Victoria: The Queen
An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire
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Victoria: The Queen
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Narrated by:
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Clare Fraenkel
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By:
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Julia Baird
About this listen
A magnificent biography of Queen Victoria by international New York Times columnist Julia Baird. Drawing on previously unpublished papers, Victoria: The Queen is a stunning new portrait of the real woman behind the myth - a story of love and heartbreak, of devotion and grief, of strength and resilience.
When Victoria was born in 1819, the world was a very different place. Revolution would begin to threaten many of Europe's monarchies in the coming decades. In Britain, a generation of royals had indulged their whims at the public's expense, and republican sentiment was growing. The Industrial Revolution was transforming the landscape, and the British Empire was commanding ever larger parts of the globe. Born into a world where women were often powerless, during a century roiling with change, Victoria went on to rule the most powerful country on earth with a decisive hand.
Fifth in line to the throne at the time of her birth, Victoria was an ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary role. As a girl she defied her mother's meddling and an adviser's bullying, forging an iron will of her own. As a teenage queen, she eagerly grasped the crown and relished the freedom it brought her. At 20 years old, she fell passionately in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, eventually giving birth to nine children. She loved sex and delighted in power. She was outspoken with her ministers, overstepping boundaries and asserting her opinions. After the death of her adored Albert, she began a controversial, intimate relationship with her servant John Brown. She survived eight assassination attempts over the course of her lifetime. And as science, technology, and democracy were dramatically reshaping the world, Victoria was a symbol of steadfastness and security - queen of a quarter of the world's population at the height of the British Empire's reach.
Drawing on sources that include revelations about Victoria's relationship with John Brown, Julia Baird brings vividly to life the fascinating story of a woman who struggled with so many of the things we do today: balancing work and family, raising children, navigating marital strife, losing parents, combating anxiety and self-doubt, finding an identity, searching for meaning. This sweeping biography gives us the real woman behind the myth: a bold, glamorous, unbreakable queen - a Victoria for our times.
©2016 Julia Baird (P)2017 Audible, LtdWhat listeners say about Victoria: The Queen
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lloyd P.
- 07-02-2021
Fascinating
Try as I might, I just can't fathom the depth of research that must have gone into this book. I've been spoilt by great books lately, but this is a highlight. Dissolving the popular - culture narrative on both the times, and the person, this book leaves me both sadly sympathetic, and dismissively unsympathetic. An objective, yet passionate recount of the life and times of Alexandrina Victoria.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rodney Wetherell
- 10-05-2018
Fascinating story of Victoria and her world
I found this book very interesting from start to finish. I thought I knew a fair bit about Queen Victoria, but realized how little, when I got into this book. Julia Baird must have done an incredible amount of detailed research to have turned up so many quotes and stories, some from the most unlikely people. It is more than a life of one woman, but a picture of her rapidly changing times and the empire over which she ruled.
The reader Clare Fraekel was clear and quite good, but she irritated me by pausing every time she introduced a quotation, ie. 'He said she was.....a wonderful woman', though in this we can blame her producer no doubt. In the many audio books I have heard, via Audible and other sources, I have never heard this done, and believe these pauses are quite unnecessary as well as interrupting the flow of the narrative.
She mispronounced several words, e.g. profligacy, putting the emphasis on the second syllable which made it sound ridiculous. The many times she said the name Gladstone, she pronounced the second syllable as 'stone', whereas virtually everyone I have ever heard say the name has given a neutral pronunciation of the 'o', to give almost 'stun' or 'stn'.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- helen
- 10-01-2018
change in pace with direct speech annoying
Would you consider the audio edition of Victoria: The Queen to be better than the print version?
I lved the story and am still enjoying listening to it, but the voice narrating is annoying and the unnecessary long pauses to indicate direct speech are annoying
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
voice narrating is annoying because of the unnecessary long pauses to indicate direct speech
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Janet Moull
- 06-12-2020
Victoria: the life of an extraordinary queen.
This book is a remarkable account of a remarkable woman who, despite her diminutive height, ruled an empire of magnitudinous proportions for over half a century. Julia Baird has written this account of the life of Queen Victoria with scrupulous attention to detail, not only about the woman and her family, but also about the changing society, politics and personalities of the time. It is full of interest for all who love history and is beautifully narrated by Clare Fraenkel. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ChrisXmas
- 25-01-2024
Adored this book!
I can’t fathom the amount of time and energy that went into this but I’m so happy you write it.
Amazing!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Linda Marea
- 03-12-2017
The Victoria I never knew existed
Although a lover of history I knew so little about Victoria. Julia Bairds research and writing was so rich and satisfying that every chapter’s end felt like a wonder holiday drawing to an end. Every aspect from Victoria’s emotional and physical states to the politics and culture of Great Britain and Europe are explored in exquisite depth-bringing to life perhaps the greatest and most influential woman of this era. This has been a true pleasure and can’t recommend it highly enough!
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MISS
- 20-07-2021
A Great Epic Biography
I couldn't put it down.
Richly written, impeccably researched, gives a very good underlay of the history in the UK and Europe during Victorias reign.
Very insightful into Victorias life and marriage.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 24-10-2019
Great story about an amazing woman
This book was well written. I did find it slow in some places and the narration got a little boring at times but overall I would suggest that this is one of the better books that has been written about Queen Victoria.
It delves into her personal life with clarity and allows us to understand one of the greatest monarchs in history with a lot more clarity. It has allowed me to connect with her on a personal level as well. I find it easy to put the crown on a pedestal and think that live this extraordinary life, but this book shows the truths behind the crown so much better than any other. It reminds us that, although Victoria is one of the greatest monarchs to live so far she was also a normal human, mother, sister, daughter and wife. It shows her flaws in all of these areas which is important for us to understand the monarch.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 07-03-2020
Fascinating
Even after watching the TV series, I still found this book fascinating. Great treatment of the subject.
Excellent narration even if I have never previously heard Boer pronounced in that way.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 19-10-2021
most enlightening
loved it, she certainly was ahead of her time on assuring Women S Rights
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