Synopses & Reviews
Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife to two kings, mother to two others, has been waiting in Heaven a long time -- eight centuries, more or less -- to be reunited with her second husband, Henry II of England. Finally, the day has come when Henry will be judged for admission. While Eleanor, never a patient woman in life andlt;Iandgt;orandlt;/Iandgt; afterlife, waits, three people, each of whom was close to Eleanor during a time of her life, join her. Their reminiscences do far more than help distract Eleanor -- they also paint a rich portrait of an extraordinary woman who was front and center in a remarkable period in history and whose accomplishments have had an important influence on society through the ages.
Synopsis
Newbery Medalist Konigsburg tells the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine from a unique perspective. While waiting in heaven for divine judgment to be passed on her second husband Henry II, Eleanor and three of the people who knew her well recall the events of her life.
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;E.L. Konigsburgandlt;/Bandgt; is the only author to have won the Newbery Medal and be runner-up in the same year. In 1968, andlt;iandgt;From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweilerandlt;/iandgt; won the Newbery Medal and andlt;iandgt;Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabethandlt;/iandgt; was named a Newbery Honor Book. Almost thirty years later she won the Newbery Medal once again for andlt;iandgt;The View From Saturdayandlt;/iandgt;. She has also written and illustrated three picture books: andlt;iandgt;Samuel Toddand#8217;s Book of Great Colorsandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Samuel Toddand#8217;s Book of Great Inventionsandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Amy Elizabeth Explores Bloomingdaleand#8217;sandlt;/iandgt;. In 2000 she wrote andlt;iandgt;Silent to the Boneandlt;/iandgt;, which was named a andlt;iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/iandgt; Notable Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, among many other honors.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;After completing her degree at Carnegie Mellon University, Ms. Konigsburg did graduate work in organic chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. For several years she taught science at a private girlsand#8217; school. When the third of her three children started kindergarten, she began to write. She now lives on the beach in North Florida.