Most Popular Books by Eleanor Herman

In this follow-up to her bestselling Sex with Kings, Eleanor Herman reveals the truth about what goes on behind the closed door of the queen''s boudoir. Impeccably reseached, filled with page-turning romance, passion, and scandal, Sex with the Queen explores the scintillating sexual lives of some of our most beloved and infamous female rulers, including the notorious Catherine the Great, the passionately foolish Marie Antoinette, the destructively willful Tsarina Alexandra, and the bastion of virtue, Queen Victoria - mother of nine children.

New York Times bestseller Eleanor Herman, author of Sex with Kings and Sex with Presidents, returns with another work of popular history, exploring the history of misogyny against women with power from Cleopatra to Kamala Harris. Imagine Donald Trump as a woman, called Donna. Would Donna Trump have been viewed as blunt, honest, and refreshing? Would she have won the election? Imagine Hillary Clinton as a man. Howard Clinton says and does the exact same things as Hillary. Would Howard Clinton have been portrayed in a thousand Pinterest images as a witch, stirring a cauldron or riding a broomstick? Would he have been called a bitch on countless T-shirts? Would his thoughtful, circumspect answers to media questions have been seen as inauthenticity, secretiveness, and untrustworthiness? There is a particular kind of rage—let’s call it unadulterated bloodlust—usually reserved for women, especially women in power or vying for it. From the ancient world, through the European Renaissance, up to the most recent U.S. elections, the Misogynist’s Handbook, as Eleanor Herman calls it, has been wielded to put uppity women in their place. In a story that is shocking, eye-opening, and a powerful force for change, Eleanor Herman’s signature wit and humor explores the patterns that have been operating for more than three thousand years—and are still operating today—against powerful women across the globe, including Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn, Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and more. Each chapter analyzes a tried-and-true misogynistic method to keep women down, including: Her Overweening Ambition, Why Doesn’t She Do Something About Her Hair?, The Dangers of Female Hormones, The Alarming Shrillness of Her Voice, The Mysterious Unlikability of Female Candidates, She’s a Bitch and Other Animals, She’s a Witch and Other Monsters, and Her Sexual Depravity. Herman ends the book by looking forward, examining ways to rip up the Misogynist’s Handbook once and for all.

"A mingling of history, intrigue, romance, murder, and magic," this epic fantasy novel draws on the historical details of Alexander the Great''s teen years (Cinda Williams Chima, New York Times –bestselling author of The Seven Realms series). At sixteen years old, Prince Alexander''s duty is to become the King''s regent, a title that feels merely ceremonial to ambitious Alexander. The young prince has no desire to keep his father''s throne warm while the King goes to battle, nor does he wish to make a political marriage with a bride of the King''s choosing. Alexander has plans of his own, plans that will put him on the brink of becoming of the greatest conqueror in the known world. Katerina''s status as an orphaned peasant belies her secret abilities. When she meets Prince Alexander, she feels an inexplicable connection to him, even as she plots to kill his mother, Queen Olympias. Called to a Blood Tournament against Hephaestion, Prince Alexander''s closest companion, Jacob is prepared to fight to win, if only so that he will see a future with Katerina, the only woman he has ever loved. Princess Zofia does not wish to be a political pawn, but as Alexander''s betrothed, this would seem to be her fate, until the Persian Princess escapes on a life-altering quest of her own. A heady mix of epic fantasy and intriguing historical detail, Legacy of Kings is the first book in New York Times–bestselling author Eleanor Herman''s Blood of Gods and Royals series. "Thoroughly researched and absolutely modern." — Kirkus Reviews " Legacy of Kings is wow! History buffs and fantasy fans won''t want to miss out on this mind-blowing new series that''s bound to be a huge hit." — San Francisco Book Review

Presents a biography of Olimpia Maidalchini, sister-in-law and mistress to seventeeth-century Roman Catholic Pope Innocent X, and chronicles her power over both the pope and the Vatican.

Weaving the fantasy appeal of Game of Thrones with the shocking details of real history, New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known, Alexander the Great, in book one of the Blood of Gods and Royals series. Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn and, in their ashes, empires rise. Alexander, Macedon''s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world, but finds himself drawn to a newcomer... Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while keeping her own mission hidden: kill the queen. But she doesn''t account for her first love... Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means competing with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander''s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Traces the history of poison in centuries of royal courts, from the intentional poisonings to the unintentional side effects of commonly used makeup and medications.

