Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

Eleanor, by the grace of God, a great read :D

Alison Weir is one of my favorite authors and everything she writes takes me to that time in history!

Really amazing life story... The woman seems to have been everything....coquette, queen of both France and then England, mother of several Kings, Grandmother to more, a woman who went on crusade to the Holy Land, ran her own feudal lands, and finally died as a nun. Totally worth the read. This account is good b/c it is well researched and tries to stick to the facts unlike other's which...more

Really amazing life story... The woman seems to have been everything....coquette, queen of both France and then England, mother of several Kings, Grandmother to more, a woman who went on crusade to the Holy Land, ran her own feudal lands, and finally died as a nun. Totally worth the read. This account is good b/c it is well researched and tries to stick to the facts unlike other's which allow some of the rumors about Eleanor too much authority. A word of caution--its a dense read and the family marriages are almost as difficult to follow as some of the Roman ones--charts in the back are a big help. Well worth the read!   hide

Alison Weir's treatment of one of the most intriguing and personally powerful women in history, more so than others who get more limelight. Ms. Weir proves that she is no dabbler in history and blows Antonia Frasier out of the water! I was pleased to see there were already 37 reviews of this book. Filled with lovely illustrations and packed with fun anecdotal asides, the author reveals a...more

Alison Weir's treatment of one of the most intriguing and personally powerful women in history, more so than others who get more limelight. Ms. Weir proves that she is no dabbler in history and blows Antonia Frasier out of the water! I was pleased to see there were already 37 reviews of this book. Filled with lovely illustrations and packed with fun anecdotal asides, the author reveals a woman, more than just a personality, with real feelings, emotions, passions and grudges, who knew how to utilize the resources at her command. A prodigy for her time, she outlived all but two of her children- one being evil King John. When she died, Alison Wier quotes one contemporary who said, "A great light has gone out." If only the world were still governed by such bright lights!   hide

Intersting history of the entire Henry II family, not just Eleanor...

I've read so many books about Eleanor that I think she's my friend. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BE HER MAYBE I WAS

After A DISTANT MIRROR, this is the most insightful look into everyday life in the early Middle Ages that I have ever read. If you do not know who Eleanor is and have never read about her, you have missed out on perhaps the most intelligent, most colorful, most confident and most amazing woman ever! If you are female, Eleanor is the mother of ALL modern women. She is the only person EVER to be...more

After A DISTANT MIRROR, this is the most insightful look into everyday life in the early Middle Ages that I have ever read. If you do not know who Eleanor is and have never read about her, you have missed out on perhaps the most intelligent, most colorful, most confident and most amazing woman ever! If you are female, Eleanor is the mother of ALL modern women. She is the only person EVER to be both Queen of France AND Queen of England. She is the wife of Henry II of England, mother of Richard the Lionheart and The Good King John, and her children and grandchildren became royalty in England, France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire (Germany)! It will be easy to realize why Allison Weir is such an acclaimed royal biographer!   hide

Easily the best of Alison Weir's highly accessible series on medieval women in power. Sadly the later ones lack historical evidence and personal insight

I read this a long time ago but can't really remember it that well. Would like to read again.