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The Crown: The Official Companion #1
The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen
The official companion to the critically acclaimed Netflix drama about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, The Crown by Peter Morgan, featuring additional historical background and exclusive images.
Starring Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and John Lithgow as Winston Churchill, Netflix's original series The Crown, created by Peter Morgan and growing out of his Oscar-winning movie The Queen starring Helen Mirren, paints a unique and intimate portrait of Britain's longest-reigning monarch. This official companion to the show's first season is an in-depth exploration of the early years of Elizabeth II's time as Queen, complete with extensive research, additional material, and exclusive, beautifully reproduced images.
One of the show's most powerful themes is that royals do not choose their duty; it is thrust upon them. Princess Elizabeth never expected her father to die so suddenly, so young, leaving her not only a throne to fill but a global institution to govern. Crowned at twenty-five, already a wife and mother, follow the journey of a woman learning to become a queen while facing her own challenges within her own family. This is the story of how Elizabeth II drew on every ounce of strength and British reserve to deal with crises not only on the continent but at home as well.
Written by bestselling historical biographer Robert Lacey, who also serves as the show's historical consultant, this official companion provides an in-depth exploration from behind the palace gates. Relive the majesty of the first season of the hit show, with behind-the-scenes photos, meticulously researched images from the time, and more.
Starring Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and John Lithgow as Winston Churchill, Netflix's original series The Crown, created by Peter Morgan and growing out of his Oscar-winning movie The Queen starring Helen Mirren, paints a unique and intimate portrait of Britain's longest-reigning monarch. This official companion to the show's first season is an in-depth exploration of the early years of Elizabeth II's time as Queen, complete with extensive research, additional material, and exclusive, beautifully reproduced images.
One of the show's most powerful themes is that royals do not choose their duty; it is thrust upon them. Princess Elizabeth never expected her father to die so suddenly, so young, leaving her not only a throne to fill but a global institution to govern. Crowned at twenty-five, already a wife and mother, follow the journey of a woman learning to become a queen while facing her own challenges within her own family. This is the story of how Elizabeth II drew on every ounce of strength and British reserve to deal with crises not only on the continent but at home as well.
Written by bestselling historical biographer Robert Lacey, who also serves as the show's historical consultant, this official companion provides an in-depth exploration from behind the palace gates. Relive the majesty of the first season of the hit show, with behind-the-scenes photos, meticulously researched images from the time, and more.
322 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 2020
About the author
Robert Lacey
76 books315 followersRobert Lacey is a British historian noted for his original research, which gets him close to - and often living alongside - his subjects. He is the author of numerous international bestsellers.
After writing his first works of historical biography, Robert, Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Ralegh, Robert wrote Majesty, his pioneering biography of Queen Elizabeth II. Published in 1977, Majesty remains
acknowledged as the definitive study of British monarchy - a subject on which the author continues to write and lecture around the world, appearing regularly on ABC's Good Morning America and on CNN's Larry King Live.
The Kingdom, a study of Saudi Arabia published in 1981, is similarly acknowledged as required reading for businessmen, diplomats and students all over the world. To research The Kingdom, Robert and his wife Sandi took their family to live for eighteen months beside the Red Sea in Jeddah. Going out into the desert, this was when Robert earned his title as the "method actor" of contemporary biographers.
In March 1984 Robert Lacey took his family to live in Detroit, Michigan, to write Ford: the Men and the Machine, a best seller on both sides of the Atlantic which formed the basis for the TV mini-series of the same title, starring Cliff Robertson.
Robert's other books include biographies of the gangster Meyer Lansky, Princess Grace of Monaco and a study of Sotheby's auction house. He co- authored The Year 1000 - An Englishman's World, a description of life at the turn of the last millennium. In 2002, the Golden Jubilee Year of Queen Elizabeth II, he published Royal (Monarch in America), hailed by Andrew Roberts in London's Sunday Telegraph as "compulsively readable", and by Martin Amis in The New Yorker as "definitive".
With the publication of his Great Tales Robert Lacey returns to his first love - history. Robert Lacey is currently the historical consultant to the award-winning Netflix series "The Crown".
After writing his first works of historical biography, Robert, Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Ralegh, Robert wrote Majesty, his pioneering biography of Queen Elizabeth II. Published in 1977, Majesty remains
acknowledged as the definitive study of British monarchy - a subject on which the author continues to write and lecture around the world, appearing regularly on ABC's Good Morning America and on CNN's Larry King Live.
The Kingdom, a study of Saudi Arabia published in 1981, is similarly acknowledged as required reading for businessmen, diplomats and students all over the world. To research The Kingdom, Robert and his wife Sandi took their family to live for eighteen months beside the Red Sea in Jeddah. Going out into the desert, this was when Robert earned his title as the "method actor" of contemporary biographers.
In March 1984 Robert Lacey took his family to live in Detroit, Michigan, to write Ford: the Men and the Machine, a best seller on both sides of the Atlantic which formed the basis for the TV mini-series of the same title, starring Cliff Robertson.
Robert's other books include biographies of the gangster Meyer Lansky, Princess Grace of Monaco and a study of Sotheby's auction house. He co- authored The Year 1000 - An Englishman's World, a description of life at the turn of the last millennium. In 2002, the Golden Jubilee Year of Queen Elizabeth II, he published Royal (Monarch in America), hailed by Andrew Roberts in London's Sunday Telegraph as "compulsively readable", and by Martin Amis in The New Yorker as "definitive".
With the publication of his Great Tales Robert Lacey returns to his first love - history. Robert Lacey is currently the historical consultant to the award-winning Netflix series "The Crown".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews
May 25, 2018
I am obsessed with the British royal family, and loved the Crown on Netflix, I really thought that it was so brilliantly done.
I received this as a gift and it is the perfect companion to the Netflix show. This book was made for people like me who immediately started Googling real life events after each episode. This book contains snippets from history as well as the most beautiful glossy photos, both of the real people and scenes from the show. The glossy pages make this a great coffee table book.
If you enjoyed the Crown, then I highly recommend this book.
I received this as a gift and it is the perfect companion to the Netflix show. This book was made for people like me who immediately started Googling real life events after each episode. This book contains snippets from history as well as the most beautiful glossy photos, both of the real people and scenes from the show. The glossy pages make this a great coffee table book.
If you enjoyed the Crown, then I highly recommend this book.
November 17, 2018
Would have this book an easy 5 star rating, but it had a few sloppy mistakes along the way. For example, on pp. 54-55, the author gives Edward VII & George V’s reigns as from 1901-1911 & 1911-1936, respectively, when it was 1910 when the former died and the latter became king. (Another of several more examples of the author’s &/or editors’ mistakes: On p. 245, an event that took place on 22nd December 1955 was in fact in 1954.)
January 17, 2021
I’ve always loved the Queen. This book is a perfect go-along for the Netflix series, “The Crown”. It covers all of Season One, the years from 1947 until 1955. The photos and layout are a delight, although I was disappointed that most of the photos are black-and-white. Every chapter, which covers each episode is chock-full of in-depth information. I appreciated that the author separated fact from fiction, pointing out the parts where the producers used artistic license. I would recommend this for fans of the show and for anyone who loves the Royal Family. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series soon. I’ve already watched all four seasons, and this is another way to get more of my fill!
