60 years a queen : a very peculiar history / by David Arscott ; created and designed by David Salariya.

60 Years A Queen, A Very Peculiar History uniquely explores the life and times of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as we approach her 2012 Diamond Jubilee. The story that unfolds is one of doughty determination - the story of a young monarch who finds herself thrust into a new world of relentless public exposure, whose own family turns out to be as frail as everyone else's, but who yet somehow, for a full 60 years, manages to steer the institution through the choppy waters intact. David Arscott provides an eccentric account of the trials and tribulations that have beset the Queen's reign, from the glamour of her coronation, through the gloom of her 'annus horribilis' to the impending dawn of her Diamond Jubilee. Including a Very Peculiar History guide to royal etiquette and plenty of bizarre trivia, this is a vivid and fascinating biography of the most significant public figure of our times. Featuring fact boxes, family trees, a full glossary and index, the book is both fun and informative to use. The text is enlivened with black-and-white photographs and full-colour endpapers.