Eugenie: The Empress and Her Empire

Book Description

Eugenie de Montijo was Empress of the French, sharing the Second Empire with her husband Napoleon III. She impressed the Prussian Chancellor Bismarck so much that he called her The only man in Paris.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Biography.......2007-08-06

I had very little knowledge on Eugenie other then she was Empress of France and lost her only child. I've never been interested much in Napoleon III's reign or his consort but decided to give this book a try. I was pleasently surprised by what I read. Like the Eugenie was Spanish or that she was probably a better politican then her husband. Eugenie went from being bascially a no body to Empress of France and only to end up in exile after her husband was defeated. It must have been heartbreaking to lose her only child. A wonderful bio.

Amatuerish.......2007-06-06

From the professional reviews, I had expected a well-written, scholarly book. This is neither. The writing is sometimes poor, and never eloquent or outstanding.

The real problem, however, is the material. The portraits of Eugenie & Napoleon III are favorably one-sided. I don't feel as thought I could tell you the character of either after reading this book. Eugenie is impetuous is stated again & again but very few examples are given. Napoloen III is "pathologically secreative" but again no examples are given to support this statement. A very light-weight book.

Poor Misunderstood, Forgotten Empress Eugenie.......2006-06-11

I've always been interested in the lives of royal women, especially when I discover that they were more than just royal spouses or fashion plates. While such women as Elizabeth I of England, Mary of Scotland, and Catherine the Great of Russia have gotten plenty written about them, all too often, women with lesser notoriety tend to be forgotten or passed over by historians.

One such woman was Eugenie, the Empress of Napoleon III of France. Author Desmond Seward, a long-time biographer of royalty, takes what at first appears to be a woman of little notice and turns her into someone to be reckoned with. At first I was rather skeptical, remembering that most of what I had read of Eugenie was that she was Spanish, a fashion setter who was known to have never worn the same evening gown twice and who was a patron of Worth, and that most of history regarded her as a conniving, bad woman who frittered life away. To say that I was in for a surprise was an understatement.

Born Maria Eugenia Ignacia Augusta de Montijo , Eugenie grew up in an Europe that was going through revolutionary changes. Her father had fought with Napoleon's armies, and Eugenie soon developed a fascination with all things having to do with the Bonapartes . Clever, beautiful, and with the ability of being able to say the right thing in the right situation, Eugenie should have been wed quickly, but even after a tour of Europe with her wealthy mother didn't manage a good catch, and at twenty-three she was facing the prospect of spinsterhood. But it seems that Eugenie already had someone in mind -- the nephew of the formidable Napoleon, who had just managed to create himself Emperor of the French, by a coup-de-stat.

Napoleon III, as he was known, was also charming, but also short, rather ugly, and inscrutable. An able politician, that side of his personality has been mostly overlooked for historians, focusing instead on his insatiable need for women, and his lack of military leadership. He was also an innate showman, knowing how to catch people's imagination, and able to push through schemes and ideas that most would never take seriously.

Together, Napoleon and Eugenie formed a partnership that managed to survive for more than seventeen years, recreating Paris from an aging medieval slum to the magnificent City of Lights that we know today. Eugenie gave European fashion a chic flair with her patronage of the coutiere Worth, the artist Winterhalter, and her own innate sense of design.

But there were also serious flaws to the couple as well -- Eugenie had a vicious temper, and one that got worse as it got older; Napoleon's infidelities drove her to jealous rages, especially after the difficult birth of her only child. For his own part, Napoleon backed the feeble attempt to turn Mexico into a monarchy, found himself embroiled in a war with Prussia and dwindled into history as a laughing stock. As for Eugenie, besides losing her throne, she would face a long, lonely exile from Paris that stretched to nearly fifty years, and was emotionally devastated by the loss of her only child at a young age.

It's an intriguing look at a woman who was both villified and worshipped during her lifetime and afterwards, much as Marie Antoinette had been in an earlier generation. Indeed, Eugenie was fascinated by her predecessor, and would avidly collect any sort of memorabilia and objects that were associated with that unfortunate queen. In fact, Eugenie's life would eeriely echo that of Marie Antoinette in many ways, and she always lived in fear of the Parisian mob seeking to overthrow her.

