David Williamson (1) (1927–2003)
Author of History of the Kings and Queens of England
For other authors named David Williamson, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
The author of 15 plays, as well as numerous screen and television scripts, David Williamson is certainly Australia's most prolific playwright. He is also the country's most popular dramatist and the one best known abroad. Finally, most critics and general theatergoers would agree that he is the show more best playwright Australia has produced so far. Although his screenplays move into areas outside Australia, the plays remain fixed in his native land. Always well received in Australia, they have also been successful in Europe and the United States. Williamson's greatest achievement, then, lies in the way he makes universal that experience peculiar to Australians. Born in a small town near Melbourne, Williamson did not appear destined for a theatrical career. While majoring in engineering in college, he began writing for campus productions, and soon turned to a career as a playwright. Not particularly experimental, each play is marked by firm structure, exact sense of place, vivid language, satire, and comedy. These elements cohere to reveal believable characters facing often ordinary conflicts. Their responses are sometimes mundane and muddled, and rarely does a resolution take place. Among his works of the 1970s, The Removalists (1971) uses techniques of theater of cruelty. The plot revolves around police violence against individuals as a metaphor for gratuitous violence in society. Don's Party (1971) reveals the public and personal frustrations of a group of professional men and women at an election day party. In The Coming of Stork, a group of educated, urban young men and women seek their places in the social structure. The adverse role the Vietnam War played in Australian society is depicted in Jugglers Three, while What If You Died Tomorrow dramatizes the effect of fame on marriage and family relationships. Later plays include Travelling North (1980), The Perfectionist (1982), Sons of Cain (1985), Emerald City (1987), and Top Silk (1990). Williamson has addressed a number of themes, many relevant to Australian society and to cultures in other parts of the world. Yet his plays are never didactic; they entertain first, and then challenge the viewer. Insisting that his work is naturalistic, Williamson does indeed create a very real picture of life. Always, though, the reality is tempered by comedy and by a sympathetic attitude toward the characters inhabiting the imaginary world of the stage---a world in which viewers at times see themselves and their own foibles exposed. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by David Williamson
Associated Works
Burke's royal families of the world, Volume I Europe & Latin America (1977) — Contributor, some editions — 14 copies
Burke's Royal Families of the World: Volume II Africa and the Middle East. (1980) — Compiler, some editions — 11 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1927
- Date of death
- 2003
- Gender
- male
- Organizations
- Society of Genealogists (Fellow)
Society of Antiquaries of Scotlandb(Fellow)
Members
Reviews
1 
soliloquies | 2 other reviews | Oct 9, 2008 |
soliloquies | 2 other reviews | Oct 9, 2008 | 
A beautiful book; a hardbound, lovingly illustrated coffee table book, full of royal portraits, details from mediaeval tapestries and photographs of statues, battlefields and castle ruins. In the 1990s it was reprinted as The National Portrait Gallery History of the Kings & Queens of England with identical text but new pictures, just as beautiful but now specifically from the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.
The book is easily accessible and organised chronologically, with a chapter on Ancient Britain, then a short chapter on each of the seven kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy prior to the Viking incursions. When we come to Egbert of Wessex, who essentially transformed the position of Bretwalda (overlord of the Heptarchy, or High King of England) from a rank that had been passed around amongst the Saxon kings depending upon who was strongest to a hereditary title of the Kings of Wessex (that is, turned the Kings of Wessex into de facto rulers of England), we get short biographical sketches of each King of Wessex.
The bulk of the book, though, covers the monarchs who have reigned over us since the Norman Conquest of 1066. Each sovereign has a comprehensive biographical table--birth, marriage & death information, date of accession, date of coronation, & biographical information for each legitimate child. There's also a short biography for every royal bride who bore the title of Queen--or, in the case of Mary I's consort, King, as her husband Philip of Spain is (I learnt from this book) the only "King-consort" England has ever had. Additionally, the book contains a section of detailed genealogical charts.
Both a beautiful addition to the bookshelf and a thorough resource for the casual reader.… (more)
The book is easily accessible and organised chronologically, with a chapter on Ancient Britain, then a short chapter on each of the seven kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy prior to the Viking incursions. When we come to Egbert of Wessex, who essentially transformed the position of Bretwalda (overlord of the Heptarchy, or High King of England) from a rank that had been passed around amongst the Saxon kings depending upon who was strongest to a hereditary title of the Kings of Wessex (that is, turned the Kings of Wessex into de facto rulers of England), we get short biographical sketches of each King of Wessex.
The bulk of the book, though, covers the monarchs who have reigned over us since the Norman Conquest of 1066. Each sovereign has a comprehensive biographical table--birth, marriage & death information, date of accession, date of coronation, & biographical information for each legitimate child. There's also a short biography for every royal bride who bore the title of Queen--or, in the case of Mary I's consort, King, as her husband Philip of Spain is (I learnt from this book) the only "King-consort" England has ever had. Additionally, the book contains a section of detailed genealogical charts.
Both a beautiful addition to the bookshelf and a thorough resource for the casual reader.… (more)
This coffee table book provides a good overview of the kings and queens who have reigned in the British Isles from Anglo-Saxon times until the present day. Arranged chronologically with chapters by dynasty, the volume is beautifully illustrated with portraits and easy to understand genealogical tables. A good book for beginners or those with only a casual interest in royalty. Written by one of the co-editors of Debrett's Peerage.
This book provides an overview of the kings and queens who have reigned in the various European countries. The volume is arranged geographically with chapters by European region moving generally west to east (from Iberia to Germany to the Balkans). It has a definite Western European bias, with much more material about Spain, Portugal, and France than the other countries of Europe. Since the scope of the book is so broad, there are only brief accounts of the various rulers. The volume is beautifully illustrated with portraits and easy to understand genealogical tables. A good book for beginners or those with only a casual interest in royalty, really a coffee table book. Note that British royal families are not included as they are covered in the companion book "Kings and Queens of Britain." Written by one of the co-editors of Debrett's Peerage.… (more)
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 6
- Also by
- 3
- Members
- 563
- Popularity
- #44,421
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 4
- ISBNs
- 148
- Languages
- 2
Each King or Queen has his/her own section listing their spouse and children, before we get a reasonable amount of information about their reign. It's the perfect book for looking up facts when reading historical fiction. At the back there are genealogical tables, which are clearly set out. Fantastic book!