The Boleyn Inheritance

Book Description

THREE WOMEN WHO SHARE ONE FATE: THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE

ANNE OF CLEVES

She runs from her tiny country, her hateful mother, and her abusive brother to a throne whose last three occupants are dead. King Henry VIII, her new husband, instantly dislikes her. Without friends, family, or even an understanding of the language being spoken around her, she must literally save her neck in a court ruled by a deadly game of politics and the terror of an unpredictable and vengeful king. Her Boleyn Inheritance: accusations and false witnesses.

KATHERINE HOWARD

She catches the king's eye within moments of arriving at court, setting in motion the dreadful machine of politics, intrigue, and treason that she does not understand. She only knows that she is beautiful, that men desire her, that she is young and in love -- but not with the diseased old man who made her queen, beds her night after night, and killed her cousin Anne. Her Boleyn Inheritance: the threat of the axe.

JANE ROCHFORD

She is the Boleyn girl whose testimony sent her husband and sister-in-law to their deaths. She is the trusted friend of two threatened queens, the perfectly loyal spy for her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, and a canny survivor in the murderous court of a most dangerous king. Throughout Europe, her name is a byword for malice, jealousy, and twisted lust. Her Boleyn Inheritance: a fortune and a title, in exchange for her soul.

The Boleyn Inheritance is a novel drawn tight as a lute string about a court ruled by the gallows and three women whose positions brought them wealth, admiration, and power as well as deceit, betrayal, and terror. Once again, Philippa Gregory has brought a vanished world to life -- the whisper of a silk skirt on a stone stair, the yellow glow of candlelight illuminating a hastily written note, the murmurs of the crowd gathering on Tower Green below the newly built scaffold. In The Boleyn Inheritance Gregory is at her intelligent and page-turning best.

Customer Reviews:

The Boleyn Inheritance.......2007-10-19

In The Boleyn Inheritance, Phillipa Gregory takes a unique and thoughtful approach in her characterization of these lesser known figures from Henry VIII's throughly examined life. The story is told from the viewpoint of three women all trying to survive in the harsh and unforgiving environment of a tyrannical madman's world. An interesting perspective. The three separately reveal their thoughts, motivations and ambitions during the time following Anne Boleyn's death and leading up to the execution of Henry's fifth wife, Katherine Howard. The author does a very credible job in imagining what must be going through the minds of Anne of Cleves, Jane Boleyn and Katherine Howard while their lives are in Henry's hands. I've read a lot of fiction set in Tudor England as well as nonfiction and I always enjoy Phillipa Gregory's books.

The riddle of the Boleyn Inheritance.......2007-10-10

This book is amazing. If you make yourself the question "What is the Boleyn Inheritance?" The author will give you hints through the book, and you can make some guess of which the answer will be. It is just at the very end of the book, that you will find out the answer, which is a breathtaking surprise.

Reign of terror.......2007-10-06

Having just finished the last page of this book, I'm still feeling rather trembly(if that's a word!) and shaken at the picture of complete horror and terrible fear painted so brilliantly by Philippa Gregory. Poor, Katherine Howard was the 5th wife of the murderous Henry V111, a pretty but vapid child of fifteen and as silly and stupid a 15 year old as one could imagine. The poor ditz of a creature was used by her family, the aristocratic and ruthless Howards, who also produced Queen Anne Boleyn, and manipulated into captivating the King who had deteriorated into a madman with a gross, infected and ulcerated body and who had become a complete megalomaniac. The other part of the story which was more interesting to me, was the story of Anne of Cleves who was Henry's 4th wife but who, through dint of cleverness and good luck, escaped the headman's axe by agreeing to the annulment of her marriage. Not much has been written about Anne but she must go down in history as one of the luckiest women in the world. I found this book to be an excellent read and an absolute page turner to the end.

