Tudor History Lovers discussion
Tudor Book Recomendations
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Lets fatten up our TBR list! Recomend a book chain
Flipped through it the other day, it was humorous which was a nice break after reading the Edward VI book:
Doomed Queens Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di
Mary Lou wrote: "found a good book about medieval flowers called The Medieval Flower Book by Celia Fisher. I haven't read it yet. "What is it about? I have not heard of this one.
Colleen wrote: "Mary Lou wrote: "found an interesting book about medieval flowers called The Medieval Flower Book by Celia Fisher. I haven't read it yet. "What is it about? I have not heard of this one."
flowers in medieval times
Wen wrote: The last is a 1st book in a series. It is called The Sword of Truth by Gilbert Morris. It is set in the time of Henry VIII and the lead is torn between court life and helping Tyndale in his quest to give people more religious liberty.I finished reading The Sword of Truth by Gilbert Morris and really enjoyed it. It focuses on the fictional Wakefield family and their involvement in helping William Tyndale in his efforts to get the bible out in English.
I have also now finished reading the 2nd in this series called Winds of God. It continues with the Wakefield family. This one starts after Henry VIII has died and Edward is in the last part of his rule. It skims his rule, Janes, Marys and then the bulk of the book is during Elizabeths. it goes into the religious fighting between Catholics and Protestants and of Spains plans to remove Elizabeth from her throne and such.
I like how Morris took his fictional people and had them involved with Actual Historical figures. I thought they were very well done and plan to read the rest of the series.
Marylou wrote: "Has anyone read the novel Katherine by Anya Seton. I did enjoy it. There is little known about Katherine Swnford (married to John of Gaunt) but it is fun to read. "This is one of my all-time favorite books. I'm sure its no coincidence that my name is Katherine.The first time I read it was in the 1950's for a high school book report and have picked it up on and off throughout the years. You may want to read her "Green Darkness". I loved that one too!
Katherine wrote: "Marylou wrote: "Has anyone read the novel Katherine by Anya Seton. I did enjoy it. There is little known about Katherine Swnford (married to John of Gaunt) but it is fun to read. "This is one ..."
I read all of her books when I was a teenager. Katherine was one of my favorite books.
Allison Weir's new biography is well researched and well-written
Ok, so the activity on this thread died out a little while ago, but I decided to throw my two cents in anyway!!!My top three favorite non fiction books:
Children of Henry VIII Alison Weir
Six Wives of Henry VIII Alison Weir (I really enjoy Weir's writing)
Jane Boleyn Julia Fox
ok my top three favorite HF books:
The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn Robin Maxwell (one of the few books that made me cry, and I'm not necessarily an Anne Boleyn fan)
Innocent Traitor Alison Weir (another book that left me sobbing)
The Autobiography of Henry VIII Margaret George (didn't make me cry, but was an excellent read most of the time)
Ok. I just wanted to get those in there. Even though I'm pretty sure all of these books were mentioned earlier :) they just happen to be really good ones!
Aly, I also loved Children of Henry VIII and I talk about it constantly on these threads. It was amazing and I really think everyone should read it :)I'm glad you liked Jane Boleyn as I have that one at home waiting patiently for me to find time to read it. Still trying to get my hands on the Six Wives but I do have Antonia Fraser's Wives of Henry VIII and I'm wondering how the two compare. Has anyone read them both? Whose writting style is more enjoyable? Factual?
Innocent Traitor and the Autobiography are two of my favorites too and also can't wait to read the one by Robin Maxwell. I think we have similar tastes :)
Kate, I'm looking forward to reading the White Queen but hate to buy hardcovers so I'm hoping that someone will buy it for me for my birthday or Christmas or that I find it secondhand somewhere before it's released in trade as that will be such a long wait!
I read THE WHITE QUEEN. I enjoyed it. Positive side: easy to read, well-researched, sympathetic to Elizabeth Woodville. Negative: too many mentions of witchcraft, some words/phrases were overused. I've always been fascinated by Elizabeth and Henry VII's mother, Margaret Beaufort, two very strong women.I'm looking forward to THE RED QUEEN.
Haven't read Weir's Six Wives, but Antonia Fraser's Six Wives of Henry VIII is very good. I'm a fan of Fraser generally, actually.I haven't read The White Queen. Did you read that one, Misfit?
Jennifer wrote: "Aly, I also loved Children of Henry VIII and I talk about it constantly on these threads. It was amazing and I really think everyone should read it :)I'm glad you liked Jane Boleyn as I have th..."
