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The Autobiography of Henry VIII with Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
An extraordinary novel that brings into vivid focus the larger-than-life King Henry VIII, monarch of prodigious appetites for wine, women, and song. This is a readable, entertaining, tour de force that captures the essence of the Sixteenth Century, in all its drama and atmosphere. A can't-miss for readers who delight in wonderful historical fiction perfectly rendered.
"It doth brim with lust, violence, cruelty and lively conversation...Margaret George has found a new and fresh way to tell the story."
DETROIT FREE PRESS
"It doth brim with lust, violence, cruelty and lively conversation...Margaret George has found a new and fresh way to tell the story."
DETROIT FREE PRESS
932 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1986
898 people are currently reading
24392 people want to read
About the author
Margaret George
74 books2,909 followersMargaret George is a rolling stone who has lived in many places, beginning her traveling at the age of four when her father joined the U.S. diplomatic service and was posted to a consulate in Taiwan. The family traveled on a freighter named after Ulysses' son Telemachus that took thirty days to reach Taiwan, where they spent two years. Following that they lived in Tel Aviv (right after the 1948 war, when it was relatively quiet), Bonn and Berlin (during the spy-and-Cold-War days) before returning--at the height of Elvis-mania--to Washington DC, where Margaret went to high school. Margaret's first piece of published writing, at the age of thirteen, was a letter to TIME Magazine defending Elvis against his detractors. (Margaret has since been to Graceland.)
But it was earlier in Israel that Margaret, an avid reader, began writing novels to amuse herself when she ran out of books to read. Interestingly, the subject of these was not what lay around her in the Middle East, but the American west, which she had never set foot in. (Now that she lives in the American Midwest she writes about the Middle East!) Clearly writing in her case followed Emily Dickinson's observation "There is no frigate like a book" and she used it to go to faraway places. Now she has added another dimension to that travel by specializing in visiting times remote from herself.
Neither of these horse sagas got published, but the ten-year-old author received an encouraging note from an editor at Grosset & Dunlap, telling her she had a budding talent but should work on her spelling.
It was also in Israel that Margaret started keeping land tortoises as pets, an interest which she still follows today. She had a great affinity for animals and nature and that led her to a double major at Tufts University in English literature and biology. Following that she received an MA in ecology from Stanford University--one of the earliest departments to offer such a concentration. Today she is active in environmental and animal conservation groups.
Combining her interests led her to a position as a science writer at the National Cancer Institute (National Institutes of Health) in Bethesda, Maryland for four years.
Her marriage at the end of that time meant moving, first to St. Louis, then to Uppsala, Sweden, and then to Madison, Wisconsin, where she and her husband Paul have lived for more than twenty years now. They have one grown daughter who lives in California and is in graduate school.
Through all this Margaret continued to write, albeit slowly and always on only one project at a time. She wrote what she refers to as her 'Ayn Rand/adventure novel' in college and her 'Sex and the City' novel in Washington DC. It was in St. Louis that she suddenly got the idea of writing a 'psycho-biography' of Henry VIII. She had never seen such a thing done but became convinced the king was a victim of bad PR and she should rescue his good name. Her background in science meant that only after thoroughly researching the literature and scholarship on Henry VIII would she embark on the novel itself. She sought the guidance of a Tudor historian at Washington University for a reading list, and proceeded from there.
It was actually fourteen years between her initial idea and the publication of The Autobiography of Henry VIII. The book made an impression for several reasons: first, because no one had ever written a novel sympathetic to the king before; second, because it covered his entire life from before birth until after his death, making it almost a thousand pages long, and third, because it was so fact-filled.
But it was earlier in Israel that Margaret, an avid reader, began writing novels to amuse herself when she ran out of books to read. Interestingly, the subject of these was not what lay around her in the Middle East, but the American west, which she had never set foot in. (Now that she lives in the American Midwest she writes about the Middle East!) Clearly writing in her case followed Emily Dickinson's observation "There is no frigate like a book" and she used it to go to faraway places. Now she has added another dimension to that travel by specializing in visiting times remote from herself.
Neither of these horse sagas got published, but the ten-year-old author received an encouraging note from an editor at Grosset & Dunlap, telling her she had a budding talent but should work on her spelling.
It was also in Israel that Margaret started keeping land tortoises as pets, an interest which she still follows today. She had a great affinity for animals and nature and that led her to a double major at Tufts University in English literature and biology. Following that she received an MA in ecology from Stanford University--one of the earliest departments to offer such a concentration. Today she is active in environmental and animal conservation groups.
Combining her interests led her to a position as a science writer at the National Cancer Institute (National Institutes of Health) in Bethesda, Maryland for four years.
Her marriage at the end of that time meant moving, first to St. Louis, then to Uppsala, Sweden, and then to Madison, Wisconsin, where she and her husband Paul have lived for more than twenty years now. They have one grown daughter who lives in California and is in graduate school.
Through all this Margaret continued to write, albeit slowly and always on only one project at a time. She wrote what she refers to as her 'Ayn Rand/adventure novel' in college and her 'Sex and the City' novel in Washington DC. It was in St. Louis that she suddenly got the idea of writing a 'psycho-biography' of Henry VIII. She had never seen such a thing done but became convinced the king was a victim of bad PR and she should rescue his good name. Her background in science meant that only after thoroughly researching the literature and scholarship on Henry VIII would she embark on the novel itself. She sought the guidance of a Tudor historian at Washington University for a reading list, and proceeded from there.
It was actually fourteen years between her initial idea and the publication of The Autobiography of Henry VIII. The book made an impression for several reasons: first, because no one had ever written a novel sympathetic to the king before; second, because it covered his entire life from before birth until after his death, making it almost a thousand pages long, and third, because it was so fact-filled.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,076 reviews
December 6, 2010
The way I felt about this book was perhaps much like Henry VIII felt about one of his doomed wives. At first I was entranced, captivated, under a spell of sorts - I couldn't put the book down. However, about halfway through the honeymoon was over (so to speak), and I began to be annoyed at the little things... This was perhaps not the match made in heaven that I thought it was. Perhaps I had been led atray. By the end there was nothing but the most urgent desire to be done with it - let it die already, I'm finished, I want to move on, perhaps even a feeling of violence existed towards the book - I even already had my next reading choice picked out (dare I say that, like Henry, I too could not wait until one "marriage" was over before I was dallying elsewhere?)... Yet after it was all over and I had moved on, I still found myself looking back with fond memories and a feeling of love that I had thought lost by the end of the book...
I think you get the point. George's novel is a masterpiece of history, certainly. She has captured ALL of Henry VIII's life in her 932 page tome. And perhaps that's the problem - right along with the interesting came the dull, the mundane, the repetitive... There is always an interesting thing to consider when reading historical fiction - how much history and how much fiction? I appreciate what George has done, certainly, but for me it's always the fiction part I love, whereas George is more history I think. Give me intrigue, give me drama, give me passion, and anger, and love, and hate. Give me all of that even if it isn't all exactly as it should have been. I think I prefer Philippa Gregory, even with her bastardized history, as opposed to Margaret George with her flawless accounting.
And if you think this review is long, consider the fact that the book took me over a WEEK to read! For those of you who know me, that in and of itself is a sad commentary on it's compelling nature. I would recommend this novel only to the most dedicated historical fiction and Tudor history buffs.
I think you get the point. George's novel is a masterpiece of history, certainly. She has captured ALL of Henry VIII's life in her 932 page tome. And perhaps that's the problem - right along with the interesting came the dull, the mundane, the repetitive... There is always an interesting thing to consider when reading historical fiction - how much history and how much fiction? I appreciate what George has done, certainly, but for me it's always the fiction part I love, whereas George is more history I think. Give me intrigue, give me drama, give me passion, and anger, and love, and hate. Give me all of that even if it isn't all exactly as it should have been. I think I prefer Philippa Gregory, even with her bastardized history, as opposed to Margaret George with her flawless accounting.
And if you think this review is long, consider the fact that the book took me over a WEEK to read! For those of you who know me, that in and of itself is a sad commentary on it's compelling nature. I would recommend this novel only to the most dedicated historical fiction and Tudor history buffs.
July 10, 2025
Heinrich VIII interessiert mich schon seit der Schulzeit. Nun habe ich es endlich geschafft, diesen Wälzer zu lesen. Gute vier Monate habe ich gebraucht, nicht weil das Buch langweilig war, sondern weil es so intensiv war. Ich wollte es genießen, und das habe ich.
Es ist eine Art Biografie in Tagebuchform, und dieses Buch hat mir Heinrich VIII noch mal ganz anders gezeigt. Irgendwie menschlicher.