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
Queen Mary speaking to her granddaughter, the Queen:
“It is exactly right…” replies the elder woman, drawing on all the experience of her 43 years as Queen. “To do nothing is the hardest job of all, and it will take every ounce of energy that you have. To be impartial is not natural, not human. People will always want you to smile or agree or frown, and the moment you do, you will have declared a position, a point of view — and that is the one thing as Sovereign that you are not entitled to do. The less you do, the less you say, or agree, or smile…”
“Queen Mary taught her granddaughter the value of an upright posture; the helpfulness of high heels and fancy hats for a lady of limited stature; and the overarching importance of putting Crown before self. She also passed on a special Windsor trick for dealing with over-intimate remarks and presumptuous questions: to keep smiling levelly at the perpetrator as if you are hearing absolutely nothing – then move on smartly.”
“We're all dying. That's what defines the condition of living."
-Winston S. Churchill”
On Princess Margaret:
“In 1937, for example, while trying on their robes for their father’s coronation, the six-year-old Margaret was said to have thrown a fit when she discovered that the purple velvet train edged with ermine behind her ceremonial outfit was cut slightly shorter than that of her elder sister. It wasn’t fair, she complained, and she flung herself to the floor in a tantrum. Only when it was explained to her that the two sisters’ trains had been designed in direct proportion to their height – and that Lilibet was nearly four inches taller – was the Princess placated, and then only grudgingly so. ‘What a good thing,’ courtiers would murmur, ‘that Margaret is the younger one.’
In adult life, according to Lord Snowdon’s biographer Anne de Courcy, Margaret’s inferiority complex showed itself in her lack of consideration towards that staff that she shared with her mother in Clarence House. If there was a Christmas party ‘down the road’ at Buckingham Palace to which the staff at Clarence House were invited, the Queen Mother would arrange to dine out that evening, or eat something light so that her servants could get to the party – while Princess Margaret, to the contrary, would make a point of arranging a full-scale dinner party for that very night.”
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
Queen Mary speaking to her granddaughter, the Queen:
“It is exactly right…” replies the elder woman, drawing on all the experience of her 43 years as Queen. “To do nothing is the hardest job of all, and it will take every ounce of energy that you have. To be impartial is not natural, not human. People will always want you to smile or agree or frown, and the moment you do, you will have declared a position, a point of view — and that is the one thing as Sovereign that you are not entitled to do. The less you do, the less you say, or agree, or smile…”
“Queen Mary taught her granddaughter the value of an upright posture; the helpfulness of high heels and fancy hats for a lady of limited stature; and the overarching importance of putting Crown before self. She also passed on a special Windsor trick for dealing with over-intimate remarks and presumptuous questions: to keep smiling levelly at the perpetrator as if you are hearing absolutely nothing – then move on smartly.”
“We're all dying. That's what defines the condition of living."
-Winston S. Churchill”
On Princess Margaret:
“In 1937, for example, while trying on their robes for their father’s coronation, the six-year-old Margaret was said to have thrown a fit when she discovered that the purple velvet train edged with ermine behind her ceremonial outfit was cut slightly shorter than that of her elder sister. It wasn’t fair, she complained, and she flung herself to the floor in a tantrum. Only when it was explained to her that the two sisters’ trains had been designed in direct proportion to their height – and that Lilibet was nearly four inches taller – was the Princess placated, and then only grudgingly so. ‘What a good thing,’ courtiers would murmur, ‘that Margaret is the younger one.’
In adult life, according to Lord Snowdon’s biographer Anne de Courcy, Margaret’s inferiority complex showed itself in her lack of consideration towards that staff that she shared with her mother in Clarence House. If there was a Christmas party ‘down the road’ at Buckingham Palace to which the staff at Clarence House were invited, the Queen Mother would arrange to dine out that evening, or eat something light so that her servants could get to the party – while Princess Margaret, to the contrary, would make a point of arranging a full-scale dinner party for that very night.”
November 17, 2017
Falling into a historical docudrama niche, Netflix's series The Crown, based on the early reign of Elizabeth II, has been popular and well-received. Meticulously researched, the series is an adaptation of high quality for the television audience. The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1 offers the reader a hybrid book, giving us the actual history and the history as it is presented in the Netflix show. The companion book provides a treasure trove of color and black and white images for both fans of the TV show and aficionados of the Windsor Monarchy. The TV series has succeeded in making us appreciate the Windsor family as real people with challenging and tightly duty-bound lives, in spite of their seeming fortune. It has been especially fine in developing the relationship between Elizabeth and Philip, and that of Elizabeth and her sister Margaret, against the backdrop of the prior family scandal with the abdication of Edward VIII. The Crown., The Official Companion, Volume 1 builds on these stories, delving a bit deeper into the history, offering us newspaper headlines of the day, and real images of royals. Showrunner Peter Morgan lends insight to the development of the series and his use of factual information to tell a compelling story for the TV audience.
It is as a transitional history book, on a path to interesting light readers in conventional history, that this book excels, drawing the reader in with its many photos of the actors in the series paired with real-life images of the Windsor family and grounding the Windsors in the context of world history. I could easily see asking students of Modern British History in a prep school setting to watch the series, read this book, and then read about the corresponding period in Sarah Bradford's popular and accessible Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Our Times as part of a class project.
My only quibble with this book is that some double page photos are awkwardly bound in such a way that in at least one photo, (pp. 180-181) the image of Elizabeth is almost entirely cut off by the center binding. I would also have preferred to see that all photos of actors impersonating real people explicitly labeled as such. In a world where many people cannot even pick out photos or names of their leaders, I'm not sure that people will always distinguish between Claire Foy as an actress and photos of the true young Queen Elizabeth, sad as that may be.
Just as I look forward to season 2 of The Crown, (which Netflix releases December 8th, 2017) I will look forward to Volume 2 of the Official Companion series. I very much enjoyed reading Volume 1.
I received a free copy of this book from Crown Archetype, a division of Penguin Random House, in exchange for an honest review.
It is as a transitional history book, on a path to interesting light readers in conventional history, that this book excels, drawing the reader in with its many photos of the actors in the series paired with real-life images of the Windsor family and grounding the Windsors in the context of world history. I could easily see asking students of Modern British History in a prep school setting to watch the series, read this book, and then read about the corresponding period in Sarah Bradford's popular and accessible Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Our Times as part of a class project.
My only quibble with this book is that some double page photos are awkwardly bound in such a way that in at least one photo, (pp. 180-181) the image of Elizabeth is almost entirely cut off by the center binding. I would also have preferred to see that all photos of actors impersonating real people explicitly labeled as such. In a world where many people cannot even pick out photos or names of their leaders, I'm not sure that people will always distinguish between Claire Foy as an actress and photos of the true young Queen Elizabeth, sad as that may be.
Just as I look forward to season 2 of The Crown, (which Netflix releases December 8th, 2017) I will look forward to Volume 2 of the Official Companion series. I very much enjoyed reading Volume 1.
I received a free copy of this book from Crown Archetype, a division of Penguin Random House, in exchange for an honest review.
December 24, 2020
For fans of the show, this companion guide is useful in helping the viewer understand greater historical context as well as discern fiction from reality. However, I personally would not recommend the Kindle version. The book's formatting did not lend itself well to an e-reader with it's choice of fonts and the many photographs.
Also, I wish I had read it in conjunction with the various episodes . . .I think I would have gotten more out of it.
