Catherine Reef is the author of Victoria: Portrait of a Queen, a new young adult biography of Queen Victoria.From Reef's Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: Why did you decide to focus on Queen Victoria in your latest biography?Visit Catherine Reef's website.
A: I had written two books on subjects from Victorian England, The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne and Florence Nightingale: The Courageous Life of the Legendary Nurse. I wanted to write one more biography before leaving that fascinating time and place, and I thought, why not focus on the woman who gave her name to the period, Queen Victoria herself?
Looking into her life, I discovered a terrific tale to tell, one that included family drama, palace intrigue, and a great love story, all involving a woman of singular character.
Sir Henry Ponsonby, who was the queen’s private secretary from 1870 until 1895, said this of her: “Never in her life could she be confused with anyone else, nor will she be in history.” How...[read on]
Coffee with a Canine: Catherine Reef & Nandi.
The Page 69 Test: Frida & Diego.
My Book, The Movie: Noah Webster.
The Page 99 Test: Florence Nightingale.
Writers Read: Catherine Reef (January 2017).
--Marshal Zeringue