Wer sich für die englische Geschichte interessiert, dem kann ich dieses Werk auf jeden Fall empfehlen!
Es ist eine Art Biografie in Tagebuchform, und dieses Buch hat mir Heinrich VIII noch mal ganz anders gezeigt. Irgendwie menschlicher.
Wer sich für die englische Geschichte interessiert, dem kann ich dieses Werk auf jeden Fall empfehlen!
July 5, 2018
“To be a king is to be an unnatural man.” (4.5 stars)
“The Autobiography of Henry VIII with notes by his Fool, Will Somers” is an immense novel in whose world I enjoyed being submerged for 3 weeks while I read it. The premise of the text is that it is during the reign of Henry’s daughter, Mary, and the late king’s former fool has sent the undiscovered private journal of the king to his supposedly illegitimate daughter in order to preserve it for posterity. The fool Will Somers’ notes are actually a very small part of this novel, and most of the text is told from Henry’s point of view and in his voice, with infrequent interjections by Will who has written some comments on the items he reads in the journal before sending it off.
Henry does not become King until page 92 of this 932-page book, and that is a wise decision of the author’s as what precedes his kingship is important to what happens during it. This Henry is a product of his youth.
One of the joys of this text are the little nuggets of historical reference scattered throughout the book that allude to other historical events and relationships that are not addressed in the novel. If you are familiar with the history of the period you will notice them, if not you will be no worse for the wear.
A strong suit of this book is how deftly the author, Margaret George, handles the characterization of Henry. She shows us, she never tells us. Thus, if the reader does not pay attention it is easy to misread this novel. Ms. George is not celebrating or condemning the protagonist. He is a mix of the best and worst of humanity. At times, he is appallingly ignorant of the truth of who he is, and at other times he is brutally honest and observant about himself. Henry’s moments of acute self-awareness and of complete lack of self-knowledge will hit home for any honest reader. Ms. George said that she wanted to “humanize” Henry VIII, she certainly succeeded. The characterization of Henry has wonderful depth and vitality. The device of this novel being King Henry’s journal allows Henry to create himself, a task we all do in our own minds about ourselves every day. The reader must determine what truth is and what is self-deceit. As does everyone who encounters us on a daily basis.
The novel flows so smoothly, impressive considering its length. Religion, politics and the personal ebb and flow around each other with ease in Ms. George’s skilled hands. I also found myself annotating a lot, there are many profound lines and moments in this text. Lines like, “Regrets. No one sets out to have a list of regrets. It is a mortal condition.” begged to be underlined and thought on.
I will say this about “The Autobiography of Henry VIII”, a historical interest in the period and some Biblical knowledge will greatly aid in your appreciation of the text. I enjoyed reading this novel, was never bored by it and a little sad when it ended. Not my normal feeling when completing a book of almost 1000 pages.
This book came unexpectedly into my reading life, I am glad it did!
“The Autobiography of Henry VIII with notes by his Fool, Will Somers” is an immense novel in whose world I enjoyed being submerged for 3 weeks while I read it. The premise of the text is that it is during the reign of Henry’s daughter, Mary, and the late king’s former fool has sent the undiscovered private journal of the king to his supposedly illegitimate daughter in order to preserve it for posterity. The fool Will Somers’ notes are actually a very small part of this novel, and most of the text is told from Henry’s point of view and in his voice, with infrequent interjections by Will who has written some comments on the items he reads in the journal before sending it off.
Henry does not become King until page 92 of this 932-page book, and that is a wise decision of the author’s as what precedes his kingship is important to what happens during it. This Henry is a product of his youth.
One of the joys of this text are the little nuggets of historical reference scattered throughout the book that allude to other historical events and relationships that are not addressed in the novel. If you are familiar with the history of the period you will notice them, if not you will be no worse for the wear.
A strong suit of this book is how deftly the author, Margaret George, handles the characterization of Henry. She shows us, she never tells us. Thus, if the reader does not pay attention it is easy to misread this novel. Ms. George is not celebrating or condemning the protagonist. He is a mix of the best and worst of humanity. At times, he is appallingly ignorant of the truth of who he is, and at other times he is brutally honest and observant about himself. Henry’s moments of acute self-awareness and of complete lack of self-knowledge will hit home for any honest reader. Ms. George said that she wanted to “humanize” Henry VIII, she certainly succeeded. The characterization of Henry has wonderful depth and vitality. The device of this novel being King Henry’s journal allows Henry to create himself, a task we all do in our own minds about ourselves every day. The reader must determine what truth is and what is self-deceit. As does everyone who encounters us on a daily basis.
The novel flows so smoothly, impressive considering its length. Religion, politics and the personal ebb and flow around each other with ease in Ms. George’s skilled hands. I also found myself annotating a lot, there are many profound lines and moments in this text. Lines like, “Regrets. No one sets out to have a list of regrets. It is a mortal condition.” begged to be underlined and thought on.
I will say this about “The Autobiography of Henry VIII”, a historical interest in the period and some Biblical knowledge will greatly aid in your appreciation of the text. I enjoyed reading this novel, was never bored by it and a little sad when it ended. Not my normal feeling when completing a book of almost 1000 pages.
This book came unexpectedly into my reading life, I am glad it did!
February 1, 2008
I'm ashamed by how long this book took me to read, but my defense is that it's a big thick thing, over 900 pages long. Not one you should pick up unless you're planning to be in it for the long haul and are genuinely interested in the subject matter.
After years of seeing Henry portrayed as a fat, greedy slob whose only concern in life was to have a son, this book made a wonderful change. Finally Henry gets a chance to defend himself. Margaret George clearly put in a lot of work and research into completing the novel and it brims with historical detail. Henry's main preoccupation, it seems, lay not with his wives or with fathering an heir but with his religion and a large portion of the book focuses on the dissolution of the monasteries and Henry's own personal struggle with god.
Some parts of the book were enthralling, but at other points I found myself a little bored. It seems that Henry's Great Matter really did go on for years and all the detail put in concerning England's breaking away from Rome became rather tedious.
Although the majority of the book is told from Henry's point of view, the text is occasionally interjected with words from the King's jester, Will Somers. I was expecting these passages to be funnier than they turned out to be, although Somers does have his fair share of witty observations.
One thing the book could have benefited from would have been a small glossary of the main characters. I ended up becoming a little confused between Cranmer, Cromwell, Wolsey, More, and so forth.
Despite its length, the book is very easy to read. The language is modern enough for us to understand it easily, but it still retains an aura of authenticity. It is a good piece of fleshed-out, meticulously researched historical fiction and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Tudors.
After years of seeing Henry portrayed as a fat, greedy slob whose only concern in life was to have a son, this book made a wonderful change. Finally Henry gets a chance to defend himself. Margaret George clearly put in a lot of work and research into completing the novel and it brims with historical detail. Henry's main preoccupation, it seems, lay not with his wives or with fathering an heir but with his religion and a large portion of the book focuses on the dissolution of the monasteries and Henry's own personal struggle with god.
Some parts of the book were enthralling, but at other points I found myself a little bored. It seems that Henry's Great Matter really did go on for years and all the detail put in concerning England's breaking away from Rome became rather tedious.
Although the majority of the book is told from Henry's point of view, the text is occasionally interjected with words from the King's jester, Will Somers. I was expecting these passages to be funnier than they turned out to be, although Somers does have his fair share of witty observations.
One thing the book could have benefited from would have been a small glossary of the main characters. I ended up becoming a little confused between Cranmer, Cromwell, Wolsey, More, and so forth.
Despite its length, the book is very easy to read. The language is modern enough for us to understand it easily, but it still retains an aura of authenticity. It is a good piece of fleshed-out, meticulously researched historical fiction and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Tudors.
July 13, 2020
As someone who is fascinated by all things Tudor, I was so excited to begin this book written by Margaret George. It is a lengthy prospect at over 950 pages, but I rather enjoy lengthy books, so unless that is a deterrent for you, I suggest you read this if you have any interest at all in the history of British Royalty.
It is noted that the author spent an enormous amount of time and effort on this (including 5 drafts and 15 years of in depth research), and it shows.
The book is rich in detail, and is written from Henry's own viewpoint, based on his journals.
There are a lot of books about Henry VIII, and we all know about his 8 wives and their fates. We know about his enormous ego, and in his later years, his enormous and unhealthy self.
A man who loved being in power, who loved to be loved and adored by any female who caught his fancy, and a man who dismantled an entire and powerful church when it refused to grant him a divorce from his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, who was his brother's widow when he married her. He sought the divorce so he could marry his love, Anne Boleyn, and we know what fate awaited her.