All in all, I'm not moved to purchase the second Volume, but I do think it was well done overall. Just not super interesting to me personally. For me, the show itself was truly enough. As the Acknowledgments say:
History, as Hilary Mantel has recently reminded us, is our imperfect way of organising our ignorance of the past. Imagination is our way of understanding it, and Peter (Morgan) has supplied both imagination and understanding in abundance.
True. And ironically because Morgan does that, it renders a companion book a bit superfluous.
Also, I wish I had read it in conjunction with the various episodes . . .I think I would have gotten more out of it.
All in all, I'm not moved to purchase the second Volume, but I do think it was well done overall. Just not super interesting to me personally. For me, the show itself was truly enough. As the Acknowledgments say:
History, as Hilary Mantel has recently reminded us, is our imperfect way of organising our ignorance of the past. Imagination is our way of understanding it, and Peter (Morgan) has supplied both imagination and understanding in abundance.
True. And ironically because Morgan does that, it renders a companion book a bit superfluous.
May 27, 2018
I thought an audiobook would be a better format to take in all the information that it is in this book, but boy was I wrong.
It made the royal family seem boring to me which is something I have never thought in my life and took all the fun out of learning about their history. I still love the royal family and The Crown is one of my all time favourite shows but this book was so dull!
I'm gonna need a fast-paced, action-filled book to come back from this one.
It made the royal family seem boring to me which is something I have never thought in my life and took all the fun out of learning about their history. I still love the royal family and The Crown is one of my all time favourite shows but this book was so dull!
I'm gonna need a fast-paced, action-filled book to come back from this one.
March 23, 2021
Britskou královskou rodinu mám ve velké oblibě, proto se není čemu divit, že mi nemohla uniknout z hledáčku tato publikace. V současné době sleduji také seriál od Netflixu, který se mi hodně líbí. Tato publikace je nezbytným doplňkem pro fanoušky seriálu, neboť krásně rozebírá jednotlivé epizody seriálu a poukazuje na případné detaily, které byli změněny pro oko diváka. Kniha je navíc plná nádherných fotografií ať už ze seriálu, tak dobových snímků.
August 9, 2021
I enjoyed the TV series, which covered events dimly remembered from my childhood (and some much earlier). Then I came across the book, which told me what really happened, nominally between the years 1947 and 1955, but with frequent reference to earlier times. Reading it supplies a necessary corrective to what were fictional elements in the TV version of the story. The volume is well illustrated with some color and many black-and-white photographs, both from the series and from history.
November 8, 2017
Before I read this book I never knew a great deal about the royal family mainly because living in Australia their history isn’t a huge part of our schooling and we don’t really ever see them unless it’s on the news page when they’re expecting a new addition or a member of the lower rank does some scandalous! Now, with the popular Netflix series, The Crown, they have transported the world back to a more sophisticated and strict time of royalty but there’s still plenty of drama to feast on. The Crown is one of my favourite shows on Netflix and one of the best historical dramas I’ve watched so I was very interested in reading this book when I found out about it! I love reading companion books to shows because I’m obsessed with how they bring shows and movies together from page to screen. This companion is fantastic because it not only talks about the scenes and information in the show but also heavily features all of the real information and details from the time along with pictures of official documents and plenty of trivia. I think this is the perfect book that any super fan of The Crown would enjoy!
To me, Queen Elizabeth II has always been an older woman because when I was younger and first learnt about her she still would have been well into her seventies so I never pictured her as a young woman navigating through the rules and regulations of society, royalty and ruling. One of the best parts of the show is watching how she gracefully handles the dramas that arise and I also love seeing that side of her personal life because she was not just a queen but also a mother of two young children and a wife. I must also say that Claire Foy portrays Queen Elizabeth II so wonderfully and her beauty and talent is so spot on to the real woman herself. It’s easy to see her as a one-dimensional person who is simply a queen without a personal touch but after reading this companion and watching the show you learn so much more about her life that is truly factual because of the help of a great British historian on set like Robert Lacey, the author of this book.
Prince Philip is also portrayed by another amazing actor and Matt Smith does a brilliant job at portraying the petulant and confident man that is husband and consort to the queen. Just based on the show I’m not a big fan of Prince Philip because of the way he treats his goals with much more important than Elizabeth’s duties but I’m glad that I learned more about him in this companion book. It seems like he is similarly free-spirited in reality too from the background information that went into each episode in this book. From reading this book, you can see that he has his good attributes as well but I think the light on him during this part of history is mostly unfavourable although he does go on to dedicate many years to royal duties so I’m looking forward to seeing how he ages in the show and companions. John Lithgow plays another huge role in this series, Winston Churchill. Another thing I love about this companion and the show as well is that his story is so prominent in the first season too. He is a huge counterpart to Elizabeth during the early years of her reign and it’s fascinating to see a more human, day-to-day account of one of the most famous men of history and his great speeches!
One thing in this book that also really interested and astounded me was the information about Elizabeth’s sister, Margaret. While Elizabeth’s story focuses on the duty and strength it takes to be a Queen her sister’s story is much more scandalous. Princess Margaret (played by the beautiful Vanessa Kirby) fell in love when she was young with a man sixteen years older than her, Peter Townsend. Sadly, he had already married before their romance and marrying a person that had been divorced was strictly against the rules so despite their best attempts to change the system it ended in broken hearts. For this, I totally felt for her throughout the show because she seemed like such a lovely woman despite being a little flighty and immature so I was very surprised to read about how people thought even less of her in real life basically as a bratty, party girl. It’s not surprising that a young person in her position might act that way but I always had the idea that everyone adored all of the royal family so I’m now fuelled to learn more about Margaret and the truth of her eventful life. Her section of the book was totally riveting and I’m looking forward to following her history as well as Elizabeth if there’s another companion for the second season because this was truly a delight to read!
(Thank you to Allen & Unwin for a copy of this book for review. The Crown: The Inside History is out today in stores and online!)
To me, Queen Elizabeth II has always been an older woman because when I was younger and first learnt about her she still would have been well into her seventies so I never pictured her as a young woman navigating through the rules and regulations of society, royalty and ruling. One of the best parts of the show is watching how she gracefully handles the dramas that arise and I also love seeing that side of her personal life because she was not just a queen but also a mother of two young children and a wife. I must also say that Claire Foy portrays Queen Elizabeth II so wonderfully and her beauty and talent is so spot on to the real woman herself. It’s easy to see her as a one-dimensional person who is simply a queen without a personal touch but after reading this companion and watching the show you learn so much more about her life that is truly factual because of the help of a great British historian on set like Robert Lacey, the author of this book.
Prince Philip is also portrayed by another amazing actor and Matt Smith does a brilliant job at portraying the petulant and confident man that is husband and consort to the queen. Just based on the show I’m not a big fan of Prince Philip because of the way he treats his goals with much more important than Elizabeth’s duties but I’m glad that I learned more about him in this companion book. It seems like he is similarly free-spirited in reality too from the background information that went into each episode in this book. From reading this book, you can see that he has his good attributes as well but I think the light on him during this part of history is mostly unfavourable although he does go on to dedicate many years to royal duties so I’m looking forward to seeing how he ages in the show and companions. John Lithgow plays another huge role in this series, Winston Churchill. Another thing I love about this companion and the show as well is that his story is so prominent in the first season too. He is a huge counterpart to Elizabeth during the early years of her reign and it’s fascinating to see a more human, day-to-day account of one of the most famous men of history and his great speeches!
