Edward the Caresser: The Playboy Prince Who Became Edward VII

Book Description

In each of the past three centuries, a Prince of Wales has waited most of his life to become King, from George IV to Edward VII to Prince Charles. Each one disappointed his reigning parent. Each had an unhappy marriage and famous affairs. But only one single-handedly gave his name to an age: the future Edward VII, Albert Edward, eldest son of Queen Victoria.

How did such a roguish Prince become such a beloved King? The story of "Bertie" is the story of one of the first superstars in the dawning culture of celebrity. Drawing on previously unavailable, little-used or unknown diaries, letters, memoirs, and reportage from both sides of the Atlantic, acclaimed biographer Stanley Weintraub paints an unforgettable picture of the Prince and his worlds: his difficult and frustrating childhood, his introductions to gentlemanly sins at Oxford and Cambridge, his chilly arranged marriage to the pretty but dull Prin-cess Alexandra, and his constant escapes to balls, races, spas, and country houses, where he gambled, gourmandized, caroused, and whored. Husbands who hoped to advance among the gentry worked to arrange affairs between the Prince and their wives, maneuvering to situate bedrooms near his chambers. His string of "god-children" included some almost certainly his own.

Yet despite, or because of, Bertie's flaws, he was loved wherever he went. He was a natural diplomat, able to charm strangers and dance all night. When he toured the United States in 1860, he was a media sensation, and there was even talk of a marriage with President Buchanan's niece. When Victoria finally died in 1901 after decades of withdrawal from public life amid continual mourning for Albert, England relaxed and celebrated for the first time in years. Edward the Caresser presents an extraordinary picture of tragedy and farce, qualities that fit Edward perfectly for the role of modern monarch.

Customer Reviews:

Colorful character..........2003-11-12

If you look in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of King Edward VII illustrating the word "cad." In fact, you will also find him next to rogue, rake and bon vivant. Well, not really--but he would be a perfect match! In Edward the Caresser, Stanley Weintraub explores the life of Albert Edward, The Prince of Wales, who later becomes King Edward VII. "Bertie" is perhaps one of the most colorful royals of the last 200 years. The oldest son of Queen Victoria, Bertie is a disappointment from the time he is small, and it just continues throughout his adult life. Because of her lack of confidence in Bertie, Victoria gives him very few royal responsibilities and he will come to the throne at age 59 with very little training. The Prince of Wales uses all his free time to over-indulge in eating, drinking, smoking, gambling, hunting, traveling and most of all, women. He associates with many upper-crust gentlemen of questionable character. And he tends to go from one controversy to the next. His name is dragged through the courts for a variety of offenses from gambling to divorce proceedings. He is blackmailed on more than one occasion over indiscreet letters he has written to various women. He has a number of illegitimate children and often stands as their godfather when they are christened. He also gets himself into tremendous debt financing this opulent lifestyle. But the people of England love the prince--mainly because he is personable and also, because he shows himself to his mothers' subjects: something the Queen stopped doing after the death of her consort. Bertie is definitely a charmer, and as he opens hospitals and plants trees, the British come to forgive him his indiscretions.

One of the things I found most fascinating is comparing the life of this Prince of Wales with that of Charles, the present Prince of Wales. Although a full century separates them, they are made from the same cloth. Both men have spent the majority of their lives in the role of Prince of Wales. Both their mothers are long livers, and they've had to go through life doing inane jobs waiting to become king. They were both married to beautiful women who were adored the world over, and both cheated on their brides. At least Charles hasn't had a stable of mistresses (unlike Bertie), but ironically, the present prince must have assumed he was still living in Victorian society when it was perfectly fine to remain married to your wife and have a mistress, also. There is also irony in that one of Bertie's favorites, Alice Keppel, was the great-grandmother of Charles' current squeeze, Camilla Parker Bowles. Charles has also gotten himself into his fair share of controversy over the years, and we are left to wonder whether he will ever reign as king. (These comparisons are mine only, and are not made by the author in this book).

In terms of the book itself, I became a little bored when Weintraub went into great detail about the Prince's Indian expedition and got tired of reading the details about what he bagged on each hunt. Weintraub also has a disturbing habit of alternating between proper names and titles when mentioning various individuals. For instance, he sometimes mentions Benjamin Disraeli and sometimes Lord Beaconsfield (they are one in the same). It gets very confusing with less well-known individuals. I also think that the author does not do just to Bertie's wife, Alexandra.

