Princesses Behaving Badly

Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings

By: Linda Rodriguez McRobbie

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

You think you know her story. You've read the Brothers Grimm, you've watched the Disney cartoons, you cheered as these virtuous women lived happily ever after. But the lives of real princesses couldn't be more different. Sure, many were graceful and benevolent leaders - but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power, and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets. Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe was a Nazi spy. Empress Elizabeth of the Austro-Hungarian empire slept wearing a mask of raw veal. Princess Olga of Kiev murdered thousands of men, and Princess Rani Lakshmibai waged war on the battlefield, charging into combat with her toddler son strapped to her back. Princesses Behaving Badly offers mini-biographies of all these princesses and dozens more. It's a fascinating listen for history buffs, feminists, and anyone seeking a different kind of bedtime story.

©2013 Linda Rodriguez Mcrobbie (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Campbell makes each princess's story engaging, and makes it crystal clear that while some did, indeed, behave badly--even inhumanely--others were just rebelling against impossible strictures…it's Campbell's impeccable narration that turns the book into something special." ( AudioFile)

"Princess, diva, pain in the ass — all terms that resonate throughout Princesses Behaving Badly, which tells of royal terrors who make modern gossip queens seem as demure as Snow White." ( New York Post)

"History has produced some very real, very dangerous ladies who make their movie and book counterparts seem lame by comparison. From Nazi spy to bloodthirsty killer, these women were not meek in any way. Heck, one of them even wore a mask of raw veal! You’ll find out all this and more in this little book of miniature biographies." ( Geeks of Doom)

Rapid-Fire History

Think of this as the ultra-fast introduction to literally dozens of history's most famous, notorious, and interesting women. If you're looking for in-depth, move on. These mini-biographies are, instead, tailored to giving only the highlights. The result is that you learn a lot in a short period of time, and chances are there are many of these that will inspire you to dig deeper. The downside is that if you listen to this book in one or two sittings, some of these people will probably blend together. Solution: listen again. This is the no-frills, no subtleties, no boring bits of history for those times when you just need a lighter read. As much as I love the in-depth and nuanced tomes, sometimes I just need something fun. This book fits the bill.

My new favorite

What made the experience of listening to Princesses Behaving Badly the most enjoyable?

The narrator does an excellent job and the content is very interesting.

Which scene was your favorite?

The warrior princesses. It as all fantastic

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The same as the book

Any additional comments?

One of my new favorite audiobooks. I definitely recommend it.

Not the Disney sugar coated Princesses

Where does Princesses Behaving Badly rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very good. It's an easy listen that I've so far enjoyed twice. Doesn't require complete concentration, so you can zone out from time to time.

Be prepared though, you will find yourself Googling many of these ladies after hearing their stories. Many I had never heard of and some I had been taught wrong about.

What did you like best about this story?

I learned something new at every turn. I even learned about the times they lived in and admired them for getting through often horrible treatment.

What does Cassandra Campbell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great voice and wry humor when it called for it. She didn't change her voice, but she did bring different tones to different situations.

I don't like this woman's voice

In fact I loathe it. But I like the stories. They can be a little overly depressing at times, however.

Disney, this is not

If you could sum up Princesses Behaving Badly in three words, what would they be?

Amazing, fantastic, captivating.

Any additional comments?

This is a history of amazing women who kicked butt, took names, and held their heads high. I've heard of quite a few of these women, but there were so many others I couldn't sit still listening. Talk about impressive! These women were battling societal norms and killing those who stood in their way. While I don't envy their lives its a shame history initially wrote their stories so placidly.

Princesses Researched Well

The author's aim in this book is to tear away the pinky froth of the Disney princess and replace it with, in most cases, a rather ugly reality. It's written with a witty tone, and somber when it is needed. Unlike some of the other collections I have read, it doesn't seem just to recycle old history, but uses current research as well. I'm anal retentive about history, and getting it right, and I found little to quibble with over this. Its spans a good millennia in the telling, but not chronologically rather by interesting categories, such as the warrior princesses. It's certainly not for young girls, maybe a mature teenage with a penchant for history.

Loved it

I have the hard copy and it’s good but her emotion brought it to life!

ACTUALLY PRETTY INTERESTING

If you could sum up Princesses Behaving Badly in three words, what would they be?

"A Great Ride"

What did you like best about this story?

I read a lot of different kinds of books, mostly historical. This book revealed a plethora of interesting women that history has overlooked because they were on the "shady side" of the truth. A lot of the books that I've listened to recently are about non-existent people who claim to be close intimates of actual famous historical figures. Like a fake lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn who was privy to secrets that somehow Philippa Gregory or Alison Weir missed. Or a fictional private eye in the early 20th century who ran with people like Huey Long, Amelia Earhart, President John Kennedy, Al Capone, Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Hoffa, and Marilyn Monroe. I'd like to see the authors of those fictional history books use this bit of documented info about one of these "Princesses" and weave an interesting story that is both enlightening and entertaining.

What does Cassandra Campbell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She has a pleasant non-regional voice that adds a great tongue-in-cheek quality to the story. You always get the impression that Ms. Campbell is "thisclose" to bursting out laughing over some of the outrageous antics of the "Princesses" and the gullibility of the people they make fools of.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Naw! It's not that kind of story. There ARE moments when I wanted to giggle though.

Worth a Listen

Would you listen to Princesses Behaving Badly again? Why?

I do think I will listen again. I feel like I may not have absorbed all the stories. I enjoyed listening the first time, and I expect I will enjoy it again.

The book is grouped by topic, with stories of different women in various countries and time periods per topic. Interesting information, well conveyed.

Great Random History Lesson

Would you listen to Princesses Behaving Badly again? Why?

Yeah I am sure I missed some facts about historical figures I had not heard about. I now want to go and learn more about some of my favorite princesses

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Oh yeah and I think I all most did.