I stumbled upon this Young Adult biography at a favorite thrift store today and decided to pick it up.


Amazon Editorial Review

Accused of being a demon by those who could not tolerate her independence, Eleanor of Aquitaine made her mark as one of the most dynamic and extraordinary figures of the Middle Ages. Born in 1122, Eleanor refused to be confined by the traditional gender roles of her time. She became well educated, gaining political and governing know-how from her father, William X, duke of Aquitaine, and armed herself with the skills necessary to become an influential queen-first of France, and later, England. With an impact that reached beyond politics, Eleanor shaped the future of the arts and humanities. And in a time when women were viewed as inferior to men, the virtues of chivalry and courtly love were born. Once described by a contemporary as "a woman beyond compare," Eleanor of Aquitaine is a figure who will remain controversial, powerful, and enchanting in the twenty-first century.

The is a wonderful, well-written biography of the fascinating Eleanor of Aquitaine. Mrs. Brooks' prose is lively and subtle with humor and warmth. This is an excellent read for a young reader--or for anyone for that matter. Eleanor was strong, a leader in her youth whose soul deepened in adversity. A beautiful, deeply educated woman who valued art, culture and manners, she paved the way for the troubadours of southern France. Her lively courts valued conversation, learning and music. She developed European manners. So Brooks describes her as a "southern belle." I've affixed a bookplate featuring an image of Georgia artist Steffen Thomas' TRILON, which is at an intersection of Peachtree and 15th Streets near the High Museum and Colony Square in Atlanta. A native of Fürth, Germany, Thomas was of Welch and German ancestry. He first made his home here in Georgia back in the 1930s and married Sara Douglass, a Southern lady from a prominent Atlanta family, in 1933. Sara became his lifelong muse. They raised four children in Stone Mountain, Georgia, near his studio. TRILON, a cubist sculpture with three sides, honors the Southern Woman.

Hello! You've received this book from bookcrossing, a random community of book lovers. If you'd like to join the bookcrossing story of this book, please make a journal entry at our site with the BCID (bookcrossing ID) on the bookplate. Bookcrossing is free to join and confidential. Tell us anything you'd like to share about this book. The book label features a photo of Georgia artist Steffen Thomas' TRILON, which is an Atlanta landmark at an intersection of Peachtree and 15th Streets at the High Museum and Colony Square. A native of Fürth, Germany, Thomas was of Welch and German ancestry. He first made his home here in Georgia back in the 1930s and married Sara Douglass, a Southern lady from a prominent Atlanta family, in 1933. Sara became his lifelong muse. They raised four children in Stone Mountain, Georgia, near his studio. Trilon honors the Southern Woman.