In this fascinating work of popular history, the New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings and The Royal Art of Poison uncovers the bedroom secrets of American presidents and explores the surprising ways voters have reacted to their leaders’ sex scandals. While Americans have a reputation for being strait-laced, many of the nation’s leaders have been anything but puritanical. Alexander Hamilton had a steamy affair with a blackmailing prostitute. John F. Kennedy swam nude with female staff in the White House swimming pool. Is it possible the qualities needed to run for president—narcissism, a thirst for power, a desire for importance—go hand in hand with a tendency to sexual misdoing? In this entertaining and eye-opening book, Eleanor Herman revisits some of the sex scandals that have rocked the nation''s capital and shocked the public, while asking the provocative questions: does rampant adultery show a lack of character or the stamina needed to run the country? Or perhaps both? While Americans have judged their leaders'' affairs harshly compared to other nations, did they mostly just hate being lied to? And do they now clearly care more about issues other than a politician’s sex life? What is sex like with the most powerful man in the world? Is it better than with your average Joe? And when America finally elects a female president, will she, too, have sexual escapades in the Oval Office?

From a New York Times bestseller, a historical fantasy imagines the teen life of Alexander the Great as he rises to power and struggles against dark magic. Prince Alexander, his eyes aglow with what appears to be insanity, has been overtaken by an evil that threatens Macedon. Has Alex been led to this dark fate by his own mother? Queen Olympias has sacrificed much for her son but is she about to sacrifice him to her own ambitions? Persian princess Zofia knows it is her destiny to mix blood with Prince Alexander. If Zo can find the legendary Spirit Eaters, she might escape her fate and protect both her people and the citizens of Macedon from the coming devastation. Princess Cyn is about to become ruling Queen through marriage to the mad king of Illyria. But if she can attain the power of Smoke Blood, she will not only free herself from her deranged husband but attain enough strength to be sole ruler of her mother''s native land. Trapped on a tiny island with the love of his life, Hephaestion feels as if he has landed in purgatory. For each day brings reminders that Katerina is the true princess of Macedon, and a woman who can never be his. Praise for New York Times–bestselling author Eleanor Herman''s Blood of Gods and Royals series: "A mingling of history, intrigue, romance, murder, and magic." —Cinda Williams Chima, New York Times–bestselling author of The Seven Realms series "History buffs and fantasy fans won''t want to miss out on this mind-blowing new series." — San Francisco Book Review

This historical fantasy of Alexander the Great as a teen warrior is "filled with reawakening magic, sex and lots of violence . . ." ( Kirkus Reviews ). After the triumph of winning his first battle, Prince Alexander has little time to relish his success. He can no longer trust his best friend Hephaestion, and even Queen Olympias, his own mother, is suspected of the darkest of deeds. Then Alexander discovers that a traitor lurks within his own court—someone who holds the prince''s confidence. Having fallen out of favor with Alexander, Hephaestion travels with Katerina to Egypt to secure a military alliance—all the while concealing a devastating prophecy he can share with no one—not even Katerina, the woman he is falling in love with. Losing his first love Katerina only fuels Jacob''s choice to join forces against Prince Alexander. And with the prince''s sister Cynane as his prisoner, he believes he holds the key to Macedon''s destruction. Believed dead or missing, Persian Princess Zofia has been freed from duty to marry Prince Alexander, only to find herself abducted by a mysterious, handsome captor with secrets darker than her own. Praise for New York Times–bestselling author Eleanor Herman''s Blood of Gods and Royals series: "A mingling of history, intrigue, romance, murder, and magic." —Cinda Williams Chima, New York Times–bestselling author of The Seven Realms series "History buffs and fantasy fans won''t want to miss out on this mind-blowing new series that''s bound to be a huge hit." — San Francisco Book Review

The charming real-life fairy tale of an American secretary who discovers she has been chosen king of an impoverished fishing village on the west coast of Africa. King Peggy chronicles the astonishing journey of American secretary, Peggielene Bartels, who suddenly finds herself king to a town of 7,000 people on Ghana''s central coast, half a world away. Upon arriving for her crowning ceremony in beautiful Otuam, she discovers the dire reality: there''s no running water, no doctor, no high school, and many of the village elders are stealing the town''s funds. To make matters worse, her uncle (the late king) sits in a morgue awaiting a proper funeral in the royal palace, which is in ruins. Peggy''s first two years as king of Otuam unfold in a way that is stranger than fiction. In the end, a deeply traditional African town is uplifted by the ambitions of its decidedly modern female king, and Peggy is herself transformed, from an ordinary secretary to the heart and hope of her community.