Captivated by the Tudors.......2007-09-19

Having been fascinated by "The Other Boleyn Girl", I was very much looking forward to "The Boleyn Inheritance" and was not disappointed. A sort of sequel, the latter carries forward a character from the first book, Jane Boleyn, and also includes Henry's fourth and fifth wives, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. The story moves forward through alternating accounts of events by the three women. In my opinion, the author does a good job of capturing each one's spirit and voice. In addition, the story is fairly accurate historically, so provided a starting point for additional research on Henry and his wives.

Not the best, but interesting.......2007-09-16

Definitely preferred The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover. I'm reading Earthly Joys. I didn't think the two Boleyn books tied together that well. But the three narrators were interesting and her take on Anne of Cleves was fascinating. I loved the fleshing out of these forgotten and yet so important historical figures. But Jane Boleyn was tough to believe and understand.

Average customer rating:

Not My Favorite....drawn out and wordy.....going on and on...
Gregory's getting warmer . . .
Not worth reading
A heart-warming and inspiring tale
It was just OK...

The Constant Princess
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743272498

Book Description

"I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known...and I will be Queen of England."

Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents -- the crusading King and Queen of Spain -- have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England.

Set in the rich beauty of Moorish Spain and the glamour of the Tudor court, The Constant Princess presents a woman whose constancy helps her endure betrayal, poverty, and despair, until the inevitable moment when she steps into the role she has prepared for all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English army in their greatest victory against Scotland.

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"I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known...and I will be Queen of England.""

Customer Reviews:

Not My Favorite....drawn out and wordy.....going on and on..........2007-10-17

Many of Phillipa's other books are great but this book was irritating to me. I loved the story line which was very interesting but the book portrays the thoughs of the Princess/Queen which were redundant and annoying. The book could have been half its size if she didn't have the main character repeat herself over and over. The "Virgin Queen" and "The Other Boleyn Girl" are much better.

Gregory's getting warmer . . ........2007-10-14

The first book of Philippa Gregory's that I read was the excellent The Other Boleyn Girl, and it was a double-edged sword, in that got me started on a path to read the rest of her books, but also meant I'd forever compare the rest of her books to it. Like The Boleyn Inheritance, this book suffers in comparison. It has several of the same flaws: it's repetitive, and it's not that well written. For some reason, Gregory chose to include not just third-person narrative passages written in the past tense but also first-person italicized passages from Katherine's point of view that vacillate between the past and present tense. These accounts begin from the time she was five years old, yet the voice remains constantly that of a grown woman. In my opinion, these sections take away more from the story than they add to it, and the book would have been better off if Gregory had incorporated them into the overall narrative. Or perhaps if they'd been better edited, they would have fit in better. Some of the tense shifts really suffer from poor editing and make for confusing reading at times.

Perhaps Gregory's great flaw is a flaw shared by many writers of historical fiction: the novel can only be as good as the story that she has to tell. When history provides only sketchy accounts of an event, Gregory simply cannot be relied upon to fill it in to this reader's satisfaction. This book is marred by her inclusion of an 11th-hour cry for peace in the Middle East that reads as unbelievable and unwieldy in the mouth of a woman whose daughter turned out to be such an infamous religious fanatic, still vilified in popular culture and history books to this very day. Gregory's author's note confirms that this belief is more her idea than Katherine's, and she should have known that it had no place in her book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book because of the way Gregory imagined the romance between Katherine and Arthur, and because she did a wonderful job of building a strong character who carries the book well on her own despite lapses in the writing.

I still haven't managed to strike gold as I did with "The Other Boleyn Girl" but I will keep trying, at least until I finish her Tudor series. Hopefully, I'll discover that she's a great writer, and not just a mediocre one who once managed to capture lightning in a bottle.

Not worth reading.......2007-10-10

I liked the Other Boleyn Girl...and I was intrigued when I found her book about Katherine of Aragon...

...sadly this book is not worth the time. Kathrine charecter comes off as whiney and overall without any depth. Katherine's charecter had little depth. I was very disappointed.

A heart-warming and inspiring tale.......2007-08-30

Like every other Philippa Gregory novel that I have read, "The Constant Princess" is yet another example of how delicious this author writes. This book does not disappoint. A wonderful story that is filled with fun, romance, and inspiration, "The Constant Princess" is about Queen Katharine of England (Henry VIII's first wife.)

