It is perhaps understandable that Acton wished to complete the work begun in his admirably entertaining The Bourbons of Naples, 1734-1825 but the subjects of this volume are just too dull to justify this detailed 500+ page account. With the belated exception of the last Queen they are all none-too-bright and charisma-free, with personal lives of the dullest bourgeois respectability. Acton’s style is of course erudite and witty, and given that history is normally written by the winners it is interesting to see a less-than-heroic portrait of Garibaldi. But I am reminded of the book report on an ornithological work allegedly given by a little girl: “This book told me more than I wanted to know about penguins.” If we substitute the word “Bourbons” that about sums it up.