Despite the book being a bit light in treatment -- gossip is constantly recounted, and Seward often repeats himself -- this was an engaging, enlightening read. I had known very little about the Second Empire, and discovered that most of my preconceptions of this period were wrong. Seward draws on the memoirs, newspaper accounts and Eugenie's own letters and recollections for his source material. At just under three hundred pages, it's a quick read, and a good start to exploring this period of French history. A selection of engravings and photographs are included in a black-and-white insert, and there are copious notes and bibliography.

A refreshing look.......2005-07-26

Desmond Stewart's biography does an excellent job of rehabilitating Eugenie's reputation. In earlier accounts, she has been portrayed as a vicious airhead, a bigoted zealot, or a clueless encumbrance on the Second Empire. Stewart's elegantly written, well-organized book shows Eugenie's strengths--her intuitive grasp of French politics, her social liberalism, and her dignified life in exile after the deaths of her husband and her only child. Stewart's research is impressive, and he provides a helpful Bonaparte genealogy as an appendix. I came away from this book with heightened respect for Eugenie and a much clearer sense of the historical importance of France's Second Empire and its legacies: the Suez Canal, the music of Waldteufel and Offenbach, the literary splendor of Flaubert and the Goncourts, as well as France's disastrous defeat by Prussia in 1870 and Eugenie and Napoleon III's ill-fated Mexican adventure. This book is an excellent introduction to Eugenie the woman and to the world of international diplomacy in the Victorian era.

A very sympathetic account..........2004-07-30

...of a remarkble woman. Desmond Seward definitely succeeds in recounting the life of the spanish born empress and wife to Napoleon III. It was the first biography I read about her and it initiated my passion for french history. Seward balances delicately between her as a private person leading the french court & the political background of 19th century Europe with one of it's climax - the franco-prussian war, which lead to the revolution and Napoeon's abdication.
The only thing I missed slightly was a deeper rendering of her political abilities. She had the reputation of a briliiant politician, being "the only man in Paris". The few times where she was regent, in the absence of her husband, Seward doesn't really delve into her active political doings apart from reflecting her opinion which, by no doubt, had large political impact. On the other hand he implies very successful how difficult it was for a woman and wife of the poilitcal leader in 19th century France to have a politcal role after all. Eugenie was brilliant in pursuing her personal and political goals within her boundaries set by society and court.
Altogether a great book and I recommend it with full belief.

Book Description

Ted Williams (1918-2002), one of the most colorful and controversial figures in sports history, was a genuine American hero and cultural icon. Considered by many the greatest hitter who ever lived, the "Splendid Splinter" appeared in eighteen All-Star games, won six batting titles and two Triple Crowns, and, in 1941, was the last player to hit over .400. In addition to his accomplishments on the baseball field, Hall-of-Famer Williams served as a fighter pilot in World War II and the Korean War, and was a tireless worker on behalf of the Jimmy Fund in the fight against cancer in children.

Williams' remarkable talent and passion for excellence, along with his stubborn, head-on approach to life and outspoken, volatile behavior, made him a favorite subject -- and target -- of sports scribes and other writers throughout his career. Although famous for his feuds with the press during his playing days, the temperamental star matured into a distinguished elder statesman of baseball.

This volume collects the best writing about Williams and some classic photographs of the hitter, providing a panorama of his brilliant ability and complex personality from his rookie year in 1939 to the memorial tributes following his recent death. It features thirty-five articles by celebrated sportswriters and best-selling authors, including Al Hirschberg ("Handsome Bad Boy of the Boston Red Sox"), Red Smith ("Ted Williams Spits"), Bud Collins ("'Saint' Goes Marching In"), Peter Gammons ("Williams an Unquestioned Hit with Him"), Ed Linn ("The Kid's Last Game"), John Updike ("Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu"), Donald Hall ("The Necessary Shape of the Old-Timers' Game"), John Underwood ("Going Fishing with the Kid"), Stephen Jay Gould ("Achieving the Impossible Dream: Ted Williams and .406"), and David Halberstam ("The Perfectionist at the Plate").