One thing in this book that also really interested and astounded me was the information about Elizabeth’s sister, Margaret. While Elizabeth’s story focuses on the duty and strength it takes to be a Queen her sister’s story is much more scandalous. Princess Margaret (played by the beautiful Vanessa Kirby) fell in love when she was young with a man sixteen years older than her, Peter Townsend. Sadly, he had already married before their romance and marrying a person that had been divorced was strictly against the rules so despite their best attempts to change the system it ended in broken hearts. For this, I totally felt for her throughout the show because she seemed like such a lovely woman despite being a little flighty and immature so I was very surprised to read about how people thought even less of her in real life basically as a bratty, party girl. It’s not surprising that a young person in her position might act that way but I always had the idea that everyone adored all of the royal family so I’m now fuelled to learn more about Margaret and the truth of her eventful life. Her section of the book was totally riveting and I’m looking forward to following her history as well as Elizabeth if there’s another companion for the second season because this was truly a delight to read!
(Thank you to Allen & Unwin for a copy of this book for review. The Crown: The Inside History is out today in stores and online!)
March 9, 2018
My aunt hooked me into watching The Crown, the Netflix series about Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne and transformation from wife and mother, Lilibet Mountbatten, to monarch Elizabeth Regina. My aunt also lent me this book, The Official Companion to the series, written by the historian behind the show, royal-biographer Robert Lacey. After watching each episode, I would read the corresponding chapter in the companion before tuning in for the next episode. The book breaks down what actually happened and what was dramatic effect, which I appreciated. I was actually surprised by all the events that were true – the scene when, during an argument, Philip storms out to the front of the house with Elizabeth chasing behind him was my favourite. He rounds the corner to find himself staring into the lens of a film camera, which has captured the couple’s argument on film (a big disaster for the royal family who should emulate perfection). It was very well filmed, shooting a frame from the eye of the camera, and Lacey reports that it actually happened!
This series introduced me to another important woman of history: Winston Churchill’s wife Clementine. In the eyes of the series, she is such a supportive wife to England’s war hero, and she seems one of the few people who could reconcile with Winston and love his bulldog fierceness. The episode about his commissioned portrait was fascinating! Churchill’s line: “Give me a German modernist. Or an Italian. They're the ones who have to start all over again. Whatever would an Englishman want to change?” is my favourite dialogue in the series. It capture's Churchill's love for England and blindness to the country's modern problems so cleverly. I was reminded of Churchill’s mastery of oration. His “iron curtain” speech is always taught in history class, but his coronation speech comparing Elizabeth to Queen Victoria is equally spectacular.
This series introduced me to another important woman of history: Winston Churchill’s wife Clementine. In the eyes of the series, she is such a supportive wife to England’s war hero, and she seems one of the few people who could reconcile with Winston and love his bulldog fierceness. The episode about his commissioned portrait was fascinating! Churchill’s line: “Give me a German modernist. Or an Italian. They're the ones who have to start all over again. Whatever would an Englishman want to change?” is my favourite dialogue in the series. It capture's Churchill's love for England and blindness to the country's modern problems so cleverly. I was reminded of Churchill’s mastery of oration. His “iron curtain” speech is always taught in history class, but his coronation speech comparing Elizabeth to Queen Victoria is equally spectacular.
November 7, 2017
I have not watched The Crown. But, I *have* now read The Crown, The Official Companion, Volume 1, which covers season one of the show. I was drawn to this book, of course, because I love British royalty. It’s also a gorgeous book — I love the dust jacket photos on the front and back, which show the Queen (both the real one and “Crown”‘s version) in profile. It’s full of photos — in fact, one thing I would suggest is that the editors make clear which photos depict actors from the show, and which depict the real people. This was usually clear to me, but I could see it getting confusing for the lay-watcher.
After reading this book, I understand that season 1 of The Crown covered the years 1947-1955 in Queen Elizabeth’s life. There were 10 episodes, and each gets a chapter in this book.
Despite the book’s attractiveness, I’ll admit that when it arrived I kind of thought — hmmmm, yet another book about the Queen? But I really enjoyed this one. Yes, there’s the basic storyline, but the book covers several kind of niche topics that I didn’t know a lot about. For instance, there’s a feature on Cecil Beaton, who photographed Elizabeth and Philip’s wedding. There’s a chapter with a lot about the education of Elizabeth and her sister Margaret. Did you know that their parents weren’t all that interested in them learning a lot of academics? They were more concerned with manners and the like.
Interesting bits —
George VI, the father of the current queen, summed up his daughters’ personalities when he once said, “Elizabeth is my pride, and Margaret is my joy.”
There is quite a bit made of Prince Philip’s struggles in the early days of his marriage to the queen. Within a matter of months, he lost his name (Elizabeth as Queen went by Windsor rather than Philip’s family name of Mountbatten, his career, and his home (when Elizabeth became queen, the family had to move to Buckingham Palace from the homier Clarence House where they’d lived before).
The book quotes a letter from a young Elizabeth to her parents: “Darling Mummy, I don’t know where to begin this letter, or what to say, but I know I must write it somehow because I feel so much about it … I think I’ve got the best mother and father in the world, and I only hope that I can bring up my children in the happy atmosphere of love and fairness which Margaret and I have grown up in.” Reading this, I had to wonder how things went so wrong with the Queen’s children, all four of whom have seemed to struggle with life and relationships to some degree or other. And Elizabeth and Philip have never been known as nurturing parents.
So, I recommend this book to fellow royal fans out there. One suggestion I have is that all or at least more of the pages be numbered. Maybe 1/3 are, and when you are looking for a page to cite in notes (which I realize most readers may not be), it can be really difficult when 10 or more in a row have no numbers.
After reading this book, I understand that season 1 of The Crown covered the years 1947-1955 in Queen Elizabeth’s life. There were 10 episodes, and each gets a chapter in this book.
Despite the book’s attractiveness, I’ll admit that when it arrived I kind of thought — hmmmm, yet another book about the Queen? But I really enjoyed this one. Yes, there’s the basic storyline, but the book covers several kind of niche topics that I didn’t know a lot about. For instance, there’s a feature on Cecil Beaton, who photographed Elizabeth and Philip’s wedding. There’s a chapter with a lot about the education of Elizabeth and her sister Margaret. Did you know that their parents weren’t all that interested in them learning a lot of academics? They were more concerned with manners and the like.
Interesting bits —
George VI, the father of the current queen, summed up his daughters’ personalities when he once said, “Elizabeth is my pride, and Margaret is my joy.”
There is quite a bit made of Prince Philip’s struggles in the early days of his marriage to the queen. Within a matter of months, he lost his name (Elizabeth as Queen went by Windsor rather than Philip’s family name of Mountbatten, his career, and his home (when Elizabeth became queen, the family had to move to Buckingham Palace from the homier Clarence House where they’d lived before).
The book quotes a letter from a young Elizabeth to her parents: “Darling Mummy, I don’t know where to begin this letter, or what to say, but I know I must write it somehow because I feel so much about it … I think I’ve got the best mother and father in the world, and I only hope that I can bring up my children in the happy atmosphere of love and fairness which Margaret and I have grown up in.” Reading this, I had to wonder how things went so wrong with the Queen’s children, all four of whom have seemed to struggle with life and relationships to some degree or other. And Elizabeth and Philip have never been known as nurturing parents.
