A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver

Eleanor of Aquitaine, Bishop Suger, Empress Matilda and William the Marshall wait in Heaven for King Henry II to ascend after many years below, in this creatively-framed and immensely engaging work of historical fiction for young people. Each in turn relates the events of a period of Eleanor's long life, from Suger's account of her marriage to Louis VII of France and their actions during the Second Crusade to Empress Matilda's description of the early days of her marriage to King Henry II of England. William the Marshall recounts the latter days of her marriage and her imprisonment by her husband, while Eleanor herself tells of her life after Henry's death, and her efforts on behalf of her two remaining sons, King Richard the Lionheart show more and King John...

Only the second book I have read from E.L. Konigsburg, following upon her Newbery Medal-winning From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which I encountered as a child, A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver is absolutely brilliant, and more than enough to convince me that I need to track down more of the author's work! Fortunately, I read it with friends who are aficionados when it comes to the author's books, so I have some ideas of where to go next. In any case, I thought the framing device here was fascinating, allowing for a certain amount of commentary and introspection that might not otherwise have been possible. The story itself, the narrative of Eleanor's life, was also fascinating, and I thought Konigsburg did an excellent job writing from the different perspectives of her four storytellers. Suger's beauty and spirit-focused account is very different from Empress Matilda's tart (but fair) take on her daughter-in-law. All in all, well worth the time of any young reader who enjoys historical fiction, or who is fascinated by Medieval Europe and/or Eleanor of Aquitaine. show less

A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver tells the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, that striking queen who married two kings, ruled two countries, gave birth to three kings, was imprisoned by her husband for sixteen years, and who, in this tale, is now in Heaven recounting the events of her life to pass the time.

E. L. Konigsburg has long been celebrated as one of the more versatile and creative authors in young adult fiction, and this story is no exception to her skill. In her hands Eleanor emerges as an extravagant, intelligent, strong young woman, full of personality and passon, who had no hesitation about what she wanted and how to get it. Eleanor tells some of the story, but much is also told by her mother-in-law Matilda, the Abbot show more Suger, and William the Marshall.

I remember studying Chrétien de Troyes in college; well, Eleanor was his patroness. Everything is connected eventually for those of us who study English! Chrétien de Troyes wrote poems and romances based on Arthurian legends, and "cleaned up" the stories to make the knights bolder, the ladies more beautiful, the deeds more heroic. All of this was connected with Eleanor's famous "Court of Love," which gave shape and momentum to the chivalric tradition. Although historically there is some question as to the real weight and importance of the Court of Love, Konigsburg clearly takes Eleanor's side, writing that she is the reason that men open doors for women to this very day. It's funny that what many modern feminists regard as degrading began as the philosophy (quite opposite that of the rest of the world at the time) that man was entirely the property of woman.

Of course this is Eleanor's story written for young readers, and though certain inappropriate things can't be entirely ignored (like Henry's philandering, especially with Rosamund Clifford), Konigsburg glosses them as best she can. Nor can you get around the sixteen-year imprisonment... even for royalty, that's a rather unusual domestic arrangement. And sometimes life just wasn't pleasant back then; Eleanor's son Richard died of the infection from an arrow would in the shoulder, after his surgeons dug around unsuccessfully in his shoulder to remove the arrowhead. Ugh...

Of course the story is a dreadful theology of Heaven and Hell, a caricature of Roman Catholic beliefs (everyone spends some time in Hell before being admitted "Up", and being "Up" translates to boredom for the feisty Eleanor). But, taking it as a fictional frame only, I like it. It gathers all the main players in Eleanor's life and allows them to tell their part of her story.

