RUSSELL GARETH

This is a biography of the Queen Mother with all the dull bits stripped out.When told that Lady Mountbatten was being buried at sea, the Queen Mother replied cheerfully. Dear old Edwina, she always did like to make a splash!During her lifetime, the Queen Mother was as famous for her clever quips, pointed observations and dry-as-a-Martini delivery style as she was for being a member of the Royal Family. She was also famed for her fondness for drinky-poos usually a gin and Dubonnet or three. Now, Do Lets Have Another Drink recounts 101 biographical vignettes one for each year of her long, remarkable life, including her coming-of-age during World War I, the abdication of her brother-in-law, the truth about her tragic nieces and her relationship with her two daughters over half a century of widowhood.The book is a skimming-stone biography the story of a life without the boring bits and a travel guide to a world that no longer exists. Stepping into the Queen Mothers rarefied universe is a little like falling through the looking glass. The book rightly celebrates her sense of humour but also explores her enmities and feuds, including the truth about her behaviour towards Wallis Simpson, Nerissa Bowes-Lyon and Diana, Princess of Wales.For fans of The Crown and featuring new revelations, never before published, and colourful anecdotes about the woman the high society photographer Cecil Beaton once described as a marshmallow made on a welding machine, Do Lets Have Another Drink is a delightful celebration of one of the most consistently popular members of the Royal Family.

Books like this don t come along very often Told with Gareth Russell s characteristic verve and exquisite eye for detail it is a story so compelling and surprising that it feels as if it has been hiding in plain sight for 400 years TRACY BORMAN A warts and all story told with compassion PHILIPPA GREGORY Elizabeth was king Then James was queen English author 1603 James Stuart King of England Scotland and Ireland did not always love wisely but he never failed to do so boldly James Stuart King of England Scotland and Ireland did not always love wisely but he never failed to do so boldly He fell in love three times with a Scottish lord a knight and George Villiers the handsomest man in the whole world He was infatuated three more times with a Highland earl a Welsh lord and an English spy We know so much about the six wives of Henry VIII why not the six loves of James I This groundbreaking new book puts James genius liar spendthrift idealist witch hunter and the men he loved at the centre of one of the most dramatic stories in British royal history Beginning with the brutal and mysterious murder of his father in 1567 James s life encompassed kidnapping witchcraft trials torture his mother s beheading poison political radica

If a house could gossip this is the book that Hampton Court would whisper An enjoyable and readable stroll through 500 years of Hampton Court history royal residents common visitors thieves inv

A BBC History magazine, Esquire, Historia magazine and Waterstones History Book of the Year James comes alive in full flamboyance Russell expertly weaves the bedchamber gossip into the tapestry of a tumultuous reign SUNDAY TIMES Brings the backbiting and power struggles of the Jacobean court to life with wit and vigour OBSERVERA warts and all story told with compassion PHILIPPA GREGORY _______________________________ Elizabeth was king,Then James was queen. English author (1603) James Stuart, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland did not always love wisely, but he never failed to do so boldly. He fell in love three times with a Scottish lord, a knight and George Villiers, the handsomest man in the whole world. He was infatuated three more times with a Highland earl, a Welsh lord and an English spy. We know so much about the six wives of Henry VIII, why not the six loves of James I? This groundbreaking new book puts James genius, liar, spendthrift, idealist, witch-hunter and the men he loved at the centre of one of the most dramatic stories in British royal history. Beginning with the brutal and mysterious murder of his father in 1567, Jamess life encompassed kidnapping, witchcraft trials, torture, his mothers beheading, poison, political radicalism, religious fundamentalism, a queens alleged abortion, passionate sex, strong love, stronger hate, espionage, brothels, and a decade-long love affair that ended in assassination. It is unquestionably one of the most gripping stories in British history, retold in Gareth Russells Queen James with scholarship, biographical insight and wit. ________________________________ Books like this dont come along very often. Told with Gareth Russells characteristic verve and exquisite eye for detail, it is a story so compelling and surprising that it feels as if it has been hiding in plain sight for 400 years. A stunning achievement and a must for history fans everywhere TRACY BORMAN