So, I recommend this book to fellow royal fans out there. One suggestion I have is that all or at least more of the pages be numbered. Maybe 1/3 are, and when you are looking for a page to cite in notes (which I realize most readers may not be), it can be really difficult when 10 or more in a row have no numbers.
December 18, 2017
This is my favorite book of the year, after Notorious RBG and It's What I Do. Apparently this is a year marked by nonfiction works for me.
Broken up by episodes, The Crown The Official Companion Volume 1, calls out, in the first few pages, the viewers of the show who, like me, watched each episode for a second time while scrolling through various Windsor related Wikipedia pages. Interspersed within and between the chapters are character and event profiles providing further insight into how certain decisions, such as televising the coronation of the Queen, were determined. Pictures include both stills from the show alongside real photographs of Elizabeth and Philip.
With a budget of $5 million per episode, Netflix's The Crown is a sweeping historical drama that blows all others out of the water with it's focus on historical events and attempts to remain true to the personalities of the real-life people portrayed on the silver screen. And while the show is fictionalized in some regards, the official companion book makes it quite clear that Peter Morgan, the show's creator, did not have to deviate too far from real life to make his show so compelling.
The most fascinating biographies are those that are of people who have lived far from ordinary lives. Americans have always had a certain fascination with the royal family and "how the other half lives." The Crown The Official Companion is as much a detailed biography of Elizabeth II as it is companion to a popular show.
Broken up by episodes, The Crown The Official Companion Volume 1, calls out, in the first few pages, the viewers of the show who, like me, watched each episode for a second time while scrolling through various Windsor related Wikipedia pages. Interspersed within and between the chapters are character and event profiles providing further insight into how certain decisions, such as televising the coronation of the Queen, were determined. Pictures include both stills from the show alongside real photographs of Elizabeth and Philip.
With a budget of $5 million per episode, Netflix's The Crown is a sweeping historical drama that blows all others out of the water with it's focus on historical events and attempts to remain true to the personalities of the real-life people portrayed on the silver screen. And while the show is fictionalized in some regards, the official companion book makes it quite clear that Peter Morgan, the show's creator, did not have to deviate too far from real life to make his show so compelling.
The most fascinating biographies are those that are of people who have lived far from ordinary lives. Americans have always had a certain fascination with the royal family and "how the other half lives." The Crown The Official Companion is as much a detailed biography of Elizabeth II as it is companion to a popular show.
June 8, 2022
This book was an interesting read. I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes insight to the Queen's early years and the book encapsulated well how the series progressed and flowed. The illustrations are stunning and I have so much respect for the Queen. I think at times the book got carried away with random details that were not related to the Queen and personally I would have preferred for the chapters to be more focused on the Queen but I understand that the book was more about The Crown show rather than a memoir on the royal family. It's a good read in conjunction with watching the show simultaneously and I liked the random historical facts the author often threw in. Would highly recommend to all Crown fans.
January 17, 2018
This is an easy book to read that compares the Netflix tv series The Crown, with the real life story of Queen Elizabeth II. I highly recommend reading this book for anyone watching the series, so as to understand fact from the fiction of the tv series. This book is not recommended for anyone who has not seen the tv series.
December 23, 2019
4.74 stars. Well written and fascinating, with lots of beautiful pictures from the show and real life. It would have been interesting if they had talked at all about making the show/with the actors or why they had to make certain artistic changes, but perhaps that would make a different book. Some of the pictures seemed to be placeholders. But overall, an intriguing book nonetheless.
Read
March 8, 2020DNF. Disappointing to have to set this book on that dreaded DNF pile. I have long been a fan of the Royal Family, and immensely enjoyed the series The Crown, and had picked up this book at some point during the series. It really was an explanation of what the episodes showed versus what had actually happened. Nothing drastic, but obviously changes were made to suit a TV viewing audience. I found the book to be a bit dry and not quite the historical information I was expecting.
November 20, 2022
This is a great companion to the TV show! It made me want to go find so much about the royal family. Highly recommended.
April 17, 2018
I very much like the netflix series based upon the early years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. I admit that I knew very little of her other than she and Princess Diana didn't get along. This book compares the movie to real life events. And, in the end, the series, with a few tweakings, seemed to follow real life events.
I always thought of Queen Elizabeth II as too boring to read about. I was wrong. Married at the young age of 21, she soon filled the role of Queen when her middle aged father died. Like many of that time period, he was a very heavy smoker. Before dying of a heart attack, he had one of his cancer-ridden lungs removed.
The book does an excellent job of portraying Winston Churchill and the relationship he had with Queen Elizabeth II, including the fact that, of necessity, she relied on him tremendously.
Her younger sister, Margaret, was beautiful, jealous and very rebellious. Falling in love with a married man was quite the scandal. Because she was in line for the throne, she could not marry the love of her life. Her Uncle, older than her father created a mess of it all by marrying Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced socialite. He abdicated the throne, living Elizabeth's stuttering father in charge. This then paved the lineage to Elizabeth to reign.
Informative, not prone to gossipy nastiness, but rather quite a wonderful depiction of life in the big house/castle.
I always thought of Queen Elizabeth II as too boring to read about. I was wrong. Married at the young age of 21, she soon filled the role of Queen when her middle aged father died. Like many of that time period, he was a very heavy smoker. Before dying of a heart attack, he had one of his cancer-ridden lungs removed.
The book does an excellent job of portraying Winston Churchill and the relationship he had with Queen Elizabeth II, including the fact that, of necessity, she relied on him tremendously.
Her younger sister, Margaret, was beautiful, jealous and very rebellious. Falling in love with a married man was quite the scandal. Because she was in line for the throne, she could not marry the love of her life. Her Uncle, older than her father created a mess of it all by marrying Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced socialite. He abdicated the throne, living Elizabeth's stuttering father in charge. This then paved the lineage to Elizabeth to reign.
Informative, not prone to gossipy nastiness, but rather quite a wonderful depiction of life in the big house/castle.
February 4, 2018
I loved the Crown series but couldn't stay interested in this. I read about half of it and skimmed through the rest. Since it's due back at the library, I'm baling on it.
March 24, 2018
This gets four stars not because it is an amazing read but because it is a great version of what it is - a book-TV series tie-in. If you loved The Crown and want to look at gorgeous pics from the series and real life, grab this book. It also explains where narrative needs of TV drove changes to what really happened.
February 1, 2018
Love all the history of The Crown. On the countdown to Season 3!
October 19, 2021
3.5 great companion to the crown !
July 25, 2020
„The Crown” Roberta Laceya to pierwszy tom oficjalnego przewodnika po popularnym serialu pod tym samym tytułem, pióra oficjalnego biografa brytyjskiej korony, który łączy się z wydarzeniami znanymi z pierwszego sezonu serialu. Pozycja idealna zarówno dla miłośników historii, jak i samego „The Crown.
