Third Girl from the Left

Book Description

An enthralling novel of three generations of African-American women struggling against all odds to express what lies deepest in their hearts, "Third Girl from the Left" is a deeply moving and ambitious story of one quintessentially American family. The Edwards women have always had one thing in common: each has looked to the movies as a way to escape the constraints of her own life. But for Mildred, a straight-laced survivor of the 1921 Tulsa race riots, her daughter Angela's turn as a blaxploitation actress is unforgivable, and the distance between them grows into a silence that lasts for years. It is only when Angela's daughter, Tamara, a filmmaker, sets out to close the rift between them that the women are forced to confront all that has been silenced and left unspoken in their lives. A bold, beautifully written, and deeply involving novel, "Third Girl from the Left" deftly examines the bonds of family—the ones we're born into and the ones we make for ourselves—the pull of the movies, and the power of desire to transcend and transform our lives.

Customer Reviews:

Moving forward by leaving your background behind.......2007-05-30

I picked this book up in a grocery store on a bit of a whim, and was ultimately surprised and pleased to have done so. I had not encountered Southgate's earlier books, so she was unfamiliar to me. I am originally from Tulsa but have been gone for several years. A few years ago, I found out about the Tulsa race riots for the first time (notably, after high school). I felt a great amount of guilt and shame about not knowing about this major event in the state's short (i.e., mostly white/"American") history, and it reminded me of the way I felt when I first learned that a lot of kids growing up in Northern Ireland had no idea that the Irish Famine of the 1840s had occurred. We just have such a inconsistent understanding of our own past, which distorts how we view ourselves now. And this is just such a sad thing to me.

This general sense of sadness and even guilt pervaded the book for me, but this is also what made it so powerful and so real to me. The protagonist is Angela, a beautiful black woman who strives for something more than what 1970s Tulsa has to offer. Interestingly, her beauty would have entitled her to more than her peers, but it isn't enough. She is clearly a free-thinker, without ever having been taught to be. She doesn't buy into the current sexual mores, for instance, and instead follows right along with the contemporary trend towards women becoming more aware of their bodies. Yet she does this not because of the women's liberation movement, which has never really reached Oklahoma, anyway, but because that's who she really is. Her inherent "differentness" causes her to develop a hatred for boring and behind-the-times Tulsa. This self-confidence, awareness of her own beauty, and her love of film eventually lead her to L.A.

L.A. couldn't be more different from Tulsa, however. She finds herself marked as an outsider--by her accent and relative innocence of the ways of the world--and she's never able to shake this stigma. This just increases her dislike of where she came from, and she desperately tries to completely remove herself from her roots. She ultimately fails to achieve what she hoped and finds only a hesitant satisfaction with her life. It is almost as if by trying to remove all traces of Tulsa from herself, she sets herself freely floating and nevers manages to ground herself in L.A. The fact that you don't fit in one place does not necessarily mean you fit in somewhere else. Recognizing this and forgiving yourself for where you come from can bring more satisfaction, and in the end Angela faces her past and finds it not as awful as she had thought.

Despite what people say, there are many of us who are outsiders even when we are at "home". Some of us will never find a place to truly fit in, even if we explore for years. The world does not actually offer an infinite number of possibilities. This is another sad thing about our existence, but undeniably true. Being able to see this through illustrated through the experiences of a young black woman living in a historically interesting world is wonderful, and just made it so clear how fundamentally human this can be.

A beautiful story, beautifully written........2007-04-26

I loved the "Fall of Rome" and I was thrilled to find this book completely unexpectedly on my library shelf. WHAT A BOOK! It grabbed me from the first page until the very last word. I couldn't wait to turn the page to see how Ms. Southgate would turn her next phrase. The 3 women are fascinating and multi-dimensional, the men in their life, interesting in their own right and not subjugated to staying in the shadow of these powerful and beautiful women.

I can't even write much more than this. I cannot intellectualize the feelings this book brought up in me. I can only say, I LOVED IT...

