Image courtesy of PBS
Imagine a teenager – just 18 – taking control of the throne of one of the world’s most powerful dynasties. It’s not a fantasy story. It’s the true life tale of Queen Victoria.
This month her life will be portrayed by Jenna Coleman in six part series Victoria airing on PBS.
I won’t have to look hard to learn more about the Queen, as numerous biographies and documentaries about her, her relationship with Prince Albert and her children have been published. I’ve put together a list from the library’s collection, which includes these favorites.
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
Daisy Goodwin is the creator and writer behind the PBS series, and this book is her novelization of the first two years of her reign. Goodwin felt drawn to Victoria and the Victorian era after first encountering her diaries as a student at Cambridge, and this imaginative retelling of her story is a result of years of study.
Victoria the Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled An Empire by Julia Baird
This recent biography attempts to portray the real person behind the facade that is often associated with Victoria. The result is that many readers find this book a real page turner and discover that Victoria is a woman that they can definitely relate to.
Queen Victoria A Personal History by Christopher Hibbert
Hibbert, an acclaimed biographer from England, penned a complex portrait of Victoria, one that shows her “warts and all”. The result is that the reader gets to know the real person behind the crown, a woman with a sense of humor and a petty side, and enjoys vivid portraits of the many important historical figures in her life.
Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain’s Greatest Monarch
We could have had a Queen Charlotte. This book fills us in on the backstory that lead to Victoria’s ascension and so tells us the story of two princesses – Charlotte and Alexandrina Victoria. In reading it, the reader will discover a lot about the family dynamics and unusual (to our way of thinking) upbringing of these young woman – one of which would become a Queen.
The Young Victoria
I’m sure a lot us are wondering how Jenna Coleman’s portrayal of Victoria will compare the the excellent work done by Emily Blunt in this 2009 film. I guess we’ll have to see but it will be great excuse to watch this wonderful movie again (or for the first time).
Deborah Bryan
Some of my many roles at the Library include: Tax Form guru, Collectibles collection promoter, Inspirational fiction evangelist, Adult Literacy promoter, Book Group in a Bag cheerleader, So Many Books book discussion group leader, Reader's Advisor and many more.