16-page, full-color insert, 2 photos, maps & family trees.

    Precociously intelligent, self-confident, and attractive but with a stubborn, wayward streak, Sophia withstood a degree of emotional battering that would have broken a weaker spirit until at last she emerged, triumphant over her many enemies, as Empress Catherine II of Russia.Her achievements as empress were prodigious. She brought vast new lands under Russian rule. She raised the prestige of Russia in Europe. She began the process of imposing legal and political order on the chaos she inherited from her predecessors. Yet few historical figures have been so enthusiastically vilified as Catherine the Great. Whispers that she had ordered her husband's murder grew to murmurs that she was an immoral woman and finally to shouts that she was a depraved, lust-crazed nymphomaniac. With deft mastery of historical narrative and an unsurpassed ability to make the past live again, Carolly Erickson uncovers the real woman behind the tarnished image—an indomitable, feisty, often visionary ruler who, in an age of caveats and constraints, blithely went her own way.Great Catherine reveals the complexities of this great ruler's nature, her craving for love, her insecurities, the inevitable sorrows and disappointments of a strong empress who dared not share her power with any man yet longed to be led and guided by a loving consort. Great Catherine is a fresh portrait of an infamous historical figure, one that reveals how Catherine's flawed triumph guaranteed her posthumous fame and enhanced the might and renown of Russia for generations to come.

     Sandro was a crucial witness to the collapse of his family. He was the cousin, brother-in-law and close friend of the last tsar, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. He was with Nicky when thousands of Russian peasants died at Khodynka Field during Nicky’s coronation; he was with Nicky in the lead-up to the disastrous Russo-Japanese War; he was with Nicky during the failed revolution of 1905-6; he was with Nicky when the Russian Duma was established in an attempt to ward off future revolutions; he was with Nicky as Russia moved determinedly toward a military showdown with Germany; he was with Nicky fighting the German army of the Eastern Front during the First World War; he was with Nicky when he abdicated in favour of his brother, Michael, who refused the throne. This is a riveting first-hand account of the final days of the Russian Empire and of what it was like to be a member of the Russian Imperial Family at that time. And to our great good fortune, while Sandro may have been no Stolypin, he was a keen observer and an excellent writer. Anyone intrigued by the last days of the Romanovs as the ruling family of Russia should read this book.

    This text - an album of pictures gathered by the author over many years - shows the extended Romanov family.

    The text, which follows Nicholas & Alexandria from their childhood's to the Siberian cellar where their lives ended, is complemented by rare images from the imperial family's private collections (locked away for decades in Soviet archives, & published here for the first time), as well as by contemporary full-color photographs of the places & palaces the Romanovs knew.

    

    Its reign ended with the execution of Nicholas II and Alexandra in the early 20th century. Noted Russian scholar W. Bruce Lincoln has portrayed the achievement, significance and high drama of the Dynasty as no previous book has done. His use of rare archival materials has allowed him to present a portrait of the Romanovs based on their own writings and those of the persons who knew them.PrefaceAcknowledgmentsA Note on Russian Names and DatesPrologueMuscovite beginnings (1613-1689)Tsars and tsarinas In the eye of the storm The politics of Muscovy The rise of an empire (1689-1796) Eighteenth-century emperors & empresses An imperial city in the makingFrom debauchery to philosophy Imperial aspirations Empire triumphant (1796-1894) The imperial dynasty The new faces of St. PetersburgFrom golden age to iron ageThe colossus of the north The last emperor (1894-1917) Nicky and Sunny: the last Romanovs The approach of disaster Days of war and revolution The last days of the RomanovsNotes and ReferencesWorks CitedIndex

    Victoria's matchmaking plans were further complicated by the tumultuous international upheavals of the time: revolution and war were in the air, and kings and queens, princes and princesses were vulnerable targets.Queen Victoria's Matchmaking travels through the glittering, decadent palaces of Russia and Europe, weaving in scandals, political machinations and family tensions to enthralling effect. It is at once an intimate portrait of a royal family and an examination of the conflict caused by the marriages the Queen arranged. At the heart of it all is Victoria herself: doting grandmother one moment; determined Queen Empress the next.

