The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul is quite an interesting read. I found it fascinating what was used in the past to cure ailments, what people would do to themselves, and what is now seems weird of what they would eat. It is no wonder so many people died so early in life and why women died in childbirth.

After reading this, it makes me grateful for the knowledge of modern medicines, cosmetics, and poisons. I give this book four and a half stars.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

I got lost in this big book of poison... it had me wrinkling my nose up throughout and a few 'ergh''s definitely left my mouth! Although this is non fiction it was a nice easy read and it was perfect to read whilst soaking up the sunshine in my garden! I'm an avid history fan so was chuffed to be accepted for this. It's horrible histories for grown ups! Transporting the reader back in time it makes you feel very grateful that we live in a time here antibiotics are available! Covering deliberate and accidental poisonings this is a must read for fans of history, the royal and science. A perfect mixture.
Thank you to Netgalley the author and publisher for allowing me to read. I shall be looking at more of the authors work to get stuck into.

Opening up and probing around the medicinal cupboards and crypts of history

Where I work there is a very large glass cabinet in one lone hallway filled with old stained bottles, rusted archaic tools of the trade, snappy advertisements and pictures from over a century ago that many just pass without a backward glance. Others may walk on by that trove of medical history but I could happily stand there all day staring at the corked green and blue vials (no doubt containing toxic ingredients that were thought at one time as healthful), vintage promises from "headaches be gone pills" to "cures for common stomach ailments" and jars of pinkish powders with faded out labels all the time thinking to myself "if only these items could talk and tell us their stories, what amazing things we could learn". It seems I can't help myself to visit that curious old display atleast once a night, it has become like a wise complex friend I want to know everything about. It's astounding to think how far the medical field along with specialities have come but at the same time, that dusty ignored cabinet is a sad reminder of today's society and mindset. It seems history (good or bad) is being forgotten or neglected more and more to be replaced with electronic noise or anyone willing to look up or around. That is a terrible thought but thankfully we still have intrepid authors who see the importance to share the mysterious past (and less than glamourous tragic tales) before it's too late that can all serve as cautionary stories or pure entertainment for the curious. I fall into that second category and Ms Herman's newest release (The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul) has certainly found a nice dark place among my special shelves of recommendations.

In this fast-paced book, Ms Herman opens and probes around the medicinal cupboard of history with a detective's eye for clues and an advisor of a real-life physician at her side to examine the possible causes of unexplained deaths of historic figures and ultimately question if the times and firmly held beliefs within the eras they lived hastened their demise or something more sinister may be the answer we all should seek. From kings' mistresses to brazen reporters, every body contains an enlightening case to study as many names are introduced with a light biography, soon followed by a summary of the contemporary postmortem (complete with quotes from the individuals in the rooms conducting their own final investigations and preserving any possible needed testimonies) and finally a modern diagnosis. Although hard to put down in parts The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul did, unfortunately, stray out into the gossipy realm for this reader and certain chapters were more convincing with the "modern diagnosis" sections than others. I was also disappointed to notice an odd absence of cases from the late 19th century to early 20th century versus the earlier centuries discussed at length and I'm not sure if the ending had a hidden agenda or they just needed it as filler. Still, this is one non-fiction title to recommend and who knows if more books were written about these subjects, we all could someday look up and stare at the dusty glass cabinets in lone hallways instead of just walking on by.

With thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for kindly sending me an advanced copy of The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul

I found this to be quite interesting for a nonfiction title, which I’m not usually all that into. Some very gross pieces of information that may change your perception of the history of royals. Fun though!

From time to time, I read non-fiction as long as they’re entertaining or useful. This one plonks its scandalous rear-end on the former. Although, a bit of its right butt-cheek can’t help spilling onto the latter as well.

The Royal Art of Poison is a guilty-pleasure read, one where you simultaneously retch at its repulsive depictions of life in the olden days and yet, can’t peel your eyes away. A bit of schadenfreude is required for this read.

