Tuesday, 7 June 2022
Monday, 6 June 2022
Saturday, 4 June 2022
The Queen's Faith: Queen Elizabeth II Describes Her Faith by Geoffrey Waugh
Paperback: The Queen's Faith (2021) describes Her Majesty's faith as found in her annual broadcasts.
This book arranges excerpts from the broadcasts in ten themes. It includes excerpts from The Queen's annual Christmas Broadcasts and from her historic Easter Message of 2020 (when churches were closed) including many photographs.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in the first of her annual Christmas Speeches (1952), reminded us that 'Peace on earth, Goodwill toward all' is the eternal message of Christmas and the desire of us all.
About the author: Dr Geoffrey Waugh, a retired Australian Minister and Teacher, is the founding editor of the Renewal Journal and offers free PDF books on www.renewaljournal.com
Geoffrey, born in 1937, is the eldest of his minister father's nine children and began teaching at 19 with a great class of 43 boys. He then completed theological college and taught in schools and Bible Schools in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, living mostly in bamboo and grass roof houses, sometimes in villages. He married Meg, also a teacher, and their first child was born in the remote mission hospital. They returned to Australia, where two more children were born, and they lived mainly in Brisbane in an extended family community home linked with other community homes involved in renewal. Geoffrey taught on renewal and revival at Bible College, Trinity Theological College, and Christian Heritage College.
Geoffrey's books focus on renewal and revival. They include Flashpoints of Revival, Revival Fires, South Pacific Revivals, The Lion of Judah series, Discovering Aslan series, Living in the Spirit, Fruit and Gifts of the Spirit, Kingdom Life study books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), and his autobiographical adventures, God's Surprises and Journey into Ministry and Mission.
Friday, 3 June 2022
Queen Of Our Times: The Life Of Elizabeth II by Robert Hardman
Hardback: Queen of our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II (2022) is a definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the seventieth anniversary of her reign by a renowned royal biographer.
Shy but with a steely self-confidence; inscrutable despite ten decades in the public eye; unflappable; devout; indulgent; outwardly reserved, inwardly passionate; unsentimental; inquisitive; young at heart.
All of these describe Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned through more seismic social change than any monarch in British history. From the Abdication to the Sussexes, from World War II to the loss of her life-long partner, she has witnessed family crises on a scale not seen since the days of George III.
She is a 21st-Century global phenomenon commanding unrivalled respect and affection. Sealed off during the greatest peacetime emergency of modern times, she has stuck to her own maxim: ‘I have to be seen to be believed.’ And now she is preparing for an event without parallel in Europe since the reign of Louis XIV: her Platinum Jubilee, celebrating seventy years on the Throne.
Robert Hardman, the acclaimed and respected author of Her Majesty and Queen of the World has already examined the Queen as a modern monarch and her role as a stateswoman abroad. Now, in this entirely new study, including unpublished Royal Family papers and photographs along with personal stories from other world leaders, he wraps up the full story of one of the undisputed greats in a thousand years of monarchy.
Hardman distils Elizabeth's complex life into a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal. It is a portrait of a world leader who remains as intriguing today as the day she came to the Throne at age twenty-five.
With peerless access to members of the Royal Family, staff, friends and royal records, Queen of Our Times brings fresh insights and scholarship to the modern royal story. There will be no more thorough, more readable, more original book on the record-breaking Elizabeth II as she reaches a landmark which, surely, can never be equaled.
About the author: Robert Hardman is a leading author, commentator and film-maker on royal life having covered the British monarchy for three decades. He is the writer of both the film and the book Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work as well as Her Majesty and Queen of the World, both available from Pegasus Books. He writes for the Daily Mail in London.
There Once Is A Queen by Michael Morpurgo
Hardback: “There once is a Queen ever constant to her people…”
From the Nation’s Favourite Storyteller Sir Michael Morpurgo comes a poetic celebration of our Queen and longest reigning monarch, beautifully illustrated in watercolour by acclaimed artist Michael Foreman.
There once was a little girl, a princess, who became a queen, our Queen Elizabeth. Now, seventy years later, her reign as the longest serving female monarch in history has seen her stand steadfast through triumph and tribulation, and through the monumental changes that have shaped our world, as this remarkable queen has remained devoted to crown, to country and a corgi or two!
