- Paperback: 416 pages
- Publisher: Corgi Books; New edition edition (3 Jun 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0552145505
- ISBN-13: 978-0552145503
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.6 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 374,401 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
First published in 1998, this is a study, based on DNA sequencing, that traces the porphyria stain through the genealogical maze of Europe's royal dynasties to the present day descendants of the Houses of Hanover and Windsor, and the consequences it might have had on the history of Europe and North America.
From the Back Cover
In recent years a hugely successful play and film have been based on the theory, originally advanced in the 1960s, that King George III suffered from the rare and incurable blood disease known as porphyria.
Porphyria is an inherited disorder. Was George III the only victim, or could it have affected his ancestors - or his descendants down to the present day? And if so, what consequences might it have had in the history of Europe and North America?
In a unique collaboration between history and science, which combines historical records of illness and suffering with the latest advances in DNA technology, Purple Secret traces, in an extraordinary and fascinating detective story, the inheritance of porphyria through the genealogical maze of Europe's royal dynasties. Its inescapable conclusion - that the royal houses of Britain and Europe are still haunted by the ghost of George III - sheds light on major historical events from Britain's loss of her American colonies to the outbreak of the First World War and the downfall of the Romanovs, as well as on the present Royal Family.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a follow-up on Macalpine and Hunter's famous "George III and the Mad-Business". In the 70's their theory was not believed, because at that time most porphyria research had been done on the population of South Africa only. With new insights, research and techniques, including DNA research, Röhl, Warren en Hunt present very convincing additions to the diagnosis of porphyria for George III and many of his family members and some descendants.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Very interesting & well written overview of a disease that plagued not only George III but apparently his ancestors & decendents...Especially interesting to learn about the sad life of Feodora, Queen Victoria's first great-granchild, and how Alexandra, the last Tsarina's, medical problems affected the Russian monarchy...Excellent research!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Though difficult to read at times, mainly because of the wealth of scientific and medical details, this book is well-researched and opens up a whole new avenue of interest to fans of royal biography. At times this book reads like a medical dictionary, yet at others it reads like a first-class detetctive novel and each chapter opens up a new line of enquiry as to whether porphyria has indeed afflicted the Britsh royal family and its European offshoots for generations.The amount of royal personages covered is vast, yet the authors do a commendable job in pulling the many different threads together.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
