Carolly Erickson

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu November 6th, 2008, 2:34 pm

[quote=""nona""]I heard AK was an incredible book.[/quote]

Anyone remember the Masterpiece Theatre series on this back in the 70's? Or was it 80's? I'm going to have to go digging in the book cabinet now. I could swear I have a very very old edition of this book that belonged to mom and/or her sister.

nona · Post by **nona** » Thu November 6th, 2008, 2:37 pm

my husband actually told me about this one.

Christina · Post by **Christina** » Thu November 6th, 2008, 3:21 pm

I was most disappointed in Carolly Erikson's biography of Alexandra, the last Tsarina of Russia, not least because much of her information (and especially the information she used about the Tsarina's sister, Ella) was based on a source which was known to be spurious. The idea of re-writing the truth of what so happened to Tatiana and turning so tragic a life into some kind of scintillating entertainment is something that seems quite abhorrent, I think

nona · Post by **nona** » Sun February 8th, 2009, 7:10 pm

I've read Secret Life of Josephine, and yeah it's entertaining but I don't see any woman doing half of what she 'supposedly' did or took part in.

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Mon August 31st, 2009, 7:45 pm

Anyone planning on reading her Mary, Queen of Scots novel when it comes out tomorrow? I browsed through it at Amazon and it looked intriguing, though the author describes it in her note as another "historical entertainment."

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Mon August 31st, 2009, 8:38 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]Anyone planning on reading her Mary, Queen of Scots novel when it comes out tomorrow? I browsed through it at Amazon and it looked intriguing, though the author describes it in her note as another "historical entertainment."[/quote]

I put in a purchase request at the library and they've ordered some. Don't know when it will come it, but if it is "historical entertainment" it had better be more entertaining than the last one or it will fly.......

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Mon August 31st, 2009, 9:16 pm

I didnt mind the Tatiana book, but then again I am more forgiving with HF about Russia since there are so few of them. I gobble them up. I hated her Josephine book, so if its anything like that I'll pass.

I will wait to see what others say before I run out and buy it.

zsigandr · Post by **zsigandr** » Mon August 31st, 2009, 10:31 pm

I passed over the Josephine book as I thought it probably couldn't compare to Sandra Gulland's Josephine B Trilogy. From the sounds of it, I made a good decision. I was interested in her Mary Queen of Scots book, but if it is as "out there" as what has been described in this thread, I will put my name in at the library for this one rather than buy it.

nona · Post by **nona** » Mon August 31st, 2009, 11:46 pm

I enjoy her work but only as entertainment, I loved the Marie Antionette diary. I will read it only not now, later when I can buy or swap for it.

Chatterbox · Post by **Chatterbox** » Tue September 1st, 2009, 12:35 am

I am on a Carolly Erickson boycott. The last one was so bad I can still see the dent in the wall. (Divia, look for The Snow Mountain by Catherine Gavin.)

If something is going to be historically inaccurate, it still has to pass the plausibility test. Alison Weir's book about Elizabeth I (novel) worked for me; none of Erickson's 'entertainments' have. I hate passing up any HF, but my blood pressure couldn't stand another stinker.