Alexander the Great meets Game of Thrones for teens as the compelling fantasy series Blood of Gods and Royals continues. As the end of an age approaches, blood soaks the earth, twisted prophecies wield immeasurable power and tyrants demand impossible sacrifices. PRINCE ALEXANDER of Macedon''s mind has been touched by an incomprehensible evil, even as his betrothed travels from afar to unite their kingdoms against a terrible darkness that threatens both realms: the Spirit Eaters. From the distant shores of Illyria to a small deserted island, the deadly consequences of Smoke Blood magic loom and lost civilisations emerge to reveal the existence of a weapon that may do the impossible – kill the last living god. As magic rises and warriors clash, the fate of all Macedon rests in the hands of the unstable prince and those whose loyalty can no longer be trusted. The rich and fantastical world of New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman''s Blood of Gods and Royals series has never been so wickedly wonderful... or wildly dangerous. ''Herman mixes real history with magic, mystery and intrigue, putting the “epic” in epic fantasy!'' Maria V. Snyder, New York Times bestselling author of the Study series

La curțile regale pline de testosteron – generali îndrăzneți, curteni cizelați și cardinali virili – v-aţi întrebat vreodată cum și-au găsit fericirea doamnele? - Anne Boleyn a flirtat cu bărbații de la curte; Catherine Howard s-a culcat cu unul. Henry al VIII-lea le-a decapitat pe amândouă. - Ecaterina cea Mare și-a omorât soțul idiot și a condus Imperiul Rus alături de o listă lungă de favoriți tineri și virili. - Maria Antoaneta s-a îndrăgostit de frumosul conte suedez Axel Fersen, care a încercat cu dârzenie să o salveze de la ghilotină. - Prințesa Diana a renunțat la garda de corp regală pentru a se bucura de nenumăratele aventuri amoroase, care, în mod tragic, au dus la moartea ei timpurie. În această continuare a bestsellerului În pat cu regele, Eleanor Herman dezvăluie adevărul despre ceea ce se întâmplă în spatele ușilor închise ale budoarului unei regine. Documentată ireproșabil, plină de povești captivante despre romantism, pasiune și scandal, În pat cu regina explorează viețile sexuale tumultuoase ale unora dintre cele mai iubite și celebre conducătoare. Regina, care trăia într-un palat opulent, purta rochii elegante și bijuterii strălucitoare, era invidiată, admirată și respectată. Dar de cele mai multe ori era, de fapt, o femeie nefericită, forțată să se căsătorească cu un prinț străin pe care nu-l văzuse înainte, cu un căpcăun regal care era sadic, cu spume la gură, respingător fizic, incompetent mental sau impotent sexual – iar în cazurile mai triste, toate cele de mai sus. Sătulă până peste cap de soțul ei, când o regină își lua un amant, totul era posibil – defăimare și moarte, dar și triumf politic. Unii regi își închideau pe viață nevestele infidele; alți monarhi, mai binevoitori, îi numeau pe amanții reginei prim-miniștri. Factorul crucial care decidea soarta unei regine infidele se referea întotdeauna la implicațiile politice ale relației amoroase. La curțile regale europene, tragedia reginelor și a soțiilor de prinți nu s-a născut din aventurile lor sexuale, ci din uneltirile politice. „Herman prezintă toate detaliile fierbinți și intense ale vieţilor scandaloase ale amanților regali... o carte extrem de captivantă.“ Entertainment Weekly „... detaliile picante despre personaje uneori uitate... fac această carte să strălucească mai puternic decât bijuteriile coroanei.“ Emily McCombs, Bust „Stilul lui Eleanor Herman este spumos.“ Boston Globe Eleanor Herman este istoric, autoare a volumului În pat cu regele, bestseller New York Times. Printre alte cărți ale sale se numără: Mistress of the Vatican, King Peggy, Legacy of Kings, Blood of Gods and Royals. A avut numeroase apariții la National Geographic Channel, The History Channel și American Heroes Channel, pentru a oferi comentarii de specialitate pe diverse teme.

