Title: Sex With the Queen Author: Eleanor Herman Publisher: Harper Perennial Publish Date: 2006 Pages: 322 Genres:: History, Non-Fiction Reviewer: Chris R. Morgan

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Though it is doubtless difficult for most people in the modern world (or at least Americans) to picture a time past when it was a big deal to be a monarch of some kind—whether they did any actual governing or not or saw any of their lowly subjects—they were still revered as God-approved rulers of their motherland. It wasn't until the Great War that everyone pretty much realized that divine providence was pretty much made up and it all went downhill from there. But despite the utter pointlessness of ceremony and pageantry, it does not detract from the sordid and downright salacious doings of the monarchs and their aristocratic pets. 

Eleanor Herman, who seems to pride herself, despite being a lowly American, on her relations to some of Europe's royal families, whatever that means. That shouldn't matter terribly though, as any history of the dirty deed of the ruling class is a distraction enough.  She skips right over the living hardcore pornography that was the early Roman Empire, gives us a little background between that and the Renaissance and kicks into gear with the classical age. One of Herman's main points was what was expected of a female royal. Princesses were brought up to emulate human purity and perfection. Apparently, this meant marrying while barely into adolescence to a complete, and possibly blood-related, moron of a prince (Louis XIV, Czar Nicholas II and so on). Hence, the chaste brides were left to their own devices. 

There are many well-known historical accounts that have seeped into legend in every elementary and middle school history class. She tackles the rumored fraternizing of the virgin Queen Elizabeth I and the more damaging rumors that abounded Czarina Alexandra and Rasputin. Already despised enough for being German, it is well known that she was easily duped by the charismatic "healer" and was so psychologically dependent on him that she would not enact a single policy without his divine approval. 

Those are only a sampling of the subjects she tackles. Many are well known and many are more obscure, but nonetheless dirty and interesting. Herman, a lecturer, writes with flowing vocal prose; she seems to enjoy typing the sound of her own voice. History buffs more accustomed to the dry, scholarly style of traditional historians be warned, Herman is a storyteller first and a historian second. Though she is not unfamiliar with her subject matter, as this is a continuation of her earlier effort Sex With Kings. The deciding factor is whether or not you're interested in scandal or their effect on world events. It can be said that the politics of sex in relation to kings and queens is only part of the story, but it's a pretty okay story when put up against how King A pissed off King R and 3 million of their people lose their limbs as a result.