All in all, this is an enjoyable introduction to one of history's most fascinating women. Recommended. show less

I read this book as a kid and absolutely loved it -- and have been a fan of Eleanor of Acquitaine ever since. It's still my favorite portrayal of her, over Katharine Hepburn in The Lion in Winter and definitely over Alison Weir's new and disappointing "Captive Queen." The book's conceit is that Eleanor is in heaven, it's set in the present day (the book was published in 1973) and she's waiting to see if her husband Henry II of England will be allowed Up after centuries in purgatory. She reviews the events of her life with three others who lived parts of it with her -- Abbot Suger of France (she was queen of France before she divorced Louis and married Henry Plantagent -- who was 12 years younger), Henry's mother, the Empress Matilda, show more and William Marshal, a loyal English knight. It's a great way to convey the events of her life and a fantastic introduction to medieval European history for any kid with an interest in that sort of thing. And it turns out, as an adult, it's still a fun read. show less

Eleanor of Aquitaine was a vivid, fascinating woman who lived and made a great deal of history. A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver imagines her in Heaven, waiting impatiently for her second husband, Henry II, to arrive for his judgement and hopefully, admittance into Heaven.

While she waits, she visits with three other associates from her life on earth: her mother-in-law Matilda, Archbishop Suger, and William Marshall. They takes turns telling the parts of her life's story that each of them is most familiar with.

It's a wonderful introduction to Eleanor and all the famous people from history that her life intersected with, and does a particularly nice job of showing her accomplishments: an introduction to the ideals of chivalry at her show more Court of Love, her commssioning of poets and authors to "improve" the stories of King Arthur, and her and Henry II's efforts to bring about the Rule of Law in England. As a mature reader, I found it particularly valuable for this wealth of information. A young reader would find it a great story well told, without even having to be aware of how much they were learning. show less

Oh, E.L. Konigsburg, how could I ever expect anything less than delightful perfection from you? I don't know how I missed this one growing up, considering From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was a favorite in elementary school.

I love historical fiction, but I sometimes struggle to find books in the genre that I know kids will truly enjoy. Proud Taste is one of those books. Konigsburg sets up a clever premise in which impatient Eleanor is waiting in heaven for her husband, Henry II, to move 'up'. While waiting, the readers are told the story of Eleanor's life by three people who knew Eleanor while she was queen: Henry's mother, Abbot Suger (my favorite), and William the Marshal. Each person takes turns relating the life show more of Eleanor in such a way that the reader doesn't get bogged down while learning about Middle Ages France and England, which is indeed exactly what is going on! Rather than focusing on dates and events, the story is told with a focus on Eleanor's personality, which is quite different than that of most other women of the 12th century. Included in the book are ink drawings separating each of the narratives, along with a map. show less

Got it in my head that I wanted to read E.L. Konigsburg's backlist. This fictionalized biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine is dated and missable, but no doubt inspired some kid in the 70s to grow up and become a medieval historian. Konigsburg's passion for the source material is obvious, and I did enjoy her sweet illustrations.

The upshot is that I do know quite a bit more about Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Plantagenets than I did before. (Turns out that The Lion in Winter is ENTIRELY FICTIONAL, I am very offended and would like a refund please.)

Would I recommend this for a kiddo interested in medieval history? Sure, why not, but for goodness' sake supplement it with some newer books, preferably ones that center the experience of ordinary show more people living under the rule of these messy megalomaniacs. show less

As vivacious Eleanor of Aquitaine, a real-life queen of 12th-century England and France, awaits the arrival of her husband Henry into Heaven, she and three acquaintances recall her remarkable life on earth. After a brief but slowly-paced beginning that sets up the Heaven framework for the story, each section of Eleanor's life gallops along as it's recalled by one of her friends in a Chaucer-esque tale. Historical fact and believable fiction blend as Eleanor weds and divorces Louis of France, and then weds Henry of England, creating rebellions, setting standards of culture, and proving that women can rule kingdoms along the way. Per the end matter, all characters in the story were real people. Occasional black and white drawings show more accompanied by calligraphy add to the medieval feel. The royal courts were known for foul play and much dalliance, but Konigsburg adeptly navigates the scandal while keeping the intrigue. As a sort of "literary biography," this would be an excellent short novel to pair with a more formal biography for a project aligned to Common Core standards. Recommended for grades 4-8. show less