Tudor History Lovers discussion

I was surfing Amazon and noticed this book:

Anyone read this, which was just published in 2009? I'm wondering if Loades has anything new to say on the subject.

In one of the other threads, I think someone mentioned this book. I can't remember if it was Suzanne or Misfit?

Probably Misfit; I haven't read it yet. (I have just managed to read Starkey's first volume -- I'm on Tudor overload right now and looking covetously at Jenny Uglow's just-published bio of Charles II in the bookshop as an antidote, and pondering ordering the bio of Edward I...

Lyn M wrote: "In one of the other threads, I think someone mentioned this book. I can't remember if it was Suzanne or Misfit? "

Not me.

I did find this blog review of the book:

http://reviews.theanneboleynfiles.com...

I thought someone mentioned it, but maybe I confused it with Starkey? Sorry guys.

I haven't read it but seriously... do you think some of these authors could stop giving their books the exact same title? It's getting a little confusing with Weir, Fraser, Starkey and Loades!

Has anyone read "Mistress Shakespeare" by Karen Harper? I'm just starting it.

I haven't "Mistress Shakespeare", but I have read her new Tudor novel "The Queen's Governess". She seems to have thoroughly researched this book.

I think I have that, but I'll have to double check. Guess I'll have to push it up the list. It wasn't a huge book though so it should go quick when I do get to it.

I have both of them on my TBR, but probably won't get to them for a while.

Has anybody read "The Boleyn Wife" by Brandy Purdy?
I believe that it was also released as "Vengeance is Mine" a few years back.

Angela wrote: "Has anybody read "The Boleyn Wife" by Brandy Purdy?
I believe that it was also released as "Vengeance is Mine" a few years back."

I've read the original version. I wasn't all that impressed, and the first person narrative had Jane scurrying every where and hiding in cupboards and peeking in keyholes to witness all those sexual encounters. Supposedly it's been edited and polished up.

Just finished reading Loades Six Wives and think it does add to the other books about Henry's six wives. I found Loades to be an enjoyable author to read (I think that means easy for me!)

O cool, Marylou!! I was wondering how that book was. I've been debating about ordering it or not.

I think its on my to read list, how is it if anyone has read it?

I finally picked up the Loades book (The Six Wives of Henry VIII) at the library. It looks quite readable--looking forward to getting into it.

It seems a lot shorter than the other books about the wives.

Has anyone read The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory? I just finished it and I have to say... I don't have enough knowledge to comment on its historical accuracy (or lack thereof as the case may be) but as far as fiction books go, this was fun for me to read! (I type that and wonder if I'll get laughed at :)

I liked that it was told in the voices of three different women, and it included two women who interest me (Jane Boleyn and Anne of Cleves). I feel like the portrayal of Kitty Howard was nicer than the Diane Haeger book and for once Anne wasn't portrayed as a woman who was slovenly and stinky!

Again - not sure of the accuracy but it was quite enjoyable!

Paula wrote: "Has anyone read The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory? I just finished it and I have to say... I don't have enough knowledge to comment on its historical accuracy (or lack thereof..."

I read it a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I thought she did a very good job with Katherine Howard in particular.

I read it as well. I enjoyed it and I can say it has some accuracies but after reading "The Other Boelyn Girl", I wouldn't count on it being all that accurate. i did look up Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard and what I did find on the historical part was correct more than the "Other Boelyn Girl"

Angela wrote: "Has anybody read "The Boleyn Wife" by Brandy Purdy?
I believe that it was also released as "Vengeance is Mine" a few years back."

I am nearly finished reading The Boleyn Wife. It is OK but will certainly not be on my all time fav book lists. Parts are interesting since they are from Jane Bs point of view of things BUT there just is too much about her being sexually deprived by George and her peeping in keyholes and hiding in bushes or behind things and such for it to be considered a Very good book by me.

The Boleyn Inheritance I really enjoyed as a novel (probably right behind Earthly Joys in the Philippa Gregory books I've read).

Wen wrote: "Angela wrote: "Has anybody read "The Boleyn Wife" by Brandy Purdy?
I believe that it was also released as "Vengeance is Mine" a few years back."

I am nearly finished reading The Boleyn Wife. It..."

OK finished the Boleyn Wife last night and it took more of a nose dive in the last 3rd of the book. I actually finished it because I kept hoping there would be some redeaming quality at the end but I was disappointed. It got racer as it went along and had less and less substance. The parts on Kat Howard are beyond wild and I found I started to skim all the sections that went on and on and on about her sexual depravity.

Wen wrote: "Wen wrote: "Angela wrote: "Has anybody read "The Boleyn Wife" by Brandy Purdy?
I believe that it was also released as "Vengeance is Mine" a few years back."

I am nearly finished reading The Bol..."

Thanks for the replies. I found that the book was okay in the beginning then it fell down the rabbit hole so to speak. Although I do think Jane must have been a little on the insane side of life, I found this version of her to be rather annoying. While some bits and bobs from the book were historically accurate, I found that the author chose to add her own version of the events as the book progressed. I don’t believe that I would add it to my favorite list.

