ALL MY TUDORS...history chat

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This is an epic series begging with William the first, the book is entitled "the Bastard King" and going thru seventy some odd books to end with several on QueenVictoria.

These are fiction, but include so much factual information as well that they are worth reading.

Translated from the German by Janet Sondheimer

"Friedrich Heer's incisive history describes how the buoyant, fluid society of the twefth century Europe solidified into the medieval world - a fourteenth century of religious and intellectual intolerance, fortified frontiers, and bitterly competitive states. He dicusses the Crusades: the alienation of Rome and Byzantium; the rising of power of the Church and the aristocracy; the life of the peasant, the town dweller, and the tradesman."

An older book but very well written and the author's sly humor pops up at the oddest moments. Wonderful photographs as well.

This is a must-read for anyone firmly convinced that Richard III is responsible for the demise of the Princes in the Tower. In this novel, Tey's main character, a London police inspector, is bored silly recuperating in hospital & begins researching the history mystery because of a book brought in by a visitor. This mischance leads him to an in-depth exploration of the evidence, which he evaluates in a methodical police fashion until it leads him to it inevitable conclusion. You may be surprised at the persuasiveness of Tey's argument if you are into the revisionist version of these events.

This book touts itself as "a historical detective story, meticulously researched, vividly told". It is all this an more - an exciting fictionalised account of the Great Fire of London in 1666, an all-encompassing event which touched (or should that be torched?) the lives of all the city's inhabitants. With a chapter on the modern physics of fire and firefighting and the inclusion of primary source quotes and material, this is an account that is well worth a read.

This book is currently flavour of the month with reviewers here in New Zealand - and with good reason. Geraldine Brooks has written a cracker ofa novel, the fictionalised account of what happened in the village of Eyam when plague was discovered in their misdt - their charismatic minister persuaded the village to cut itself off from the outside world. In following this selfless advice the villagers saved many lives - at heavy cost to their own.

Brooks shows the effects of this decison through the eyes of young Anna Frith, who endures the heartbreak of loss, the panic of her neighbours and the miracle of love - all in all, a very human account of this terrible predicament. Highly recommended -

out of five!

I think it is a great book as do so many others:

"Fresh and lively... vividly told... He sets before us not only the woman behind the throne but the girl behind the woman"- SUNDAY TIMES

"An Elizabeth for our times"- INDEPENDENT

"The best account in english of the early years of Elizabeth... one of the most zestful pieces of narrative history written... a racy read and first-rate history"- EVENING STANDARD

"Combines a relaxed and unfussy style with a thorough knowledge of the peroid and a sharp eye for detail. Elizabeth's life makes for a compelling story and Starkey tells it well"- SPECTATOR

Superb novel set around the time of Stephen and Matilda and the accession of Henry II, a blindingly well written and researched book. Can't recommend it highly enough.

The events which led to the execution of Anne Boleyn have traditionally been explained in terms ofa factional conspiracy masterminded by Thomas Cromwell. Retha Warnicke offers an interesting reinterpretation, focusing on the sexual intrigues and family politics pervading the court of Henry VIII. The picture which emerges--placing Anne's life in the context of social and religious values, and superstitions about witches and the birth of deformed children--changes our perception of Anne's role within the court. Warnicke suggests that Anne's execution was a tragic consequence of Henry's concern about the continuation of the Tudor dynasty. Whether or not one agrees with Warnicke's interpretation, she has written an excellent book. Definitely should be on the list of anyone interested in Anne Boleyn

We all know the story of Henry VIII and his six wives, a testament to the violence that dominated that king's reign. Derek Wilson examines a set of relationships that even more vividly illustrates how dangerous life was in the court of the Tudor lion. He tells the stories of six men--all named Thomas--whose ambitions and principles brought them to a violent death: Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Howard, Thomas Wriothesley, and Thomas Cramner. The lives of the six ill-fated Thomases are described in parallel--their family and social origins, their pathways to the Royal Council Chamber, and the tragedies that, one by one, overwhelmed them.