It fascinated me to read of the historical events of which I was so familiar - but from Henry's own viewpoint. Naturally, some things had to be "filled in" so to speak by the author as not everything has been recorded, so that was to be expected. After all, there is no way to really know what the court jester said at any given time. (No Facebook :D )
For everything he had at his fingertips - the ultimate power, riches, castles, women, jewels, lands, ships - Henry VIII could not have been truly happy. I say this because he really never knew who he could trust because, of course, everyone appeared one way to his face but might be working against him behind the scenes. He was constantly on alert, and I would assume that would be mighty tiresome and frustrating. No one dared speak ill of him - to do so was heresy and would result in a very unpleasant death, which was the fate of many he once called "friend".
Being on "high alert" at all times and never knowing when there might be an assassin in the bunch, Henry filled his life with sport, food, and women, living large while he could.
Rumors were the rule of the day, whispers in the dark were common.
It is hard to summarize over 950 pages in one review, so I will just say this book is well worth the read.
It is noted that the author spent an enormous amount of time and effort on this (including 5 drafts and 15 years of in depth research), and it shows.
The book is rich in detail, and is written from Henry's own viewpoint, based on his journals.
There are a lot of books about Henry VIII, and we all know about his 8 wives and their fates. We know about his enormous ego, and in his later years, his enormous and unhealthy self.
A man who loved being in power, who loved to be loved and adored by any female who caught his fancy, and a man who dismantled an entire and powerful church when it refused to grant him a divorce from his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, who was his brother's widow when he married her. He sought the divorce so he could marry his love, Anne Boleyn, and we know what fate awaited her.
It fascinated me to read of the historical events of which I was so familiar - but from Henry's own viewpoint. Naturally, some things had to be "filled in" so to speak by the author as not everything has been recorded, so that was to be expected. After all, there is no way to really know what the court jester said at any given time. (No Facebook :D )
For everything he had at his fingertips - the ultimate power, riches, castles, women, jewels, lands, ships - Henry VIII could not have been truly happy. I say this because he really never knew who he could trust because, of course, everyone appeared one way to his face but might be working against him behind the scenes. He was constantly on alert, and I would assume that would be mighty tiresome and frustrating. No one dared speak ill of him - to do so was heresy and would result in a very unpleasant death, which was the fate of many he once called "friend".
Being on "high alert" at all times and never knowing when there might be an assassin in the bunch, Henry filled his life with sport, food, and women, living large while he could.
Rumors were the rule of the day, whispers in the dark were common.
It is hard to summarize over 950 pages in one review, so I will just say this book is well worth the read.
August 12, 2019
Margaret George appears to have challenged herself to write the definitive biography of England’s Henry VIII from the inside out. Henry did not leave us any self-reflective notes, but there is plenty of material around to provide George with the building blocks for her effort.
Aside from the salacious aspects of Henry’s “love them and let them go” approach to getting a heir that have been exploited in so many dramatizations, there are the serious issues of church, war and internal politics that were so heightened during this period. We also have some of the most famous characters in British history sharing the stage including: Thomas Cromwell, Thomas More, Thomas Cardinal Wolsey and more. I particularly enjoyed her dramatization of the early encounter between Henry and the King of France (Francis I)....done with broad humor and cunning observations.
George says that she came to realize that the general picture of Henry was assembled from those who had an interest in characterizing his faults and that she wanted to supply counterpoint to that. In over 900 pages she does just that, and for the most part, does it well. If we don’t see quite the difference in Henry’s voice from the time of childhood to Henry in his fifties, that may be because he never had to do the “growing up” that the rest of us go through. He was always praised, coddled and deferred to. The more “objective” point of view is provided by his long-serving fool, Will Somers. In general, this seems to achieve what George intended.
I felt no compulsion to speed through this “autobiography.” A little at a time went a long way. From what I know of the period, George did not take liberties with the facts. Yet how many of you will want to devote yourselves to this very long, very detailed examination of Henry’s life? If you do, please let me know how well this autobiography works for you.
Aside from the salacious aspects of Henry’s “love them and let them go” approach to getting a heir that have been exploited in so many dramatizations, there are the serious issues of church, war and internal politics that were so heightened during this period. We also have some of the most famous characters in British history sharing the stage including: Thomas Cromwell, Thomas More, Thomas Cardinal Wolsey and more. I particularly enjoyed her dramatization of the early encounter between Henry and the King of France (Francis I)....done with broad humor and cunning observations.
George says that she came to realize that the general picture of Henry was assembled from those who had an interest in characterizing his faults and that she wanted to supply counterpoint to that. In over 900 pages she does just that, and for the most part, does it well. If we don’t see quite the difference in Henry’s voice from the time of childhood to Henry in his fifties, that may be because he never had to do the “growing up” that the rest of us go through. He was always praised, coddled and deferred to. The more “objective” point of view is provided by his long-serving fool, Will Somers. In general, this seems to achieve what George intended.
I felt no compulsion to speed through this “autobiography.” A little at a time went a long way. From what I know of the period, George did not take liberties with the facts. Yet how many of you will want to devote yourselves to this very long, very detailed examination of Henry’s life? If you do, please let me know how well this autobiography works for you.
February 10, 2017
This is a very long but readable novel purporting to be the autobiography of Henry VIII, with commentary by his court fool. It tracks the king's life from his earliest memory at the age of three until shortly before his death. It is vividly told, and even though scenery and small details are mentioned with photographic accuracy for the reader's benefit, it is done so subtly that said reader doesn't really mind. It gives us a glimpse into the innner life of someone often thought of as a "monster" who disposed of people around him with nary a twinge of conscience. What we get is a nuanced larger-than-life portrayal. The interspersed marginal comments of Will Somers serve to balance his perspective by occasionally switching the angle of the camera, as it were.
Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in the Tudor era.
Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in the Tudor era.
December 2, 2018
This is a book told from Henry’s viewpoint. From the beginning, I was captivated and drawn into King Henry’s world. The author makes Henry come alive as a human being with many of the same feelings as the rest of us and not a monster that is the common portrayal of him. The author does a fabulous job recreating the events of the time and the powerful people surrounding the King which shaped him. The treatment of the six wives are great, except for Anne Boleyn. I was unhappy with the Anne Boleyn’s story; the book concludes that she was an evil, adulterous witch and carries on, it was disappointing.
March 7, 2014
Review
+ Superb pace and research
+ Engaging and extremely readable
+ Detailed, engrossing characters
+ A window on history
First and foremost Margaret George is a superb historian and writer, she has the ability to make history alive and incredibly engaging. This hefty book makes you feel like it opened a window into Tudor England and dropped you right in the midst of Henry's long and tumultuous reign, and the voyage is always exhilarating and unforgettable. I did not always like Henry, I did not always agree with him, or sympathize with him at times -there were more than one occassion where I was seriously disgusted with him, but ultimately he was always interesting and the book made me want to learn more. I cannot recommend this book highly enough; if you enjoy historical fiction or would like to know more about this time period in particular, read it. If you have any interest or curiosity in the life and times of Henry VIII and want to know more besides what is "common knowledge" about him -almost all of it wrong, this book is the best place to begin. Surprisingly readable and engaging, this is one book that I can proudly put on my favorites shelf.
+ Superb pace and research
+ Engaging and extremely readable
+ Detailed, engrossing characters
+ A window on history
First and foremost Margaret George is a superb historian and writer, she has the ability to make history alive and incredibly engaging. This hefty book makes you feel like it opened a window into Tudor England and dropped you right in the midst of Henry's long and tumultuous reign, and the voyage is always exhilarating and unforgettable. I did not always like Henry, I did not always agree with him, or sympathize with him at times -there were more than one occassion where I was seriously disgusted with him, but ultimately he was always interesting and the book made me want to learn more. I cannot recommend this book highly enough; if you enjoy historical fiction or would like to know more about this time period in particular, read it. If you have any interest or curiosity in the life and times of Henry VIII and want to know more besides what is "common knowledge" about him -almost all of it wrong, this book is the best place to begin. Surprisingly readable and engaging, this is one book that I can proudly put on my favorites shelf.
November 24, 2011
932 pages. You’re probably thinking: “That’s a lot of pages!” I admit I was a bit intimidated by the length of Margaret George’s novel on Henry VIII. However, I assure you, the length is less of an issue than the actual content of this gargantuan book.
