Springcleaning – Book 6 “Magnificent Obsession” by Helen Rappaport

I’ve read a couple of books by Helen Rappaport before, which have focussed on events in and around the Russian Revolution – see my reviews here and here. I think that she is a good popular historian whose books concentrate on smaller and less written about issues in and around major events. Magnificent Obsession is about Queen Victoria but the author has chosen to focus on her subject’s response to the death of her husband Prince Albert in 1861. I picked it up in a second hand bookshop somewhere because I had enjoyed the other books I had read.

When Victoria married Albert she relied on him totally, to such an extent that he made all the decisions in the family and in the country. Albert effectively ruled Britain in the time between their marriage and his death. It was something that he wanted to do and he did it well, including trying to accrue more power and influence for the monarchy. It was almost certainly his own obsession that caused his death as his ill-health was worsened considerably by the amount of work he did and his inability to rest or relax – there is an interesting appendix to the book that outlines possible illnesses that he may have had.

When Albert died Victoria fell apart and the author shows us what impact that had on the country. The book also shows the outpouring of sadness by the political establishment and the general public and the huge amount of sympathy for the queen. That sympathy began to wear thin after a few years and Victoria’s self-indulgent widowhood almost resulted in a revolution and certainly resulted in a demand for a republic.

The author shows how Victoria began to cope with her situation and take up the reins of power again in her family and her country. It also shows us how she had changed since before her marriage and how Albert’s example had taught her to manage the power that she had.

This is a very well written history which helps us to understand both individuals in their historical context. I have read quite a few books on Victoria and I obviously knew about a lot of what is included here, but by just concentrating on this one period and set of events the author brings it alive for the reader and helped me to understand so much more. I have now placed this book on my shelf of biographies of kings and queens of England/Britain as it enhances the information in the other volumes.