It’s a well-balanced book of courtly intrigue, poison biology, history and case-studies with prose that flows easily. If only history textbooks were written like this, not a single student would fall asleep! Of course, this is suitable for older pupils only, the olden days are the stuff of nightmares! Anyone who brandishes their lament at being born in the wrong century can have a good look at this Eleanor Herman’s book. You will drop your I-was-made-for-ballgowns-and-white-knights flag before you can say ‘diarrhea’!

I recommend reading The Royal Art of Poison leisurely, and preferably not while eating. I’m appalled by the living conditions in those times and how ignorant people were. I even had a bad dream while reading this book(I know it had a hand in that nightmare). I say leisurely because you can get disgust fatigue(yes, it’s a new term).

The Royal Art of Poison is a ghastly, sinfully entertaining read and I end my review with a quote from the ‘Author’s Note’ I share the same opinion with:

‘Though we may laugh at lead face paint, mercury enemas, and arsenic skin lotions, future generations will certainly laugh at us for poisoning ourselves with chemotherapy and whatever unknown elements in our modern society that cause increasingly high rates of cancer, autism, and dementia.’

This is a very well-written and researched book about the role of poisons throughout history. It discusses not only reputed deliberate poisonings but also inadvertent poisoning (such as using arsenic in face powder etc). The final component discusses newer levels of poison detection and so on. Ms Herman writes in substantive detail while maintaining a n informative,enjoyable writing style. I found this book fascinating.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

After reading The Royal Art of Poison by Eleanor Herman, I cannot look at royalty the same. I always knew that medicine and hygiene practices were different in the Middle Age, but I was not prepared for the tales in this extraordinary novel.
The first part of this novel details the bizarre practices that were accepted in this era. Today, it would absolutely astound us. From blowing dried feces into your eye, smearing a concoction of human fat on your face to conceal smallpox scars (human fat was also used to treat consumption, rheumatism, and gout), to climbing into the caucus of a freshly killed ox, horse, or mule and when that turned cold, you’d hurry into another one.
The second part of this novel addresses the scandalous rumors of royal poisoning and pair that with modern scientific analysis to uncover a probable cause of death. These cases explore famous persons such as Henry VII of Luxembourg, King Edward VI, Grand Duke Francesco I de Medici of Tuscany, and Wolfgang Mozart.
The third part of this novel explores the modern advanced of poison detection and also dives into modern occurrences of poisoning.
I enjoyed this book and learned a lot of fascinating facts. My only critique is that this novel contains a lot of information that can be overwhelming. I had several gaps in reading the novel and took it relatively slow and enjoyed it. Eleanor Herman did a magnificent job with writing the novel and I was never bored while reading. I can only imagine how daunting the research of this novel would have been and a great deal of prestige is owed to Eleanor for accomplishing such a phenomenal novel.
Thank You NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and The History Reader for providing me an ARC of this fascinating novel. A standing ovation to Eleanor Herman for crafting such a wealth of information into a marvelous novel and sharing your insight with the world.

Thanks St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Herman knows how to keep it entertaining but still have her facts straight and verifiable. All the crazy, gross, and weird from the past plus a few contemporary stories make this a well rounded stirring book.

Not a book for the squeamish, but I found it a delightful read. I kept wanting to read parts out loud but held my tongue, knowing that not everybody around me would find the particular passage entertaining. The book starts out with poisons and how people tried to avoid them. They had tasters, they had people who kissed all material that might come in contact with the royal. Yes, every piece of clothing, napkins, eating utensils, nothing could be trusted back in the day. Too bad they didn't also protect themselves from bad hygiene, poorly handled and badly cooked food and cosmetics, just to name a few. It's anybody's guess as to what percentage of the deaths were due to poisoning by an enemy and poisonings due to daily life. The various methods used for protection were strange, to put it mildly. Unicorn horns? Gems? Oh, yes, those and much more.
The second part of the book delves into various cases throughout history and examines forensics, then and now. It's amazing and I enjoyed every gory bit of it. I won't say more because I don't want to cause any spoilers. Her writing is so good, trust me, you will laugh out loud and yes, you will probably want to share whole paragraphs. but be careful of your audience - make sure they, too, have a strong stomach for such grisly (and entertaining) history.

