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Victoria
The Woman Who Made the Modern World
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Description
The much-admired, critically-praised and bestselling biography of Queen Victoria comes from Julia Baird, one of Australia's most admired and respected journalists and commentators.
When Alexandrina Victoria was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 20 June 1837, she was 18 years old and barely five feet tall. Her subjects were fascinated and intrigued; some felt sorry for her. Writer Thomas Carlyle, watching her gilded coach draw away from the coronation, said: 'Poor little Queen, she is at an age at which a girl can hardly be trusted to choose a bonnet for herself; yet a task is laid upon her from which an archangel might shrink.'
Queen Victoria is long dead, but in truth she has shaped us from the grave. She was a tiny, powerful woman who reigned for an astonishing 64 years. By the time of her Diamond Jubilee Procession in 1897, she reigned over a fourth of the inhabitable part of the world, had 400 million subjects, and had given birth to nine children. Suffrage, anti-poverty and anti-slavery movements can all be traced to her monumental reign, along with a profound rethinking of family life and the rise of religious doubt. When she died in 1901, she was the longest-reigning monarch in English history. Victoria is truly the woman who made the modern world.
A fascinating, provocative and authoritative new biography of Queen Victoria, which will make us see her in a new light, comes from one of Australia's most admired and respected journalists and commentators, Julia Baird.
'Julia Baird's exquisitely wrought and meticulously researched biography brushes the dusty myth off this extraordinary monarch. Right out of the gate, the book thrums with authority as Baird builds her portrayal of Victoria. Overturning stereotypes, she rips this queen down to the studs and creates her anew.' The New York Times
Shortlisted for the 2017 ABIA Awards and the 2017 NSW Premiers History Awards, and longlisted for the 2017 Stella Awards and the 2017 Walkley Awards.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Victoria by Julia Baird is praised for its comprehensive and engaging portrayal of Queen Victoria's life, blending meticulous research with a compelling narrative. The biography provides nuanced insights into Victoria's personal and political challenges, capturing the complexity of her character. Critics appreciate Baird's ability to balance historical detail with readability, making the historical figure accessible and relatable to modern readers.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780732295707
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 18 September 2017
Country: Australia
Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 45.0mm
Width: 154.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 790g
Pages: 752
About the Author
Julia Baird is a Sydney-based author and journalist. She writes columns for the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the ABC. She is a former co-host of The Drum on ABC TV, senior editor of Newsweek in New York, Joan Shorenstein Fellow at the Kennedy School at Harvard University, and op-ed contributor for the New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her first book, Media Tarts, was based on her PhD in History about the portrayal of female politicians. Victoria, her biography of Queen Victoria, was published globally to critical acclaim and was one of the New York Times' top ten books of 2016. Her third book, Phosphorescence, was a multi-award-winning international bestseller. Bright Shining was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) for Non-Fiction Book of the Year. Julia lives near the sea with her two children and an abnormally large dog.
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