Queen Victoria and the Discovery of the Riviera Book

I absolutely loved this book! History is one of my most favorite genre to read and the fact that this book takes place in Provence, were the two reasons why I choose to read it.

Getting to explore the place where I live through the eyes of Queen Victoria was real treat. I especially liked the first hand account of her life in Provence as read through her letters that are generously placed throughout the book. There are letters of many of her acquaintances, as well, which add to the historical value of what is being written. I marveled at her accounts of visiting Hyères, Cannes, Nice, Menton and Grasse, among others. All places I know so well today, but I was able to view these places in a completely different time period, and boy, how different they were! Throughout the book you get to learn of King Leopold and the affect his death had on the Queen, the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt, the Munshi affair (of which I had never heard of) and one of my personal favorites, Elisabeth, Empress of Austria, whose story is quite fascinating in it's own right. The book also includes black and white photos and drawings, which add a very nice touch.

Throughout the book, a host of royals, dignitaries, high ranking officials, and so on, are Queen Victoria's companions. There were so many in fact, that I lost track. This is one of those books where while you are reading it, you're busy looking up all the fascinating people that are in the book.

If you love history/biographies and Provence, then I would recommend this book. It's a delightful and insightful look into the life of Queen Victoria through eyes that we would not get to have an experience through, her own.