Disappointment arose quickly, as the beginning of The Autobiography of Henry VIII “welcomed” me with a very slow and dull start. The first several chapters were drab recaps of the events of Henry’s youth which lacked any emotion, excitement, or personal opinion (even though this is supposed to be “Henry’s view”). Initially, the most interesting moments were the note of Will Somers, which sadly, were too rare in usage. Also adding to my poor first impression, were the inaccuracies which stuck out like sore thumbs. I could not determine if these were thus because the novel was first published in 1986 or because it was Henry’s view and his side of the story is skewed (an attempt to add character to the story); but either way, I noticed the errors.
The characters were flat and underdeveloped, especially Henry who was deemed no growth or depth and seems very child-like even during late adulthood. The novel lacks any connection to the characters. Granted, there were some interesting moments throughout the novel (such as with infamous Anne Boleyn) but these were sprinkled too loosely and encompassed a roller coaster ride between boredom and entertainment. Meaning, there was never a constant flow in the story’s plot line. Furthermore, some of George’s contrived Henry experiences created simply for the novel were so outrageous and ridiculous that it created even more dissonance in the already filtered reading.
Like most Henry VIII novels, The Autobiography of Henry VIII focused mostly on Henry’s mistresses, wives, and search for wives. Many readers tend to complain that Henry is only described in regards to his six wives, but apparently even from “HIS” view, his wives are deemed the most diversification. All other events – rebellions, downfall of Cromwell, Henry’s children- are less than side notes in this novel. In fact, if this is Henry’s view, then he would describe himself as shallow and elementary if we are to believe how he is portrayed in his novel.
Speaking of wives, I especially disliked how Anne Boleyn was depicted. Love her or hate her, it can be agreed that she possessed a certain level of intelligence and conniving. However, George created a bimbo character that was annoying, frivolous, and prone to temper tantrums. It is the equivalent of the usual portrait of Catherine Howard. Anne of Cleves was presented in a much brighter light, showing strength and personality while Catherine Howard’s relationship with Henry, in Henry’s view, was based merely on physical attraction. The End. Nothing more there. Basically, Henry comes off as a virginal 15-year old teenager desperate for sex with Catherine. He made me dislike that marriage even more than I already have. Although, that being said, Catherine’s deceit toward Henry and her death prompted one of the most powerful reactions from Henry in the novel allowing the reader to finally see his true feelings.
The best parts of the entire 932 pages were the last 30 or so pages depicting the war with France, the death and funeral of Charles Brandon, and the impact on Henry. Plus, of course, the death of Henry himself was also moving (although less so than Brandon’s).
Overall, I can see why some readers could love (and do love) George’s novel. There are some books which are simply terrible and some which aren’t for everyone. This one is simply not for me. I suggest it more for a Tudor reader whom hasn’t read a hundred books on Henry, already. If you have, like myself; you may find yourself skimming large sections like I did.
Disappointment arose quickly, as the beginning of The Autobiography of Henry VIII “welcomed” me with a very slow and dull start. The first several chapters were drab recaps of the events of Henry’s youth which lacked any emotion, excitement, or personal opinion (even though this is supposed to be “Henry’s view”). Initially, the most interesting moments were the note of Will Somers, which sadly, were too rare in usage. Also adding to my poor first impression, were the inaccuracies which stuck out like sore thumbs. I could not determine if these were thus because the novel was first published in 1986 or because it was Henry’s view and his side of the story is skewed (an attempt to add character to the story); but either way, I noticed the errors.
The characters were flat and underdeveloped, especially Henry who was deemed no growth or depth and seems very child-like even during late adulthood. The novel lacks any connection to the characters. Granted, there were some interesting moments throughout the novel (such as with infamous Anne Boleyn) but these were sprinkled too loosely and encompassed a roller coaster ride between boredom and entertainment. Meaning, there was never a constant flow in the story’s plot line. Furthermore, some of George’s contrived Henry experiences created simply for the novel were so outrageous and ridiculous that it created even more dissonance in the already filtered reading.
Like most Henry VIII novels, The Autobiography of Henry VIII focused mostly on Henry’s mistresses, wives, and search for wives. Many readers tend to complain that Henry is only described in regards to his six wives, but apparently even from “HIS” view, his wives are deemed the most diversification. All other events – rebellions, downfall of Cromwell, Henry’s children- are less than side notes in this novel. In fact, if this is Henry’s view, then he would describe himself as shallow and elementary if we are to believe how he is portrayed in his novel.
Speaking of wives, I especially disliked how Anne Boleyn was depicted. Love her or hate her, it can be agreed that she possessed a certain level of intelligence and conniving. However, George created a bimbo character that was annoying, frivolous, and prone to temper tantrums. It is the equivalent of the usual portrait of Catherine Howard. Anne of Cleves was presented in a much brighter light, showing strength and personality while Catherine Howard’s relationship with Henry, in Henry’s view, was based merely on physical attraction. The End. Nothing more there. Basically, Henry comes off as a virginal 15-year old teenager desperate for sex with Catherine. He made me dislike that marriage even more than I already have. Although, that being said, Catherine’s deceit toward Henry and her death prompted one of the most powerful reactions from Henry in the novel allowing the reader to finally see his true feelings.
The best parts of the entire 932 pages were the last 30 or so pages depicting the war with France, the death and funeral of Charles Brandon, and the impact on Henry. Plus, of course, the death of Henry himself was also moving (although less so than Brandon’s).
Overall, I can see why some readers could love (and do love) George’s novel. There are some books which are simply terrible and some which aren’t for everyone. This one is simply not for me. I suggest it more for a Tudor reader whom hasn’t read a hundred books on Henry, already. If you have, like myself; you may find yourself skimming large sections like I did.
March 22, 2009
By the end, it was difficult to decide who is more self-absorbed: the author or her subject.
Margaret George said she wanted to give King Henry better PR. She failed totally.
The plot was (naturally?) given over to his various wives/political schemes, but in 900 pages George really, really could have gone a little further than cliche: the betrayed wife, the scheming bitch, the virtuous woman, the stupid slut, the ugly dog, and the useful nurse. I find it intensely disturbing and frankly unbelievable that Catherine of Aragon was not a virgin at her marriage to Henry; that he thought Anne Boleyn a lying skank from the first moment he met her; that Jane was totally enamored with him and wanted nothing more than to be his wife; that Catherine Howard was not hysterical over her impending doom as firsthand accounts record; that Katherine Parr (who had been married twice before Henry condescended to notice her) was still a virgin. (And thrilled to his touches, no less. It's hard to believe that anyone could enjoy the caress of a corpulant old man with a stinking open wound on his thigh, but there you have it.)
For a novel that claims to be researched so extensively, and delivered with such attention to accuracy (it's The Real Henry!), all this was a serious issue to me. What else? Henry's claiming to be the same size at 40 years that he was at 20 - this, again, is frankly contradicted by the size of his armour. His famous temper was toned down considerably - although his snarky remarks were duly reported, the vitriol was shrugged off, sandwiched between paragraphs of patient consideration.
The 'notes' by Will Somers were generally useless, often intrusive. He pleaded for the reader to forgive Henry without giving any justification - he's not such a bad guy when you get to know him!
Meanwhile, Henry moans because his daughter, Mary, hates him. Why, why?! Maybe because you disinherited her, drove her mother to near-madness, and sent them both into comparative poverty and isolation? Just a guess.
Maybe I'm just angry. It pissed me off that Jane was mourned and moaned over for five hundred damn pages, that Anna of Cleves was called a dog and a horse by everyone, that Anne Boleyn was literally demonized, that Henry really loved his children, dammit, and wanted them to love him back!
George eventually discounted Henry's pre-occupation with having a male heir, too, and his reasons for such. I find myself wondering how much of the (considerable) misogyny in the novel was unintentional - just a reflection of her own views.
I'd say it was only euphemistically about Henry VIII. The best-written bits, the parts with most emotional pull - such as Henry's aggravatingly protracted mourning over his 'one true wife', Jane - were obviously inserts from the author's own life. It's only natural, perhaps? this 900-page tome took thirteen years to research & write. Some part of yourself is going to slip in.
Margaret George said she wanted to give King Henry better PR. She failed totally.
The plot was (naturally?) given over to his various wives/political schemes, but in 900 pages George really, really could have gone a little further than cliche: the betrayed wife, the scheming bitch, the virtuous woman, the stupid slut, the ugly dog, and the useful nurse. I find it intensely disturbing and frankly unbelievable that Catherine of Aragon was not a virgin at her marriage to Henry; that he thought Anne Boleyn a lying skank from the first moment he met her; that Jane was totally enamored with him and wanted nothing more than to be his wife; that Catherine Howard was not hysterical over her impending doom as firsthand accounts record; that Katherine Parr (who had been married twice before Henry condescended to notice her) was still a virgin. (And thrilled to his touches, no less. It's hard to believe that anyone could enjoy the caress of a corpulant old man with a stinking open wound on his thigh, but there you have it.)
