Nancy Goldstone

Murder of a Medici Princess

by Caroline P Murphy

“This book is about a very strong woman – Isabella, the daughter of Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, the powerful ruler of 15th century Florence. Isabella was Cosimo’s favourite daughter, but even so she was obliged to marry Paolo Giordano I Orsini, a member of the lesser nobility, for political purposes. The Medici family was very wealthy, and Isabella was used to a luxurious life surrounded by beauty, art and literature.” — via Interview, March 2012

The Heptameron

by Marguerite de Navarre · Classics

“After she was widowed, Marguerite was strongly encouraged by her brother to marry a younger man for political purposes. This second marriage was not happy. Marguerite’s new husband, Henry II of Navarre, didn’t really want her. She was an intellectual who was interested in humanism, the Reformation and the Renaissance. He was much less educated, in addition to which he was also coarse and, frankly, brutish.” — via Interview, March 2012

The Serpent and the Moon

by Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent

“This book made me think of Princess Diana. But in terms of marriage, Catherine de’ Medici had it much worse. At least Princess Diana was young and beautiful, although of course it is heartbreaking that she died. Catherine de’ Medici was not attractive. She married Henri II, who eventually became the king of France. But Henri was only a second son when he got married, and was never meant to inherit the throne.” — via Interview, March 2012

Wild

by Cheryl Strayed · 2012 · Memoir

“I found the narrative honest and riveting. The author used the journey through the hiking trail to work out her problems. I thought, here was a dauntless daughter if I ever saw one!” — via Interview, October 2013

Wedlock

How Georgian Britain's Worst Husband Met His Match

by Wendy Moore

“Interestingly, Mary did not exhibit a particularly strong character when she was younger. She had been spoiled by her parents and was only interested in parties and dresses. She was unhappy with her first marriage because her husband was older, cold and distant. She was 27 when he died.” — via Interview, March 2012

Eleanor of Aquitaine

by Alison Weir

“Eleanor lived in the 12th century and was a great heiress. She owned Aquitaine, a large duchy in southwest France. She was originally married to the French king, Louis VII. He was two years older than she was, but hers was the stronger personality and he was no match for her. She ran him around.” — via Interview, March 2012

The Mighty Queens of Freeville

A Story of Surprising Second Chances

by Amy Dickinson

“Yes, I thought we should have some inspiring mothers! Amy Dickinson is the person who took over for an American columnist named Anne Landers, who wrote a hugely popular advice column for the Chicago Tribune.” — via Interview, October 2013

Casting with a Fragile Thread

A Story of Sisters and Africa

by Wendy Kann

“Her mother is mentally ill and her father dies while she was still quite young and she and her sisters live with their stepmother.” — via Interview, October 2013

Why Not Say What Happened?

A Memoir

by Ivana Lowell

“On the one hand Ivana had a very privileged upbringing. When she was younger she lived in a beautiful house in Kent and they always had money. But they had this very odd background and she had a terrible accident as a child, so she had to overcome all this. Her story was so compelling I felt like I read this book in thirty seconds.” — via Interview, October 2013

Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois

by Marguerite de Valois

“The voice has to be exactly right, otherwise you come across as self-serving, or not interesting. Not Marguerite. I read her memoir like it was a novel. She wrote it when she was in her fifties, looking back over her life.” — via Interview, October 2013