Beginning with the queen as a little girl, planting an oak tree with her father, There Once is a Queen (2022) follows her incredible story in a way that will bring this historic reign vividly to life for readers around the world, big and small. An exquisite gift book and commemoration of the Platinum Jubilee, it marks a unique moment in our shared history and will be a treasured keepsake for generations to come.
There Once is a Queen (2022) is illustrated by Michael Foreman.
About the author: Michael Morpurgo is an English book author, poet, playwright, and librettist.
Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the war, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, he took up teaching and started to write. He left teaching after ten years in order to set up 'Farms for City Children' with his wife. They have three farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire, open to inner city school children who come to stay and work with the animals. In 1999, this work was publicly recognised when he and his wife were awarded an MBE for services to youth. He is also a father and grandfather, so children have always played a large part in his life. Every year he and his family spend time in the Scilly Isles, the setting for three of his books.
Morpurgo has a gift for magical storytelling, and his books also often tackle social issues. Out of the Ashes (2001), for example, is about the foot and mouth crisis. His most popular books include War Horse (1982), which was runner-up for the Whitbread Children's Book Award in 1982 and became an enormous success onstage and on screen; Why the Whales Came (1985), which was made into a film starring Helen Mirren; King of the Cloud Forests (1988), which won the Cercle D'Or Prix Sorciere (France); and My Friend Walter (1988), which was adapted for television. The Wreck of the Zanzibar (1995) won the 1995 Whitbread Children's Book Award. The Butterfly Lion (1996) draws on the author's own unhappy experiences at boarding school, and is the story of a young boy who rescues an orphaned lion club from the African bush. It won the 1996 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (Gold Award). Kensuke's Kingdom (1999) tells the tale of a boy who survives on an island after falling from his parents' yacht and learns how to survive with the help of the mysterious Kensuke. This book won the Children's Book Award in 2000. Private Peaceful (2003) is set during the first world war and telling the story of two brothers, Charlie and Tommo. It won the 2005 Red House Children's Book Award and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the 2004 Whitbread Children's Book Award.
In 2003, Michael Morpurgo became the third Children's Laureate, a scheme he had originally helped to set up with poet Ted Hughes. The Laureateship rewards a lifetime contribution to children's literature and highlights the importance of the role of children's books. Morpurgo firmly believes that 'literature comes before literacy' and wants all children 'to discover and rediscover the secret pleasure that is reading, and to begin to find their voice in their own writing...'
He was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to literature. His recent publications include Half a Man (2014), An Eagle in the Snow (2016), and Flamingo Boy (2018).
About the illustrator: Michael Foreman was born in Suffolk in 1938 and grew up near Lowestoft. He studied at Lowestoft Art School, and at St Martin's School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. His first children's book was published while he was still a student.
After completing his studies, he travelled all over the world, making films and television commercials and doing hundreds of sketches which he later used as the inspiration for many of his books. Before becoming a full-time author and illustrator, he lectured at various Schools of Art.
He has illustrated books by authors such as Dickens, Shakespeare, The Brothers Grimm, Roald Dahl and Rudyard Kipling, has designed Christmas stamps for the Post Office, and regularly contributes illustrations to American and European magazines.
Michael Foreman also writes and illustrates his own books. He enjoys writing about earlier periods of history, including conflict and war, in books such as War Boy: A Country Childhood (1989), War Game (1993), and After The War Was Over (1995). The latter is about the soldiers of the First World War, was shortlisted for a Kate Greenaway Medal and won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (Gold Award 6-8 years category and overall winner) in 1993. His other books are The Littlest Dinosaur's Big Adventure (2009), A Child's Garden: A Story of Hope (2009), Why the Animals Came to Town (2010) and The Tortoise and the Soldier (2015).
He has twice been nominated for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award for his contribution as a children's illustrator, first in 1988 and again in 2010.
Many of Michael Foreman's books also feature Cornwall, where he lives when not in London.
Wednesday, 1 June 2022
The Queen: 70 Glorious Years (The Official Platinum Jubilee Souvenir) by Royal Collection Trust
Hardback: I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. - The Queen’s oath to the Commonwealth in a radio broadcast, 1947
This official souvenir publication celebrates the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II through photographs chosen to illustrate memorable events in the reign of Britain’s longest-serving monarch. Delightfully informal family photographs of The Queen as a young girl, as a young wife and mother, on holiday and enjoying the company of her children and dogs are joined by more formal images illustrating the official life of the monarch, on grand state occasions, such as the Coronation, the State Opening of Parliament and Trooping the Colour – not to mention her memorable encounter with James Bond and her dramatic arrival at the ceremony marking the opening of the 2012 London Olympics.