How long do books normally take to go from hard to paperback ?? Im hoping to get it for my birthday too ..heheh
Marylou wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Mary Lou wrote: "found an interesting book about medieval flowers called The Medieval Flower Book by Celia Fisher. I haven't read it yet. "What is it about? I have not heard o..."
Haha, I thought the title was a metaphor for women or something.
Colleen wrote: "Flipped through it the other day, it was humorous which was a nice break after reading the Edward VI book:[bookcover:Doomed Queens Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di|276..."
Mary Lou wrote that is a fun book. I feel sorry for the young women who have to marry awful men. I remember there was a prince in Spain who could not eat, only nursed for years as he had such a bad overslunged jaw. How could any father make their daughter marry him.
Politics, MaryLou. Daughters were little more than pawns to draw families together although why did it always work out that the wife to be was a young woman and the husband to be was about 40yrs older?Blech.
Of course there was Cathrine the Great of Russia who was ahead of her time with her boy toys being decades younger than herself; the original cougar!
Jennifer - I still have to read the Children of Henry VIII, dang. Too much going on, but am putting it on my 2010 list, The White Queen - I am hoping to get it from the library for a group read early next year (or December, can't remember which). I am waiting to get it in Trade Paperback cuz the rest of my PG books are that (See the OCD thread.)
Susanna wrote: "Haven't read Weir's Six Wives, but Antonia Fraser's Six Wives of Henry VIII is very good. I'm a fan of Fraser generally, actually.I haven't read The White Queen. Did you read that one, Misfit?"
Mary Lou wrote I so liked Weir's Six Wives. Now I want to know if i should also read Fraser's Six Wives.
Fraser's Six Wives are on my TBR list. I've wanted to read that one for awhile!! I haven't read the White Queen yet. I don't necessarily like PG (except the Boleyn Inheritance, I loved that book!). so if I end up buying it it will be after it goes trade. Children of Henry VIII, honestly, was brilliant!!! I've read it about three times, and every time I can't put it down!!!
Lyn wrote: "Jennifer - I still have to read the Children of Henry VIII, dang. Too much going on, but am putting it on my 2010 list, The White Queen - I am hoping to get it from the library for a group read..."
I have had both of those books on hold for a while Lyn, like I have said before so many books so little time.
Marylou wrote: "Susanna wrote: "Haven't read Weir's Six Wives, but Antonia Fraser's Six Wives of Henry VIII is very good. I'm a fan of Fraser generally, actually.I haven't read The White Queen. Did you read ..."
I am only two chapters into the Antonia Fraiser Six Wives book but it is good, I would reccomned it so far. It's a bit dry but it fills in a lot of the gaps.
I have yet to read an Antonia Fraser biography I haven't liked, to be frank.
Great to know Susanna. I also have that author on my TBR list.
Susanna wrote: "I have yet to read an Antonia Fraser biography I haven't liked, to be frank."Like I said, it isn't a colorful account by any means. I have been stuck on the backstory of wife #1 and while I am interested in knowing all that it's kinda hard to stay focused sometimes.
Jennifer wrote: "Aly, I also loved Children of Henry VIII and I talk about it constantly on these threads. It was amazing and I really think everyone should read it :)I'm glad you liked Jane Boleyn as I have th..."
the Jane Boleyn book was really well done. I wanted to know more about her, particularly the part about her offering evidence against Anne and George Boleyn. Fox really did her research well. Another biography that I'm in the process of reading (very slowly, as I am reading three other books for fun and a bunch more for classes!) is The First Queen of England: The Myth of Bloody Mary. The information is good, but the author sympathizes with Mary so much, I have to put it down for a bit. I've never really liked Mary Tudor as a person, but I decided to give her a chance with this book. So far, I haven't learned anything new, but I'm not that far into it.
I'd like to read a book on Mary but again, I've got to agree with you. Mary's not one of my favorite people but that's why I'd like to read about her. I'd like to see if I can find some sympathy for her.Now Elizabeth on the other hand I adore :)
Colleen, I know where you stand on the wives but not really on the kids. Who is your favorite of the three? Anyone else have a favorite?
Mary Tudor. Hand's down. I know your's is Elizabeth I :)
Out of Henry's kids, Elizabeth wins it for me hands down. The other two were way to dogmatic for me. But out of the four "kids" who reigned immediately after Henry's death, Jane Grey is my favorite.