For a novel that claims to be researched so extensively, and delivered with such attention to accuracy (it's The Real Henry!), all this was a serious issue to me. What else? Henry's claiming to be the same size at 40 years that he was at 20 - this, again, is frankly contradicted by the size of his armour. His famous temper was toned down considerably - although his snarky remarks were duly reported, the vitriol was shrugged off, sandwiched between paragraphs of patient consideration.
The 'notes' by Will Somers were generally useless, often intrusive. He pleaded for the reader to forgive Henry without giving any justification - he's not such a bad guy when you get to know him!
Meanwhile, Henry moans because his daughter, Mary, hates him. Why, why?! Maybe because you disinherited her, drove her mother to near-madness, and sent them both into comparative poverty and isolation? Just a guess.
Maybe I'm just angry. It pissed me off that Jane was mourned and moaned over for five hundred damn pages, that Anna of Cleves was called a dog and a horse by everyone, that Anne Boleyn was literally demonized, that Henry really loved his children, dammit, and wanted them to love him back!
George eventually discounted Henry's pre-occupation with having a male heir, too, and his reasons for such. I find myself wondering how much of the (considerable) misogyny in the novel was unintentional - just a reflection of her own views.
I'd say it was only euphemistically about Henry VIII. The best-written bits, the parts with most emotional pull - such as Henry's aggravatingly protracted mourning over his 'one true wife', Jane - were obviously inserts from the author's own life. It's only natural, perhaps? this 900-page tome took thirteen years to research & write. Some part of yourself is going to slip in.
July 4, 2022
This took me quite a while to finish but not because this chunky book dragged at all. Actually was surprised how intruiging and easy it was to keep reading. Was expecting not to like this one very much as I doubted I would enjoy the story from Henry's point of view. Margaret George didn't romantisaised Henry in anyway, I feel. And while the author obviously had taken her own ideas on what happened between historical figures, I thought it was very well done.
April 2, 2008
Another flawlessly researched and written book by Margaret George. I knew quite a bit about Henry before I read this, but it added a dimension that I hadn't expected to his character. Years after reading it I traveled to England and was surprised what a celebrity he still is there. Truthfully, though he's known for the outrageous elimination of his wives, we sometimes forget what an amazing effect he had on the progress of Great Britain by severing ties with Rome. George represents him as a tortured soul, wanting to leave an heir to the throne, but no matter how she presented him, he really was quite despicable in my view.
March 24, 2019
4 stars - It was great. I loved it.
I have read many books about the Tudors, but never have I read a novel from Henry VIII’s perspective which gave this one a unique experience. And, it’s Margaret George, so have your highlighter ready for the quotable prose.
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Favorite Quote: We want the sharers of our youth to remain forever young, to remind us of what we were, not of what we are.
First Sentences: I am dying. Or, rather, about to die - there is a slight (though unconsoling) difference.
I have read many books about the Tudors, but never have I read a novel from Henry VIII’s perspective which gave this one a unique experience. And, it’s Margaret George, so have your highlighter ready for the quotable prose.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: We want the sharers of our youth to remain forever young, to remind us of what we were, not of what we are.
First Sentences: I am dying. Or, rather, about to die - there is a slight (though unconsoling) difference.
June 15, 2010
Five stars does not feel like enough for this book. It took me a little longer than usual to read the 932 pages, but I think that's because there were passages I re-read over and over for their beauty. My book is riddled with post-its to mark quotes I didn't want to forget, and had I not already purchased this book before reading, I would have done so just to have those quotes at my fingertips whenever I wanted them. It was that good. I don't know why I'm surprised because The Memoirs of Cleopatra is one of my favorite books and I own it in both paperback and hardback because it's been read enough times that I know when I read it again I'll be lugging it around. She is a lovely writer.
I think everyone is, at least passingly, familiar with the Tudors, and if not them as a family, then Henry VIII because of his many wives. I love the Showtime series, but don't feel that the sexual wantonness is realistic. It's entertaining, don't get me wrong, just not realistic. If Henry had so many lovers he would not have needed so many wives. George shares this view. I like that she portrays him as such a religious man. It only stands to reason. He was the second son, so slated to the church, not the throne. His early education would have been very, very heavily religious. Adultery was simply wrong, king or no, and while I believe he had lovers, their numbering in the scores just seems silly. The fact that historians agree that Anne Boleyn was a virgin until their marriage (or very close to it) despite it's taking seven years to arrange speaks volumes.
The book is written in a journal format. Supposedly Henry's journal, as found by his fool, Will. Will is sending the journal, long after Henry's death, to Henry's illegitimate daughter by Mary Boleyn (yes, Anne's sister). Will makes notes where he sees fit and this adds immeasurably to the perspective. Not many were honest and straightforward with the king, yet his fool saw and heard all. Because of the journal form, George is limited to the vocabulary and medical terms of the time. Henry VIII most likely sufferred from Type 2 Diabetes, which contributed to his size, poor health and declining mental capacity near his death. I felt she did an excellent job portraying this using the topical vernacular. Even had I not already known this about Henry, I would probably at least have had a suspicion after reading.
I'd like to list all the quotes I fell in love with from this book, but, really, that would entail pages. Instead I think I'll close with my very favorite (I think. It's hard to choose!). It applies to all of us, everyday, so why would it apply less to a man because he was king? A very, very lonely king at that?
By God, it would make a fine morning's ride, and I was ready for one. Should I ask Katherine? A gallop together, in the damp March air-but no, this was her prayer-time. Nonetheless, I could ask. Perhaps she would...? No. She would not.
Thus we use our supposed "knowledge" of others to speak on their behalf, and condemn them for the words we put in their silent mouths.
Having asked Katherine in my mind, and been refused, I was free to go alone.
George speaks of us all. Henry was a man, like any other, and that's the greatest thing an autobiography can leave us with.
I think everyone is, at least passingly, familiar with the Tudors, and if not them as a family, then Henry VIII because of his many wives. I love the Showtime series, but don't feel that the sexual wantonness is realistic. It's entertaining, don't get me wrong, just not realistic. If Henry had so many lovers he would not have needed so many wives. George shares this view. I like that she portrays him as such a religious man. It only stands to reason. He was the second son, so slated to the church, not the throne. His early education would have been very, very heavily religious. Adultery was simply wrong, king or no, and while I believe he had lovers, their numbering in the scores just seems silly. The fact that historians agree that Anne Boleyn was a virgin until their marriage (or very close to it) despite it's taking seven years to arrange speaks volumes.
The book is written in a journal format. Supposedly Henry's journal, as found by his fool, Will. Will is sending the journal, long after Henry's death, to Henry's illegitimate daughter by Mary Boleyn (yes, Anne's sister). Will makes notes where he sees fit and this adds immeasurably to the perspective. Not many were honest and straightforward with the king, yet his fool saw and heard all. Because of the journal form, George is limited to the vocabulary and medical terms of the time. Henry VIII most likely sufferred from Type 2 Diabetes, which contributed to his size, poor health and declining mental capacity near his death. I felt she did an excellent job portraying this using the topical vernacular. Even had I not already known this about Henry, I would probably at least have had a suspicion after reading.
I'd like to list all the quotes I fell in love with from this book, but, really, that would entail pages. Instead I think I'll close with my very favorite (I think. It's hard to choose!). It applies to all of us, everyday, so why would it apply less to a man because he was king? A very, very lonely king at that?
By God, it would make a fine morning's ride, and I was ready for one. Should I ask Katherine? A gallop together, in the damp March air-but no, this was her prayer-time. Nonetheless, I could ask. Perhaps she would...? No. She would not.
Thus we use our supposed "knowledge" of others to speak on their behalf, and condemn them for the words we put in their silent mouths.
Having asked Katherine in my mind, and been refused, I was free to go alone.
George speaks of us all. Henry was a man, like any other, and that's the greatest thing an autobiography can leave us with.
June 1, 2009
"I'm Henry VIII, I am, I'm Henry VIII I am, I am!"
Wow! There's never a dull moment with old Henry. Teenage King, always warring with France, cuts ties with Rome and changes the course of history just so he can get a divorce, six wives - two have their heads lopped off, one dies in childbirth, one is too ugly, one won't provide him with a son (tsk! what was she thinking?) and the other gets to mop up his gangrenous leg until he dies. Phew!!!