The best part of Philippa Gregory's writing (at least what I have read so far) is that her stories are well seasoned with historical facts and characters. While this is an artistic take on historical events, it is still pure enjoyment to devour and I was left with a deep respect for Katharine the real person in addition to Katharine the character in this novel.

The first half of the book is delicious and romantic. My heart was singing and I forgot all about what really happens to our dear heroine because I was so wrapped up in the first part of her story (about her first marriage to Arthur.) Suddenly the story turns from romance to defining why the book is titled "The Constant Princess." Reading about her struggles, her near-misses, and ultimately to see her bring her goal to fruition was what made this a fantastic book.

If you enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl and/or The Boleyn Inheritance, I am positive you will also enjoy this book. Add it to your collection of Philippa Gregory novels today!

It was just OK..........2007-08-29

As someone who thoroughly enjoys historical fiction and the Tudor time period in England I was really excited to pick up this book on Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife.

Gregory, covers Katherine or Catalina's childhood in Spain, her first marriage to Arthur (Henry's older brother), her agonizing wait for 7 years before she became Henry's wife, and then the first few years of marriage.

I thought the first half of the book somewhat interesting up until Arthur dies and she schemes to marry Henry, his younger brother. I also found the first years of Henry and Katherine's marriage somewhat interesting.

However, what takes away from this book in a big way is Gregory's repetitiveness throughout the book (as many others have cited). It really takes away from the progress of the story as you feel you're just stuck reading the same thing over and over again. Then Gregory glosses over Katherine's shining moment as Queen - holding back the Scots, skips 13 years of their reign together (during which Anne Boleyn enters the picture and convinces Henry to marry her) and ends the book abruptly. As the reader you almost get the sense that Gregory just got tired of writing about her because it didn't feel finished and complete.

Overall, this book was just OK.

Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia

Average customer rating:

Outstanding woman, mediocre biography.
This book needed an editor
Insightful Read
Desert Queen: The extraordinary Lief of Gertrude Bell
If Only Washington Leaders Would All Read This Book

Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia
Janet Wallach
Manufacturer: Anchor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400096197
Release Date: 2005-07-12

Amazon.com

A biography of the woman who, indirectly, was the catalyst for many of the troubles in the Middle East, including the Gulf War. In 1918, Gertrude Bell drew the region's proposed boundaries on a piece of tracing paper. Her qualifications for doing so were her extensive travel, her fluency in both Persian and Arabic, and her relationships with sheiks and tribal and religious leaders. She also possessed an ability to understand the subtle and indirect politeness of the culture, something many of her colonialist comrades were oblivious to. As a self-made statesman her sex was an asset, enabling her to bypass the ladder of protocol and dive into the business of building an Empire.

Book Description

Turning away from the privileged world of the "eminent Victorians," Gertrude Bell (1868—1926) explored, mapped, and excavated the world of the Arabs. Recruited by British intelligence during World War I, she played a crucial role in obtaining the loyalty of Arab leaders, and her connections and information provided the brains to match T. E. Lawrence's brawn. After the war, she played a major role in creating the modern Middle East and was, at the time, considered the most powerful woman in the British Empire.

In this masterful biography, Janet Wallach shows us the woman behind these achievements–a woman whose passion and defiant independence were at odds wit the confined and custom-bound England she left behind. Too long eclipsed by Lawrence, Gertrude Bell emerges at last in her own right as a vital player on the stage of modern history, and as a woman whose life was both a heartbreaking story and a grand adventure.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding woman, mediocre biography........2007-08-23

As has been mentioned by others, I too wonder at the literary excesses of this book. "She sensed his profound hunger....". "....her heart pounding, her cheeks burning hot, and as his blue eyes burned with desire, he took her in his arms".
Gertrude Bell, an outstanding woman, deserves a better, a more maturely written biography. Thankfully, they are out there.

