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2nd out of 350 books
—
905 voters
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
by
Alison Weir
The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Ara...more
Paperback, 656 pages
Published
March 10th 2000
by Grove Press
(first published January 28th 1991)
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i have never before spent so long reading a book and having less to say about it at the end. before reading this book, what i knew about henry VIII came mostly from one pbs (week-long)special and the herman's hermits song, which turns out to be historically inaccurate and not actually about henry VIII at all. kids, don't get your historical information from novelty songs...
what i know: henry may be one of history's shittiest spouses - after reading this, i find myself able to cut warren zevon s...more
what i know: henry may be one of history's shittiest spouses - after reading this, i find myself able to cut warren zevon s...more
Extensively researched and fascinating - a must-read for anyone interested in the women behind Henry VIII, aka the patron saint of man-whores. (I just made that up on the spot, but it works so I'm keeping it)
Weir isn't completely unbiased in her description of Henry and his various women, but I can't blame her. With this family, it's hard not to take sides. This is especially clear when Weir describes the way Henry felt about Anne of Cleves, his wife for about ten minutes. Weir talks about how H...more
Weir isn't completely unbiased in her description of Henry and his various women, but I can't blame her. With this family, it's hard not to take sides. This is especially clear when Weir describes the way Henry felt about Anne of Cleves, his wife for about ten minutes. Weir talks about how H...more
22 likes · like · see review
This was a very lucidly written and entertaining history of Henry VIII's six wives. Weir's style is straightforward and factual, but her warm, wry tone come through occasionally in her word choice. This makes for a very conversational story, easy to follow, and engaging. In fact, it's what I had hoped Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France would be like.
Weir tries very hard to be balanced and manages for the most part not to pick sides between Protestant/Catholic/Church of England. Th...more
Weir tries very hard to be balanced and manages for the most part not to pick sides between Protestant/Catholic/Church of England. Th...more
This prodigiious work on the wives of King Henry the 8th of England is so well written. It reads like a novel of suspense, passion, treachery, European History, betrayal, obedience, faith, God and love. It did what I really enjoy in books--made me want to read more about other characters mention such as Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Also to review maps and learn of the royalty of Spain, France, and Germany. Many words to be looked up to enhance your vocabulary as well. Learn about the fir...more
10 likes · like · see review
Excellent read. I have read several books that cover the lives of the Tudors and more specifically Elizabeth, Mary and Henry. However, none had done much with the wives of Henry VIII beyond Jane Seymour having been the mother of Edward VI. So I picked this one up and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Weir has written several first class histories on this period so there is much overlap. The first third of the book was not only familiar, but in some cases a direct re-tracing of steps. However, the details we...more
Weir has written several first class histories on this period so there is much overlap. The first third of the book was not only familiar, but in some cases a direct re-tracing of steps. However, the details we...more
“Off with their Heads” . . . Oh wait that wasn’t Henry the VIII or was it? Find out why Henry had the heads of two of his wives lopped off. Was it that they were unfaithful or because they were not considerate of the French term Ménage à trios or was he simply looking for a way out of a bad relationship and couldn’t bring himself to tell them that “it was over”?
