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Overview
In George III: A Personal History, British historian Christopher Hibbert reassesses the royal monarch George III (17381820). Rather than reaffirm George III’s reputation as “Mad King George,” Hibbert portrays him as not only a competent ruler during most of his reign, but also as a patron of the arts and sciences, as a man of wit and intelligence, indeed, as a man who “greatly enhanced the reputation of the British monarchy” until he was finally stricken by a rare hereditary disease.Teeming with court machinations, sexual intrigues, and familial conflicts, George III opens a window on the tumultuous, rambunctious, revolutionary eighteenth century. It is sure to alter our understanding of this fascinating, complex, and very human king who so strongly shaped England’s —and America’s—destiny.
Synopsis
A radical reassessment of King George III by the lively and prolific pen of a master.
The New York Times Book Review - Valentine Cunningham
....The ramshackle Gothicity of the whole British royal business is lighted up as never before....a simply unputdownable theater of the personal and political absurd....It's an altogether entertaining set of absurd dramas...that involved real lives being messed up on and off the stage all over the place....Madness was...the trope of the day — inside, but also outside, the royal mansions.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Every revolution needs a despot, a hated figure who inspires the rebels to remain stalwart in their struggle. Such was King George III to the American Revolution. After all, didn't he unfairly tax the colonists in an effort to keep them under his thumb? Didn't he ruthlessly attempt to quash their rebellion with trained Redcoats and German mercenaries? And didn't he go mad in the end? In George III, acclaimed historian and biographer Christopher Hibbert suggests that perhaps this long-reviled figure got a bit of a bum rap.Valentine Cunningham
....The ramshackle Gothicity of the whole British royal business is lighted up as never before....a simply unputdownable theater of the personal and political absurd....It's an altogether entertaining set of absurd dramas...that involved real lives being messed up on and off the stage all over the place....Madness was...the trope of the day — inside, but also outside, the royal mansions.— The New York Times Book Review
Booknews
Offers a complex appraisal of George's character and actions, and details the King's involvement in matters of state and his intellectual curiosity. Discusses his views on taxation of the American colonists, and explains his unpredictable behavior as resulting from a rare hereditary disorder. Includes color and b&w illustrations and photos. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.Florence King
...[A]nother irresistible biography by British writer Christopher Hibbert, peerless master of history with its pomp down.— National Review
Valentine Cunningham
....[T]he ramshackle Gothicity of the whole British royal business is lighted up as never before....a simply unputdownable theater of the personal and political absurd....It's an altogether entertaining set of absurd dramas...that involved real lives being messed up on and off the stage all over the place....Madness was...the trope of the day -- inside, but also outside, the royal mansions.— The New York Times Book Review