The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
Henry was a charismatic, ardent - and brash - young lover who married six times; a scholar with a deep love of poetry and music; an energetic hunter who loved the outdoors; a monarch whose lack of a male heir haunted him incessantly; and a ruthless leader who would stop at nothing to achieve his desires. His monumental decision to split from Rome and the Catholic Church was one that would forever shape the religious and political landscape of Britain.
Combining magnificent storytelling with an extraordinary grasp of the pleasures and perils of power, Margaret George delivers a vivid portrait of Henry VIII and Tudor England and the powerhouse of players on its stage: Thomas Cromwell, Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. It is also a narrative told from an original perspective: Margaret George writes from the King's point of view, injecting irreverent comments from Will Somers - Henry's jester and confidant.
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 Henrys daughter, Mary, and the late kings 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
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
"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.
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
This has to be the best way to learn about history - read a fictional account of a particular subject. This makes things interesting and educational.932 pages - you have everything you could want to know about Henry VIII and what drove him to make the well known decisions. He comes out of this book with many merits. He may have made mistakes but everything he did, he did for the right reason.500 pages in and we are still on Katherine of Aragon. But then again, he was married to her for 20 odd
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
Margaret George
Paperback | Pages: 939 pages Rating: 4.26 | 25212 Users | 941 Reviews
Declare Epithetical Books The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
Title | : | The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers |
Author | : | Margaret George |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | First Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 939 pages |
Published | : | September 15th 1998 by Griffin (first published September 1st 1986) |
Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. English History. Tudor Period |
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This is the story of England's most famous, and notorious, king.Henry was a charismatic, ardent - and brash - young lover who married six times; a scholar with a deep love of poetry and music; an energetic hunter who loved the outdoors; a monarch whose lack of a male heir haunted him incessantly; and a ruthless leader who would stop at nothing to achieve his desires. His monumental decision to split from Rome and the Catholic Church was one that would forever shape the religious and political landscape of Britain.
Combining magnificent storytelling with an extraordinary grasp of the pleasures and perils of power, Margaret George delivers a vivid portrait of Henry VIII and Tudor England and the powerhouse of players on its stage: Thomas Cromwell, Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. It is also a narrative told from an original perspective: Margaret George writes from the King's point of view, injecting irreverent comments from Will Somers - Henry's jester and confidant.
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Original Title: | The Autobiography of Henry VIII. With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers |
ISBN: | 0312194390 (ISBN13: 9780312194390) |
Edition Language: | English |
Characters: | Will Somers, Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, Catherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour, Catherine Howard, Elizabeth of York, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII of England, Mary I of England |
Setting: | United Kingdom |
Literary Awards: | Banta Award (1987) |
Rating Epithetical Books The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
Ratings: 4.26 From 25212 Users | 941 ReviewsCritique Epithetical Books The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
A marvelous story of the king and history of his entire life by Margaret George. A fictional account narrated by his fool Will Somers. This book is so well researched, it is literally a learning experience. He was initially meant for the church as the second son of Elizabeth and Henry the seventh.The book includes all his wives. It is not a romance, but a fascinating account of the life of Henry. Supposedly written by Henry's fool, or entertainer.The research in this book is astounding. MargaretTo 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 Henrys daughter, Mary, and the late kings 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
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
"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.
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
This has to be the best way to learn about history - read a fictional account of a particular subject. This makes things interesting and educational.932 pages - you have everything you could want to know about Henry VIII and what drove him to make the well known decisions. He comes out of this book with many merits. He may have made mistakes but everything he did, he did for the right reason.500 pages in and we are still on Katherine of Aragon. But then again, he was married to her for 20 odd
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
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