Sharing with Our Daughters.......2007-03-10

I must say that her first novel "Fall of Rome" is a hard act to follow; however, Martha Southgate's sophomore effort "Third Girl from the Left" supports my first impression of her as a writer: Southgate is a gifted creator and teller of stories. I not only enjoyed this mother/daughter tale, but also the talent she displayed manipulating language and weaving in the historical social climate of each of her characters (from the tragic destruction of Greenwood, OK to the era of Blaxploitation films) Each woman's narrative was a journey to becoming her own self. How awesome that each daughter--Mildred, Angela and Tamara--had to learn about her mother's past to accept her own present. Best of all was the way Southgate brought the daughter Angela back to her mother Mildred using the granddaughter-Tamara's need to make her mark as a film director. I think "Third Girl on the Left" is one heck of a story!

Fast moving, very engrossing.......2007-01-18

Martha Southgates Third Girl from the Left, is excellently written with a beleivable plot. I thought that Southgates references and detail regarding the 1970's Blaxploitation movies was very insightful. The relationship between the three women in the story is one that strikes a chord with any woman that is fortunate enough her mother and her child in her life. It is a reminder of how complicated this life can be. I have not yet read the Fall of Rome, but plan to soon. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent, engaging read. .......2006-08-23

I haven't read FALL OF ROME, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I thought THIRD GIRL FROM THE LEFT was a great read. From a plot standpoint, the story kept moving and I was never bored or disinterested. There were times when the writing, from a literary standpoint, was incredibly inoriginal, but overall, the book does a great job of telling its story -- the story of a family of women, their dreams, their secrets and their imperfections.

The Power of Political Art: The 1930s Literary Left Reconsidered

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The Power of Political Art: The 1930s Literary Left Reconsidered
Robert Shulman
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Book Description

During the 1930s, radical young writers, artists, and critics associated with the Communist Party animated a cultural dialogue that was one of the most stimulating in American history. With the dawning of the Cold War, however, much of their work fell out of favor, dismissed as dogmatic and un-American and disparaged as aesthetically and imaginatively deficient. Urging a reexamination of the literature and political culture of the 1930s Left, Robert Shulman explores the careers and creative work of five of the most talented writers of this group: Meridel Le Sueur, Josephine Herbst, Richard Wright, Muriel Rukeyser, and Langston Hughes. He shows persuasively that their political art retains the power to engage and challenge contemporary readers.

Shulman fuses close readings with a synthesizing concern for language, politics, and history to illuminate the art of his five writers, calling attention to their prose rhythms, imagery, and linguistic and formal innovations. In reclaiming their place at the forefront of artistic creativity in 1930s America, he demonstrates that these writers' individual voices were amplified by the radical dialogue of which they were part.

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VINEGAR MOUTH INDEED !

Third Girl from the Left
Ann Turner
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Teens | Subjects | Books | Authors, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Health, Mind & Body | History & Historical Fiction | Horror | Literature & Fiction | Manga | Mysteries | Reference | Religion & Spirituality | School & Sports | Science & Technology | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Series | Social Issues
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ASIN: 0027895106

Customer Reviews:

VINEGAR MOUTH INDEED !.......2001-02-06

This story is about a wild undisciplined 18 year old GIRL who answers a want-a-bride ad from a rancher in Montana.This girl has an attitude problem with God on the first page and doesn't like men in general.She doesn't deserve what she GETS IN THE END.This book contains a few bad words and sex talk. I have read much better from this author. I hope this is not the case of " write what you know" .Dissappointed !

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Third Girl from the Left
Martha Southgate
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MWRLIA

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Third Girl From The Left
Martha Southgate
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PSEII2

Third Girl from the Left (ISBN: 0618470239)

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Third Girl from the Left (ISBN: 0618470239)
Martha Southgate
Manufacturer: Houghton, Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NQIQSY

Third Girl From the Left.(Book Review) : An article from: Black Issues Book Review

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Third Girl From the Left.(Book Review) : An article from: Black Issues Book Review
Antoinette Dykes
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000BYA37A
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Black Issues Book Review, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2005. The length of the article is 421 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Third Girl From the Left.(Book Review)
Author: Antoinette Dykes
Publication: Black Issues Book Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 7 Issue: 5 Page: 64(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Third Girl From The Left
Ann Warren Turner
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O93NB0

Book Description

Bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries pens the sizzling story of one of three half-noble half brothers, who makes a most unwelcome entrance into society...

and a most unexpected match.

Beautiful Lady Regina Tremaine has turned down so many suitors that she's called La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The truth: she won't marry because she carries a dark secret. She sees no good reason, however, why her brother shouldn't court the lovely Louisa North -- even if the girl's brother, the notorious "Dragon Viscount," objects.

