Edward the Caresser: The Playboy Prince Who Became Edward VII
Edward VII was king of Great Britain from 1901 to 1910, after whom the flowery Edwardian era was named. Weintraub previously wrote a well-received life of Edward VII's mother,Victoria(1987), and now follows that with an equally trenchant biography of her son. The author is concerned here only with Edward's time as prince of Wales--heir to the throne, in other words--which actually constituted the greater portion of his life. (He was already 59 when finally he succeeded Queen Victoria.) As prince of Wales, Edward was given no official duties by his selfish mother and consequently found the time to build quite a reputation as a womanizer. Weintraub looks beyond the reputation, offering a sympathetic interpretation not only of Edward's character but also of his upbringing as the eldest son of parents--Queen Victoria and Prince Albert--who set too-high expectations for him and always let him see their disappointment. An important addition to the British royalty shelf.Brad HooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved