I don't read many biographies but I really enjoyed the Reluctant Empress. Brigitte Hamann groups Sisi's life into themes which aren't always sequential but which is a nice change from the never ending list of dates and names that you often find in other biographies. I first became fascinated with Sisi after travelling to Austria last year and doing a guided tour of the Schonbrunn summer residence in Vienna. I was struck by the tragedy of her life and the poignant poetry she so avidly wrote in solitude. This biography was a refreshing blend of sympthy and criticism and helped me delve deeper into the issues Empress Elisabeth faced as an outcast at court.