THE MONARCHY: An Oral Biography of Elizabeth II

Most accounts of the British royals fall into one of two extremes: hostile exposés that "tell all" and fawning hagiographies that tell nothing. Falling neatly between these literary absolutes, this multifaceted "oral biography" presents a complex and intriguing portrait of the woman who has been Great Britain's head of state for nearly half a century. The Strobers—whose popular, critically noted oral biographies of Reagan and Nixon are landmarks of the genre—have shepherded quotes from more than 150 interviews into a balanced and critical (if sympathetic) study; their questions serve as section headings and are followed by responses from their interviewees. The book is filled with remarkable details such as Elizabeth's emergence from an airplane clad in mourning attire after being on safari when King George died (the royal family and attendants always packed black clothes in case of such emergencies), and good dirt like Prince Philip's fury at the constant insinuation that he was manipulated into marriage (which is partially true). More than that, the Strobers have accumulated a wealth of personal opinion and detail from a wide variety of sources, including Archdeacon George Austin on the queen's political and ecclesiastic relationships to her bishops, and Lord Archer speculating on the sexuality of Prince Edward ("the most sensitive of the three" sons). As interested in the troubles in Northern Ireland as in what happened between Charles and Di, the Strobers achieve a rare blend of the gossipy and the political. Deliciously informative and always entertaining, this is a royals book for thinking people. (On-sale Jan. 2)

Forecast:Although books on the royal family are perennially popular, this one's timing may stunt its growth, since most history and political buffs are scrambling to learn about the Middle East and Central Asia. A tie-in to the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 2002 could help draw attention, though.