Marcus North, Viscount Draker -- bastard son of the Prince of Wales -- is rumored to be a monster who holds women captive in his dark castle to have his way with them. He has been exiled from polite society for years. But when Lady Regina makes a plea on her brother's behalf, Marcus proposes an outrageous deal: her brother can court Louisa so long as Marcus can court Regina. Can the beauty and the beast survive a proper courtship when the devastatingly improper passion between them threatens to cause the scandal of the century?

Download Description

" Bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries pens the sizzling story of one of three half-noble half brothers, who makes a most unwelcome entrance into society... and a most unexpected match. Beautiful Lady Regina Tremaine has turned down so many suitors that she's called La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The truth: she won't marry because she carries a dark secret. She sees no good reason, however, why her brother shouldn't court the lovely Louisa North -- even if the girl's brother, the notorious ""Dragon Viscount,"" objects. Marcus North, Viscount Draker -- bastard son of the Prince of Wales -- is rumored to be a monster who holds women captive in his dark castle to have his way with them. He has been exiled from polite society for years. But when Lady Regina makes a plea on her brother's behalf, Marcus proposes an outrageous deal: her brother can court Louisa so long as Marcus can court Regina. Can the beauty and the beast survive a proper courtship when the devastatingly improper passion between them threatens to cause the scandal of the century? "

Customer Reviews:

3 1/2 STARS to be precise. .......2007-07-16

I'm not sure if I'll try another work by this author. The book had some good moments, but for the most part, she drags her plot out with lots of fluff. I found myself skimming many parts. Dialogue is stilted at times and characters lack dimension. I much prefer the writings of Johanna Lindsey and Judith McNaught.

Great Continuation!.......2007-05-14

I enjoyed this book. Having read the first in the series the second continued the tale of the brothers. It was a good read.

Love it..........2007-04-30

This book is great and I can't wait to read it again. I love the character Viscount Draker because I think that it is hott when he is all like tough and a rogue. I like that he thinks that he is a beast and what not I find it attractive, eventhough it is sad as well. Especialy the way his mom treated him. And I think that Lady Regina and Viscount Draker are a perfect pair and the life that they lead are great. An awesome book. I would recommend it to anyone.

Oh my dear prince.......2007-01-10

Goodness what a storyBoy wants girl, girl doesnot want boy oh my

Loved it! Wicked hero meets his match. Fantastic story. .......2006-11-25

Wonderful!! Sexy, clever, and entertaining. Loved it!!! This is book 2 in the Royal Brotherhood series. I recommend skipping book 1 and go straight to book 2 & 3. (Book 1 is OK, but its not on par with book 2 & 3, and these books can be read in any order.) If you love this book, be sure to pick up "Any Duke Will Do". It takes place 7 years later, and you will see many of these characters again.

Prince of Pleasure (Random House Large Print)

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Fiesty,Fiery, and Fun!!!
best nicole jordan book!
The best I have read of Jordan's books
A very hot sensual regency romance
Another "KEEPER": torrid, loving, exciting, great characters

Prince of Pleasure (Random House Large Print)
Nicole Jordan
Manufacturer: Random House Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

Regency | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books

Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books

Literature & Fiction | Large Print | Formats | Books

Romance | Large Print | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 0375432558
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Book Description

The incomparable Nicole Jordan weaves a seductive tale of passion and betrayal, intrigue and destiny, in her most devastatingly delicious love story yet. . . .

THE PRINCE OF PLEASURE

He is England’s most notorious rake. Known as Dare to his friends, the wicked, outrageously charming Marquess of Wolverton is a consummate pleasure-seeker. But the seductive lifestyle is just his way of burying painful memories of the dazzling actress who once shattered his heart. When treachery threatens the Crown, Dare resolves to use his former beloved to help unmask a deadly traitor.

Forced to betray the only man she ever loved, Julienne wants simply to forget the tender passion they had known as young lovers. But when Dare publicly vows to have her again as his mistress, she responds to his challenge with a vow of her own: to bring the Prince of Pleasure to his arrogant knees.

As romantic adversaries, they play a provocative game of seduction. As patriotic allies, they embark on a perilous mission rife with danger and desire. And as their unforgettable passion rekindles, together they discover what Dare has long denied—that true love is the greatest pleasure of all.

