Charles: The Heart of a King

Excellent well researched book on the current day Prince Charles , his influences and interests. Informative about his charities. This is not a tabloid tell all so if you want that then chose another book, but it is for anyone who wants to understand our future King and how the monarchy will be positioned after Queen Elizabeth passes on

This is a revealing portrait of the new King and I am not a Monarchist but I ended up seeing the contradictions between the man and the role. An easy and entertaining read that gives insight into the monarchy

An interesting portrait but very overwritten.

Well what can I say ,firstly this book is 536 pages long, unfortunately the introductions are 116 pages long!!! Yes, that's right 116 pages!! I bought this book as I wanted to find out about Prince Charles (King). I wanted to learn about where he was born,the schools he went too, when he first met Camilla,the Diana fiasco, his children being born etc etc. How disappointed was I? Totally is the answer. Please do not buy this book if you are a Royalist. When the author mentioned in one of her many introduction's that she was a Republican,I started to have my doubts about the book and those doubts were confirmed. What a total waste of my hard earned money on this book. Well I say a total waste, I have learned one thing and that is to read the reviews and to read about the author before I buy a book. I am now off to find another book about King Charles,one that is actually about him growing up etc. I know one thing, I will be staying away from any books that are written by Catherine Mayer. I only gave the book one star because I had too.

I am the same age as Charles and have to admit I have never been a fan. Like many others I felt desperately sorry for Diana, a very young girl, with no one to help, advise or give her the support she needed. Shame on those who should have been there for her. So I was prejudiced from the start of the book. Yet as I read, the picture of a lonely unloved little boy emerged. Privileged? No! I would not have exchanged my upbringing for his. He is portrayed, as much of a victim of his circumstances as Diana. I don't know if, having read the book, I am any closer to liking the man but I do feel pity for him.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. It held all the promise of something gripping and un-putdownable. Unfortunately, for me, it was quite the reverse. In fact at just less than half way through I have abandoned it. I found it dry, stuffy, packed full of waffle and quite frankly, boring. The chapters are over long and tedious. I was reading a couple of pages, then not having a clue what I'd read, because it was too dry to sink in. I have given it two stars for the eloquently styled method of writing, quite frequently having to use the dictionary to educate myself on the meaning of some words. This is a plus for me but aside from that, I wish I hadn't bothered with it.

An excellent, perceptive and wide-ranging over-view of not just Prince Charles as a person, but of the curious, anachronistic but - for the present anyway - unavoidably central role he and his family play in our democracy. This man isn't a dabbler in social and environmental issues - he's a campaigner and activist, whose activities inevitably stray into the world of politics. Catherine Mayer's exploration of, and reflections on, the implications of this are clear-eyed, objective and thoroughly fascinating.

As this is the first Royal biography I have ever read - and I am of an age where I can remember Charles' investiture as The Prince of Wales - I don't mind what another reviewer offers as a criticism which is that there is a lot of material here that is already in the public domain and has featured in previous biographies. I like the writing style and the way the book is structured and there is clearly a balanced view of the way Charles is being shaped - and is shaping himself - for the future. Whether we are getting to the 'heart of a King' is something else, but we are certainly getting to the crux of a number of issues Charles has faced (and, indeed, it would seem, created) over the years with balancing his public and private persona. I have learnt a lot about the monarchy, government, empire and commonwealth and, not least about Charles and, on this basis, I am more than happy to recommend this book as an engaging a revelatory read - particularly for those, like me, who may not have dipped their toes in the Royal biography waters before.

I have developed a greater respect for Prince Charles, and the Royal Family. The honesty and commitment of Prince Charles, his concern for the living standards of all, our struggles with daily life, can only come from God. He is divinely inspired in a singularly special way.

Well-researched, well-written account of the mind and motivations of the next King.

Catherine Mayer has provided an unbiased, both sides of the coin look at The Prince of Wakes and his work. It is deep and surprising. Thoughtful and generally sympathetic, one wonders why Clarence House was so exercised about it. She offers trenchant advice to both Prince Charles and his aides, advice which I have often formulated in my head when reading media reports, which they would be well advised to consider.

Way better than I thought it would be. Seriously, as a Diana fan since I was a kid, I didn't think I would ever willingly read a book about Charles and like it. But here it is. This book is well researched, well written and really makes a great case for the next king of England. I thought there was not much more to learn about Charles but surprise! He is a startlingly deep and rich character.

While it would be wonderful to have no money worries, I am not sure I would switch with members of this family all the same.