rich in information about Victoria's personal life and about her reign."--Sally Weeks, Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette

"His book is distinguished by its fairness and cogency."--Brad Hooper, "Booklist"

"The book amply reflects Professor Arnstein's deep knowledge of the Victorian era--the product of many years of teaching and research. Consequently the activities of Victoria and her circle are not just ably narrated but also clearly contextualized." -- "English Historical Review"

"The first royal biography written by a professional historian...and as such is an outstanding and pioneering example of how historically-informed royal biography can--and should--be written for the modern period." -- David Cannadine, University of London"

"Provides a well-rounded portrait of the queen while at the same time highlighting relatively little known aspects of her life...This is a sharply observed and excellently written book." --"History Today" "Wise, based on extensive research, and blissfully concise, Queen Victoria is richly illuminating on both her political and personal life. For scholars, students, as well as those who enjoy a good read, this is a book to be savored."--Peter Stansky, Stanford University "For readers seeking a compact life of Queen Victoria, this biography is just the thing." --"The Historian" "The greatest strength of this particular treatment of Victoria's life is that it is useful for a wide audience. Experts will read it with informed pleasure. General readers will be fascinated by the almost endless array of pageant and drama that was nineteenth century Britain, presented in a seemingly effortless style." -- "History: Reviews of New Books" "The book is not too long yet is rich in information about Victoria's personal life and about her reign."--Sally Weeks, Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette "His book is distinguished by its fairness and cogency."--Brad Hooper, "Booklist" "The book amply reflects Professor Arnstein's deep knowledge of the Victorian era--the product of many years of teaching and research. Consequently the activities of Victoria and her circle are not just ably narrated but also clearly contextualized." -- "English Historical Review" "The first royal biography written by a professional historian...and as such is an outstanding and pioneering example of how historically-informed royal biography can--and should--be written for the modern period." -- David Cannadine, University of London

From the Publisher