This book needed an editor.......2007-08-05

I began to read this book with anticipation. I was a put off by the sort of breathless tone more worthy of a bad romance novel.

About twenty pages in, I was surprised by a reference to the Ottoman Empire expanding since the 13th century from Constantinople. The Ottoman Empire expanded around Constantinople from the 13th to the 15th centuries, until they finally took the city in 1453, and promptly renamed it Istanbul.

I soldiered on, until I was informed that British were fighting Germans in the Boer war in the late 1890s. The Boers, descended from Dutch colonists, would have been surprised to hear themselves described as German.

These two mistakes, obvious to anyone with a decent knowledge of history, ruined my willingness to accept anything else in the book. I put down the book, never knowing if Miss Bell was able to overcome her lost early love.

Gertrude Bell's life seems to be worthy of a good biography. This isn't it.

Insightful Read.......2007-07-04

A book which skilfully interweaves historical facts with the anecdotes and day-to-day life of a woman struggling to find her place in the Middle East.
Was left with a sense of awe from her accomplishments and the beginnings of an inkling as to the political and religious turmoil and troubles of this region based on the history retold by Janet Wallach.

Desert Queen: The extraordinary Lief of Gertrude Bell.......2007-03-09

I only wish George W and Chaney would have read this book before entering into War with Iraq. The history of British rule and their failure to solve the Tribal problems at the establishment of Iraq as a new State after the breakup of the Otterman Empire. This only proves that History can repeat itself.

If Only Washington Leaders Would All Read This Book.......2007-01-23

Yes, I would venture to say that anyone who reads this book as well as Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" would be better qualified to shape US foreign policy in the Middle East than those who are now doing that... When will we ever learn?

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Recommended
A Fool No More
How can I like this more than Philippa Gregory's Boleyn stories??
The Queen's Fool: A novel
WONDERFUL

The Queen's Fool: A Novel
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743246071

Book Description

A young woman caught in the rivalry between Queen Mary and her half sister, Elizabeth, must find her true destiny amid treason, poisonous rivalries, loss of faith, and unrequited love.

It is winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee Spain with her father. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee. Her gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, is priceless in the troubled times

of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up in her own yearnings and desires.

Teeming with vibrant period detail and peopled by characters seamlessly woven into the sweeping tapestry of history, The Queen's Fool is another rich and emotionally resonant gem from this wonderful storyteller.

Customer Reviews:

Recommended.......2007-09-14

This is the first Philippa Gregory novel I've read, and I chose this one because of the slight fantasy of the main character's "sight" that she uses to foretell events. This aspect I would have enjoyed had the author used it more; however, then it would be even more of a fantasy than historical fiction. Regardless, the story held my interest and I liked the characters.

A Fool No More.......2007-08-27

Another drama of the Tudors by Philippa Gregory. I enjoyed this one more than "The Other Boleyn Girl" because the main character had spunk and independence, unusual for a girl in those days. Although a vassal to a Lord with his own agenda, she developed a deep love for Queen Mary and was a loyal friend to her through all her suffering. For the first time, I got a clear picture of the conflict between Mary and Elizabeth before and after the death of their young brother the King. Both made huge mistakes but were strong women to be reckoned with. Hannah serves both but is still her own woman. Very exciting events unfold as the balance of power shifts back and forth between these two woman and their supporters. Adding to the drama is the fact that Hannah and her family are Jews passing as Christians during a time when heretics were burned at the stake.

How can I like this more than Philippa Gregory's Boleyn stories??.......2007-08-07

I don't know how it's possible that I liked "The Queen's Fool" even more than "The Other Boleyn Girl", and "The Boleyn Inheritance" which I loved. I think it's partially the addition of Hannah Green the young jewish girl escaping the Spanish Inquisition and becoming the Queen's Fool, telling the story. Having Hannah tell the story introduces how great an effect all the european countries and their politics have on other European countries.

I am sure it is also the fact that these stories build on each other, with characters whose families and circumstances are already familiar from the book before. I encourage you to read in sequence - and I encourage you to READ these stories and learn some history. Even if it is couched in some fiction, you still learn and this way is so much more fun. My friends are now as hooked as I am -- this many people can't all be wrong.