Robert Lacey, będąc oficjalnym biografem królewskiego dworu, zadbał, by w swoim przewodniku wyraźnie i jasno postawić granicę pomiędzy tym, co wyobrażone, a tym co wydarzyło się naprawdę. To niełatwa sprawa ukazać w obiektywny, nieprzerysowany sposób życie brytyjskiej arystokracji, najwyższych możliwym sfer, pamiętając, że bohaterka samego serialu wciąż żyje, a jej historia toczy się dalej. Warto zwrócić uwagę, że na potrzeby serialu, wiele scen, dialogów, mniejszych i większych momentów zostało udramatyzowanych, podkręconych i podkoloryzowanych, tak, by jak najdłużej móc utrzymać widzów w napięciu. Sięgając po przewodnik czytelnik uzyska jasny obraz tego, co naprawdę wydarzyło się za zamkniętymi drzwiami pałacu Buckingham i domu premiera przy Downing Street 10. Znajdzie tu moc historycznym faktów, fascynujących ciekawostek, pikantnych szczegółów – urywki życiorysów tych, którzy odcisnęli piętno na Królowej Elżbiecie II. A wszystko to uzupełnione licznymi fotografiami oraz ilustracjami, w których przeplatają się obrazy prawdziwe z kadrami zaczerpniętymi z serialu.
Jeśli ktoś zaczął już swoją przygodę z serialem „The Crown”, to przewodnik Roberta Laceya będzie wspaniałym dopełnieniem seansu. Jeśli jednak serial wciąż jest Wam nieznany, a książka już trafiła w Wasze ręce – nie szkodzi, bo dzięki przewodnikowi będziecie mogli już przygotowani i zaopatrzeni w wiedzę zacząć serialową przygodę. Tym samym, tak publikacja to nie lada gratka zarówno dla miłośników serialu, jak i miłośników historii. A w niej fascynująca historia młodej, a jakże silnej i zdeterminowanej kobiety, która swoją postawą i nieugiętym charakterem udowodniła, że gotowa jest stanąć na czele narodu brytyjskiego i zostać królową. Poznajemy jej dylematy, jej bolączki, wyzwania, którym musiała stawić czoło, by sen mógł stać się jawą, by jej słowo okazało się tym ostatnim, tym najważniejszym.
Robert Lacey wykonał kawał świetnej roboty i jak na biografa przystało – z wyczuciem i rezerwą uporządkował fakty historyczne, oddzielając je od fikcyjnych, ubarwionych plew. A wszystko to zamknięte w stylowej, eleganckiej formie w duchu retro, co sprawi, że przewodnik po „The Crown” sprawdzi się idealnie na prezent dla wszystkich miłośników brytyjskiej monarchii.
Robert Lacey, będąc oficjalnym biografem królewskiego dworu, zadbał, by w swoim przewodniku wyraźnie i jasno postawić granicę pomiędzy tym, co wyobrażone, a tym co wydarzyło się naprawdę. To niełatwa sprawa ukazać w obiektywny, nieprzerysowany sposób życie brytyjskiej arystokracji, najwyższych możliwym sfer, pamiętając, że bohaterka samego serialu wciąż żyje, a jej historia toczy się dalej. Warto zwrócić uwagę, że na potrzeby serialu, wiele scen, dialogów, mniejszych i większych momentów zostało udramatyzowanych, podkręconych i podkoloryzowanych, tak, by jak najdłużej móc utrzymać widzów w napięciu. Sięgając po przewodnik czytelnik uzyska jasny obraz tego, co naprawdę wydarzyło się za zamkniętymi drzwiami pałacu Buckingham i domu premiera przy Downing Street 10. Znajdzie tu moc historycznym faktów, fascynujących ciekawostek, pikantnych szczegółów – urywki życiorysów tych, którzy odcisnęli piętno na Królowej Elżbiecie II. A wszystko to uzupełnione licznymi fotografiami oraz ilustracjami, w których przeplatają się obrazy prawdziwe z kadrami zaczerpniętymi z serialu.
Jeśli ktoś zaczął już swoją przygodę z serialem „The Crown”, to przewodnik Roberta Laceya będzie wspaniałym dopełnieniem seansu. Jeśli jednak serial wciąż jest Wam nieznany, a książka już trafiła w Wasze ręce – nie szkodzi, bo dzięki przewodnikowi będziecie mogli już przygotowani i zaopatrzeni w wiedzę zacząć serialową przygodę. Tym samym, tak publikacja to nie lada gratka zarówno dla miłośników serialu, jak i miłośników historii. A w niej fascynująca historia młodej, a jakże silnej i zdeterminowanej kobiety, która swoją postawą i nieugiętym charakterem udowodniła, że gotowa jest stanąć na czele narodu brytyjskiego i zostać królową. Poznajemy jej dylematy, jej bolączki, wyzwania, którym musiała stawić czoło, by sen mógł stać się jawą, by jej słowo okazało się tym ostatnim, tym najważniejszym.
Robert Lacey wykonał kawał świetnej roboty i jak na biografa przystało – z wyczuciem i rezerwą uporządkował fakty historyczne, oddzielając je od fikcyjnych, ubarwionych plew. A wszystko to zamknięte w stylowej, eleganckiej formie w duchu retro, co sprawi, że przewodnik po „The Crown” sprawdzi się idealnie na prezent dla wszystkich miłośników brytyjskiej monarchii.
January 15, 2021
Rodzina królestwa jest na ustach mediów od lat. Cały świat z zapartym tchem obserwuje poczynania każde jej członka. Po licznych plotkach i fake news'ach nadszedł czas na serial. Od 2016 roku na platformie Netflix mamy możliwość wniknąć w historię Elżbiety II oraz jej rodziny.
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Książka "The Crown" jest przewodnikiem po świecie z serialu i wyjaśnia to co na małym ekranie musiało zostać zmienione bądź podkoloryzowane. Na pewno oglądałam sezon pierwszy (nie pamiętami czy drugi też). Nigdy przedtem nie interesowałam się aż tak Wielką Brytanią, a tym bardziej rodziną królewską, lecz w formie serialu jest bardzo wstępne i intrygujące. Książka na początku wydawała mi się bardzo potrzebna gdyż sama mam problem z zapamiętaniem imion, nazwisk oraz tytułów szlachecki. Niestety po lekturze wiem tyle samo co po samym serialu. według mnie książka jest dobra w momencie kiedy oglądaliśmy serial bardzo dawno temu i nie pamiętamy większości wątków. Lacey zebrałem wszystkie najważniejsze informacje o wydarzenia z ubiegłej dekady. Trochę martwi mnie że książce mamy bardzo dużo zdjęć i to nieoryginalnych tylko tych serialowych. Według mnie powinno być tego po równo żeby czytelnik mógł kojarzyć postać na przykład siostry królowej i z aktorką i z oryginalną istniejącą osobą (ja na przykład jak myślę o Małgorzacie to cały czas mam przed oczami aktorkę). Cała książka to tak naprawdę opisanie każdej postaci mniej lub bardziej ważnej stworzonej historii. Osobiście usunęłabym kilka osobą bo są zbędna na tym etapie.
