British Kings & Queens: The Complete Biographical Encyclopedia of the Kings & Queens of Great Britain

This is the quintessential coffee table book for the amateur history buff. This doesn't just deal with the standard William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II. It goes far, far beyond that, back into the Dark Ages and the crumbling of the Roman Empire. Ashley also treats us to an in-depth look into the ancient monarchies of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. This book is exactly what it says on the cover - a book on ALL British kings and queens, of mammoth proportions. But that doesn't mean it scrimps on the details. As much as possible has been crammed into its pages, despite the sheer volume of research and information that must've been involved.

This is not an academic work, and serious scholars will doubtless feel it leaves a lot to be desired. show more But Ashley has managed to strike the right sort of balance between being informative and approachable at the same time. I defy any reader to open up a page and not to find something of interest on it; or to learn something new about one of Britain's oldest institutions.

As others have said, this is a brilliant book to just leaf through, or to go to for general reference. As I said, it's the perfect coffee table book. If you want your friends to think you're interesting and intellectual at the same time, leave this out at a house party. It'll probably end up doing the rounds. show less

Absolutely cannot do without this book when working on anything dealing with royalty in England. Over two thousand years of material complete with tons of genealogical charts and enough information to whet the appetite for more. I love just picking the book up and turning to pretty much any page and just start to read. I never get bored of chasing family lines and going through the charts. I only wish that the author would of went into more detail on the Irish than he did.

Considering the gigantic scope of history covered in this book, it is amazing that it can be made clear and so well organized. It is very easy to find whomever you might be looking for. The index is excellent. And the history is made very interesting, complete with maps and geneology charts. This book is very complete. I find it indispensable for study on the history of Great Britain.

This is a great reference book to have on the British Monarchy. It is packed full of information on the rulers of the British kingdoms from the Dark Ages to the present. Also included in the book are timetables, family trees, maps of the kingdoms, a gazetteer, and royal records.

A wonderful book to use for reference, or simply to dip into for pleasure.