Each photograph is accompanied by resonant quotations from speeches given by The Queen over the years, from her wartime Children’s Hour radio broadcast at the age of 14 and her first televised Christmas Day broadcast in 1957 to her speeches welcoming Commonwealth leaders and US Presidents to Buckingham Palace or responding to the warm hospitality extended to her on state visits to India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean.
Love of family, fondness for animals, a keen sense of humour, staunch belief in the Commonwealth as a force for good in the world, and gratitude to all the people around the world who go out of their way to help their communities – these are among the themes that come across from this photographic journey through a remarkable life of duty and service.
To be inspirational you don’t have to save lives or win medals. I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special. - The Queen on the importance of honouring people from all walks of life, 2016
The Other Side Of The Coin: The Queen, The Dresser And The Wardrobe (Platinum Jubilee Edition) by Angela Kelly LVO
Hardback: When Angela Kelly and The Queen are together, laughter echoes through the corridors of Buckingham Palace.
Angela has worked with The Queen and walked the corridors of the Royal Household for twenty-eight years, initially as Her Majesty's Senior Dresser and then latterly as Her Majesty's Personal Advisor, Curator, Wardrobe and In-house Designer. As the first person in history to hold this title, she shares a uniquely close working relationship with The Queen.
Her Majesty has personally given Angela her blessing to share their extraordinary bond with the world. Whether it is preparing for a formal occasion or brightening Her Majesty's day with a playful joke, Angela's priority is to serve and support.
Sharing never-before-seen photographs - many from Angela's own private collection - and charming anecdotes of their time spent together, this revealing book, The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe (2022), provides memorable insights into what it is like to work closely with The Queen, to curate her wardrobe and to discover a true and lasting connection along the way.
About the author: Angela Kelly LVO is Personal Advisor, Curator and Senior Dresser to Her Majesty The Queen (The Queen's Jewellery, Insignias and Wardrobe), as well as In-house Designer. Angela started working in the Royal Household in 1994 as Assistant Dresser and shares with you her unique insight into her working life with Her Majesty The Queen.
Angela is also the author of the successful book Dressing The Queen (2012) which celebrated The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Elizabeth II: A Queen for Our Time by Chris Jackson
Hardback: As a Getty Images royal photographer, Chris Jackson has been granted privileged access to the monarch and the British royal family. He has documented the Queen's official engagements over the past two decades, during a period of seismic changes in the British monarchy.
In photographs documenting public and private moments, and accompanied by warm and engaging text offering a personal perspective and behind-the-shot anecdotes, Jackson captures the Queen's great elegance and charm. From royal tours to hosting state dinners, Elizabeth II: A Queen for Our Time (2021) takes us to the heart of what it means to be the head of the British royal family.
Much has been made of the Queen's enduring style, and here a spotlight also is shone on the coats, dresses, evening gowns, jewels, bags, and accessories that make up the Queen's coordinated wardrobe. Uniting all that is British as an ambassador and statesperson, Queen Elizabeth II has seen more of the planet and its people than any other head of state, and has engaged with them like no other monarch in British history; she is unquestionably a global voice for our time.
About the author: Chris Jackson is Getty Images Royal Photographer.
From private shoots with HM The Queen to The Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to covering some of the world’s biggest news stories Chris has photographed a diverse range of subjects and events during his 18 years with the agency. Assignments have taken him from the Earthquake Zones of Pakistan to the Galapagos Islands, Australia, Los Angeles, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Japan, Dubai, Indonesia, Brunei, The Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Arctic Circle, Belize, Brazil and many more.
Chris was Royal Photographer of the Year 2016, as well as Royal Photographer of the Year 2015 and 2010. He has won special awards in 2009, 2013, 2014. He was News Photographer of the Year in 2005.
Chris specializes in working with Charity which over the years have included Breast Cancer Care, Comic Relief, Laureus, Tusk Trust and Prince Harry's Charity Sentebale. In July 2013, Chris conceived the Sentebale ‘Stories of Hope’ exhibition at the Getty Images Gallery in Central London, highlighting the incredible work the charity is doing in the mountainous Kingdom of Lesotho in South Africa. Chris has produced behind the scenes photo documentaries of both the inaugural London and Orlando Invictus Games, a hugely inspiring initiative conceived and developed by Prince Harry
Chris has appeared as a Royal spokesperson on Good Morning America, ABC News, BBC Breakfast, RTL, CNN, Sky News, the Today Show, BBC London, CBS Early Show, ITV 1, BBC News 24, FOX News, CTV Canada, Channel 7 Sunrise and Channel 9 Australia as well as Channel News Asia and many more.