Marylou: Loades has also written about Mary Tudor - which I really enjoyed. A very fair biography.

I just got Leanda de Lisle's After Elizabeth: The Rise of James of Scotland and the Struggle for the Throne of England out of the library. Anyone read it?

i have perused this book (After Elizabeth...) several times in the bookstore but have not yet ponied up the dough to purchase it. i'm also interested to hear if anybody has read it and what they thought.

I picked up "After Elizabeth" awhile ago (found it cheap in a used book store) but haven't read it yet. Would also be interested in hearing what someone thinks about it.

I am enjoying it so far. She suggests, among other things, that James I/VI had both cerebral palsy and ADD.

Hello -

Did anyone read "Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens" by Jane Dunn? Any comments?

i've purchased Elizabeth and Mary; Cousins, Rivals, Queens, but have yet to read it. (the sigh is because this is true of so many books.) i've been working on Mary: The Spanish Tudor for weeks (complicated by a vision problem and the very small print in the book) and am starting to dismay of ever finishing it. but i'm so ... um, "structured" that i won't allow myself to go on to another tudor book until i finish it. i will definitely comment on it when i do read it. and i'm also looking forward to comments from others.

Naomi, I have visual problems. Do you have a magnify glass? I use my magnify glass sometimes or you can request books in large print from your library.

i've purchased Elizabeth and Mary; Cousins, Rivals, Queens, but have yet to read it. (the sigh is because this is true of so many books.)

LOL I'm right there with you Naomi! I too picked up that book, but have yet to read it, it joined the rest of the books that look so interesting in my tbr stack :)

I was relatively happy with Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens... it was an interesting read. I can't remember right off the top of my head if I wrote a review or it or not. Now I have class in addition to work, so my reading has been slowed dramatically... so Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir has to wait until I find the time for it. Meh.

Heather, Weir's Six Wives is such a good book!! I know it's hefty, but it actually goes by pretty quickly. I felt it dragged a little when it came to KoA, but that could be because there wasn't as much drama going on around that time LOL

Good to hear! I'm always a sucker for a long book. I like things that keep me busy for more than two days. Oh, the things I do to sate my reading addiction... I got it for $5 at Half Price Books, and it's always exciting to get a good read for CHEAP.

Heck yes it is!!! Cheap books rock!! Today was free book day at the library on campus and I snagged a couple books on British Literature History. I'm pretty excited about it!

Jayme wrote: "Naomi, I have visual problems. Do you have a magnify glass? I use my magnify glass sometimes or you can request books in large print from your library."

thanks for the suggestion. i'm hoping that the problem is temporary. i scratched my cornea and until it heals i'm wearing a soft lens that doesn't correct my vision adequately. when my eye is better i should be a-okay.

hopefully everything will go well Naomi :)

I went on a Tudor Book Shopping Spree, and found loads of Tudor Books. Many of the titles I found were on my TBR list although I stumbled upon The Other Tudors by Philippa Jones, and was wondering if anyone had read the book?

Paula wrote: "Has anyone read The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory? I just finished it and I have to say... I don't have enough knowledge to comment on its historical accuracy (or lack thereof..."

I loved this book! It was interesting to see the events told from different viewpoints and I find Jane in particular fascinating! Haven't read enough non fiction to compare the events but loved the storytelling!

I read The Boelyn Inheritance and I looked stuff up on wikipedia after I read it. You have to take historical fiction with a grain of salt especially Phillipa Gregory. If you haven't yet, I suggest reading The Other Boelyn Girl because that goes with The Boelyn Inheritance. It makes sense if you read them together.

chucklesthescot wrote: "Paula wrote: "Has anyone read The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory? I just finished it and I have to say... I don't have enough knowledge to comment on its historical accuracy (o..."

I know PG is really bad with accurancy, but TBI is going to always be one of my favorite Tudor novels. Her portrayal of Katherine Howard is just.. genius to me.

I agree with you annie re PG's portrayal of KH. TBI is definitely one of my favorite books. It had soooo much more depth than TOBG.

Her facts may not be 100% accurate but she really made Kitty Howard come alive for me, and I looove finding that in a novel.

That book was what got me into Katherine Howard. I think she made her come alive too. That's important to me in a good book!!

Angela wrote: "I went on a Tudor Book Shopping Spree, and found loads of Tudor Books. Many of the titles I found were on my TBR list although I stumbled upon The Other Tudors by Philippa Jones, and was wondering..."

I haven't done more than glance through it. I see she's got a new one out:

Elizabeth I: Virgin Queen?

I've never heard of this Philippa Jones. Has anyone read her other one, The Other Tudors: Henry VIII's Mistresses and Bastards?

Susanna wrote: "I've never heard of this Philippa Jones. Has anyone read her other one, The Other Tudors: Henry VIII's Mistresses and Bastards?"

I haven't read it, but I've heard that some (a lot?) of it is equivalent to high level gossip based on rumour, which makes for an amusing read if nothing else. It's on my Wishlist because I mostly can't resist any Tudor book, but a long way down because even though it's supposed to be a fun read it's accuracy is not to be trusted.

If someone has read it and found it differed from what I heard, I'm happy to stand corrected :-).