Written with an exciting combination of narrative flair and historical authority, this biography of Henry VIIIs fifth wife, Catherine Howard, is a stunning achievement (The Sunday Times, London), and a masterly work of Tudor history that is engrossing, sympathetic, suspenseful, and illuminating (Charlotte Gordon, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography).On the morning of July 28, 1540, a teenager named Catherine Howard began her reign as queen of an England simmering with rebellion and terrifying uncertainty. Sixteen months later, she would follow her cousin Anne Boleyn to the scaffold, having been convicted of adultery and high treason. The broad outlines of Catherines career might be familiar, but her story up until now has been incomplete. Unlike previous biographies, which portray her as a naive victim of an ambitious family, Gareth Russells excellent account puts the oft-ignored Catherine in her proper historical context (Daily Mail, London) and sheds new light on her rise and downfall by showing her in her context, a milieu that includes the aristocrats and, most critically, the servants who surrounded her and who, in the end, conspired against her. By illuminating Catherines entwined upstairs/downstairs world as well as societal tensions beyond the palace walls, Russell offers a fascinating portrayal of court life in the sixteenth century and a fresh analysis of the forces beyond Catherines control that led to her execution. Including a forgotten text of Catherines confession in her own words, color illustrations, family tree, map, and extensive notes, Young and Damned and Fair is a gripping account of a young womans future destroyed by forces beyond her controlan important and timely book (Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire and A World on Fire). This account changes our understanding of one of historys most famous women while telling the compelling and very human story of complex individuals attempting to survive in a dangerous age.

A riotously readabletender and affectionate (Daily Mail, London) exploration of five hundred years of British historyfrom King Henry VIII to Queen Elizabeth IIas seen through the doorways of the exquisite Hampton Court Palace.Architecturally breathtaking and rich in splendid art and decor, Hampton Court Palace has been the stage of some of the most important events in British history, such as the commissioning of King Jamess version of the Bible, the staging of many of Shakespeares plays, and Queen Elizabeth IIs coronation ball.The Palace takes us on an entertaining journey into the past (Kirkus Reviews) as it reveals the ups and downs of royal history and illustrates what was at play politically, socially, and economically at the time. An engaging and charming history book that is perfect for fans of Alison Weir, Philippa Gregory, and Andrew Lownie, The Palace makes you feel as if you were in the room as history was made.

For fans of The Crown and Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, a deliciously entertaining collection of 101 fascinating and funny anecdotes about Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Motherone for each year of her life.During her lifetime, the Queen Mother was as famous for her clever quips, pointed observations, and dry-as-a-martini delivery style as she was for being a beloved royal. Now, Do Lets Have Another Drink recounts 101 (one for each year of her remarkable life) amusing and astonishing vignettes from across her long life, including her coming of age during World War I, the abdication of her brother-in-law and her unexpected ascendance to the throne, and her half century of widowhood as her daughter reigned over the United Kingdom. Featuring new revelations and colorful anecdotes about the woman Cecil Beaton, the high society photographer, once summarized as a marshmallow made on a welding machine, Do Lets Have Another Drink is a delightful celebration of one of the most consistently popular members of the royal family.

This original and meticulously researched retelling of historys most infamous voyage (Denise Kiernan, New York Times bestselling author) uses the sinking of the Titanic as a prism through which to examine the end of the Edwardian era and the seismic shift modernity brought to the Western world. While there are many Titanic books, this is one readers will consider a favorite (Voyage).In April 1912, six notable people were among those privileged to experience the height of luxuryfirst class passage on the ship of dreams, the RMS Titanic: Lucy Leslie, Countess of Rothes; son of the British Empire Tommy Andrews; American captain of industry John Thayer and his son Jack; Jewish-American immigrant Ida Straus; and American model and movie star Dorothy Gibson. Within a week of setting sail, they were all caught up in the horrifying disaster of the Titanics sinking, one of the biggest news stories of the century. Today, we can see their stories and the Titanics voyage as the beginning of the end of the established hierarchy of the Edwardian era.Writing in his signature elegant prose and using previously unpublished sources, deck plans, journal entries, and surviving artifacts, Gareth Russell peers through the portholes of these first-class travelers to immerse us in a time of unprecedented change in British and American history. Through their intertwining lives, he examines social, technological, political, and economic forces such as the nuances of the British class system, the explosion of competition in the shipping trade, the birth of the movie industry, the Irish Home Rule Crisis, and the Jewish-American immigrant experience while also recounting their intimate stories of bravery, tragedy, and selflessness.Lavishly illustrated with color and black and white photographs, this is a beautiful requiem (The Wall Street Journal) in which readers get the story of this particular floating Tower of Babel in riveting detail, and with all the wider context they could want (Christian ScienceMonitor).