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W ogólnym rozrachunku jest to bardzo okej książka która w momencie kiedy nie widzieliśmy pierwszego sezonu serialu może wygasło taką małą skarbnicą wiedzy, ale jeżeli się jest fanem to wydaje mi się że tą zbędną. Czyta się bardzo szybko ze względu na liczbę zdjęć w porównaniu do tekstu, można ją spokojnie skończyć w kilka godzin. Dla kogo jest ta książka? Dla osób które interesował się kiedy Dziękuję swoim chciałby do tego wrócić lub dla nowicjuszy w świecie tego serialu którzy chcą miedź rzecz fizyczną do której mogą wracać momencie kiedy się zgubią. (6/10⭐)
Ciekawostka: uwielbiam Małgorzatę
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Książka "The Crown" jest przewodnikiem po świecie z serialu i wyjaśnia to co na małym ekranie musiało zostać zmienione bądź podkoloryzowane. Na pewno oglądałam sezon pierwszy (nie pamiętami czy drugi też). Nigdy przedtem nie interesowałam się aż tak Wielką Brytanią, a tym bardziej rodziną królewską, lecz w formie serialu jest bardzo wstępne i intrygujące. Książka na początku wydawała mi się bardzo potrzebna gdyż sama mam problem z zapamiętaniem imion, nazwisk oraz tytułów szlachecki. Niestety po lekturze wiem tyle samo co po samym serialu. według mnie książka jest dobra w momencie kiedy oglądaliśmy serial bardzo dawno temu i nie pamiętamy większości wątków. Lacey zebrałem wszystkie najważniejsze informacje o wydarzenia z ubiegłej dekady. Trochę martwi mnie że książce mamy bardzo dużo zdjęć i to nieoryginalnych tylko tych serialowych. Według mnie powinno być tego po równo żeby czytelnik mógł kojarzyć postać na przykład siostry królowej i z aktorką i z oryginalną istniejącą osobą (ja na przykład jak myślę o Małgorzacie to cały czas mam przed oczami aktorkę). Cała książka to tak naprawdę opisanie każdej postaci mniej lub bardziej ważnej stworzonej historii. Osobiście usunęłabym kilka osobą bo są zbędna na tym etapie.
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W ogólnym rozrachunku jest to bardzo okej książka która w momencie kiedy nie widzieliśmy pierwszego sezonu serialu może wygasło taką małą skarbnicą wiedzy, ale jeżeli się jest fanem to wydaje mi się że tą zbędną. Czyta się bardzo szybko ze względu na liczbę zdjęć w porównaniu do tekstu, można ją spokojnie skończyć w kilka godzin. Dla kogo jest ta książka? Dla osób które interesował się kiedy Dziękuję swoim chciałby do tego wrócić lub dla nowicjuszy w świecie tego serialu którzy chcą miedź rzecz fizyczną do której mogą wracać momencie kiedy się zgubią. (6/10⭐)
Ciekawostka: uwielbiam Małgorzatę
December 5, 2017
Have you seen the Netflix show The Crown? They have done a stunning job bringing to life the beginning of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. If you, like me, have watched the show and wondered where they blurred the lines between fact and fiction, this is a book you'll be wanting to read. Written by royal biographer and show historian Robert Lacey, this official companion feels authoritative and thorough as it digs into each episode and the history behind it.
Both the book and Episode 1 open shortly before 21-year-old Elizabeth Windsor is to wed Prince Philip. Princess Elizabeth had met Philip when she was 13, and reportedly he was the only one she ever dreamed of marrying. King George VI's sudden death in 1952 caused 26-year-old Elizabeth to ascend to the throne, and suddenly it was a very different world for this young couple. While they had always lived a somewhat public life, and while Elizabeth had often assisted her father or even gone on tours on his behalf - she was indeed in Kenya when she learned of his death! - she was just one young dutiful woman who became one of the most well-known figures in the world.
Just like the series on Netflix, this book primarily focuses on the first three years after Elizabeth II's ascension, covering her coronation, the scandal of her sister's love affair with divorcee Peter Townsend, the decline of Winston Churchill, and so much more. This volume is filled with historical photographs as well as stills from the show. All the major players are given a biographical sketch, if not entire sections devoted to who they were and how their lives interacted with the Queen and the royal family. It's highly informative and yet easy to read, especially for devoted history fans.
After watching the show I had a few questions, like were Elizabeth and Philip really caught fighting on film by the Australian press in 1954? Did the Queen Mother actually purchase a ramshackle estate in Scotland after her husband's death? This book answered all of that and more, plus provided lots of interesting tidbits, such as the fact that Queen Elizabeth's racing manager, her childhood friend "Porchey," was the owner of Highclere Castle, better known in modern days as the set of Downton Abbey! If you enjoy history and have had your curiosity piqued by Netflix's award-winning drama, you should consider picking up this detailed companion!
I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.dreamwidth.org
Both the book and Episode 1 open shortly before 21-year-old Elizabeth Windsor is to wed Prince Philip. Princess Elizabeth had met Philip when she was 13, and reportedly he was the only one she ever dreamed of marrying. King George VI's sudden death in 1952 caused 26-year-old Elizabeth to ascend to the throne, and suddenly it was a very different world for this young couple. While they had always lived a somewhat public life, and while Elizabeth had often assisted her father or even gone on tours on his behalf - she was indeed in Kenya when she learned of his death! - she was just one young dutiful woman who became one of the most well-known figures in the world.
Just like the series on Netflix, this book primarily focuses on the first three years after Elizabeth II's ascension, covering her coronation, the scandal of her sister's love affair with divorcee Peter Townsend, the decline of Winston Churchill, and so much more. This volume is filled with historical photographs as well as stills from the show. All the major players are given a biographical sketch, if not entire sections devoted to who they were and how their lives interacted with the Queen and the royal family. It's highly informative and yet easy to read, especially for devoted history fans.
After watching the show I had a few questions, like were Elizabeth and Philip really caught fighting on film by the Australian press in 1954? Did the Queen Mother actually purchase a ramshackle estate in Scotland after her husband's death? This book answered all of that and more, plus provided lots of interesting tidbits, such as the fact that Queen Elizabeth's racing manager, her childhood friend "Porchey," was the owner of Highclere Castle, better known in modern days as the set of Downton Abbey! If you enjoy history and have had your curiosity piqued by Netflix's award-winning drama, you should consider picking up this detailed companion!
I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.dreamwidth.org
May 30, 2023
3.5 stars rounded down.
I hadn't realised when I borrowed this audiobook that it was only actually covering material up to 1955 - I was wondering why the narrative was moving so slowly and ended so suddenly! Considering this I found it okay and bumped my score up by a half star, but still rounded down to 3 as I didn't think it's the best when it comes to these sorts of books. I really enjoy auto/biographies and am interested in the Royal Family in general, so was actually surprised that this didn't work as well for me as I thought it might. There was a lot of comparison with the series, which I didn't like as I thought there was a lot of alluding to the fact that the series has a lot of interpretation by the writers and producers, implying that this is true fact when it is in fact also an interpretation by a single writer. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I just felt like comparisons were drawn for the sake of drawing them, and I would have much preferred to just hear about the biography itself.
It's also not the easiest book to follow on audio because of the format, which tends to follow individual people rather than work chronologically. So key events in the timeline are covered over and over: (Then) Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip "set off to Kenya", Winston Churchill steps down multiple times - to name a few examples. These are the ones that caught my attention, I'm pretty sure there are loads of less prominent events that I missed simply because I didn't remember them happening when they were covered first time around. The narrator also wasn't great.
Still, for a "historical" NF I found it interesting (as someone who didn't grow up or go to school in Britain, perhaps someone who had learned this through the curriculum might not), and I would listen to the second volume if I could get it on audio.
I hadn't realised when I borrowed this audiobook that it was only actually covering material up to 1955 - I was wondering why the narrative was moving so slowly and ended so suddenly! Considering this I found it okay and bumped my score up by a half star, but still rounded down to 3 as I didn't think it's the best when it comes to these sorts of books. I really enjoy auto/biographies and am interested in the Royal Family in general, so was actually surprised that this didn't work as well for me as I thought it might. There was a lot of comparison with the series, which I didn't like as I thought there was a lot of alluding to the fact that the series has a lot of interpretation by the writers and producers, implying that this is true fact when it is in fact also an interpretation by a single writer. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I just felt like comparisons were drawn for the sake of drawing them, and I would have much preferred to just hear about the biography itself.
