Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

At 496 pages, not including nearly 120 pages of end notes and a 25 page bibliography which includes several unpublished primary and contemporary sources, Julia Baird's "Victoria: The Queen" is an interesting and entertaining read. Baird, an Australian journalist, author, and historian, presents a well researched look at England's second longest reigning monarch. Taking the reader from Victoria's birth as the heir presumptive to the British throne, to her death at age 81, Baird paints a portrait of a stubborn, imperious woman who was not perfect, but managed to lead an empire for over 50 years. Baird addresses Victoria's marriage to her cousin Albert, the births of her nine children (all of whom survived to adulthood), the death of Albert and three of her children, as well as her relationships with John Brown and Abdul Karim. Albert's increased involvement in ruling the British Empire, Victoria's relationships with her numerous Prime Ministers, and her political and personal goals are all covered in this tome. Baird presents Victoria in an engaging light, as a woman who enjoyed her husband, her children, and grandchildren; the letters and diary entries that contradict her image as a dour, prudish person are an intriguing look into the 'real' Victoria. As Baird states, the purging of Victoria's private correspondence by her children and ministers, with the removal of anything that would paint Victoria as other than a pillar of moral rectitude created a false image of the long reigning monarch. Baird's writing ability and the way she presents her subject makes the nearly 500 pages read quickly. Victoria was more than what her descendants allowed the world to see - she was a woman who enjoyed life, admitted to some of her flaws, and was considerably more involved in ruling her empire than has been portrayed in past biographies.