I recommend In the Lion's Court to anyone interested in any and all aspects of the reign of Henry VIII.

For those interested in the wives of King Henry VIII and their lives as Queen, I highly recommend this book!

Weir brings a straightforward, unbiased view of the wives, leaving us to form our own opinion of them. The book is very well researched and is a great read. Weir spares no details in the descriptions of Henry's lavish court.

What I enjoyed best was that none of the wives were painted with their stereotypical brushes. Anne Boleyn was portrayed as merely a motivating force behind the reformation, not a cause. Weir is careful to remind us of Anne's staunch refusal to be Henry's mistress, and the preservation of her virtue. She also reminds us how Kathryn Howard was a young, naive girl with very little motherly upbringing, which may have lead to her downfall. They are also seen as victims of a scheming, self-serving family.

The book reads like fiction, and honestly, not even the best fiction writers could have thought up a story of a man, and six strikingly different women, and how they lived, and died.

Don't let the word "feminist" in the title scare you off. At first glance, my boss, a man, thought this was a "men are pigs, especially this one" book. It's not. It is merely the reinterpretation of the lives of these women by a modern-day woman.

The book has a more personal, biased, and sympathetic touch to it. It is not as detailed as Weir or Fraser's books, but focuses more on the thoughts and feelings these women may have had. Many stories are told from the point of view of Henry and his counselors. This one focuses on the feminine point of view.

None of the Queens are portrayed in a bad light. They are portrayed as loyal, determined, gently strong-willed, sensible, naive and eager to experience life, and intelligent but too human. Henry is not portrayed as a bad man, but as a King who lives with the knowlege that his hold on the throne is precarious, and it all rests on two "bastard" daughters and a young boy, and he is eager for his dynasty to continue. He's also seen as an egomaniac, but kind to those who do his will.

I strongly recommend this book for a more personal look at the lives of these Queens.

If you are interested in a longer look at the life of Mary I, I highly suggest this book.

Erickson portrays Mary asa woman caught in a precarious position: she is ordained power over all her subjects, however, as a wife, she must (according to how she was raised) concede power to her husband over her. She was ordained to rule, yet as a woman and a wife, be ruled by her husband.

Mary comes across as a pitiful person, whose fate is determined by the men in her life, whom she loves unconditionally despite the pain they put her through. It tells of her childhood, considered as the jewel of her father's crown, her sad, troubled adolescence where she was declared a bastard and disinherited, and tumultous adulthood where she was torn between her people and the will of her foreign husband.

My only "complaint" about the book was, for my own personal reasons, the lack of accuracy in the discussion of Anne of Cleves.

However, everything I read about Mary I is consistent with other sources I have read on her.

From what I have read, Alison Weir by far has some of the best books I have came across on Tudor history. Her books are always well researched and written, and this is no exception.

Alison tells of the relationships between the royal siblings (Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I) and their cousin, Lady Jane Grey.

Weir presents an unbiased view of each of these royal children, leaving the reader to form their own opinion of each.

I've alway read how Mary Queen of Scots was an intriguing person. This book does not carry that across.

For those interested in a book on Mary and her life, this is not the one to read.

For those interested in the Scottish government activities during her minority, reign, and exile, I recommend it. It goes into great detail of the workings of the government during the Queen's life.

Once again, Weir presents us with an unbiased look at one of England's most fascinating monarchs, a woman who rose above the odds and stereotypes placed against her.

Weir discusses the personal and political life of Elizabeth: why she shunned marriage, her steadfast clinging to being the "Virgin Queen", her reluctance to name her heir until she was at the point of death. She discusses her long relationship with Robert Dudley, and why she could not marry the man she loved, and why she could not marry abroad.

Elizabeth is presented as a learned woman who places the love and loyalty of her people above that of her own.

For anyone interested in this extraordinary Queen, I highly recommend this book!

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