What motivated these women to marry Henry knowing that if they didn’t please him they could/would be killed? Was the last wife of Henry...more
What motivated these women to marry Henry knowing that if they didn’t please him they could/would be killed? Was the last wife of Henry...more
5 likes · like · see review
Mar 27, 2008
Andrew
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
history buffs, feminists
Recommended to Andrew by:
Lori
Shelves:
history
Well, that was a lot of history. This was a new genre for me: serious non-fiction (humor is what has made non-fiction palatable for me in the past). It was certainly a little dry, but the Tudor court adds spice. The introduction presents an overview of life in the Tudor court, particularly for women. I was hoping more of the book would be like that, and for some kind of conclusion that sums up the lives of the six wives. I'm not entirely sure why I was hoping for a sixth grade essay, but the boo...more
Really fascinating book! It was amazing to be able to picture what life was like for Henry's wives. Their position was a very difficult one and though the role of queen was attractive (with the money, power, influence that came with it) it proved dangerous for some of them to be the spouse of such a powerful monarch. Once his mind was set on something it was impossible to make him change his plan. Those six women shaped the man Henry became especially Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn as Aliso...more
Henry VIII, England's most famous and rougish king, takes somewhat of a back seat (though still figures prominently) while his six wives (their courtship, marriage, and their fate) are front and center by one of England's most preeminent storyteller of royal history. Intrigue, duplicity, executions, and, of course, Henry's marital infidelities that led to a major and cataclysmic reformation of religion in England, Weir weaves her spell the gives breath and personality to each of Henry's wives, a...more
(I am only on page 85 of this book.)
The Six Wives of Henry VIII chronicles the lives of each of Henry VIII's wives starting with Katherine of Aragon, his first wife. Katherine, the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain, arrives in London in November of 1501 to marry Arthur, Henry VIII's brother. Their marriage takes place two days later. However, only a few months later, Prince Arthur dies leaving Katherine insecure and with no idea what will come next. Will she marry Prince Henry or be fo...more
The Six Wives of Henry VIII chronicles the lives of each of Henry VIII's wives starting with Katherine of Aragon, his first wife. Katherine, the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain, arrives in London in November of 1501 to marry Arthur, Henry VIII's brother. Their marriage takes place two days later. However, only a few months later, Prince Arthur dies leaving Katherine insecure and with no idea what will come next. Will she marry Prince Henry or be fo...more
Alison Weir’s “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” is a monumental work. It is a history book, not a historical novel. It is a serious work of non-fiction. Ms. Weir spent four years researching for this book. The bibliography takes 37 pages, and the list of actual sources takes 28 pages. She must have spent over a year just writing this voluminous book. The quality of the book clearly reflects the tremendous amount of research work.
I do not believe it is particularly appropriate to review this serious,...more
I do not believe it is particularly appropriate to review this serious,...more
Well i have finally remedied my pitiful knowledge of the Tudor reign by reading this well researched and thought provoking book! what i knew before about Tudor England I could count on one hand!
King Henry viii... my god! what a despot! i found my self laughing at points in this book in relation to our sense of propriety back then. For example, Henry is due to marry one of the two Cleaves sisters, therefore he, quite rightly, asks if he may meet them first to decide who would suit him best... He...more
King Henry viii... my god! what a despot! i found my self laughing at points in this book in relation to our sense of propriety back then. For example, Henry is due to marry one of the two Cleaves sisters, therefore he, quite rightly, asks if he may meet them first to decide who would suit him best... He...more
I very much enjoy Alison Weir's biographies and historical research, and this was very good. Of course, as all Henry VIII and his wives studies go, the majority of the text is re Anne Boleyn first, and Katherine of Aragon second, even though their orders as wives was reversed. His marriage to Anne basically developed Henry into the King he became, and changed England forever. It was the most formative time of his reign, and just plain makes a great story. I happened to have been reading this whi...more
My short synopsis, with tongue firmly in cheek, that I put on Facebook:
Currently reading a book about the 6 wives of Henry VIII. On the 3rd wife, and so far nobody's coming out of this well. Katherine A put her own pride above the good of the country, Anne B was a heartless manipulator who was hoisted by her own petard and Jane S was quick to press for the death of Anne to further her own political motives. Charming bunch who frankly all seem to have deserved their fates: marrying the equally di...more
Currently reading a book about the 6 wives of Henry VIII. On the 3rd wife, and so far nobody's coming out of this well. Katherine A put her own pride above the good of the country, Anne B was a heartless manipulator who was hoisted by her own petard and Jane S was quick to press for the death of Anne to further her own political motives. Charming bunch who frankly all seem to have deserved their fates: marrying the equally di...more
I bought "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" specifically for an eight-hour plane trip I was about to make, and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. I can see from my list that I've now read ten history books (Total. In my entire life.) so for me a history book needs to be clearly written (a conversational, story-telling tone is best), have lots of details without being boring, and most importantly it needs to be entertaining enough to meet my sometimes shallow tastes. This book meets all thes...more
Considering the subject matter and source material, this is an incredibly readable, entertaining book. Henry was married to some very interesting, accomplished women (and some less so), and this book gives a good picture of life during his reign, Henry's development and personality changes, as well as backgrounds of each of his wives, what they contributed to his reign, and follows each of them to the end of their life. If you're interested in Tudor history, this is a great read.