This is a fabulous book: long, but so worth it. Written from Henry's point of view so we get to see his life as he sees it. We all know what a bad-tempered tyrant he was supposed to have been, but in this book we get a glimpse at what may have made Henry make the decisions he made. He was born into royalty, taught to believe that he is above others (and boy, does he!) but we also see another side to him. There are times when I actually felt sorry for him; to be surrounded all your life by "yes-men" and never really knowing who you can trust must have been pretty tough even if you are surrounded by jewels and banquets all day long.
Not surprisingly, his poor wives come in for a pretty raw deal; but again it is written from Henry's point of view. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard never stood a chance and Katherine of Aragon was treated appallingly in later life when the King decided that he wanted to move on to a younger model. No wonder when it came to searching for a new wife 4th time around, all the eligable young European princesses were hiding in the shadows.
This is a real tome of a book and one I enjoyed immensley. The fact that it took the author 15 years to research, I knew I was in safe hands with getting a wonderful peice of fiction based entirely on fact. I would highly recommend this to history fans. Big thumbs up for this one!
Wow! There's never a dull moment with old Henry. Teenage King, always warring with France, cuts ties with Rome and changes the course of history just so he can get a divorce, six wives - two have their heads lopped off, one dies in childbirth, one is too ugly, one won't provide him with a son (tsk! what was she thinking?) and the other gets to mop up his gangrenous leg until he dies. Phew!!!
This is a fabulous book: long, but so worth it. Written from Henry's point of view so we get to see his life as he sees it. We all know what a bad-tempered tyrant he was supposed to have been, but in this book we get a glimpse at what may have made Henry make the decisions he made. He was born into royalty, taught to believe that he is above others (and boy, does he!) but we also see another side to him. There are times when I actually felt sorry for him; to be surrounded all your life by "yes-men" and never really knowing who you can trust must have been pretty tough even if you are surrounded by jewels and banquets all day long.
Not surprisingly, his poor wives come in for a pretty raw deal; but again it is written from Henry's point of view. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard never stood a chance and Katherine of Aragon was treated appallingly in later life when the King decided that he wanted to move on to a younger model. No wonder when it came to searching for a new wife 4th time around, all the eligable young European princesses were hiding in the shadows.
This is a real tome of a book and one I enjoyed immensley. The fact that it took the author 15 years to research, I knew I was in safe hands with getting a wonderful peice of fiction based entirely on fact. I would highly recommend this to history fans. Big thumbs up for this one!
December 7, 2017
This was nothing short of phenomenal! It was utterly amazing! Being obsessed with Tudor England, I have read many a fiction and non fiction book depicting this maniac and will read many a more! But this one definitely goes in a league of its own! The writing was EXCEPTIONAL! If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought I was reading Henry’s true life memoirs. The way he thought about each one of his wives, from his brother’s intended, Katherine of Aragon (I mean he really thought in the end that his first marriage was an abomination in the eyes of God?! Please!) to his lust for Anne Boleyn and Kitty Howard, to…oh okay, I’ll stop. But anyway, this book was emotionally exhausting but freaking amazing! It’s definitely become a favourite and I doubt I’ll read anything so convincing again! But I know they say ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ so we will see!
December 27, 2020
Sotto forma di diario la vita burrascosa, inusuale, passionale e intensa di re Enrico VIII e delle 6 donne, le sei regine che sposò, cercando spasmodicamente di realizzare il sogno di avere una discendenza maschile.
February 19, 2011
A huge book--over 900 pages. But worth every one! We've all read about Henry VIII and his six wives. Dry, historical facts and events. This book delves into what kind of man (and king) he may have been. His fears, his strengths are discussed here in the form of a diary that has been discovered after his death and is being sent to an illegitimate daughter of Henry by his "fool", Will Somers. The word "fool" refers to someone who is permitted to speak plainly to the King or Queen. To tell the truth without fear of punishment or repercussion. Fools made the monarch laugh, made them ponder possibilities and see the other side of a decision or situation. They were a much prized and much needed commodity in the frantic and conniving world of a royal court. In this novel, Will makes comments periodically as if he has already read the diary and we see inside Henry the king and the man. Even though this is fiction, I commend the author on her excellent job of stepping into the mind of a powerful (and sometimes ruthless) individual. I highly recommend it for all adult readers.
May 30, 2025
Approdo a questo monumentale romanzo dopo un lungo periodo a digiuno dei Tudor; lo lascio con la consapevolezza di voler restare di nuovo.
È un lavoro pazzesco, l'apoteosi del romanzo storico biografico: l'opera perfetta, se non fosse per un dettaglio che, per chi è già dentro questa famiglia,non può passare inosservato: la scarsissima presenza e caratterizzazione di Charles Brandon (mi rifiuto di chiamarlo Carlo come i traduttori hanno fatto!)
Probabilmente è un problema di gradimento soggettivo del personaggio, o di difficoltà nel rappresentare un'amicizia di così lunga durata, ma non ha senso sostenere che dopo la sua morte Henry si sia lasciato andare se per tutto il libro è stato una comparsata. Un'amicizia a parole che il lettore non vive, eppure esisteva.
Per tutto il resto, gran lavoro.
Al prossimo giro darò la parola alle mogli!
È un lavoro pazzesco, l'apoteosi del romanzo storico biografico: l'opera perfetta, se non fosse per un dettaglio che, per chi è già dentro questa famiglia,non può passare inosservato: la scarsissima presenza e caratterizzazione di Charles Brandon (mi rifiuto di chiamarlo Carlo come i traduttori hanno fatto!)
Probabilmente è un problema di gradimento soggettivo del personaggio, o di difficoltà nel rappresentare un'amicizia di così lunga durata, ma non ha senso sostenere che dopo la sua morte Henry si sia lasciato andare se per tutto il libro è stato una comparsata. Un'amicizia a parole che il lettore non vive, eppure esisteva.
Per tutto il resto, gran lavoro.
Al prossimo giro darò la parola alle mogli!
December 19, 2012
Yep... Finished a week, and I'm listening to it again...
******************************************************
Book: 6stars
Narrator : 6++++ stars
The best book I've read this year.
I intend to write a review that is worthy of this grand book.
I encourage anyone interested in this historical masterpiece to buy this as an audiobook. This is a novel that is made even more compelling by outstanding the perchance of the narrator, (It is rumored that the author was the director of the audio performance)
******************************************************
Book: 6stars
Narrator : 6++++ stars
The best book I've read this year.
I intend to write a review that is worthy of this grand book.
I encourage anyone interested in this historical masterpiece to buy this as an audiobook. This is a novel that is made even more compelling by outstanding the perchance of the narrator, (It is rumored that the author was the director of the audio performance)
April 5, 2019
Fun read!
August 27, 2024
This was a book we had to read for a work book club and oh my god I was not looking forward to reading this AT ALL. This was a historical fiction of Henry VIII’s memoirs of his life and is written as though they were published posthumously by his jester who has inserted footnotes throughout, commenting on Henry’s various escapades.
Until about two-thirds of the way through this, every time I picked this up to read it I was resentful. I don’t like historical fiction and I don’t like this part of history. I’ve never particularly liked the Tudors and it is very much forced down our throats in the uk curriculum, so I felt like I knew ENOUGH about Henry VIII and didn’t want to know more. Also the tidbits from his jester were really jarring and didn’t add much until the end.
I will say, there were some positives. I did start to enjoy this from around Anne Boleyn’s death (at about page 500 of this 950-page book, because he famously steamrolls through women after this point) because he starts accusing her of witchcraft and he gets a little bit kooky with it all, and the older he gets the more unwell / paranoid he becomes and that was fun to read. Also, it made me appreciate the gravity of all the beheadings a bit more, i.e. beforehand I could recite the classic rhyme (divorced, beheaded, died, etc) without much thought, but because this book fleshes out a very well-known history with actual human emotion, the build-up to someone’s death by beheading, especially when it is sanctioned by their spouse, was quite interesting to read.
Overall it was enjoyable by the end because he is basically an impulsive man child who is constantly in pursuit of unattainable love, a trait which gets progressively more intensified toward the end; this is quite entertaining, but the book was about 600 pages too long.
Until about two-thirds of the way through this, every time I picked this up to read it I was resentful. I don’t like historical fiction and I don’t like this part of history. I’ve never particularly liked the Tudors and it is very much forced down our throats in the uk curriculum, so I felt like I knew ENOUGH about Henry VIII and didn’t want to know more. Also the tidbits from his jester were really jarring and didn’t add much until the end.
I will say, there were some positives. I did start to enjoy this from around Anne Boleyn’s death (at about page 500 of this 950-page book, because he famously steamrolls through women after this point) because he starts accusing her of witchcraft and he gets a little bit kooky with it all, and the older he gets the more unwell / paranoid he becomes and that was fun to read. Also, it made me appreciate the gravity of all the beheadings a bit more, i.e. beforehand I could recite the classic rhyme (divorced, beheaded, died, etc) without much thought, but because this book fleshes out a very well-known history with actual human emotion, the build-up to someone’s death by beheading, especially when it is sanctioned by their spouse, was quite interesting to read.