The Queen's Fool: A novel.......2007-08-02

Intriguing! Great descriptions of the Tudor court in a suspense filled, exciting time in history. Had me hooked.

WONDERFUL.......2007-07-19

Ms. Gregory's The Queen's Fool is as beautifully written as her other historical fiction novels. We continue the story of the Tudor line in England, but instead of being guided through a queen's view or a princess's view, we read through the eyes of Hannah the Fool. Hannah is a wonderful character who grows from an apprentice tomboy to a desirable woman. We pick up the story from Henry VIII's last wife to see his son, Edward IV, on the throne. Edward, ruled through the Duke of Northumberland, dies and the throne is shoved into the hands of Jane Grey (Northumberland's relation). The victory is short-lived, because Mary (Henry VIII's first and only child with Katharine of Aragon) raises an army to fight for her as Queen. Though she wins, it is not long before her sister, Princess Elizabeth (Henry VIII's first and only child with Anne Boleyn), conspires to take the throne. Hannah is thrown in between the half-sisters and must use her Sight as a gift to help both women. The story line is filled with historical fact, tweaked enough to give a well rounded account of The reign of Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I. WONDERFUL!

A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Read!
My history teachers should have read it
Good, Quick Read... but it's not for history scholars
Funny, sad, shocking
Heather's "Courtesans" Review

A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors
Michael Farquhar
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140280243
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Read!.......2007-08-10

This book is great, especially for those who don't have a lot of free time. The chapters are short and juicy! I really learned a lot about history. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

My history teachers should have read it.......2007-08-10

When I learmed history in my school days, the classes of history were very boring.
If my history teachers had read this book, they should have made their classes fun and interesting.
Especially, students are interested in the lives of kings or queens as well as normal people.

Good, Quick Read... but it's not for history scholars.......2007-07-04

To sum up this book quickly: it's good potty reading. In the forward Farquhar explains that he avoids the entire 20th century (with the exception of a few stories about Wallis Simpson). He basically points out that the "scandals" of the 20th century are nothing compared to let's say ordering a small cache of boys to swim naked with you, so they can nip at the treat between your legs. Marrying a divorcee just seems milquetoast in comparison.

Anyhow, it was an enjoyable read. Sad at times, sometimes even disturbing, but for the most part is written with a witty dark humor that will make you laugh at even the most sickeningly, depraved noble. While Farquhar sticks to European royalty for the book, he does include an entire section on Roman Caesars, and early Popes, all of which easily out-deprave the nobles the rest of the book is about.

Each story is short, a sort of Cliff's Notes. This is especially true if you are familiar with some of the stories. For the stories I already knew, his facts were accurate, if a bit summary. This is good, because each tale is bite-sized, making the book good for niblet reading here and there.

The tales Farquhar chooses to tell are sometimes hits, and sometimes misses. I particularly did not see how the detailed accounting of the murder of the Romanov's really fit with some of the other stories, for example.

If you like a good scandal, need some quick reads for here and there, or have a fascination with the excesses that unbridled power brings, this is a book worth checking out.

Funny, sad, shocking.......2007-06-11

I really enjoyed A Treasury of Royal Scandals! It was a fun, fast-paced read. Organized wonderfully and told in sections and chapters, Treasury tells the shocking tales of royalty throughout the ages. From Marie Antoinette's terrible demise, Mary of Scot's botched beheading, Nero's incest, to the tales of popes whose crimes were greater than those of the worst Roman emperors- it's all here! Told in a sometimes sarcastic, very readable way, you will be hooked.

Heather's "Courtesans" Review.......2007-01-19

This is a great book. I read it last year, but I remember how much I enjoyed it. You will learn so much about their lives and about the times they lived in. You will also learn about a woman named Grace Dalrymple Elliot. She was a courtesan who kept a journal. You can look that up yourself. This kind of book opens up the imagination and leads you on and on to the next interesting book. But be warned. As the author states, some biographies were written by people in their inter circles who didn't like them. READ THIS BOOK!

