Queen Eleanor: Independent Spirit of the Medieval World: A Biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine

I recently bought this book for a paper I had to do for school. I had read Polly Schoyer Brooks' book about Joan of Arc last year, and had enjoyed it, so I was hapy to find one on Eleanor of Aqutaine. This book was clear and easy to understand, but explained the fascinating life of Eleanor in detail. Each chapter highlighted a different section of her life, from her childhood in Aqutaine, to her marriages and rules as Queen of France and England, and finally to helping her sons rule as kings of England. I was amazed by her long life in the medieval times. This book is a treasure and one I would read again. I especially enjoyed the references to the King Arthur tales and how Eleanor influenced them as a model for Guinevere!

Queen Eleanor is a women who never gives, even in the last few years of her life. She gave birth to two famous kings, King Richard the Lionhearted and King John Lackland. She was married to King Louis and then to King Henry. The story is very well put together and gave the feeling of being at the place where Eleanor was. The book gave a lot of interesing facts but it told a story as well.

This is a wonderfully written book about one of the most interesting figures in history, Eleanor of Aquatine. From her carefree homeland to dreary England, first and second husbands, Eleanor's charactor shines through every page. I seemed to get to know her as a person, not just some charactor whom the author slaps on a few traits and leaves the "finished product" fuzzy around the edges. Do yourself a favor and buy this book for you, your child, you grandchild, your teacher, your... Well you get the point!!

Two Thumbs Up = EXCELLENT!!One Thumb Up = GoodSideways Thumb = OKOne Thumb Down = BadTwo Thumbs Down = TERRIBLE!!This book was: Two Thumbs UpComments: When you think of the average bio you think of DATES DATES AND MORE DATES! And trust me, I cannot STAND DATES! They are too dry and it's not like we're going to remember anyways unless we are overly obsessed freaks. ANYWAYS! To get back to the point: This book was a great presentation of the life of Eleanor of Acquitaine. Why? Well it wasn't too dry. Somehow the author managed to step into Eleanor's character and write from her point of view, yet stay in the third person. It was very detailed. Overall it was an enticing and informative story.

"Queen Eleanor" is a well-written, entertaining account of the life of a queen whom I consider to be one of the most interesting and influential people who ever lived. Did you know that she was the mother of King Richard the Lionheart and Prince John Lackland ("the phony king of England"), both of Robin Hood fame? That her marriage with Henry Plantagenet (Henry II) first brought France under English rule? That she established the jury system in England? It's amazing, really. The only complaints I would have of the book are that it's not as detailed as it could be (which I understand, because it's a children's book and not meant to give you every detail; for that, see "Eleanor and the Four Kings"); and that it over-sympathizes with Eleanor. I should rather say, glosses over her faults, because they *are* mentioned. But after reading this, you'll come away with the correct impression that Eleanor of Aquitaine was indeed a remarkable woman.