Customer Reviews:

Fiesty,Fiery, and Fun!!!.......2005-08-01

I have always been a fan of Catherine Coulter, Johanna Lindsey and last but not least Virginia Henley, and having read all of their historical romances and running out of new and interesting authors, it is refreshing to find an author who has the same kind of passion for writing as my favorites.
Nicole Jordan incites a response from the reader and I found that I couldn't put the book down. I fell asleep reading The Prince of Pleasure and woke up and picked up where I left off, because I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
Having said all that, yes, I like books with intrigue too, but not too much. This book really didn't need the whole bit about the assassin to pull you along, their antics were more than enough to keep me interested.
The hero was flawed but, he's supposed to be, and the heroine was defiant but helplessly submissive, but would not let body overly rule her head but her heart was no match for him. I am currently waiting for the new Virginia Henley novel, and The Prince of Pleasure has kept me thoroughly entertained. It also has led me to an author I hadn't had the pleasure to enjoy until now, an author who isn't afraid to burn the pages, as well as my imagination.

best nicole jordan book!.......2005-05-04

If you've read the other books in Nicole Jordan's Notorious series then you MUST read this book! its the best out of them all along with THE SEDUCTION which you should read first, so you can get a gist of this Lord Clune hotty :D

The best I have read of Jordan's books.......2005-01-24

But then, I haven't been that fond of her others. The Prince of Pleasure presents a deeper relationship and a more involved plot. Although Dare's rationale for his ultra hedonistic lifestyle seems stretched and Julienne's reasons for never revealing the truth about her past appears slight once her mother died, they are still more fully realized characters than I have previously encountered from Jordan's pen. Dare remains rather self-centered for much of the book, but he has a pleasing vulnerability. Julienne exhibits great inner strength.

The traitor plot is rather obvious in its intention to thrust these two people together, but it retains a sense of mystery and excitement. The book is sometimes slow, and as always, Jordan allows the sex scenes to dominate the narrative--but much less than usual in this effort, to great effect. Indeed, only toward the end does this penchant begin to annoy.

I had intended to avoid more of Jordan's books, but I already had this one from the library and decided to read it, frankly not expecting much. Nicole Jordan will never be at the top of my author's list, but at least I found this one to be better than the others I have read.

A very hot sensual regency romance.......2004-09-04

Jeremy Adair North (Dare) is known as the Prince of Pleasure. 7 years ago, Dare lost his heart to the young Julienne Laurent, a french emigrée. He courted her during one summer of innocent love but was betrayed when he found her in the arms of another man. Julienne had pretended to betray Dare because his grandfather would have disowned him if Dare had married Julienne. So in order to forget Julienne, Dare has been living a life of debauchery taking his pleasures in carnal sins.

7 years later, Julienne has become a celebrated actress treading the London boards. Julienne and Dare's path cross again when Dare is employed to uncover a traitor, the notorious Lord Caliban. Dare thinks that Julienne may be involved with the Caliban and publicly announces that he will make Julienne his mistress. In return, Julienne wagers that she will bring Dare to his knees.

As Dare discovers that Julienne is indeed not in league with the Caliban, together they play a dangerous game of uncovering the true identity of the Caliban.

I didn't care much for the story about the Caliban but the love story between Dare and Julienne was engaging and the love scenes were so hot that the pages will burn your fingers. Be warned that the sex scenes were very graphic and may not be agreeable to all readers. Otherwise a rather good read.

Lea Ling Tsang

Another "KEEPER": torrid, loving, exciting, great characters.......2004-07-03

Another **winner** from Nicole Jordan, who over the past few months has completely won me over as a reader!!

I normally don't like rakes who are AS RAKISH, and outrageous, and daring , as 'Dare' North, Lord Wolverton, but Ms. Jordan has scored quite a coup... she's made me fall in love with this hero... .he is really quite tired of being a rake (he's still young, but nevertheless...). He 's only ever been in love once , seven years earlier, with the then 17-yr-old beauty Julienne Laurent, of noble French birth, but an emigre at age 4. She may as well be British ,
having lived there for most of her life, but ---this is 1807 , smack-dab in the middle of the Napoleonic/Peninsula Wars, and there's no real love lost between the English nobility and the French Royalists, who want a real king on the throne, not that upstart Corsican , Bonaparte; but MARRYING one of those emigres was quite another thing. Dare wanted to marry Julienne (he calls her his Jewel) 7 years back, despite his grandfather, then-Lord Wolverton; but the old man refuses, vehemently....
Dare still wants her, badly, anyway, he LOVES her... and she , him, but , because the grandfather will disown him if they wed, and because she cannot bear the thought of Dare resenting her for this later on, she breaks off their love in the only way she can think of (it's ingenious, I won't give it away), and Dare is CRUSHED. Her ruse worked, only too well... Dare leaves, vowing never to love again (and certainly not HER), and then the old man trashes Julienne's name in polite society, accusing her of being a traitor to Britain, of being in league with the Bonapartists...