It's also not the easiest book to follow on audio because of the format, which tends to follow individual people rather than work chronologically. So key events in the timeline are covered over and over: (Then) Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip "set off to Kenya", Winston Churchill steps down multiple times - to name a few examples. These are the ones that caught my attention, I'm pretty sure there are loads of less prominent events that I missed simply because I didn't remember them happening when they were covered first time around. The narrator also wasn't great.
Still, for a "historical" NF I found it interesting (as someone who didn't grow up or go to school in Britain, perhaps someone who had learned this through the curriculum might not), and I would listen to the second volume if I could get it on audio.
December 15, 2017
If you are a fan of the British monarchy and are watching the Netflix series The Crown, you will love this book. I have not seen the series but have heard people at work talking about it with positive reviews.
The book details the history of Windsor family as well as the presentation in the television series. I don’t think they took too many liberties and it gives insight into the royal families actual lives. Seeing them as almost ordinary people, the relationships, scandal, obligations, dealings with the press and acceptance of a duty bound life. Except Edward of course, he said the hell with the obligation and married the woman he loved.
The book contains both color as well as black and white photos of the family and the actors who portray them in the series. What a lovely job casting did with matching the physical attributes.
As this is volume one and the series is continuing I imagine there will be future volumes available. This one concentrates more on Elizabeth, Philip, Margaret and the abdication of Edward VIII. Lots of full page biographies and character companions, loads of photos. If you know someone who loves the TV show this would make a great Christmas present.
When I think back to a vacation in England I remember quite a bit of lamb on menus. Grilled with a nice Shiraz would be the ticket for a cold damp night in London.
The book details the history of Windsor family as well as the presentation in the television series. I don’t think they took too many liberties and it gives insight into the royal families actual lives. Seeing them as almost ordinary people, the relationships, scandal, obligations, dealings with the press and acceptance of a duty bound life. Except Edward of course, he said the hell with the obligation and married the woman he loved.
The book contains both color as well as black and white photos of the family and the actors who portray them in the series. What a lovely job casting did with matching the physical attributes.
As this is volume one and the series is continuing I imagine there will be future volumes available. This one concentrates more on Elizabeth, Philip, Margaret and the abdication of Edward VIII. Lots of full page biographies and character companions, loads of photos. If you know someone who loves the TV show this would make a great Christmas present.
When I think back to a vacation in England I remember quite a bit of lamb on menus. Grilled with a nice Shiraz would be the ticket for a cold damp night in London.
December 30, 2018
This was a book made for people like me, people who loved the British series about the life and times of Elizabeth II, Britain's long reigning monarch but who were dismayed that the series often played fast and loose with the facts. Now don't get me wrong, I thought the show was fabulously produced and acted, in a away in which the British appear to excel. But I am a history nerd and was a History teacher so I resent the fact the stories being told us weren't always the way things happened, especially when those things happened in my lifetime. For example Prince Philip may have been unfaithful to his wife but we have no proof he was gamboling away in the African bush with a native woman as shown in Series 2. So for me, this compendium of all things royal between 1936, the year of the Abdication of Edward VIII, and 1955 the year Princess Margaret finally said no to Townsend, was a delightful surprise. I found the book informative and fascinating but it is for history buffs like me. Loved the series too, despite the untruths but there is just too much fake news going around these days without adding to it. Oh and by the way what is true or at least was true until the news got out, is that the actress who played Her Royal Majesty was paid a helluva lot less than the actor who played her husband. Some things never change.
January 30, 2019
The Crown is a fascinating miniseries--but it *is* fictionalized and dramatized. And therein lies the practical beauty of this book: as a companion piece to the miniseries, it does a fine job of pointing out the differences between the actual history and the dramatic retelling.
I'll also say this: I've long maintained that the most jarring discrepancy between the real history and the Netflix drama lies in the character of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. This book definitely confirmed that for me! The Queen Mother has been one of my personal heroines and role models since childhood, and I admit to feeling personally attacked by the vicious, petty way she was portrayed in The Crown. This book has an entire chapter devoted to her, describing her in such glowing terms that it's like reading about a totally different person than the one we see on the screen.
Overall, this was a worthy companion to the acclaimed miniseries. My sole quibble with the book is that most of the pictures are in black and white--but it's still jsut a minor quibble. This book also only covers the first season: no mention of Billy Graham, Jacqueline Kennedy, or Prince Philip's possible indiscretions. Here's hoping we get a Volume 2 eventually...and that the Queen Mother's reputation hasn't been totally ruined by Netflix.
I'll also say this: I've long maintained that the most jarring discrepancy between the real history and the Netflix drama lies in the character of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. This book definitely confirmed that for me! The Queen Mother has been one of my personal heroines and role models since childhood, and I admit to feeling personally attacked by the vicious, petty way she was portrayed in The Crown. This book has an entire chapter devoted to her, describing her in such glowing terms that it's like reading about a totally different person than the one we see on the screen.
Overall, this was a worthy companion to the acclaimed miniseries. My sole quibble with the book is that most of the pictures are in black and white--but it's still jsut a minor quibble. This book also only covers the first season: no mention of Billy Graham, Jacqueline Kennedy, or Prince Philip's possible indiscretions. Here's hoping we get a Volume 2 eventually...and that the Queen Mother's reputation hasn't been totally ruined by Netflix.
January 20, 2022
Pierwszy sezon "The Crown" już dawno za mną, jestem z produkcją raczej na bieżąco, ale kiedy w mojej bibliotece w oczy rzucił mi się 'przewodnik' do serialu uznałam, że chętnie sięgnę i poprzypominam sobie co poniektóre wydarzenia zestawiając je przy okazji z historycznymi faktami.
Książka rozdział po rozdziale przybliża nam wydarzenia z pierwszych odcinków serialu oraz postaci, które się przez te odcinki przewinęły. Choć w głównej mierze skupiamy się na scenach ukazanych w produkcji, to dostajemy tez jednak garść ciekawostek "spoza ekranu" jak choćby kulisy poznania się rodziców Elżbiety II, czy krótką biografię Clementine Churchill, czyli żony pierwszego premiera królowej.
Całość bogato ilustrowana jest fotosami z serialu oraz autentycznymi zdjęciami monarchini, jej bliskich oraz współpracowników.
Książka stanowi dobry dodatek do serialu, choć ciężko byłoby mi się zgodzić z tym, że jako samodzielna pozycja sprawdzi się równie dobrze.
Książka rozdział po rozdziale przybliża nam wydarzenia z pierwszych odcinków serialu oraz postaci, które się przez te odcinki przewinęły. Choć w głównej mierze skupiamy się na scenach ukazanych w produkcji, to dostajemy tez jednak garść ciekawostek "spoza ekranu" jak choćby kulisy poznania się rodziców Elżbiety II, czy krótką biografię Clementine Churchill, czyli żony pierwszego premiera królowej.
Całość bogato ilustrowana jest fotosami z serialu oraz autentycznymi zdjęciami monarchini, jej bliskich oraz współpracowników.
Książka stanowi dobry dodatek do serialu, choć ciężko byłoby mi się zgodzić z tym, że jako samodzielna pozycja sprawdzi się równie dobrze.
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