George VI (Penguin Monarchs)
The Dutiful King

George VI: The Dutiful King presents Queen Elizabeth II’s father as a monarch who spent most his life overcoming his personal inclination for a quiet, retiring life to do his duty as King after the abdication of his elder brother, Edward VIII. Philip Ziegler, who previously wrote a full length biogr......more

I don't think this told me anything I didn't already know about George VI, but as it's a short guide and I've read a fair few books about this period, that's perhaps not surprising. It is however a good primer on George VI - covering the major events of his life (albeit not in much depth) and giving......more

This is a short, beautifully written introduction to George VI, with particular emphasis on what shaped his character and why his character became so important during his reign. I learned enough about him to want to learn more, which seems to me the entire point of these brief little bios of the mon......more

Very very short So short it’s more of an essay than a biography. Didn’t inform me at all, apart from some detail about the death of the king, which I hadn’t know. An easy read, but not recommended.......more

My second read in the Penguin Monarch series, and I really enjoy these short biographies on the monarchs of Britain. Long enough to give a good view of their lives, short enough to remain interesting; the books are a good introduction.......more