Taken together, the pieces offer a vivid mosaic of a true American great who is admired and respected as much by today's ballplayers and fans as those of his own generation.

Customer Reviews:

More then just baseball.......2005-04-02

Im 17 years old and hardly pick up a book , but I couldnt seem to put this one down , I find myself reading this book 3 hours a day. These are all articles of Ted Williams life that go in order from when he was a young kid to a old man. Its not just about his baseball side , but also about his love of fishing and who he really is behind the baseball image. It doesnt just tell you that he did something but how he did it ( dislike fans , visited kids in hospital , hate writers , sent money to his father even know he hadnt seen him in over 10 years , and why he was so generous to others ). Ive read alot about Ted Williams but I learned alot more about him in this book. I highly reccomend this book to anyone whos interested in " The Kid "

This is a "must read" for all Ted Williams fans!.......2003-07-26

Compiled and edited by lifelong Boston Red Sox fan Lawrence Baldassaro (who is also Professor of Italian and Comparative Literature, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Reflections On A Splendid Life: Ted Williams is a remarkable tribute to the talented baseball player who won six batting titles and two Triple Crowns, and in 1941, was the last player to hit over .400. In addition to his legend on the baseball field, he served as a fighter pilot in World War II and worked on behalf of the Jimmy Fund to fight against cancer in children. Reflections On A Splendid Life collects writings and photographs of Williams, from his rookie year in 1939 to his death in July 2002. Articles by sportswriters, best-selling authors, and those who knew and respected the remarkable Ted Williams fill the pages of this one-of-a-kind compilation. This is a "must read" for all Ted Williams fans!

Average customer rating:

Ted Williams: A Splendid Life
Bill Nowlin , Jim Prime , and Roland Lazenby
Manufacturer: Triumph Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Baseball | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 157243533X

Book Description

At the end of World War II, Germany was a broken nation. Split in two and occupied by the victorious Allies, it would have to be rebuilt, literally, from the rubble of its own defeat. Volumes of books have been published chronicling its structural and economic rebirth; this unique study reveals how Germany rebuilt itself culturally.

Rubble Films is a close look at German cinema in the immediate postwar era, and a careful examination of its relationship to Allied occupation. Shandley reveals how German film borrowed—both literally and figuratively—from its Nazi past, and how the occupied powers (specifically the US) used its position as victor to open Europe to Hollywood movie products and aesthetics.

Incorporating a careful reading of several important postwar films, Shandley also discusses how the German studio system operated immediately after the war, in the east and the west, giving special focus on DEFA, the east German studio that rose during Soviet occupation.

Pathbreaking in its research, Rubble Films sheds new light on a significant moment of German cultural rebirth, and adds a new dimension to the study of the history of film.

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2002-08-14

A lucid and thought-provoking examination of German films in the immediate post war era. This book makes a worthy contribution to the understanding not only of German cinema, but provides useful guidelines and insights regarding cinema in general. It is difficult to recommend this book more highly.

A look at a forgotten era of German cinema.......2001-11-29

"Rubble Films" examines the fictional films made in Germany between 1946 and 1949. These "rubble films" dealt with how the defeated Germans were to come to grips with the Nazi past. Shandley examines about ten films in close detail.

I found this a very useful book, because this era of German filmmaking is so little covered in English. Usually most histories skip from 1933 to 1968. While the Nazi Cinema and East German cinema have gotten a little more attention in the last decade, the "rubble film" era remains overlooked.

Shandley organizes his book around themes (treatment of Jews, those films set in the Third Reich, relationship between the sexes). I would have preferred a chronological approach. Also, he constantly compares these films to Italian Neorealism, and I would have liked some comparison to Soviet-bloc films of this same era. But apart from these objections, Shandley succeeds in the major task I ask of any book on film: that it creates a desire to see the movies in question. He has opened a useful window into a forgotten room of German film history.