My only criticis...more
My only criticis...more
Alison Weir’s book is just fantastic. Instead of applying today’s moral standards, today’s laws, rules, views etc. onto the events that happened almost five hundred years ago Weir, at the beginning of her book, gives such a detailed outline of what life was really like back then. She talks about the roles and responsibilities of women, the expectations of Queens and mistresses and of those at court who all played a role in some way or another in the life of Henry VIII. You get an idea of what li...more
I am notoriously slow reading non-fiction (I still have not finished John Adams). So I gave this book 5 stars as I could not put it down. I read it in a week (and it is a substantial size book). It reads as nicely as any fiction (much like I thought seabiscuit was).
I learned so much about stories that I was a little familiar with already -- I just had no idea that they were in reality even crazier than I learned. Politics, deception, ambition, religion, and a tad bit of "crazy" make for some of...more
I learned so much about stories that I was a little familiar with already -- I just had no idea that they were in reality even crazier than I learned. Politics, deception, ambition, religion, and a tad bit of "crazy" make for some of...more
4 likes · like · see review
I bought Alison Weir's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" to read at the beach one summer. I thought it would be helpful to have a refresher course on Henry VIII and his ladies from one of the best popular historical writers and scholars. I could hardly put it down. It surpasses most novels in readability and intrigue. Since Henry was married to Katherine of Aragon the longest, there is more about her and I learned more than ever before about that stubborn, passionate, implacable queen. The loss of s...more
As one of my good friends commented when she saw this book on my Kindle, "that's one of my favorite books--it reads like a novel". Yes, Samantha, it does. There is a continuing fascination with Henry VIII and much of that fascination deals with the increasingly bloody nature of his reign and, of course, the fact that he had six wives. Alison Weir is able to use primary sources to make each of these six women come alive. She is also able to place them into the historical context in which they liv...more
Even more gripping than Weir's "Elizabeth," this book chronicles the rise and fall (sometimes peaceful, often not) of Henry VIII's six wives. Weir gives as complete and broad a portrait of the man as she can--her focus is on the women in his life, true enough, but you don't finish this study thinking Henry was simply a horndog with too much power and too short an attention span when it came to the ladies. He's that, sort of, but he was also a devout Catholic concerned about the lineage of his th...more
This is the last Weir on my shelves, and I'll know not to get any more. Immediately after reading Warnicke's THE MARRYING OF ANNE OF CLEVES, I opened this up and met with two of the legends that Warnicke had just finished disproving with her meticulous reasoning and immense contemporary reference list. Weir brushes over her reasoning, and most of the resulting THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII reads like a re-issue of all the old stories including re-interpretations, from down the centuries of English...more
After finishing all four seasons of The Tudors, I was still craving more Tudor history and picked up this book on the recommendation of my husband. I will admit that I am kind of history junkie, so even dry history books interest me, but I think this one is interesting even for readers not as into history as I am. At times Weir was a bit repetitive, but not excessively so. Most importantly, she really presented the information about Henry and all six of his wives in an entertaining fashion. Afte...more
I became interested in the reign of Henry VIII after watching the Showtime series, "The Tudors." After reading Alison's Weir's well-researched book about the six wives of Henry VIII, I can understand why so much has been written about the period and why it still fascinates more than 500 years later. King Henry was married to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, by far the longest, and I'd always assumed it was simply his infatuation with Anne Boleyn that made him discard Katherine. Katherine was...more
The Six Wives of Henry VIII / 9780802136831
I am really starting to enjoy Alison Weir's Tudor history -- I enjoyed "Mary Boleyn" and I loved "The Lady in the Tower", particularly the audio book version of the same. I picked up "The Children of Henry VIII", only to see in the foreword that the book continues on from THIS book, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", so I put down "Children" and bought a copy of "Wives".
