The Wordsworth Handbook of Kings and Queens (Wordsworth Reference)

John E. Morby's book is a brief (254 pages) introduction to the royal dynasties of the world, past and present, presented geographically, in tabluar format. Not only does it include the major ruling houses (e.g., England), it also gives information on the minor ones (e.g. Wuerttemburg, Brunswick, etc.). While the non-European dynasties are covered less comprehensively (the individual Emirs of the United Arab Emirates, for example, are omitted), on the whole this is an excellent resource for historians, researchers, members of the media, or anyone who'd like a quick rundown of names, places, and dates. Even the Aztecs and Incas have coverage here! One hopes that this book will be available once again, or better still an even more comprehensive replacement! Mark A. Trauernicht