De-a lungul secolelor, amantele regale au fost venerate, temute, invidiate și batjocorite. Ele au dat tonul modei, au încurajat artele și, în unele cazuri, au condus națiuni. În pat cu regele, de Eleanor Herman, ne conduce în sala tronului și în dormitoarele celor mai puternici monarhi ai Europei. Plină de personaje excentrice, umor irevențios și observații șocante, această poveste fermecătoare despre pasiune și politică reprezintă cronica a 500 de ani de aventuri palpitante. În mod straniu, principala îndatorire a unei amante regale nu era de a-i oferi regelui partide de sex, ci companie. Obligați să se însoare cu prințese străine respingătoare, regii căutau alinare lângă femeile pe care le alegeau singuri. Și ce femei! De la Madame de Pompadour, faimoasa metresă a lui Ludovic al XV-lea, care și-a păstrat poziția vreme de 19 ani în ciuda frigidității sale, la Camilla Parker-Bowles, care i-a uzurpat locul nimeni alteia decât strălucitoarei Diana, prințesă de Wales. Amanta regală de succes se făcea indispensabilă. Era gata să converseze cu regele plină de voioșie atunci când era obosită, să facă dragoste la orice oră când era bolnavă și să-i răspundă fi ecărui capriciu. Purtând masca încântării peste toate neplăcerile, nu era niciodată istovită, nu se plângea și nici nu suferea. De la începuturile istoriei, puterea a fost un afrodisiac plin de forță. Folosind jurnale, scrisori personale și depeșe diplomatice, Eleanor Herman dezvăluie dinamica sexului și a puterii, a rivalității și a răzbunării, la cele mai pline de strălucire curți ale Europei. Inteligent și amuzant, În pat cu regele este un capitol al istoriei femeilor care rămăsese nescris – până acum.

Acción, intriga, violencia, romances apasionados y traición se aúnan en esta nueva saga, una fantasía histórica basada en la vida del joven Alejandro Magno. Nació con la marca de los elegidos, la cicatriz del guerrero. Con trece años, Alejandro ya había sido instruido en las artes y las estrategias militares. Ahora, con dieciséis, bajo el título de príncipe regente, debe derrotar a su primer gran enemigo. Pero la espada no sirve allá donde se extiende el reino de la magia y la brujería. Alejandro, de dieciséis años de edad, está a punto de descubrir que su destino es conquistar el mundo conocido, al mismo tiempo que se siente profundamente fascinado por una recién llegada. Katerina debe navegar por los oscuros secretos de la vida de la corte mientras mantiene oculta su verdadera misión: matar a la reina. Y no es consciente de que ha encontrado su primer amor. Jacob empleará todas sus fuerzas en conseguir a Katerina, aunque para ella tenga que enfrentarse a Hefestión, el protegido del príncipe. Y al otro lado del mar, Zofia, una princesa persa y prometida contra su voluntad a Alejandro, quiere cambiar su destino mediante la búsqueda de los famosos y letales Devoradores de Espíritus. Tejiendo la fantasía con los verdaderos y fascinantes detalles de la historia real, Eleanor Herman, autora bestseller de The New York Times, reinventa al mayor emperador que el mundo haya conocido: Alejandro Magno, en el primer libro de la serie «Sangre de dioses y reyes», una nueva saga que avanza entre Rick Riordan y George R.R. Martin. Reseñas: «La escritura de Herman centellea en cada página.» The Boston Globe «Infinitamente más divertida que Dan Brown o Danielle Steel.» The Washington Post

Chronicles five hundred years of adultery in European monarchy, discussing how royal mistresses influenced every aspect of European history, and profiling notable women and the kings who loved them.

As the end of an age approaches, blood soaks the earth, twisted prophecies wield immeasurable power and tyrants demand impossible sacrifices. PRINCE ALEXANDER of Macedon''s mind has been touched by an incomprehensible evil, even as his betrothed travels from afar to unite their kingdoms against a terrible darkness that threatens both realms: the Spirit Eaters. From the distant shores of Illyria to a small deserted island, the deadly consequences of Smoke Blood magic loom and lost civilisations emerge to reveal the existence of a weapon that may do the impossible -- kill the last living god. As magic rises and warriors clash, the fate of all Macedon rests in the hands of the unstable prince and those whose loyalty can no longer be trusted. The rich and fantastical world of New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman''s Blood of Gods and Royals series has never been so wickedly wonderful...or wildly dangerous.