And, really, this book is lovely. All the history you love to hear from Weir, all the c...more
I am really starting to enjoy Alison Weir's Tudor history -- I enjoyed "Mary Boleyn" and I loved "The Lady in the Tower", particularly the audio book version of the same. I picked up "The Children of Henry VIII", only to see in the foreword that the book continues on from THIS book, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", so I put down "Children" and bought a copy of "Wives".
And, really, this book is lovely. All the history you love to hear from Weir, all the c...more
In-Depth Historical Read
The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir chronicles each wife’s story as she is married to the then most powerful man in all of England: King Henry VIII. I have long been fascinated by the Tudor era and started reading this book with much excitement. In Part 1, Weir starts with Henry’s Spanish bride, Katherine of Aragon. I particularly found it interesting that Katherine was first married to Prince Arthur, Henry’s older brother. When Arthur died, then Henry chose Kather...more
The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir chronicles each wife’s story as she is married to the then most powerful man in all of England: King Henry VIII. I have long been fascinated by the Tudor era and started reading this book with much excitement. In Part 1, Weir starts with Henry’s Spanish bride, Katherine of Aragon. I particularly found it interesting that Katherine was first married to Prince Arthur, Henry’s older brother. When Arthur died, then Henry chose Kather...more
Somewhat charming. This maintained the worst parts of a novel and the worst parts of a history book. For the latter, intense scrutiny of some queens' birthdates, which dates were then lost to this reader. For the former, much was romanticized. Each queen had a chosen personality with not much depth (the first did best), making especially Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard flat characters (Anne played practically no part). Jane Seymour was shown to be demure, but Weir maintained she was steely a...more
1 like · like · see review
One of the definitive books on Henry VIII and his often ill-fated wives. Most of us know the nursery rhyme "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived" to remember the fate of these Queens of England.
Alison Weir, a noted English historian, brings the lives of these women to life in her book "The Six Wives of Henry VIII". While a meticulously researched history/ biography, many parts of it read more like a novel. I became caught up in the stories of these often remarkable but certainl...more
Alison Weir, a noted English historian, brings the lives of these women to life in her book "The Six Wives of Henry VIII". While a meticulously researched history/ biography, many parts of it read more like a novel. I became caught up in the stories of these often remarkable but certainl...more
It was very interesting. I liked all the background information given about each queen. However, what an asshole Henry was. I really really REALLY loathed him. He stopped at nothing to get a male heir & to satisfy is lust. Concerning Anne Boleyn, she deserved what she got. She was a vengeful bitch who stooped at nothing to become queen. I felt sorry for what happened to all the other. Catherine of Aragon didn't deserve to be treated like that. Jane Seymour was sweet & I was sad that she...more
I finally read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII. My sister-in-law sent me a copy of this book almost a year ago and I've been trying to fit it into my reading schedule since then. My college roommates and I decided to read it this month for our long distance book club.
I was fairly familiar with the story of King Henry VIII's second wife Anne Boleyn, although mostly the tabloid-style rumors associated with her rise and fall. The history and stories surrounding the other five wives were n...more
I was fairly familiar with the story of King Henry VIII's second wife Anne Boleyn, although mostly the tabloid-style rumors associated with her rise and fall. The history and stories surrounding the other five wives were n...more
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.
Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her...more
More about Alison Weir...
Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.
Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her...more
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