Even counting Jane, yes Elizabeth is my favorite. I guess it's because while I am sympathetic to poor Jane who didn't deserve anything she got, I am in awe of Elizabeth's intelligence, strength and ability to survive not only the beheading of her mother and the refusal of her tyrannical father to acknowledge her from her but also the reigns of her fanatical tyrants of both her brother and her sister. I also love Robert Dudley so that helps too :)
I do really admire Elizabeth. She was such a strong woman. I absolutely love this about Tudor history, because the amount of outspoken, intelligent, strong women is awesome! And even though men still dominated politics, etc., today when we talk about Tudors, we can't talk about the history without mentioning women! It rocks!!And another cool thing about Elizabeth: her councilors didn't think that a single woman could rule England, and yet, she set everything right and made it better than it had been since the beginning of her father's rule.
Jane was a victim of her rotten, oh so rotten, parents.
Yeah she was. It's unbelievable, especially in this day and age, that someone would be that horrible to their child. It seemed like no matter what she did, she could never measure up to the impossible standards her parents set for her.
Well, she dissapointed them by being born a girl instead of a son; as if that was her fault. Jane Grey's mother is rumored to have been dallying with a servant 17yrs her junior at the time Jane was fumbling at the chopping block. Thanks mom!
I am I am! Heading back outside in a few minutes...
On the kids - Feel sorry for Jane, I shake my head over Mary, Edward was a self-righteous prig, and I find Elizabeth fascinating. And if any of the girls had been boys, just think how differently things might have turned out!
Aly wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Aly, I also loved Children of Henry VIII and I talk about it constantly on these threads. It was amazing and I really think everyone should read it :)I'm glad you liked Jane Bole..."
Aly - I have that book sitting right next to my computer waiting to be read. I put it on hold for the one I just got on Jane Grey.
Hmmm - my favorite of the kids?? Jury is still out for me. Historically it has been Elizabeth, but lately I have been on a Mary kick. Probably because I have read a lot more about Elizabeth. The interesting thing for me is that I really want to read more about Mary, Elizabeth, and Jane (I have a book about each one sitting here waiting to be read. lol), but I am not at all interested in more about Edward at this time.
Yeah, I feel like Edward was a self righteous prig as Susanna puts it!! I don't necessarily feel the need to learn much more about him. I do want to learn more about the people around him, like the Seymour Brothers.
I'm with you all on that one. I enjoyed the book on Edward and think that his reign was overshadowed by that of Henry and Elizabeth and even Mary. Most people don't even know that H had a son! But after reading the book I know don't feel compelled to read more about him, not now anyway... maybe sometime down the road.
The person I am wanting to read more about right now is Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Partly because he married Mary Tudor, but also partly because of my huge crush on Henry Cavill, I am sure.
I've always been a bit captivated by Brandon. I've always thought of him as a very passionate and sexy man although I know nothing of him other than that he defied one of the most powerful men in the world because he was in love with that man's sister. That's what makes me think that of him though I guess. If I knew more about him, I might not feel the same.
After reading Innocent Traitor i really want to read more of Mary Tudor. I bought - The First Queen of England The Myth of "Bloody Mary"
The Tudor Chronicles 1485-1603
The Lady Elizabeth A Novel
Wolf Hall (paper back version)
Kate, I also have The First Queen of England. It's really hard for me to get into. I think its because I'm not a huge Mary I fan, so reading a book on her is not really on my top of priorities. I just got The Lady in the Tower not ten minutes ago in the mail. So that one is going to take precedence over any others right now :)
Aly wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Aly, I also loved Children of Henry VIII and I talk about it constantly on these threads. It was amazing and I really think everyone should read it :)I'm glad you liked Jane Bole..."
Oh I am glad to read someone liked the Fox book on Jane Boleyn. I have it sitting on my shelf to read. It looked really good.
Lyn wrote: "The person I am wanting to read more about right now is Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Partly because he married Mary Tudor, but also partly because of my huge crush on Henry Cavill, I am sure. "I dont know who Henry Cavill is but I think I have seen pictures of Charles Brandon and he was kinda scary looking if I am remembering correctly. I will have to go back now and see if I can find which book it was in.
Look up Henry Cavill Wen. You won't regret it :)
Tudor History Lovers
Books mentioned in this topic
An Inconvenient Wife (other topics)Wolf Hall (other topics)
The King's Curse (other topics)
The Mirror & the Light (other topics)
The Song of the Jade Lily (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Matthew Reilly (other topics)Anna Whitelock (other topics)
Hester W. Chapman (other topics)
Fiona Buckley (other topics)
Peter Ackroyd (other topics)
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Great list Susanna , i just voted