All in all, Edward the Caresser is an enjoyable read. The author states that Bertie "was a walking argument for the defects of primogeniture." After reading this book,, you'll wonder how the monarchy survived.

Rather a waste..........2003-11-06

Looks like I'm alone, but I found this book frightfully superficial and entirely lacking in depth. The marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and for that matter, the relationships between the Prince and his mistresses, is glossed over and there is nothing in this book that makes one feel like they have learned anything substantial about anyone. I was SO disappointed, having read many other wonderful books on the subject. This is hardly worth the time or effort to order/read this one.

Remarkable portrait of a larger-than-life character.......2001-10-02

An old saying goes something like, 'The child is the father of the man.' Coming off successful biographies of Queen Victoria, the Prince Consort, and other eminent Victorians, Stanley Weintraub has given us a fine biography of the Victorian era's most elderly 'child' of all, Albert Edward (aka 'Bertie'), the Prince of Wales.

Heir to the throne must be a difficult position in the best of circumstances and despite his luxuriant lifestyle, Bertie's circumstances were not the best. His mother decided early on that her eldest son was uneducable (Weintraub argues he was dyslexic), unreliable, untrustworthy, and at least partially at fault for the early death of the Prince Consort, the husband she worshipped. As the decades passed, she refused to modify this harsh judgment, viewing him as a wayward and unruly child even after the Prince was himself a grandfather. In fact, if never an intellectual like his father (Weintraub seems to doubt the Prince ever in his life read a book cover to cover), Bertie proved himself clever, sympathetic, popular with the people, and a fairly skilled, if unofficial, diplomat. Nevertheless, the Queen would not allow him access to state papers, or hand off to him any but the most minor of ceremonial duties.

Barred by custom from involvement in politics, and by his mother from any meaningful preparation for his inheritance, Bertie devoted himself to the one area he could influence the most, society. Weintraub's biography shines in its illustration of how the Prince's active social life, essentially frivolous in so many ways, nevertheless helped him discover talents and develop skills that served him in good stead as sovereign. And while never prurient, Weintraub is nevertheless comprehensive in his treatment of Bertie's many extramarital affairs, from his brief flings to his longstanding relationships with Lillie Langtry, Alice Keppel, and others (including, lest we forget, his beautiful and long-suffering wife, Princess Alix of Denmark).

Weintraub's picture of Albert Edward, in short, is a fully drawn one, and the reader can develop a fairly complete understanding of him as a man and as a Prince. I found him very human, disturbing and yet sympathetic. I would recommend this biography to any student of Britain's Royal Family or historian of the Victorian era.

Looking forward to the sequel!.......2001-05-15

Edward the Caresser is a fine biography of the Prince of Wales who became King Edward VII. The title is slightly misleading since he was only called "Edward the Caresser" after he became King in 1901, and while he was Prince of Wales he was known to the public as "Prince Albert Edward". But such quibbling should be put aside. This is a wonderfully entertaining story of a boy and man who had many fine qualities which were not appreciated by his parents Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who set impossibly high standards for him and were constantly and openly disappointed when he failed to meet them. Bertie (as he was known in the family) also had to deal with being compared to his older sister and younger brother, who were their parents' favorites. After being made to bear the burden of being (in his mother's eyes) the chief contributor to his father's death, Bertie spent the rest of Victoria's reign looking for something to do. Since the Queen refused to allow him constructive work, having fun in various dissipations was his main occupation. Given such a background, the fact that Bertie turned out to be a kind, good natured man with a wide circle of friends and a loving wife and family is surprising.

Stanley Weintraub always produces a fine biography, and I hope he will follow up on "Edward the Caresser" with another volume on Edward VII's reign. It will be interesting to see how the playboy prince from an emotionall disadvantaged background turned into one of the most successful and well beloved British monarchs of the twentieth centuries

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Edward the Caresser The Playboy Prince Who Became Edward VII
Weintraub Stanley
Manufacturer: The Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UF3EMG

Customer Reviews:

Her great story.......2001-06-09

I was already a huge fan of Rebecca Lobo before reading this book. 'The Home Team' gives you a look into the lives of Rebecca and Ruthann Lobo. It's such a real look at how their lives truly are and how much they love each other. After reading this book I was blown away by the courage both of these amazing women have shown in thier lives.