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?

Average customer rating:

Nice history, cutely written and illustrated.
A Bad Guy?!?!
it's fun to read and you learn a lot from it
Historically funny and accurate

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
Jean Fritz
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0698114027

Customer Reviews:

Nice history, cutely written and illustrated........2006-02-17

I bought this book to read with my children (ages 8 and 10). I found the book interesting, and learned a bit about King George's youth. My children thought it wasokay, even though their father was forcing it on them. I even caught my wife sneaking a read.

The writing style is nice and folksy, and the illustrations are charmingly naive. The personal spin it places on the American Revolution, coupled with the emphasis on the British perspective, is a refreshing contrast to some of the more serious books I've read on revolutionary history.

All in all, a nice read.

A Bad Guy?!?!.......2004-10-24

King George is considered to be one of the greatest opponents of the American Revolution. But does anyone ever really hear of his good traits until now. And in a childrens book! Well I know I didn't. And after reading this short story I found that ole George wasn't such a bad guy after all. All he wanted was for Brittain to become, well...richer. Couldn't those colonists help pay for some of his debts. Well maybe, if those colonists actually had any SAY in British matters then they should have to pay taxes. Well I still think he wasn't a BAD guy, he just tried to take the easiest way out.

Tomie DePaola and Jean Fritz-I think-make the perfect team. His comical illustrations with her undefinable text make this book a classic.

Fritz or Freedman '04. You decide.

it's fun to read and you learn a lot from it.......2000-04-16

I learned all kinds of things about King George, Queen Charlotte and others. It really helped me with my research on the Revolutionary war. In this book you get to learn the funny things about King George and things that happened during his time.

Historically funny and accurate.......1999-01-02

Jean Fritz has created many fabulous books for children. "Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?" is one of my favorites. It shows the beginning of the American Revolution from the eyes of King George. The book is humerous and historically correct. Kids and adults will enjoy reading it together!

Average customer rating:

An enjoyable Piece of Fiction
Disappointed from the first sentence to the last sentence
"Fictionalized" is an understatement
Enjoyable fiction
An enjoyable read

The Last Wife of Henry VIII: A Novel
Carolly Erickson
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312352182
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Customer Reviews:

An enjoyable Piece of Fiction.......2007-08-27

I read this book in about 2 days, I enjoyed reading it and couldn't book the book down. It was my first time reading the author and found the novel very entertaining and interesting and highly recommend it to people who enjoy reading FICTION.

Disappointed from the first sentence to the last sentence.......2007-08-16

This book started very weak and ended even weaker. It was a very slow read and never seemed to pick up. I kept hoping page after page that the book would take a turn for the better but it never did. I feel like the story got lost amongst all the long winded descriptions of pointless details. The story jumped around alot and often made little sense. The ending was a huge disappointment. The author never wrapped up her story, she just ended it as abruptly as it began.

"Fictionalized" is an understatement .......2007-08-06

I've been reading Tudor history (including Dr. Erickson's historical biographies)and historical fiction for 35 years, and I would have to call this one of the worst novels about Henry VIII or his wives I've ever read. Katherine Parr's life was dramatic and remarkable in fact, and changing significant details of it did not improve her story. In fact, it cheapens it. I nearly quit reading because of the horrific inaccuracies--or rather deliberate departures from historical fact--but I didn't. Yes, I realize that this is fiction, but please. The only source I can find that Katherine married the younger Edward Borough is Lady Antonia Fraser via Susan E. James. Is it really likely that nearly all historians and genealogists have gotten this wrong for almost five hundred years? I was willing to suspend disbelief and go with that interpretation, but the book just goes downhill from there. The ending was shocking, but not in a good way. Tom Seymour obviously didn't die in a completely fictional attempt to usurp the throne prior to Katherine's death. Again, his life was dramatic enough not to need that kind of fictionalizing. When Katherine's brother Will tells her, "Cat, Tom's gone," I thought "where did he go?" until I realized that she had completely distorted the facts of Tom Seymour's death. It's an easy read, but it's barely historical. Please don't read this novel and think it bears any resemblance to actual Tudor history.