Average customer rating:
DRAFTS ON MY MEMORY: Being Men I have Known, Things I Have Seen, Places I Have Visited. Two volume set

Manufacturer: Chapman and Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000I76342

Average customer rating:
Men, places, and things [microform]
William Mathews
Manufacturer: S.C. Griggs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006EM0DU

Average customer rating:
Men, places and things,
Duval Porter
Manufacturer: Dance Bros. & Co., printers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books | 19th Century | 20th Century | 21st Century | African Americans | Civil War | Colonial Period | General | Revolution & Founding | State & Local
ASIN: B00085PYF8

Average customer rating:
Places Which Have Delighted, Intriqued and Intimidated Men (People, Places, Things and Ideas, Volume 2)

Manufacturer: Readers Union/Grosvenor Press London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000EERUWI

Average customer rating:
Wasted talents: Exemplified by the history of a few obscure persons. Part second: Byrd's survey, or sketches of men, places and things
Duval Porter
Manufacturer: Darlington & Sons, Printers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
North Carolina | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
Virginia | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000893K2I

Customer Reviews:

Secrets of Winning Roulette.......2001-08-25

I give the book 4 stars because even though it was good reading it did'nt exactly reveal any real exciting secrets.Overall it could be used by the novice gambler to learn roulette and the best & safest ways to bet. It also gives some history on the roulette wheel and the different types used in the U.S. & abroad.

An excellent addition and referance.......2001-08-12

The book covers the game from all aspects and is easy to follow. It covers the game basics, and basic betting systems, and from there goes into some spin offs and playabe variations of those betting systems. It also covers other topics like biased wheels, numerical concepts that are important to playing the game, and technichal information about wheel construction and cheating (It does not teach you how to cheat). I consider the book an excellent referance for all Roulette players, and and a great addition to any library.

Book Description

The Portable MBA in Project Management covers the most pressing topics in project management and features all the leading thinkers in the field. While most project management books address only the techniques for managing individual projects, The Portable MBA in Project Management widens the scope to include insights for managing project-based organizations. In doing so, this comprehensive volume will help managers combine the power of individual project successes to drive the organization to new levels of productivity and customer responsiveness. Eric Verzuh, best selling author of The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, brings together the leading lights of project management in this volume, including Robert G. Cooper, Randall Englund, Jack Meredith and Neil Whitten. In addition to his role as editor, Verzuh draws on his own expertise to address how and why project management is a strategic strength, how to integrate project management into your enterprise, and several other topics for which he is well-known. Together they effectively address the full spectrum of the issues in project management today.

Customer Reviews:

Wealth of knowledge in advanced techniques.......2004-06-18

This book is more than an expansion of Verzuh's earlier "Fast Forward MBA in Project Management", ISBN 0471325465, in that both books can be used in conjunction with one another. Whereas the earlier book is a quick-start guide imparts a wealth of knowledge and techniques, this one goes deep into advanced techniques that project managers of all experience levels will appreciate. More importantly, executive management will benefit from parts of this book, especially Part One, which makes a case for project manager at the strategic level.

Contributing authors are subject matter experts in every facet of project management, assuring that this book will reflect the best thinking across all PM areas. Part Two contains a number of chapters that drill down into core areas, such as project selection, stakeholder satisfaction, risk management and quality. These areas are often overlooked by working project managers who are more concerned with estimating, scheduling and control (also covered in this part of the book).

Part Three is completely focused on team management, with excellent material on team building. I especially liked the chapter on managing virtual teams because this is an increasing requirement, both within internal organizations as well as managing teams comprised of internal resources and off-shore resources to which parts of a project may be outsourced. This is also applicable to project teams comprised of a prime and number of subcontractors.

For those interested in building an organizational structure that is project-based Part Four contains a wealth of material. I found the Stage-Gate new product development process given in chapter 11 to be both a viable and innovative approach to managing development and launches of new products. I also liked chapter 13, which covered enterprise project management in great detail. This material is outstanding for companies that are considering establishing a PMO.