A Times Best Book on the Royal Family of the Year 2022This is a biography of the Queen Mother with all the dull bits stripped out. When told that Lady Mountbatten was being buried at sea, the Queen Mother replied cheerfully. Dear old Edwina, she always did like to make a splash! During her lifetime, the Queen Mother was as famous for her clever quips, pointed observations and dry-as-a-Martini delivery style as she was for being a member of the Royal Family. She was also famed for her fondness for drinky-poos usually a gin and Dubonnet or three. Now, Do Lets Have Another Drink recounts 101 biographical vignettes one for each year of her long, remarkable life, including her coming-of-age during World War I, the abdication of her brother-in-law, the truth about her tragic nieces and her relationship with her two daughters over half a century of widowhood. The book is a skimming-stone biography the story of a life without the boring bits and a travel guide to a world that no longer exists. Stepping into the Queen Mothers rarefied universe is a little like falling through the looking glass. The book rightly celebrates her sense of humour but also explores her enmities and feuds, including the truth about her behaviour towards Wallis Simpson, Nerissa Bowes-Lyon and Diana, Princess of Wales. For fans of The Crown and featuring new revelations, never before published, and colourful anecdotes about the woman the high society photographer Cecil Beaton once described as a marshmallow made on a welding machine, Do Lets Have Another Drink is a delightful celebration of one of the most consistently popular members of the Royal Family.

When the Titanic sank, so did the Edwardian age that created it. In this brilliantly original history, Gareth Russell recasts a tragedy we think we know to explore an era of seismic change. With new research and previously unseen first-hand accounts, Gareth Russell peers through the most famous portholes in the world to follow six travellers. Amongst them, a Jewish-American immigrant, an American movie star, a member of the British nobility, and a titan of industry. Setting these lives against that of the Titanic, Russell investigates social class, technological advancement, political turmoil and pioneering ambition in an age that swang between folly and brilliance, hubris and triumph. A dramatic history of human endeavour told through extraordinary, diverse personalities, The Ship of Dreams dispels myth to revive the story of a ship that was to become symbolic of its own doomed era. Previously published as The Darksome Bounds of a Failing World.

Named a Best Book of the Year by Library Journal and Daily Mail (London)A groundbreaking and insightful exploration of King James I, enigmatic successor to Queen Elizabeth I, from the meticulous researcher (The Wall Street Journal) and author of the enjoyable and readable (Philippa Gregory, #1 New York Times bestselling author) The Palace.From the assassination of his father to the explosive political and personal intrigues of his reign, this fresh biography reveals as never before the passions that drove King James I. Gareth Russells rollicking, gossipy (Dan Jones, author of The Plantagenets), and scholarly voice invites us into Jamess world, revealing a monarch whose reign was defined by both his public power and personal vulnerabilities. For too long, historians have shied away from or condemned the exploration of his sexuality. Now, Russell offers a candid narrative that not only reveals Jamess relationships with five prominent men but also challenges the historical standards applied to the examination of royal intimacies. This biography stands as a significant contribution to the understanding of royal history, illuminating the personal experiences that shaped Jamess political decisions and his philosophical views on masculinity and sexuality.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2017 Born into nobility and married into the royal family, Catherine Howard was attended every waking hour secrets were impossible to keep. In this thrilling reappraisal of Henry VIIIs fifth wife, Gareth Russells history unfurls as if in real time to explain how the queens career ended with one of the great scandals of Henrys reign. This is a grand tale of the Henrician court in its twilight, a glittering but pernicious sunset during which the kings unstable behaviour and his courtiers labyrinthine deceptions proved fatal to many, not just to Catherine Howard.

If a house could gossip, this is the book that Hampton Court would whisper. An enjoyable and readable stroll through 500 years of Hampton Court history: royal residents, common visitors, thieves, invaders and ghosts PHILIPPA GREGORYFor centuries, Hampton Court has been a place of power, scandal and intrigue: a stage for events that shaped the nation. The Palace raises the curtain on 500 years of British history with royals, politicians, criminals, and geniuses all playing their parts. Hampton Court has been an arc of monarchy, revolution, religious fundamentalism, sexual scandals, and military coups. In this rich and vivid history, Gareth Russell moves through the rooms and the decades, each time focusing on a different person who called Hampton Court their home. Beginning with the Tudors, Russell takes the reader from the kitchens of Henry VII and the dreams of Anne Boleyn to Elizabeth Is brush with death and the staging of Shakespeares plays. To the commissioning of the King James Bible, the republican victories of Oliver Cromwell, the many mistresses of Charles II and their laxative-laced attempts to embarrass one another. The gossip and feuds of Georgian aristocrats lead into the era of the Windsors when Hampton Court becomes the place to host Elizabeth IIs coronation ball and hide the last Tsars sister. Fascinating and engaging, The Palace is as atmospheric as it is gossipy and through the many sovereigns and servants that lived and worked in its halls reveals the personal tragedy and political importance of this extraordinary place.