The Royal Art of Poison cover art

The Royal Art of Poison

Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicines and Murder Most Foul

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The Royal Art of Poison

By: Eleanor Herman
Narrated by: Joan Walker
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About this listen

The story of poison is the story of power....

For centuries, royal families have feared the gut-roiling, vomit-inducing agony of a little something added to their food or wine by an enemy. To avoid poison, they depended on tasters, unicorn horns and antidotes tested on condemned prisoners.

Servants licked the royal family’s spoons, tried on their underpants and tested their chamber pots. Ironically, royals terrified of poison were unknowingly poisoning themselves daily with their cosmetics, medications and filthy living conditions.

Women wore makeup made with lead. Physicians prescribed mercury enemas, arsenic skin cream, drinks of lead filings and potions of human fat and skull, fresh from the executioner.

The Royal Art of Poison is a hugely entertaining work of popular history that traces the use of poison as a political - and cosmetic - tool in the royal courts of Western Europe from the Middle Ages to the Kremlin today.

©2018 Eleanor Herman (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd Europe Great Britain History & Commentary Medicine & Health Care Industry Politics & Activism Royalty Middle Ages England

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Critic reviews

"A macabre and entertaining romp...Herman writes vividly and with great humor, combining detailed research with easy narrative, making her book both enthralling and sinister." (The Washington Times)
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I absolutely loved this book. Fascinating in its details, well structured and perfectly narrated.

Fascinating history, beautifully narrated

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Absolutely amazing listening. Glimpse of historical hygiene and deathly instincts.
Written with humour, amazingly narrated. Enjoyed every moment of this book (even the gross parts)
I'm considering buying printed copy now.

Brilliant!

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A great listen for any history buff. It doesn’t just cover royals but also we’ll other well know people from history. From Caravaggio to Mozart and countless other personalities it’s well worth a listen!

A history buffs delight- with some nasty bits

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This is a wonderful book full of interesting historical stories performed with a fluid, charming and well-enunciated voice.

I made the mistake of listening to it while eating and became quite nauseous. If you're looking for cheerful history that will make you squirm, you have found it. I have seldom been so entranced by descriptions of gore. I recommend this book.

Horrible Histories for Grownups

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Really enjoyed this book, the narration was good and the history of it all was told really well and it's engaging throughout and does get too 'booged down' with historical facts. Would definitely listen again.

A good listen

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People have been devious as long as we have existed! Poisoning each other for power, hate and love. Very interesting history and study of poisonings or suspected poisonings.

So interesting!

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Entertaining and quite unbelievable story of poison and the changing understanding of what is bad for us!

Fascinating!

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Really enjoyed this book and the format of it works well. lots of thought and hard work has clearly gone into putting this book together

Very enjoyable

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A great exploration of intentional and unintentional poisoning through history. Full of really interesting and well-researched information or a range of common-place practices and medical recommendations that would definitely be avoided (perhaps not 'like the plague') today. Great case studies and reasoned observations. I would definitely recommend this book.
Very clear reading and structure, the only minor issue is that sometimes the jumping about through historical periods was occasionally confusing.
Definitely worth listening to.

surprising, interesting and funny.

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Thorough history, diving into common beliefs, contemporary science, and debunking some misunderstandings along the way. I really enjoyed this, and the narrator added a special magic to it too

Brilliant

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