Henry IV and the Towns: The Pursuit of Legitimacy in French Urban Society, 1589-1610 Book

My mother told me this joke, one of those internet jokes that might be true. It goes like this: Diane Sawyer was ing Afghanstien reporting on the changes in the treatment of women. SHe oticed that some women still walked five feet behind thier husbands. She asked one woman why this was so. The woman replied, "Landmines". Punchline: Behind every man, there is a smart woman.

This book is somewhat like the joke, but without the landmines.

Man, these women wore the pants that their husband's couldn't.

Goldstone tells the story of four women who married kings or men who became kings. It's kinda like how the news wants to play the whole Kate Middleton story. Middle-class girl weds the prince, neglecting to tell you that her parents might have started out as middle class but they're millionaires now.

The family of the four Queens might have been noblity, but they were poor noblity, so I guess that makes them more middle class than Kate (may she be happy).

Goldstone presents sections on each sister, the eldest two being the more interesting ones because of thier marriages to the King of France and King of England. While Goldstone presents facts, her writing style and her brillant structure of the book keep the story fresh. You don't like one sister; no worries, soon another sister will take center stage. There is love, jealousy, war and lots of politics.