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Summary:
The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves, a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard, an empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr, a warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time.
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
excellent book!
Customer Rating:
This book was not only entertaining, but extremely educational as well. The author does an absolutely brilliant job of pulling the reader in and making one feel as though they personally know each character and are right there as the past unfolds. I highly recommend this book!
Fantastic Work..
Customer Rating:
Very illustrative and insightful. I am looking forward to reading Weir's Life of Elizabeth I that I just ordered today.
Well worth reading!
Customer Rating:
Excellent account of the times. Makes you appreciate the often precarious positions these vulnerable and ambitious women were in!
Wouldn't Want to Be Them!
Customer Rating:
I found this book enlightening, easy-to-read, and quick to finish. It starts off with Henry as quite the affable young man, and even handsome. He is a catch for any lady, especially Princess Catherine, his first wife, but all of that changes as the years progress and he becomes more and more paranoid. In fact, as the book went on I found myself wondering why no one ever tried to assassinate him. He was a threat to powerful nobles, to his wives, to former friends... I felt terribly sorry for all of his wives, but especially Catherine.
Very hard to read
Customer Rating:
If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory, like myself, and you relish in the scandals and dramatics of King Henry VIII's Court, this may not be the book for you. This reads a lot more like a history textbook. Not exactly salacious or trashy. Just provides a lot of background and facts about this period of time. I just couldn't stay engrossed. I guess I need the fictionalized version, no matter how accurate it may be. Not exactly a short casual read by any means.
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