The Six Wives of Henry VIII
by Alison Weir
|
List Price: Our Price: $8.67 You Save: $8.28 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $1.25 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Book Review: most informative.
Summary: 5 Stars
My decision to read this book stemmed from a desire to get the feel of England at a most influential and diabolical time in its history. Italian Renaissance has always captivated my interest with its stories, inventions, and literature. But upon the anticipation of a recent trip to England, I thought it necessary to brush up on my English history.
This book was compelling from the start. It rules out all ridiculous American myths you might have heard about the King Henry who cared only for himself, and little for his religion or his country. The opposite is quite true. Weir leads you into the heart of Henry's place in Tudor history, and holds you there for well over 500 pages.
Weir personalizes the wives. They had histories before the king, and some, despite misconceived notions, continued to have pleasant lives beyond the king. I would recommend this book to anyone who is just beginning a love for England's history or to the most professed scholar on the subject. You will find yourself falling in love with these characters, and wishing more was to come.
Book Review: Absorbing is right...
Summary: 5 Stars
Overview:
Many books have been written about Henry VIII and his infamous marriages, but Alison Weir takes us back to the facts, guiding us through the events that led these women into the arms of this powerful man.
Beginning with Katherine of Aragon and ending with Catherine Parr, Weir expertly answers the Who, What, Where, How, and, most importantly, Why questions that form the real stories of these incredible women.
Review:
Wow! I usually abstain from non-fiction historical books, preferring instead to read historical fiction novels which reflect the importance of the story over dry, dull facts. But, this book was soo interesting that I felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a fairly large book. I just could not put it down!
Go ahead with those Philippa Gregory, Margaret George, and Jean Plaidy books but, to truly understand and appreciate the lives of Henry the VIII's marriage partners, you must absolutely pick up this book. Highly recommended!
Book Review: Henry the VIII was a romantic
Summary: 5 Stars
Whenever I heard the name Henry the VIII, I thought of a fat, disgusting, misogynistic male. Margaret George, whose writing I never tired of reading in all 936 pages, justifies all his murderous acts and portrays him as a man who was never really loved. He was raised to be a priest, jealous of his older brother who was initially intended for the thrown. His first wife was not his "true wife" as she had been married to his brother. His second wife was a witch, the third died in childbirth, the fourth a horse of a woman, the fifth a loose woman, the sixth a saint who outlived him. All his wives were younger and virgins, or at least he thought. Only his first and fourth wife were of royal blood.
The story of Henry's children would make an excellent sequel for Margaret George, if she has not already written about them. What a troubled childhood with no mothers, at least not for long, and a father who did not prioritize them, if he recognized them much at all.
Not the story of a happy household.
Book Review: Absorbing and fascinating!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is perhaps one of the finest biographies of the women who shared their lives with one of the most powerful and fascinating monarchs to have ruled England. Weir devotes the utmost care to each of the six wives of Henry VIII, telling their stories with compassion and giving each an individual voice. Most of the energy of this book is clearly directed on Henry's first two marriages, first to Katherine of Aragon and the divorce that helped to create the Church of England, and his stormy second union with Anne Boleyn, mother of the Great Elizabeth, chronicling her astronomical rise in power and her spectacular fall from grace. Powerful and masterfully written, Weir recreates the fantastical Tudor court and sweeps the reader into this realm effortlessly. Immensely readable and absorbing, this is Alison Weir at her very best. Extremely well researched, I would recommend this book to anyone who is the least bit curious about 16th century society as viewed through the eyes of 6 of the most important women of their time.Book Review: An excellent read. . .
Summary: 5 Stars
Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII is quite possibly one of most engaging books I've read dealing with Tudor history. I'm no expert on the Tudor period, but I know enough to realize that Weir did her fair share of research. In the past I had mainly concentrated on reading about Anne Boleyn(she being the most famous of Henry's wives), and had not taken the time to study the other wives. This book endeared me very much to Catherine of Aragon and Kathryn Howard; it was an excellent experience.
Weir's text is written in such a way that it can be understood by someone who is a beginner in Tudor history, thus making it very accessible in a way that other writers sometimes are not. For instance, David Starkey's text on Henry's six wives is an excellent source of information, but I find his writing style a bit stuffy(no offense to any Starkey fans).
I highly recommend this book to anyone. Read it--you don't know what you're missing!