Overall it was enjoyable by the end because he is basically an impulsive man child who is constantly in pursuit of unattainable love, a trait which gets progressively more intensified toward the end; this is quite entertaining, but the book was about 600 pages too long.
July 4, 2013
After 172 pages I have decided to dump this.I do NOT enjoy reading it and I have given it a fair try. I am often hesitant toward autobiographies, particularly when they are historical fiction. An autobiography cannot, by definition, provide an impartial view on the events that occurred. Margaret George is an author known for her thorough research, but in that which is not known she has made suppositions that I cannot accept. In my mind it is very clear that Henry was motivated by power. He was a king and it definitely was his job to increase England's (and his own) glory, strength and power. Why did he split with the Pope? Divorce was not allowed. When Catherine's father, King Ferdinand of Spain, did not support Henry against the French as had been agreed, it is not so strange that he questioned his wife's allegiance. In addition she did not give him a male heir. Henry's choices were motivated by a search for power. This is a power game, nothing else. I object to George putting these words into the text:
I would take my place on the Continental stage, to pursue England's lost dream of conquering France in its entirety. Perhaps that was what God truly required of me; perhaps it was here that I had failed Him. As King, there were certain tasks that I must undertake, as surely as a knight at Arthur's Round Table was given them, and to shirk them meant shame and cowardice........
Perhaps when I conquered France, God would turn his face toward me. I became more and more convinced of it. .......
My advisors and Council, by and large, were not convinced. Of my desire to redeem myself with God they were unaware; but they were against war with France. Father had spoiled them with his lack of involvement in foreign entanglements, and like any privileged state, they had got used to it. (page 145)
There is no proof of such a supposition. He used the church for his own purposes; I do not see him as being religiously motivated. He is motivated by a search for power.
This book is a diary written by King Henry, with added notes by his jester, Will Somers. These notes are meant to explain, round out and fill in the King's statements. But tell me why are they never funny if he is the court jester?! These "notes" add nothing, they merely disrupt the text.
In addition, it is mentioned by Somers that the song Greensleeves was sung. Although it is today discounted, it has been thought that King Henry wrote it for Anne Boleyn. King Henry hadn't even met her yet.
And Catherine of Aragon was married to Henry's older brother Arthur first...... It is stated she is a virgin!
Although I am not stating that Margaret George is fictionalizing the known facts, I question all too often her suppositions, and there is no humor!
Even if there is a family tree at the front of the book it isn't that simple to keep track of all the characters. Do you know why you have to call people Duke or Marquis or Earl of for example York or Exeter or Cambridge? That is because all the men are called Henry or Edward and the women Mary or Catherine or Anne. This is a way of keeping track of who is who.(ha ha) I would have appreciated a map of these places.
If this book is not going to get me inside the heads of the leading players in a believable manner, I might as well just read a book of non-fiction or go to Wikipedia. Once I started questioning what I was being fed, I spent more time reading Wiki than reading the book!
There was one, and only one, little sparkle in the first 172 pages of the book, and that is when Henry fell head over heels in love with his brother's wife Catherine.....but soon that disappeared and was replaced with his drive for success and power. 932 pages of this is just not my cup of tea. I warn you, you have to love the Tudors to be drawn to this book!
No, this book was not even OK! I ran to Wikipedia every time I could. I expect more than one little sparkle in 172 pages.
I would take my place on the Continental stage, to pursue England's lost dream of conquering France in its entirety. Perhaps that was what God truly required of me; perhaps it was here that I had failed Him. As King, there were certain tasks that I must undertake, as surely as a knight at Arthur's Round Table was given them, and to shirk them meant shame and cowardice........
Perhaps when I conquered France, God would turn his face toward me. I became more and more convinced of it. .......
My advisors and Council, by and large, were not convinced. Of my desire to redeem myself with God they were unaware; but they were against war with France. Father had spoiled them with his lack of involvement in foreign entanglements, and like any privileged state, they had got used to it. (page 145)
There is no proof of such a supposition. He used the church for his own purposes; I do not see him as being religiously motivated. He is motivated by a search for power.
This book is a diary written by King Henry, with added notes by his jester, Will Somers. These notes are meant to explain, round out and fill in the King's statements. But tell me why are they never funny if he is the court jester?! These "notes" add nothing, they merely disrupt the text.
In addition, it is mentioned by Somers that the song Greensleeves was sung. Although it is today discounted, it has been thought that King Henry wrote it for Anne Boleyn. King Henry hadn't even met her yet.
And Catherine of Aragon was married to Henry's older brother Arthur first...... It is stated she is a virgin!
Although I am not stating that Margaret George is fictionalizing the known facts, I question all too often her suppositions, and there is no humor!
Even if there is a family tree at the front of the book it isn't that simple to keep track of all the characters. Do you know why you have to call people Duke or Marquis or Earl of for example York or Exeter or Cambridge? That is because all the men are called Henry or Edward and the women Mary or Catherine or Anne. This is a way of keeping track of who is who.(ha ha) I would have appreciated a map of these places.
If this book is not going to get me inside the heads of the leading players in a believable manner, I might as well just read a book of non-fiction or go to Wikipedia. Once I started questioning what I was being fed, I spent more time reading Wiki than reading the book!
There was one, and only one, little sparkle in the first 172 pages of the book, and that is when Henry fell head over heels in love with his brother's wife Catherine.....but soon that disappeared and was replaced with his drive for success and power. 932 pages of this is just not my cup of tea. I warn you, you have to love the Tudors to be drawn to this book!
No, this book was not even OK! I ran to Wikipedia every time I could. I expect more than one little sparkle in 172 pages.
February 17, 2015
VIII. Henrikről mindenki tudja, hogy egy rakás felesége volt és néhányat le is fejeztetett közülük. Kegyetlen, nagydarab, rettegett király hírében áll, de szerintem a rossz hírneve miatt nem igazán akaródzik senkinek közelebb kerülni hozzá, hogy jobban megismerje.
Ez a könyv azonban erre hivatott. Természetesen nem valódi önéletrajz, hanem fiktív, de nagyon jól visszaadja, hogy milyen lehetett Henriknek lenni, milyen lehetett hercegként, magányban, szeretettelenül nevelkedni, majd szintén hatalmas magányban királyként uralkodni és szerepet játszani évtizedeken keresztül. Akinek nem lehetett igazi bizalmasa, akinek mindig viselkednie kellett, aki nem élvezhette hétköznapi emberként az életet. Na jó, kicsit túlzásba estem, mert annyira azért nem volt borzalmas Henriknek, de a könyvből is tisztán látszik, hogy azok voltak a legboldogabb pillanatai, amikor civilként, egyszerű körülmények között tölthetett el napokat a szerettei körében.
Ez az írás ugyan szól Anglia XVI. századi politikájáról és történelméről is, de talán mégiscsak inkább a király feleségeivel való kapcsolatát helyezi a középpontba. Nagyon jó érzékkel ábrázolja az írónő, hogy mi játszódhatott le a királyban, amikor egy-egy nő az érdeklődésének középpontjába került. Az indítékokat, a vonzalmakat, az érzelmek váltakozását mind hihetően és logikusan vezeti végig. Nagyon érdekes egyébként, hogy a 6 feleség mennyire más és más személyiség volt és mégis ugyanazon király mellé sodorta őket a sors. Mindegyikőjük személye jól lett bemutatva, akárcsak Henrik fiatal emberből megfáradt, idősödő királlyá való érésének folyamata.
Aki elolvassa ezt a könyvet, teljesen máshogy fog tekinteni erre a történelmi alakra. Már nem fog annyira kegyetlennek és félelmetesnek tűnni, csak egy embernek, aki amellett, hogy nagy tehetséget mutatott a költészet, a zene, a teológia területén, maradéktalanul élt a hatalmával mindenféle értelemben. Bár őrültségnek tűnik, de még egyházának a katolikus egyháztól és a pápától való elszakadása is teljesen logikusnak és érthetőnek tűnik a könyvben felvázolt nézőpontok alapján.
Határozottsága és erőskezűsége mellett azonban Henrik időről-időre szánnivaló bábunak tűnik a történelem sodrának kezében, aki kétségbeesetten próbálta megvédeni a rá bízott országot, kétségbeesetten küzdött trónörökösért és békéért a körülötte intrikáló nemesi családok és a többi nagyhatalom gyűrűjében.