Fans of True Crime will enjoy this detailed look at poison throughout history. From royalty to modern Russian, Herman examines deaths that were blamed - at the time - on poison. Some have been since disputed, while others confirmed, and Herman reveals all the details. I highly recommend this very readable nonfiction title.

For hundreds of years royal families had feared dying an ugly death from their enemies by poison. They had servants and underlings eat food first, try on clothes and handle any item first as guinea pigs. However, along with outside threats many of the Rotals, especially the women, caused their own demise through the use of makeup and creams which were made of mercury, gold, and other items that were poisonous. Thoroughly researched and written in a very readable way, I really enjoyed this book.

I thank the Author and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this book early and have preordered my own hardcover copy. This historical nonfiction book reads as easily as fiction. As a medical professional the title and blurb immediately interested me. The Royal Art of Poison reveals so much more than what I thought of as poison. The author delves into poison for murder, accidental poisoning, poison in medical treatments, poisons in daily skin care and poisons in clothing. Death by deplorable heath care, poor hygiene, putrid water and sewer systems. A must read book for anyone who loves history, mysteries, and medicine. Eleanor Herman is an excellent author and I look forward to reading more of her books.

One of the best pop histories I’ve read recently. Herman is always entertaining and readable and I found her as riveting as always in this fun exploration of poisons throughout history. I particularly enjoyed the middle section which consisted of short bios of famous cases of supposed poisoning. Very, very highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC ebook in exchange for an impartial review.

Did you know:
- Italy was the center of the poison trade in the 16th century and when someone believed to have been poisoned, it was said that, that person was "Italianated" - a new term coined in England.
- Narwhals tusks were called unicorn horns and were used as poison detectors.
- Mercury, lead, arsenic, antimony, gold and silver were toxic remedies used in curing illnesses.
- In 18th century, ceruse (pasty makeup consisting white lead ore, vinegar, arsenic, hydroxite, & carbonate) was used as part of the royals beauty regime.

If this did not make your stomach turn but leaving you curious instead, then The Royal Art of Poison is the book you must read. It is a grossly entertaining read with insightful information from the royals' (and also the society in the Middle Ages) unsanitary living lifestyle to their insane unhygienic medical practices. I enjoyed reading this book from the witty prose to all the scandalous stories.

I appreciate the good structure of this nonfiction which makes it easy and comfortable to read:
- Part 1 - Lifestyle of the Royals - from banquet table to their castles - and how poisons were a common ingredient in food, cosmetics, remedies, etc;
- Part 2 - Scandalous stories about death of famous people, from Henry VIII in the 13th century to Napoleon Bonaparte in the 18th century;
- Part 3 - Advances in poison detection and recent poisoning cases.

This is a well-researched book with a lot of information to digest. It took me a month to read as I was taking it slowly; reading small sections each day, thus making my reading experience more enjoyable. Despite the tons of information in this book, Herman did an excellent job in making this nonfiction such a fun read through her mellifluous storytelling. It was really entertaining! I was certainly amused by all the peculiar practices of the royals and definitely has gained some insights about poisons. If history is your cup of tea and you enjoy reading about the royals, then this the book for you. A must read nonfiction!


***I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed in this review are my own and was not influenced by the author, publisher or any third party.***

Poisons have been a part of history, culture, and murder for centuries. This is an interesting look at its place in royal society through the ages where poisonings have occurred for political and personal gain, and have done in more than few by accident. A good read with tons of history.

This was such an original, engaging book! I am really glad I got a chance to read it. It was totally appalling, but told in a way that gripped my interest and attention from the start. What an unusual book, can't wait to read something else by this author!

