Princesses Behaving Badly

Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings

De: Linda Rodriguez McRobbie

Narrado por: Cassandra Campbell

You think you know her story. You've read the Brothers Grimm, you've watched the Disney cartoons, you cheered as these virtuous women lived happily ever after. But the lives of real princesses couldn't be more different. Sure, many were graceful and benevolent leaders - but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power, and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets. Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe was a Nazi spy. Empress Elizabeth of the Austro-Hungarian empire slept wearing a mask of raw veal. Princess Olga of Kiev murdered thousands of men, and Princess Rani Lakshmibai waged war on the battlefield, charging into combat with her toddler son strapped to her back. Princesses Behaving Badly offers mini-biographies of all these princesses and dozens more. It's a fascinating listen for history buffs, feminists, and anyone seeking a different kind of bedtime story.

©2013 Linda Rodriguez Mcrobbie (P)2013 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Campbell makes each princess's story engaging, and makes it crystal clear that while some did, indeed, behave badly--even inhumanely--others were just rebelling against impossible strictures…it's Campbell's impeccable narration that turns the book into something special." ( AudioFile)

"Princess, diva, pain in the ass — all terms that resonate throughout Princesses Behaving Badly, which tells of royal terrors who make modern gossip queens seem as demure as Snow White." ( New York Post)

"History has produced some very real, very dangerous ladies who make their movie and book counterparts seem lame by comparison. From Nazi spy to bloodthirsty killer, these women were not meek in any way. Heck, one of them even wore a mask of raw veal! You’ll find out all this and more in this little book of miniature biographies." ( Geeks of Doom)

My new favorite

What made the experience of listening to Princesses Behaving Badly the most enjoyable?

The narrator does an excellent job and the content is very interesting.

Which scene was your favorite?

The warrior princesses. It as all fantastic

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The same as the book

Any additional comments?

One of my new favorite audiobooks. I definitely recommend it.

Not the Disney sugar coated Princesses

Where does Princesses Behaving Badly rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very good. It's an easy listen that I've so far enjoyed twice. Doesn't require complete concentration, so you can zone out from time to time.

Be prepared though, you will find yourself Googling many of these ladies after hearing their stories. Many I had never heard of and some I had been taught wrong about.

What did you like best about this story?

I learned something new at every turn. I even learned about the times they lived in and admired them for getting through often horrible treatment.

What does Cassandra Campbell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great voice and wry humor when it called for it. She didn't change her voice, but she did bring different tones to different situations.

Rapid-Fire History

Think of this as the ultra-fast introduction to literally dozens of history's most famous, notorious, and interesting women. If you're looking for in-depth, move on. These mini-biographies are, instead, tailored to giving only the highlights. The result is that you learn a lot in a short period of time, and chances are there are many of these that will inspire you to dig deeper. The downside is that if you listen to this book in one or two sittings, some of these people will probably blend together. Solution: listen again. This is the no-frills, no subtleties, no boring bits of history for those times when you just need a lighter read. As much as I love the in-depth and nuanced tomes, sometimes I just need something fun. This book fits the bill.

Princesses Researched Well

The author's aim in this book is to tear away the pinky froth of the Disney princess and replace it with, in most cases, a rather ugly reality. It's written with a witty tone, and somber when it is needed. Unlike some of the other collections I have read, it doesn't seem just to recycle old history, but uses current research as well. I'm anal retentive about history, and getting it right, and I found little to quibble with over this. Its spans a good millennia in the telling, but not chronologically rather by interesting categories, such as the warrior princesses. It's certainly not for young girls, maybe a mature teenage with a penchant for history.

Loved it

I have the hard copy and it’s good but her emotion brought it to life!

I don't like this woman's voice

In fact I loathe it. But I like the stories. They can be a little overly depressing at times, however.

Disney, this is not

If you could sum up Princesses Behaving Badly in three words, what would they be?

Amazing, fantastic, captivating.

Any additional comments?

This is a history of amazing women who kicked butt, took names, and held their heads high. I've heard of quite a few of these women, but there were so many others I couldn't sit still listening. Talk about impressive! These women were battling societal norms and killing those who stood in their way. While I don't envy their lives its a shame history initially wrote their stories so placidly.

Misleading Title

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Maybe, if they wanted a book about women leading armies into battle or ruling countries at a time when there weren't many.

Would you recommend Princesses Behaving Badly to your friends? Why or why not?

I just answered this question.

Which character – as performed by Cassandra Campbell – was your favorite?

There are a lot of pretty interesting women mentioned.

Do you think Princesses Behaving Badly needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No.

Any additional comments?

The title implied to me that there would be stories about torrid affairs or horror stories of murder and betrayal. Instead it was just a book about women who ruled kingdoms or amassed armies. Not a bad book I guess, just not what I was hoping for. The narrator was great though.

Good for traveling

Book was good for driving. Not too much to get caught up in, but still interesting. Chapters are very short.

FUN! GREAT BOOK!

very fun history of well-known princesses as well as relatively unknown ones. I really enjoyed the playful way the stories were presented!
GREAT BOOK!