DOC Raghuwar Dayal; Sometime Priest of Vishnu: The True Story of His Life by Raghuwar Dayal in History

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The true story for fans of the PBS Masterpiece series Victoria; this page-turning biography reveals the real woman behind the myth: a bold; glamorous; unbreakable queen—a Victoria for our times. Drawing on previously unpublished papers; this stunning new portrait is a story of love and heartbreak; of devotion and grief; of strength and resilience.NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY JANET MASLIN; THE NEW YORK TIMES • ESQUIRE • THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY“Victoria the Queen; Julia Baird’s exquisitely wrought and meticulously researched biography; brushes the dusty myth off this extraordinary monarch.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice) When Victoria was born; in 1819; the world was a very different place. Revolution would threaten many of Europe’s monarchies in the coming decades. In Britain; a generation of royals had indulged their whims at the public’s expense; and republican sentiment was growing. The Industrial Revolution was transforming the landscape; and the British Empire was commanding ever larger tracts of the globe. In a world where women were often powerless; during a century roiling with change; Victoria went on to rule the most powerful country on earth with a decisive hand. Fifth in line to the throne at the time of her birth; Victoria was an ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary role. As a girl; she defied her mother’s meddling and an adviser’s bullying; forging an iron will of her own. As a teenage queen; she eagerly grasped the crown and relished the freedom it brought her. At twenty; she fell passionately in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; eventually giving birth to nine children. She loved sex and delighted in power. She was outspoken with her ministers; overstepping conventional boundaries and asserting her opinions. After the death of her adored Albert; she began a controversial; intimate relationship with her servant John Brown. She survived eight assassination attempts over the course of her lifetime. And as science; technology; and democracy were dramatically reshaping the world; Victoria was a symbol of steadfastness and security—queen of a quarter of the world’s population at the height of the British Empire’s reach. Drawing on sources that include fresh revelations about Victoria’s relationship with John Brown; Julia Baird brings vividly to life the fascinating story of a woman who struggled with so many of the things we do today: balancing work and family; raising children; navigating marital strife; losing parents; combating anxiety and self-doubt; finding an identity; searching for meaning. Praise for Victoria: The Queen“Fascinating.”—Vogue “In Baird’s deft portrayal; Victoria lives; breathes; and struts before us in all her complexity. . . . On a geopolitical level; Baird’s sweeping historical portrait also illuminates just how interconnected the European royal families were during this time. . . . Historical astuteness aside; the pages gallop along enhanced by titillating morsels of info.”—Esquire “A vivid portrait of one of England’s longest-reigning monarchs.”—Entertainment Weekly “[A] success from start to finish . . . [Baird’s] Victoria is a vivid; visceral creature.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Like the best biographers; Baird writes like a novelist; and her book is crammed with irresistible detail and description.”—The Seattle Times