How I feel about the book and why.......1998-08-29

I really love this book! I did not want to put it down. A couple of reasons I love the book is because now I know she was a normal child once and she did'nt always play basketball. I also liked it because her mom talked about her life. Now I know they had problems just like any other family does.

A moving story.......1998-06-30

This book is a must read for all WNBA fans. Rebecca Lobo's life is revealed in many aspects, that of her point of view and her mother. It talks about many issues such as Ruthanne's struggle with breast cancer and how the family dealt with it. As a 15 year old girl, reading is not one of my favorite pastimes. When I heard of a book about my idol Rebecca Lobo, I decided maybe I should give reading a try. I finished the story in a total of two days and found myself waking up in the middle of the night wanting to know what was going to happen next. It is an extremely moving book in which I fould that it was very easy to relate to. As a basketball player, some of Rebecca Lobo's theories such as playing basketball to relive stress and cope with problems I use also. It gave a new perspective to why I am two different people a hustler and leader on the court and a shy and proscinator off of it. Athlete or not, this book will get you moving. It will leave the message in your heard that anything is possible and it will help you to get out and reach that goal that you have been striving for.

A Great Book By Two Great Role Models.......1998-06-23

I had the opportunity to meet the Lobos at a seminar, and they are as congenial in person as they appear in this fantastic book. Each personal chapter of this narrative made me feel like I was almost a part of the Lobo family. I liked reading about how Rebecca and her brother and sister grew up, what it was like to be part of a team as tight as the Huskies, and how the family dealt with RuthAnn's cancer. I have read this book over and over, and my mother and grandmother both love it as well. It is definitely worth sharing!

Inspiring story of mom and daughters relationship and life!!.......1998-05-01

Very well written and inspiring. Surviving with strength and heart to carry her family, Mrs. Lobo is amazing! Rebecca's tales of life and the heart ache of her moms struggle with breast cancer. They stuck together and beat it out! WAY TO GO MRS. & MS. LOBO!!!

Home Team of Mothers, Daughters & American Champions

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Home Team of Mothers, Daughters & American Champions
RuthAnn and Rebecca Lobo
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ROGYAY

Book Description

This text presents a picture of popular consensus between the government and the film industry over the representation on the cinema screen of Britain and the British at war. It examines the role of the cinema as a vehicle of propaganda, set within its institutional, political, and cultural contexts, revealing the complex relationship between the Ministry of Information and the different sectors of the film industry. It identifies the themes and ideologies presented to audiences through analysis of key wartime films, including Forty-Ninth Parallel, In Which We Serve, and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp.

Best of British: Cinema and Society from 1930 to Present (Cinema and Society)

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Best of British: Cinema and Society from 1930 to Present (Cinema and Society)
Jeffrey Richards , and Anthony Aldgate
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1860642888

Book Description

This is a revised and expanded edition of the classic book on film history. The authors examine how aspects of British society are reflected in and shaped by cinema. Films studied include, among others, Sanders of the River, A Canterbury Tale, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The Guinea Pig, The Blue Lamp, The Ladykillers, I'm All Right Jack, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, If . . . , and Scandal.

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The Dam Busters: A British Film Guide
John Ramsden
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1860646360

Book Description

An original mix of film analysis and political history, this book examines the political and cinematic significance of The Dam Busters, as both a British institution and a fine war film. A critical and popular success, the film celebrates an image of gutsy ingenuity for the "Brits at war," with the 1943 raid by Lancaster bombers on the dams of Germany's Ruhr region, using the extraordinary "bouncing bomb." Ramsden's fresh and incisive book offers an overall review of the film and its place in history. It convincingly suggests that the film's cultural impact made it difficult to assess the true value of Britain's bombing campaign.

Film Propaganda in Britain and Nazi Germany: World War II Cinema

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Film Propaganda in Britain and Nazi Germany: World War II Cinema
Jo Fox
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ProductGroup: Book
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Propaganda--so crucial to winning the battle of hearts and minds in warfare--witnessed a transformation during World War II, when film was fast becoming the most popular form of entertainment.In Film Propaganda in Britain and Nazi Germany, Jo Fox compares how each country exploited their national cinema for political purposes. Through an investigation of shorts and feature films, the author looks at how both political propaganda films and escapist cinema were critical in maintaining the morale of both civilians and the military and how this changed throughout the war. While both countries shared certain similarities in their wartime propaganda films - a harking back to a glorious historic past, for example - the thematic differences reveal important distinctions between cultures.This book offers new insight into the shifting pattern of morale during World War II and highlights a key moment in propaganda film history.