As I read through this book I discovered techniques that had eluded me during my 25+ years of project management experience, as well as fresh ways of looking at techniques and methods I've used throughout my career. The selection of contributors to this book is one of its strengths - each comes across with the highest credibility, and there are no technical or factual gaps anywhere in the book.

If you are a working project manager, regardless of experience level, I strongly recommend adding this outstanding book to your professional library.

Eric has written an insightful book.......2004-06-06

Eric is on the money with this book. He has spoke at our Project Management syposium the last two years. I have read both his books and feel he has educated me in project managment. His books ar each one stop in the tools of project management. You do not have to read 500 page text books to get project managment information, and it does not hurt to have the author speak in person at your events.
This book is a buy, right off in the first pages Eric tells you that most important thing that project management is a corporate strategic strength. Many companies mis use the title and relegate project managers to be gofors or process analysts, but follow this book and you will see the real strength that leading projects is about leading and decision making.

Next level - improving the organizational capability.......2003-07-25

You can provide all the training your company can afford but if the organization doesn't embrace project management at every level performance will continue to suffer and the folks with all that new training will soon become disillusioned. Verzuh's new book outlines the issues you'll face in building a project centered enterprise that routinely adds value to customers and shareholders alike.

Verzuh has taken some of the best writing in project and program management, then added articles crafted in his honest, clear, to the point, style to fill in any gaps. The result is an excellent reader for those who care to help their business achieve the next level (and the next...) in project performance.

I've recently taken on several significant change efforts for major clients. I've found the chapters on: Enterprise Project Management: The Path to Maturity (12.), Integrating Project Management into the Enterprise (14), and Project Risk Management (6) particularly helpful in forming my approach. But as I look at this list I reflect on the fact that virtual teaming is giving one client a problem. Guess I better re-read Virtual Team Critical Success Factors (10). And I'm sure the other chapters will be needed before I'm done with this book. That's why others mention how dog-eared Verzuh's books become - because they provide assistance when you need it, and that's a value-added book you should have on your shelf - nope, it won't stay on your shelf, better make room for it right on the desk.

Thanks Eric, we needed this one.

Verzuh Does it Again.......2003-07-07

In almost every industry and profession, there is a growing reliance on Project management. This trend gives rise to a new term: the project-based organization.

This book is intended for their leaders. It takes an integrated approach to managing a project based organization. CIO's, department managers, program managers and senior project managers who are being challenged to formalize the processes of managing projects will find this compendium to be a source of strategies and standards for leveraging the discipline of project management across an organization.

Verzuh has assembled some the leading thinkers in project management to provide the reader with the theory, methods and framework to manage the project-based organization successfully. The collection includes essays from:
* Elaine Biech, President and Managing Principal, Ebb Associates
* Robert G. Cooper, President and cofounder, The Product Development Institute
* Denis Couture, President and cofounder, PCI Group
* Deborah L. Duarte, George Washington University
* Randall Englund, Associate, Strategic Management Group
* Robert J. Graham, Senior Associate, Strategic Management Group
* Ned Hamson, strategic innovation consultant
* Samuel J. Mantel Jr., Professor Emeritus, University of Cincinnati
* Jack R. Meredith, Editor in Chief, Journal of Operations Management
* Nancy Tennant Snyder, Vice President for Leadership and Strategic Competency Creation, Whirlpool Corporation
* Eric Verzuh, President, The Versatile Company
* Neal Whitten, President, Neal Whitten Group.

I particularly enjoyed Chapters 7 and 14. In Chapter seven Ned Hamson provides as concise an overview of quality, quality management and project management as I have found on the subject.

In Chapter 14, Eric Verzuh discusses integrating Project Management into the organization. In it, he argues that in the successful project-based organization project management disappears. Disappearing, he says, is not the same as ceasing to exist. The purpose of the project driven enterprise is not to hone project capabilities, it is to deliver products and services.

My copy of Verzuh's first book, The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, sits dog-eared on my desk from constant reference. I will not be surprised if this, his second, soon starts to take on a similar appearance.

Verzuh Does it Again.......2003-07-07

In almost every industry and profession, there is a growing reliance on Project management. This trend gives rise to a new term: the project-based organization.

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