King Louis XIV

School Library Journal

ea. vol: photogs. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. (World Leaders Past and Present Series). CIP. Chelsea House. 1986. PLB $15.95. Gr 8 Up These three biographies are uniformly dull and dated in their approach to history. The content of each is firmly confined to politics, statecraft, military command, and personal exercise of power, which ignores the social structures and economic forces on which political power depends. The series seems to be a reworking of material written in another time and placepresumably England of some years ago. Where else would Gladstone's early desire for the ``priesthood'' be understood to refer to the Anglican rather than the Roman Catholic church? Where else would Whig and Tory need no definition? Where else would Cromwell's Puritan convictions need no explanation in Reformation history? In addition to the overwhelming number of names, dates, and facts within the text, each volume is crowded with black-and-white prints and portraits placed within the generous margins and captioned with information that often bears no relation to the facing page. The selection of illustrations seems often to be gratuitous, and sometimes totally in error. The books are not suitable for reference or classroom reports. Overweighted as they are with detail, with innumerable quotations from the writing and speeches of the principal subjects, and with manifold references to persons and policies, they demand that readers have some previous understanding of European history. They are not interesting to read, and there is no need to purchase them. Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, N.J.