It's a complex plot... and the subplot [I am often bored by subplots, but this is so well-written , so much research has been done for the sake of accuracy in the broader historical backdrop to the main story, that it's fascinating!!] ... the subplot is Dare's (and Lucian's , from DESIRE), and then Julienne's search for the evil Caliban, who may be about to assasinate the one person in Britain who can help convince the French to overthrow Bonaparte and keep him out, that is, Lord Castlereagh.... Julienne had become an actress in the years since the horrible break with Dare, and she is quite accomplished, although of course actresses were not allowed in the upper echelons, the best circles... not at all.

Dare sees her on stage after 7 years have passed; she is lovelier than ever at 24, and he is older too, but still young, and sick and tired of playing the rake. It's hard to make me believe men such as this are in earnest about really changing their ways, and Dare is INDEED outrageous in his 'pursuit' of Julienne.... the things he does and says are the stuff romantic/sensual dreams fantasies are made of!... but still, he loves her, and I believe it. I believe him. He has never stopped loving her, nor she, him, but the divide between them is a huge chasm now... I won't give the book away; there is still so much more in this tight, complex plot!

He is bent on revenge for what she did to him 7 years before, and she loves him madly but is very proud, as he is.
Their pride and mistrust must be overcome in order for any love to flourish between them again, and Ms. Jordan makes it FLOURISH, all right....
I was actually blushing in places, and loving every minute of it! NO ONE writes such torrid yet romantic and loving scenes as beautifully as Ms. Jordan. I have a few other fave authors, but her love scenes are to die for, the best.

How will Dare and his lovely Jewel come together again? How can their love ever be made alive again? How can they learn the truth about their deepest feelings of longing for one another?
Read it, and find out. It's GREAT!!!
Dare and Julienne are REAL people, with real feelings... and it shows on every delicious page.
Brava, Nicole Jordan!
I never re-read books unless it's worth my time, and I'm rereading this one , now... it's even better than the first time.
I love ALL the books in her 'Notorious' series, and her recent MASTER OF TEMPTATION is another killer....
have fun, dear readers!

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A Fascinating Omnium Gatherum

the prince of pleasure and his regency
Prince of Pleasure and His Regency, 1811-20
J.B. Priestley
Manufacturer: William Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
19th Century | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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Our Tempestuous Day: A History of Regency England

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English Society in the Eighteenth Century, Second Edition (The Penguin Social History of Britain)

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ASIN: 0434603570

Customer Reviews:

A Fascinating Omnium Gatherum.......2005-07-24

If this book has flaws (for what it attempts to be), one lies with the author and one with the publisher.

The writer is too much of his time, a bit obsessed with judging all the people as to whether they were "truly female" or "real men," whether they were properly mature or "giant children." That, and to cover his vast subject (the entirety of England of note and commonality both, not just the Regent and the ton), for people he often relies too heavily on 'The Dictionary of National Biography', taking its fourth-hand judgements rather too seriously beyond the mere facts of birth, death, marriage and offspring. His bibliography lists better books, which he might have paid more attention to.

Yes, I read the text as well as looked at the pictures, which are sometimes three per page. This is the other problem. To cram this many on in the wide borders results in them often being tiny and dark, so that any detail, sometimes any sense or image, is lost. In many cases, items with captions or speech balloons are unreadable. This is the publisher's fault: they could have either reduced the number of illustrations, making more of them valuable rather than blobby, or they could have allowed more pages and put less text per page around larger images.

That done with, if the subject interests you, I can't recommend this too highly. The pictures that are visible are a valuable cross selection, like a box full of snapshots of everywhere: machinery, grand houses, frost fairs on the Thames, bridges, furniture, mail coaches in thunderstorms, and a constant stream of portraits. If you have been studying this period a while, finally seeing the faces of the names often mentioned adds a whole level of illumination.