Nagyon szerettem olvasni ezt a könyvet, olvasmányosan, érdekfeszítően és hihetően írta meg Margaret George mind az 1200 oldalt, így nem tudok neki rosszabbat adni öt csillagnál.
Ez a könyv azonban erre hivatott. Természetesen nem valódi önéletrajz, hanem fiktív, de nagyon jól visszaadja, hogy milyen lehetett Henriknek lenni, milyen lehetett hercegként, magányban, szeretettelenül nevelkedni, majd szintén hatalmas magányban királyként uralkodni és szerepet játszani évtizedeken keresztül. Akinek nem lehetett igazi bizalmasa, akinek mindig viselkednie kellett, aki nem élvezhette hétköznapi emberként az életet. Na jó, kicsit túlzásba estem, mert annyira azért nem volt borzalmas Henriknek, de a könyvből is tisztán látszik, hogy azok voltak a legboldogabb pillanatai, amikor civilként, egyszerű körülmények között tölthetett el napokat a szerettei körében.
Ez az írás ugyan szól Anglia XVI. századi politikájáról és történelméről is, de talán mégiscsak inkább a király feleségeivel való kapcsolatát helyezi a középpontba. Nagyon jó érzékkel ábrázolja az írónő, hogy mi játszódhatott le a királyban, amikor egy-egy nő az érdeklődésének középpontjába került. Az indítékokat, a vonzalmakat, az érzelmek váltakozását mind hihetően és logikusan vezeti végig. Nagyon érdekes egyébként, hogy a 6 feleség mennyire más és más személyiség volt és mégis ugyanazon király mellé sodorta őket a sors. Mindegyikőjük személye jól lett bemutatva, akárcsak Henrik fiatal emberből megfáradt, idősödő királlyá való érésének folyamata.
Aki elolvassa ezt a könyvet, teljesen máshogy fog tekinteni erre a történelmi alakra. Már nem fog annyira kegyetlennek és félelmetesnek tűnni, csak egy embernek, aki amellett, hogy nagy tehetséget mutatott a költészet, a zene, a teológia területén, maradéktalanul élt a hatalmával mindenféle értelemben. Bár őrültségnek tűnik, de még egyházának a katolikus egyháztól és a pápától való elszakadása is teljesen logikusnak és érthetőnek tűnik a könyvben felvázolt nézőpontok alapján.
Határozottsága és erőskezűsége mellett azonban Henrik időről-időre szánnivaló bábunak tűnik a történelem sodrának kezében, aki kétségbeesetten próbálta megvédeni a rá bízott országot, kétségbeesetten küzdött trónörökösért és békéért a körülötte intrikáló nemesi családok és a többi nagyhatalom gyűrűjében.
Nagyon szerettem olvasni ezt a könyvet, olvasmányosan, érdekfeszítően és hihetően írta meg Margaret George mind az 1200 oldalt, így nem tudok neki rosszabbat adni öt csillagnál.
June 16, 2015
I really enjoyed looking at things from Henry's POV. If i hadn't read any other historical fiction or biographies about the time I might be of the opinion that Harry was just a tragic figure cursed by run after run of bad luck. However, I have read a lot about Henry's England. That, and the fact that George uses Will Somer's notes as a warning not to believe all that Henry writes, and one can see that this journal of Henry's is rife with dissembling, rationalizing, and self-deceit. It is NEVER Henry's fault.
George does put forth a theory about Henry's wives that I have not seen so blatantly stated before: Henry constantly craves love and acceptance because he never received any from his mother. He proves this over and over by his instant descents into love and his almost as instant disillusionment when 'Wife X' does not equal "Wife Ideal" (aka His Mother's Perfection).
Other Historical novels often look at Henry through the eyes of his women, his friends or his courtiers. They show puzzlement and disbelief at his emotions and actions. It is refreshing and somewhat amusing to see how Henry chronicles his own life and the explanations behind his own behaviour. We all know how this story ends but for once we are seeing it from the Giant at the top of the Beanstalk's POV rather than Jack's.
Definitely worth a read simply because there are so few historical fiction novels with POV from Henry VIII.
I rounded up my stars on this one. Rating it a 3.5.
P.S. After finishing the novel I watched a documentary titled The Palace of Henry VIII on PBS. One of the assertions they made was that Henry might have suffered a frontal cerebral cortex injury when his horse rolled on him during a jousting tournament (post-divorce Katherine, pre-execution Anne). Looking back at the novel one can really pinpoint the beginning of his irrational behaviour to that time in his life. The undiagnosed injury could have caused minor to major personality changes, auditory and visual hallucinations and paranoia. Hmmm...sounds like it might be a credible theory.
George does put forth a theory about Henry's wives that I have not seen so blatantly stated before: Henry constantly craves love and acceptance because he never received any from his mother. He proves this over and over by his instant descents into love and his almost as instant disillusionment when 'Wife X' does not equal "Wife Ideal" (aka His Mother's Perfection).
Other Historical novels often look at Henry through the eyes of his women, his friends or his courtiers. They show puzzlement and disbelief at his emotions and actions. It is refreshing and somewhat amusing to see how Henry chronicles his own life and the explanations behind his own behaviour. We all know how this story ends but for once we are seeing it from the Giant at the top of the Beanstalk's POV rather than Jack's.
Definitely worth a read simply because there are so few historical fiction novels with POV from Henry VIII.
I rounded up my stars on this one. Rating it a 3.5.
P.S. After finishing the novel I watched a documentary titled The Palace of Henry VIII on PBS. One of the assertions they made was that Henry might have suffered a frontal cerebral cortex injury when his horse rolled on him during a jousting tournament (post-divorce Katherine, pre-execution Anne). Looking back at the novel one can really pinpoint the beginning of his irrational behaviour to that time in his life. The undiagnosed injury could have caused minor to major personality changes, auditory and visual hallucinations and paranoia. Hmmm...sounds like it might be a credible theory.
December 23, 2007
I've been on a huge kick for historical ficton lately especailly the Tudors. Henry VIII is the most amazing character in British history. This book allows you to look a his life on a whole not just one portion of it.
It talks of his youth. His marriage to Katherine of Aragon. Anne Bolyn. (alot.....) and all his other wives. I never really paid much attention to his life except for the well told tales with Anne Bolyn so it was great to get an over look at all his loves and loses.
This book kinda drags on in certain places but overall the author does a good job of bringing Henry VIII to life for me. Recommend this.
It talks of his youth. His marriage to Katherine of Aragon. Anne Bolyn. (alot.....) and all his other wives. I never really paid much attention to his life except for the well told tales with Anne Bolyn so it was great to get an over look at all his loves and loses.
This book kinda drags on in certain places but overall the author does a good job of bringing Henry VIII to life for me. Recommend this.
December 12, 2020
I enjoyed this book to a point, but I thought it was a tad too long. (932 pages). Apparently Margaret George spent 15 years researching and writing it, and it does show. I would have liked an author’s note at the end, to tell me what was fact and what was imagination. George spent a lot of time on Henry’s six wives, how he came to marry them and what happened to them. In between Henry’s reminisces, Will Somers, his fool, gives notes and comments. This is a very impressive piece of work - anyone interested in the Tudors and Henry VIII particularly, will enjoy this very long book.
September 18, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this take on Henry VIII, from his "own" point of view. For fans of Tudor England and historical fiction.
January 27, 2022
4 stelle e mezzo
◆ Diario di Enrico VIII che ci racconta la sua vita dall’infanzia sino alla morte
◆ Chi era davvero quello che è passato alla storia come uno dei Re più discussi d’Inghilterra?
◆ Il ritratto di un uomo solo alla continua ricerca di quell’affetto che, forse, mai nessuno gli diede.
LEGGILO SE: ami la storia e i Tudor e vuoi scoprire chi fosse davvero Enrico VIII
NON LEGGERLO SE: pensi che Enrico VIII fosse un desposta maschilista
#lamiafascetta Enrichetto primo esperto di armocromia!
La recensione completa nel blog
◆ Diario di Enrico VIII che ci racconta la sua vita dall’infanzia sino alla morte
◆ Chi era davvero quello che è passato alla storia come uno dei Re più discussi d’Inghilterra?
◆ Il ritratto di un uomo solo alla continua ricerca di quell’affetto che, forse, mai nessuno gli diede.
LEGGILO SE: ami la storia e i Tudor e vuoi scoprire chi fosse davvero Enrico VIII
NON LEGGERLO SE: pensi che Enrico VIII fosse un desposta maschilista
#lamiafascetta Enrichetto primo esperto di armocromia!
La recensione completa nel blog
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