    Catherine Merridale, author of Ivan’s War, calls this definitive history, “attractive, engaging, and very intelligent….Established fans of the Russian empress will find plenty of new material and those who are meeting her for the first time will be dazzled.”

    Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 'kills' over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in his career include the time, in August 1940, when his flight encountered around a hundred enemy aircraft, including Messerschmitt 110's; he led the flight in attack against them, and soon found himself in a stalled position, out of which he spun, only to be confronted by a Dornier 215, which he shot down, before later destroying a Messerschmitt 109. Scores of these kind of risky maneuvers and winning victories punctuated a career defined by great courage, leadership and initiative in the face of fierce opposition.This new and engaging biography profiles a pilot who, until now, hasn't been the subject of such a thorough book-length study. The story of his career is incredibly entertaining, featuring a number of hair-raising episodes, and is sure to appeal to fans of aviation history as well as the more general reader seeking out an action-packed biography offering fresh insights into one of the most pivotal conflicts of the twentieth century.

    His work as an American film producer, animator, voice actor, and entrepreneur would lead to a variety of enhancements in the way that we make cartoons and his personal style would touch the world and forever leave his mark. Regardless of the negative connotations associated with his name since his death, none can deny his importance in film and animation history and in the cultural fabric of the United States. The awards and commendations he has won and been awarded speak for themselves, but so does his work and the innovations he’s brought into the future of animation and filmmaking. His movies are still shown, re-released, and adapted quite frequently, and his legacy lives on with Disney as a film company, the Disney amusement parks that now span several countries, and so much more. His high standards and expectations live on in the Disney company’s continued efforts in the production of popular entertainment and they inspire other innovators in the field of entertainment, film, television, and animation as well. No matter what your opinion of Walt Disney may be, none can argue against the extraordinary magnitude of the span of contact that his work has had on the world. The physical proof of his existence is everywhere. Walk into any mall, scan the channels on your television on any day, or even just walk out of your house and chances are, something that was created by Disney will cross your path. This book looks at the life and work of this great animator, and the legacy he leaves behind.

    Raped by her father from age six and pregnant at eleven and again at thirteen, he kidnapped her and went on the run as the net eventually closed in around him. Shannon's story is not an easy read; she goes into graphic detail about her sexual, physical and mental abuse, which included being burned with an iron, hit with a hammer and even stabbed. Her father told her "it was something all fathers do with their daughters," and for a time she believed him. Shannon wrote this book to start making sense of her childhood and is currently studying towards a degree in Forensic Psychology to help understand what makes people evil. "It was a painful journey," she explains, “but it was worth it because I want to help others who have been through similar experiences."

     Lady Diana Spencer. One time wife of the heir to the throne and mother to two sons, one of whom will most probably one day be king. Challenger to the established protocols of the monarchy, a woman determined to do it her way. Trend setter, humanitarian, darling of the public. A person who appeared to have everything but whose life would end in tragedy at just thirty-six years of age. The People’s Princess…this is her story.

    That’s that. Besides, he’s marrying the princess; no way he’ll take a second look at her. Kristina takes over her mother’s position as the maid for the royal family and puts her life on hold – it’s her job to keep her family afloat. That mean no distractions, no commitments, no mistakes. Until Alex steps into her life. He’s the crown prince, and he’s marrying royalty, something Kristina was clearly not. She was the maid, and she couldn’t forget that. Alex has his life planned out - crown prince, engaged to a princess, and hoping on a happily ever after – until his favorite older help is replaced by her feisty daughter. Who even hired her? She’s nothing short of an annoying distraction, something he didn’t want or need. Someone he couldn’t trust himself around. PUBLISHER'S NOTE: SECRET BABY is a standalone, happily-ever-after royal romance with no cliffhangers.