As well, the text is marvelously informative on a vast number of subjects. Organization year by year helps the reader see when different influences struck, rather than making it difficult to co-ordinate the war, home politics, and shifts in the arts because they're in separate chapters. Yes, sometimes he does stop to give background on an item only in this year first really important, or move forward to sum up the future of someone he means to not bring up again (and not leave the reader hanging and wondering). It's done very smoothly.

It's a good book to read cover to cover, yet one can then keep it at chairside and dip into it anywhere for a few minutes of entertainment and education. All in all, both a fun book and a good book, a combination rarely found.

the prince of pleasure and his regency.......2000-04-07

A wonderfully detailed and readable account of the Regency era (1811-1820) and its focal point--Prince George IV. The author ably explores,within the context of the eras mores and singular fashion, the lives of its most celebrated and scandalous figures. The author also recounts the events of the Napoleaonic Wars taking place at the time in an interesting and relevant fashion. All in all, I found this book to be a very easy and enjoyable read with just enough history and gossip to keep you moving right along. If you are interested in the era, I would also recommend The Regency Companion, an enjoyable and detailed reference work of the time.

The Prince of Pleasure: The Prince of Wales and the Making of the Regency

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Why monarchy became an unpopular institution...
Sad and silly person
No revisionist breakthroughs here, but a lot of fun
Little new is revealed in this
Poor Prinny

The Prince of Pleasure: The Prince of Wales and the Making of the Regency
Saul David
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0802137032

Amazon.com

When the future British monarch George IV (1762-1830) was a lad of 15, his head instructor predicted the Prince of Wales "will either be the most polished gentleman or the most accomplished blackguard in Europe, possibly an admixture of both." It was, as historian Saul David notes, "a particularly prescient remark." He is most popularly remembered for setting the pace for drunkenness and lechery among England's upper crust, not to mention his attempts to exploit the "madness" of his father, George III, for political gain (which would incidentally help him raise the money necessary to pay off his massive debts). But, David says, he was also a generous patron of the arts--responsible for, among other things, the establishment of the National Portrait Gallery--and played a critical role in the multinational campaign against Napoleon, thereby securing Britain's position of supremacy.

Prince of Pleasure is a lively biography, rich in anecdote, which provides a nuanced view of the monarch and statesman that hides nothing, but considers the flaws within the context of a nation where parliament and royalty maintained a delicate balance while revolutionary fervor swept many other countries. Drawing deeply upon contemporary sources, David is able to offer substantial detail on matters such as the prince's "secret" wedding to the Catholic widow Mrs. Fitzherbert, or his later, legally sanctioned matrimony to Princess Caroline of Brunswick, who so physically repulsed him that, after three instances of congress in the first two days of their marriage, he never went near her again. There is also much fine detail on the personal rifts between the prince and his father, and the ways in which that discord shaped Whig-Tory rivalries in the House of Commons. People fascinated by the stories surrounding the late 20th century's Prince of Wales will find his Hanoverian antecedent as compelling--probably more. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

The Prince of Pleasure is the immaculately researched and engaging story of George IV (1762-1830), a rakish and contradictory figure who became one of the most controversial and outrageous monarchs in British history. Critically acclaimed biographer Saul David has captured the passions and foibles of this monarch -- infamous for being overweight, overdressed, and oversexed -- who epitomized England's regency period. George IV was marked throughout his life by financial ruin and domestic entanglements. Though known primarily for his scandalous lifestyle, he was also a man of high intelligence with a great appreciation for art and literature. In addition to encouraging the works of both Jane Austen and Sir Walter Scott, as well as purchasing the Elgin Marbles, he promoted England's Regency style of architecture. In fast-moving and incisive prose, Saul David paints a brilliantly detailed portrait of the Regency period.