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British War Films, 1939-1945: The Cinema And the Services

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British War Films, 1939-1945: The Cinema And the Services
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J. Arthur Rank and the British Film Industry (Cinema and Society)

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J. Arthur Rank and the British Film Industry (Cinema and Society)
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Manufacturer: Routledge
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Presiding over the "golden era" of the British Film Industry from the mid to late 1940s, J. Arthur Rank financed movies such as Oliver Twist, The Red Shoes, Brief Encounter, Caesar and Cleopatra and Black Narcissus. Never before, and never since, has the industry risen to such heights.
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British Cinema And The Second World War (Continuum Collection)

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The Second World War was such a cataclysmic event that it echoes still reverberate, over fifty years after it ended. One of the prime means of exploring the impact of the war has been the feature film.

This unique book covers the whole range of British films after the second World War, from In Which We Serve (1942) right up to The Land Girls (1998). Murphy offers detailed analysis of these films. Reflecting the fact that the war affected millions of noncombatants as well as those who fought in it, there are chapters in the book devoted to war comedies, the representation of women and romance in relation to the war, and the disturbing legacy of the war on society. Complete with 25 black and white film stills and a comprehensive filmography and bibliography, British Cinema and the Second World War is an important resource for historians and film students alike, providing a uniquely comprehensive account of how we have portrayed the war through films. The Second World War was clearly a defining moment in British history but it was also of immense importance to the British film industry. What started out as means of conveying propaganda became a way of revisiting, reshaping, and rethinking the experiences of the war years. The war brought the British film industry to the forefront of national consciousness in a way it had never managed before and has never regained since, and it helped to launch the careers of several major directors: Powell and Pressburger, David Lean, Carol Reed, among others

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Fantastic and Fun

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Fantastic and Fun.......2003-03-29

Not only do I use this book for ideas for campaigning, but I've used it to spur my imagination for short stories and writing. It's an excellent and useful peek into Roman life. It makes me wish that they would put out another series on the Ancient world as a whole before Imperial Rome ruled it all.

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Common Business Sense, Southern Style

The Simple Ingredient

The Simple Truth for Your Business

Plodd is in the Details!

The Simple Truth: For Your Business : Why Focused and Steady Beats Business at the Speed of Light
Alex Brennan-Martin , and Larry Taylor
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Book Description

Using examples drawn from businesses of all types and sizes, Simple Truth explains the straightforward techniques that can lead to lasting success-and profits.

Customer Reviews:

Common Business Sense, Southern Style.......2005-01-25

Much like the author, I have all of the standard business and management books in my collection. The Simple Truth summarizes the relevant principles of them all in a concise and well-organized fashion. It is very easy to read and provides some excellent food for thought (pardon the pun). I'm in the IT business and I find the Simple Truth is just as applicable for technology as it is for hospitality. This book is now the most referenced title in my collection. Great job Alex!

The Simple Ingredient.......2004-05-29

I've read or listened to many books Covey, Robbins, Rohn, and many others. "The Simple Truth" really sums them all up in a nice package that's an easy read. It gives you so many thoughts and inspirations on how you can improve your own business, and the quotes break the monotony. These Authors have wrote it just like the title "Simple". I've now come up with simple idea's that I think really matter to my staff and customers most and put it to work. I recommend to "Let the Simple Truth Set You Free" to grow your business. Thanks from a Customer Relations Manager.

The Simple Truth for Your Business.......2004-03-19

Relevant,easy to read, insightful and thought provoking. Great writing style. I've already seen results in my business.

Plodd is in the Details!.......2004-02-10

This is a great book no matter what business you are in. It makes you think about the things you do every day in a new light. Stories like the waiter who saw the client's view by sitting at a table remind the reader that things are not always what they appear.
In the post dot com age, it is nice to see a back to basics business cook book by two gentlemen who certainly know their way around the commerce kitchen.

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