A Queen For All Seasons: A Celebration Of Queen Elizabeth II On Her Platinum Jubilee by Joanna Lumley
Hardback: A Queen For All Seasons (2022), edited and introduced by Joanna Lumley, is a perceptive, touching and engaging tribute to this unique woman. A treasure chest of first-hand writings, insights and snapshots of the Queen during key moments of her reign to form a vibrant portrait of the woman herself and the extraordinary role she plays.
In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates seventy years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. She is Britain’s longest reigning monarch and the very first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
Joanna Lumley guides us as we meet Princess Elizabeth in 1952, aged just twenty-five, and about to become Queen, and brings us through to the present day when, as our matriarch, the Queen keeps the national ship steady, including in moments of crisis and suffering. Here are unique perspectives into some of the most fascinating aspects of the Queen’s life – her role as head of state at home and abroad, her private passions and public interests and a bird’s-eye look at key events that have held the nation together and the Queen in our affection throughout Britain and beyond.
This book is a special and unique portrait of our constant Queen in an ever-changing world.
About the author: Dame Joanna Lumley DBE FRGS, English actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist, has been described as ‘our most trusted national treasure’. She was born in India and grew up in England and the Far East, celebrating the Queen’s coronation as a schoolgirl in Kuala Lumpur. Her varied screen credits have included Absolutely Fabulous (where she played the legendary Patsy Stone), The New Avengers, and Coronation Street. She is well known for her travel documentaries and as a political activist, including for the Gurkha Justice Campaign.
Lumley was made a Dame (DBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to drama, entertainment and charity.
Lady In Waiting: My Extraordinary Life In The Shadow Of The Crown (Royalty) by Lady Anne Glenconner
Paperback: Discover untold secrets with this extraordinary memoir of drama and tragedy by Anne Glenconner - a close member of the royal circle and lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret.
Anne Glenconner has been at the center of the royal circle from childhood, when she met and befriended the future Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, the Princess Margaret. Though the firstborn child of the 5th Earl of Leicester, who controlled one of the largest estates in England, as a daughter she was deemed "the greatest disappointment" and unable to inherit. Since then she has needed all her resilience to survive court life with her sense of humour intact.
A unique witness to landmark moments in royal history, Maid of Honour at Queen Elizabeth's coronation, and a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret until her death in 2002, Anne's life has encompassed extraordinary drama and tragedy.
In Lady in Waiting (2021), she will share many intimate royal stories from her time as Princess Margaret's closest confidante as well as her own battle for survival: her broken-off first engagement on the basis of her "mad blood"; her 54-year marriage to the volatile, unfaithful Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, who left his fortune to a former servant; the death in adulthood of two of her sons; a third son she nursed back from a six-month coma following a horrific motorcycle accident. Through it all, Anne has carried on, travelling the world with the royal family, including visiting the White House, and developing the Caribbean island of Mustique as a safe harbour for the rich and famous-hosting Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Raquel Welch, and many other politicians, aristocrats, and celebrities.
With unprecedented insight into the royal family, Lady in Waiting is a witty, candid, dramatic, at times heart-breaking personal story capturing life in a golden cage for a woman with no inheritance.
Lady in Waiting is a New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, The Sunday Times Bestseller, The Globe and Mail Bestseller, ABA Indie Bestseller, The Times (UK) Memoir of the Year and one of Newsweek's Most Anticipated Books of 2020.
About the author: Lady Glenconner was born Lady Anne Coke in 1932, the eldest daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester, and grew up in their ancestral estate at Holkham Hall in Norfolk. A Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation, she married Lord Glenconner in 1956. They had 5 children together of whom 3 survive. In 1958 she and her husband began to transform the island of Mustique into a paradise for the rich and famous. They granted a plot of land to Princess Margaret who built her favourite home there. She was appointed Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret in 1973 and kept this role – accompanying her on many state occasions and foreign tours – until her death in 2002. Lord Glenconner died in 2010, leaving everything in his will to his former employee. She now lives in a farmhouse near Kings Lynn in Norfolk.
Lady Glenconner's mystery novels, Murder on Mustique (2020) and A Haunting at Holkham (2021), are available now.
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