Customer Reviews:

Why monarchy became an unpopular institution..........2004-03-18

This is a good book about a bad man. While George IV is believed to have been a style setter and taste-maker, his life was so motivated by self-indulgance and egotism that even a biographer as talented as Mr. David cannot hope but to fail in his hopeless attempt to make the subject of this books attractive.
George IV was the son of America's last king, George III. In his life there were hosts of empty headed women of easy virtue, massive tasteless building projects, flitations with radical politics, and more excess than the average Hollywood star of the moment. By his example, George IV makes Jim Morrison look like a choir boy. And what a bore he must of been as well!
Mr. David attempts to make the prince likable, but one is compelled upon a dispassionate read of the facts to conclude with Thackery that he was little more than a cad with a crown. This is the opposite conclusion to which Mr. David attempts, and hats off to him for his efforts on behalf of this poor dead king's reputation. It is kind of difficult to feel any sympathy for a man who treated his wife so poorly, drank himself to excess, spent money fecklessly and in the end believed himself (rather pathetically) the victor of the battle of Waterloo.

Sad and silly person.......2001-11-05

He started off pretty, but it was only skin deep. He was vain and greedy. He was particularly irksome to both wives (secret and catholic Mrs Fitzherbert, "respectable" but dizzy Princess Caroline). But no-one is all bad - he loved his daughter, enjoyed parties and built a few memorable buildings. What a waste of a life. Despite the horrible cover, this is a solid book on the Prince Regent which will be read (or glanced at) by regency buffs the world over.

No revisionist breakthroughs here, but a lot of fun.......2001-01-10

George IV or the Prince Regent is the caricature monarch of English history. In the age of the scything cartoonist, the larger than life Prince was the ideal subject through his loves, sense of melodrama and overblown antics. David, wisely in my opinion confines himself to the period before his ascendancy to the throne, after which George, by virtue of his gout and his unpopularity became a subdued, sorry figure. David whisks us through all the major episodes, Mrs. Fitzherbert, his doomed marriage, the infidelity of both spouses and his eternal opulence and theatrics. There is such a wealth of literature both on the Prince and the Regency, that a new approach or a fresh insight is virtually impossible, particularly from a biographical standpoint. Hence the best an author can do under the circumstances is provide a rollicking read and a fun, lively approach and David measures up to the task. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book about a perenially endearing cartoonlike figure. No revisionist breakthroughs here, but a lot of fun.

Little new is revealed in this.......2000-11-27

I am ambivalent at best about Saul David's book "Prince of Pleasure".

On the good side I think he is very readable and I did enjoy a great deal of this book. Unfortunately I don't think he brought up much to shed new light on the Prince and indeed some of the matters on which he emphasised he failed to distinguish between rumour and innuendo, and what was actual provable fact - the supposed love children of the Prince Regent's sisters for instance. Other people have presented far better researched and more compelling arguments on these things than he did.

The book left wondering what there was really new in this that Christopher Hibbert has not discussed in his 2 volume biography of the Prince Regent Published some 25 years ago? If there was anything new about the Prince I think it was mostly window decoration.

Also I was somewhat disturbed by a number of errors of fact in the book - none of which really destroyed or influenced the subject of the book as they were on peripheral issues - but nevertheless annoying - for instance he said the Earl of Barrymore (better known as Hellgate) had been shot by the soldiers in his regiment - untrue. He died in an accidental shooting when his sporting gun went off in his carriage. David implies that Harriette Wilson made a fortune from her memoirs - also not true.

I also found it hard to agree with some of the interpretations he put on various quotes from people - to prove that the Prince had had an affair with Harriette Wilson for instance - or his assertion from a very ambiguous quote that Beau Brummell was Gay.

David does have a very neat way of blending in the elements of history with the life of the Prince Regent which I also found very enjoyable. I wish he would footnote a bit more so it was possible to see where he drew his information from.

One final quibble I have with this book is that "Prince of Pleasure" is a title that is already used by J B Priestley's 1969 work on the Prince Regent and the Regency period. This was a popular book and well known. I wondered if David had read it, but it doesn't turn up in his bibliography - a fact I find surprising for he must have come across it in his research. It just seems a bit cheeky to use the same title in a book on exactly the same subject and not acknowledge it.

In the end I am left wondering what he has added that was not already known about the Prince Regent. Still it is interesting and readable.

Poor Prinny.......2000-09-29

This book was the first I've read that presents a balanced picture of the Regent. He had many unattractive qualities but they were the shortcomings of someone who never really grew up, a lifelong adolescent. He had some finer traits that might have served him perfectly well if he'd been a private gentleman instead of the heir to the throne. I was particularly interested in the theory that the Regent suffered to a lesser extent the hereditary disease that most historians believe caused George III's madness.

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