Yearly Archives: 2015

Book Review: “Isabel the Queen: Life and Times” by Peggy K. Liss

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Liss Isabel the Queen cover

My knowledge of Queen Isabel of Castile is very limited. She is remembered for the Reconquista, the Spanish Inquisition and of course for sponsoring the voyages of Christopher Columbus. And being a fan of Tudor history, I knew of her as the mother of Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII. But I’m interested in knowing more so I’m reading a couple of biographies about her, including this one.

Ms. Liss wrote this book in honor of the 500th anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus in North America and a revised edition was released in 2004 for the 500th anniversary of Isabel’s death. It is an academic work, printed by the University of Pennsylvania Press and has been on my shelf for some time. Liss is an expert on Isabel and the book is filled with many great details about the era and Isabel’s reign and personal life.

This is a comprehensive work. As I don’t know much about Spanish history, the short timeline Liss gives is most appreciated. Liss writes a great deal about Isabel’s motivations for her actions as monarch in the context of the history of Spain and she is possibly a bit of an apologist for Isabel. I realize we shouldn’t put our 21st century sensibilities onto an older era. But much of what Isabel did was repugnant as many of the aspects of this book describe.

There is also much to admire about Isabel. She and Ferdinand had something very rare; a loving marriage. She was adamant that her children be educated too, especially her daughters, giving them something she lacked as a child. Isabel worked very hard at consolidating government on the Iberian Peninsula and administering justice. While executing war on various surrounding kingdoms, Isabel acted as quartermaster, raising funds and supplies and getting them to the theater of operations. Basically, whatever Fernando needed, she delivered. When asked by her husband, she would appear before the troops to lift their spirits.

I loved the description of Isabel’s first meeting with her future husband Fernando of Aragon. It was quite romantic. There is an honest assessment of her relationship with her daughter Juana, also known as Juana la Loca. While Isabel knew Juana had mental difficulties, she followed tradition and wrote in her will that she was to succeed her as Queen of Castile. The epilogue of the book describes how a lot of Isabel’s lifetime work for Spain was undone by Juana.

To be honest, Liss’ grammar and syntax are dense and a little hard to read. This is not a curl up with the cat and cuppa tea read and is more suited for historical research. But I still recommend it if you want to learn more about this complex and admirable queen as the details of her reign are extraordinary. On to the next biography.

Book Review: “Cecily Neville: Mother of Kings” by Amy License

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Cecily Neville book cover

Just being truthfully honest, I avoid the War of the Roses like it was the plague! It’s my least favorite era of English history. Enormous egos, unlikeable characters, convoluted plotting, treachery, bloody battles and cousins killing cousins, all in an attempt to take the English throne. However, there are a few appealing women that are of interest such as Cecily’s contemporary Margaret Beaufort and her daughter Margaret of York who were vigorous and effective during the conflict and have great stories. This also includes Cecily Neville, “The Rose of Raby”, mother of King Edward IV and Richard III and great-grandmother of King Henry VIII.

Amy License gives us a very thorough look at the long and fruitful life of Cecily. She has gone over all the sources to glean as much information as possible about her. There are descriptions of ceremonies and castles giving us a taste for what Cecily’s life was like. Cecily was a valuable helpmate for her husband Richard, Duke of York who had vast and rich holdings all over the country. She managed the many properties effectively while producing many children and carrying out her pious observances in the tradition of a wealthy medieval woman.

In a biography like this, the workings of the politics and infighting of the men have a bearing on the woman’s life. License gives us succinct and understandable explanations of these circumstances, giving plausible scenarios for what was happening such as why her husband made a play for the throne of King Henry VI and the role her nephew, Richard, Earl of Warwick had in the conflict. One thing I found interesting was Cecily’s friendship with Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI. Even though their husbands were at odds, they managed to have a common bond.

License gives us an abundance of details about Cecily’s life. I enjoyed the list of bequests from Cecily to her family and servants. She also gives us history and background of Cecily’s children and grandchildren as well as some of her siblings and their descendants. There are some handy family trees in the book and some great pictures of locations and portraits of people relevant to the biography. Cecily lived a long, conflict filled life and this biography does her justice. I highly recommend it.

Book Review: “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramhansa Yogananda

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book cover Autobiography Yogi

The release of the movie “Awake: The Life of Yogananda” recently sparked my interest in the history of this yogi who brought Hindu spirituality to the West. I’m embarrassed to admit, I had his “Autobiography” on my book shelf for several years. After seeing the movie, I decided it was time to dust the book off and read it.

What an enchanting read this is! Yogananda’s birth name was Mukunda Lal Ghosh and he was born in Gorakhpur, Indian in 1893. The first section of the “Autobiography” tells of his upbringing in a loving and well-to-do family. He gives a moving recounting of the vision he has of his mother just before she succumbs to Asian cholera. He delights in telling us of his numerous adventures in attempting to escape to the Himalayas to find holy men much to the consternation of his father. While he is in school, he willingly tells us he wasn’t a serious scholar but he has many fellow students and teachers who help him through his classes.

He finally convinces his father he wants to study with a guru and joins an ashram. One day, he makes an unexpected errand to purchase items for the ashram and has a fateful encounter with his lifelong guru, Sri Yukteswar. They both know they were destined to be guru and student. The middle section of the book describes their relationship. Sri Yukteswar convinces Yogananda that he is to earn a degree from college as he is destined to bring Hindu teachings to America and he needs the degree to be accepted more readily. As Yogananda applies himself to his studies (not very seriously), he sits at the feet of his guru who initiates him in the mysteries of the Kriya yoga practice and changes his name. The “Autobiogaphy” passes on to us much of the wisdom of this compassionate and gentle teacher.

The rest of the book divulges more adventures with Yogananda traveling to various cities to visit fascinating characters such as yogis and yoginis who never eat, never sleep and fight with tigers. Eventually, Sri Yukteswar reveals to Yogananda he is ready for his journey to America. He sails with trepidation. He barely speaks English and while on the ship he is asked to address an audience. He begins speaking and afterwards, the people tell him he spoke very effectively in perfect, fluid English! He lands in Boston and starts a community there. He then makes his way to California where he begins the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas, California.

After many years in the United States, his guru asks him to return to India. He travels through Europe, visiting other spiritual beings and does quite a bit of sightseeing. He finally is reunited with Sri Yukteswar. After their meeting, he journeys to another city and while he is there, his guru dies. He is devastated but finds a way to move on, returning to America to do more work.

In growing up, I remember hearing about mystical men in the caves of the Himalayas and people who climb mountains to find them to learn the meaning of life. I’ve also heard stories of people who can appear in two places at once. Yogananda has written about all this in his “Autobiography” and fully explains these phenomena. Whether you believe it or not, all this makes for wonderful and glorious adventure in reading. Even if you are not a yogi, this is an enjoyable read.