Memoirs (1630-1680) (Volume 25) (The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series) Paperback – November 1, 2013

By now it is a cliché to speak of bringing history to life, but this book does just that.The wit and style of Sean Ward’s 30-page introduction tells us we are in the hands of a gifted writer. He guides us not only through Sophia’s life, but also gives insight into the early modern period in a style that is both erudite and accessible. I especially enjoyed the discussion of the nobles’ game of “innkeeper” in which, for a brief time, the normal protocol of deference and respect would be dropped and nobles would attend to their guests, serving them wine and food themselves. Completely new to me and interesting.Ward translates Sophia’s account of the sexual mores, political and marital scandals and her everyday experiences into a hip and entertaining 21st century idiom that is a pleasure to read.

Sean Ward provides a superb introduction and an excellent translation, but the lady herself is worthy of five stars. Her lively memoirs are fun to read and provide penetrating insights into the lives of many of her well-known and lesser-known contemporaries. Her brothers and sisters alone make a talented supporting cast. For those interested in English history (and strong intelligent women in our distant past), the 300th Anniversary of the Hanoverian succession shouldn't be overshadowed by the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, as Sophia for too long has remained an overlooked but fascinating historical figure.

I do enjoy this book. I love Sean Ward's sense of humor. I don't even try to keep track of everyone and don't carefully read every footnote. I do recommend reading the introduction. Sophia is bright, candid and sprightly. You get a real feel for the time and how limited life was for women. I have grown used to Sophia's voice, am almost finished, and will be sorry when her memoir ends.

Sean Ward's droll style effectively engages the reader in this little slice of history. An informative and well-crafted introduction leads to a captivating account of Sophia's life that I found most engrossing. The book is both scholarly and readable and will appeal to a broad range of readers. Highly recommended!

Ward’s masterful modern English rendering of Sophia of Hanover’s memoirs opens a window on the everyday lives of 17th century high nobility that even historical laypersons will find engrossing, not least because of Sophia’s sparkling (and, at times, rather wicked) sense of humour. Readers are well advised to not skip the introduction and footnotes, which provide a lot of useful additional information, anecdotes and context.