Philip Eade

the island of borneo has in its north the state of Sarawak. In the Nineteenth century, james Brooke, an ex-East India company man, sailed to the coast, and aided the Sultan of brunei to put down a rebellion. Appointed to rule the area he quelled, Brooke soon made himself an independant ruler of Sarawak, and established a dynasty that lasted until 1947. This is the story of the last generation of Brookes who rued there, and concentrates on the last ranee, Sylvia, a daughter of the Esher family, who married into the ruling house.

Sylvia and her daughters were a steady source of entertainment to the British and American publics in the Interwar period, and their antics did little to advance the cause of monarchy as an adequate form of governmet in the modern world. "The Ranee", as she preferred to style herself, was a figure in the London scene, and made no secret of her desire to conquer Hollywood. While a competen writer with four novels, a play, and two autobiographies to her crdit, she was far more of a personality than a a prominent figure. As a monarch, she would ocasionally give some airing of progressive ideas, but never got them carried out, and was used to using the country's revenues for her private income, as did her husband.

Philip Eade has given the material full justice, and provides a most entertaing and informative read. To give the flavour of the woman's life, and activities, i can do no better than quote one of the chapter titles: "By Jove what a wonderful fellow; but he's nuts."… (mais)