The Royal Art of Poison is not simply about the various poisonings or suspected poisonings in European history, no; it gives a thorough description on those things, but also describes the ways in which many of the these personages poisoned themselves with their makeup or their trust in physicians that were really bleeders who were up to their knees in piss. The author pulls out all the stops in describing anything related to poisoning, even the so called cures. Did you know unicorn horns were worth many times their weight in gold?!? A lot of different types of history in here, with the cosmetics and medicines each receiving their own sections. Diane de Poitiers's gold mask that poisoned proved among the most interesting of the lot. The accounts, though quite graphic when describing the autopsies performed on the historical characters to determine their cause of death, were very readable, rarely dry and chock full of quotes that elevated the standard for this pop history book, which was also quite humorous in its discussion of things like hearty diarrhoea, which made me laugh out loud. The bibliography was filled with very trustworthy sources, sometimes a problem for pop historians. There was also some great modern science in here when describing how scientists determine what was the cause of death of a person from hundreds of years ago, details which are included on all people on whom an autopsy has been performed. However, the science was also a little misleading when it was talking about how some of these poisonous items are used in modern day medicine as she included things from alternative, completely un-endorsed procedures such as colonic cleansing, procedures that were discussed far too often in a misleading way as if they were actual medical tools. Additionally, many of the historical non-Putin subjects discussed weren't actually poisoned, simply dying quickly, a fact that was disclosed, but their sheer number made poisoning seem usually self-inflicted. At the end, Herman includes a list of the various poisons discussed and their effects and efficacy, a quite interesting addition. The Putin section, detailing his many, many, many assassinations with poison, was absolutely horrifying, yet so interesting, an absolute must read for anyone with positive views of that man.

A copy of this book was given to the reviewer through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The Royal Art of Poison" is about how royals and famous people died in the Middle Ages to the present day from many different causes but blamed an enemy using poison. Sometimes they were correct. The author looked at how people died from poorly cooked food, diseases and filthy living conditions, medications and cosmetics containing poisons, or doctors using excessive bleeding, purging, and other treatments. The author also talked about the various antidotes and preventive methods used by royals to avoid being poisoned.

Then she looked at more than 17 specific, famous people who died under suspicion of poisoning--from Henry VII of Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1313 to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1821 plus a list of poisonings in Russia and elsewhere in more recent times. She provided a brief biography of the person, a detailed and gory description of their death as recorded at the time, what the people at the time concluded was the cause of death, and a modern forensic analysis of cause of death. When the conclusion was poisoning, she didn't attempt to guess who did it unless someone confessed to it. Overall, the writing style and information kept my interest, but the details of the deaths were a bit gory for me (though necessary for the forensic analysis).

A special thank you goes out to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for allowing me to read an eARC of of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

tw: animal cruelty

This book was absolutely disgusting and I loved every minute of it. What a weird sentence, right? The medieval times were so disgusting and deadly. I literally had no idea just how much filth and disease that floated through the castles. My desire to live in one has diminished slightly. Sure, I knew that life expectancy during that time was low but hot damn, it's amazing anybody lived at all!

This book not only talking about different types of poisons and how royalty had a huuuuuge fear of it but how everyday objects used during that time was deadly. Make up had arsenic and mercury in it. Arsenic was used to "cure" a host of diseases along with everyday ailments. Even eating was dangerous. People would eat raw meat and unpasteurized milk. Bathing was frowned up along with handwashing and the washing of surgical utensils. The list goes on and on.

One thing I like to point out whenever I review books like these is readability. What I mean by this is some non fiction books can be wordy and cause my eyes to glaze over, thus not retaining any of the information I just read. This happened in this book but not as frequently as one would think. I was enthralled and thoroughly disgusted for most of the book. Especially when the different cases of how some famous people died. That was my favorite part. Truly just amazing how far medical technology has come. To think, we, as humans, once lived like that.

Also, friends, please be advised. There is slight mentions of animal cruelty. Often, when people were testing poisons, they would give them to cats and dogs to study the effects. Animals were also given the food and drink of the suspected poisoned human to test if there was actually poison in there or not. It's mentioned periodically throughout the book but it's not super graphic. Take care in your mental health if you decided to pick this book up.

Overall, this was a great book. I took a chance on it and it paid off. St. Martin's Press has yet to steer me wrong. If you guys can handle gross detailed description of illness and death along with mentions of animal cruelty then this will be the book for you. Although, I can never look at medieval history the same way again.