Enjoyable fiction.......2007-07-16

I wonder if the insatiable desire of her readership for all-things-Tudor led Ms. Erickson to coming up with this breezily written albeit entertaining bit of historical fiction (heavy on the "fiction," methinks). It's an easy, contemporary take on the life of Queen Kat Parr that was perfect for keeping me company on a transatlantic flight.

While it may not be her best literary accomplishment, the author's knack for storytelling is evident and put to good use.

An enjoyable read.......2007-05-16

This book was enjoyable. I'd like to give it 3 1/2 stars.

What I liked: This is told from the view of someone who was there for the reign of Henry VIII from start to finish(at least from near the end of the marriage to Catherine of Aragon to the king's death). Katherine Parr emerges as a savvy and observant person throughout. We know this was not the epic, tempestuous romance of Anne Boleyn and Henry Tudor. Katherine Parr seemed more of a helpmeet to Henry VIII than anything else. Her observations are what is entertaining to the reader.

What I didn't like: Some will say this echoes real life, but, she seemed oblivious to the machinations of Thomas Seymour. Buying weapons and recruiting massive armies would raise suspicions not only from Tudor intelligence spies, but anyone. The author portrayed Katherine Parr as innocent to this. I found this hard to believe.

Average customer rating:

After the Death of Henry VIII
By Slanderous Tongues
Okay, but starting to get ridiculous
excellent Elizabethan historical fantasy

By Slanderous Tongues
Mercedes Lackey , and Roberta Gellis
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416521070

Book Description

Great Harry is dead, and England is ruled by a dour Protector for 10-year-old Edward VI¿-a Protector intent on keeping total control over the young king and no friend to Lady Elizabeth because of her brother¿s fondness for her. In the great lens and the dark pool that hold Visions for the FarSeers of the Bright Court and the Dark, the images change and waver. A pale, thin girl sometimes wears a crown and sometimes has no head; King Edward and his Court grow misty as he changes from boy to stripling. But the fires of Mary¿s reign still burn bright as they swallow writhing men, women, and children, and if she ever reigns the red-haired queen brings a burgeoning of art and joy. Elimination of that last possibility for England is Vidal Dhu¿s prime purpose, but he has been forbidden by King Oberon to attack Elizabeth. Though he may not attack her directly, still he hatches schemes within schemes. And if his plan to involve the young princess in a scandal that would render her unfit to rule in the opinion of the Proctor and his Council, he has more twisted plans to eliminate Elizabeth once and for all.

Customer Reviews:

After the Death of Henry VIII.......2007-06-04

By Slanderous Tongues (2007) is the third historical Fantasy in the Scepter'd Isle series, following Ill Met by Moonlight. In the previous volume, Henry VIII died and his death announcement was delayed for two days while Hertford arranged for Edward's crowning. Now Edward has become the King, but actual control lies with Hertford and the Regency Council.

Vidal Dhu learned that Elizabeth had been taken to an Unformed Land near the Unseleighe Lands and he attacked the party. Denoriel held off Vidal, but was losing Power when Oberon appeared and stopped the fighting. Elizabeth irritated Oberon by claiming Denoriel as her own, but Titania appeared and interrupted that conflict. Everybody fled while the Rulers of the sidhe settled their differences.

In this novel, as England mourns for their king, his children are uncertain without his presence. Ten year old Edward is now king and has been taken under the protection of his maternal uncle Edward Seymour, the Earl of Hertford. Mary is now an adult and has her own household. But no one seems to care about fourteen year old Elizabeth. Since her infancy, the King has directed her living arrangements. Now that Henry is gone, she wonders who will take charge of her life.

Her good friend Lord Denno -- Denoriel -- enlists the aid of the Dowager Queen to provide a place for Elizabeth. Catherine eagerly accepts the chance to do something meaningful and asks for permission from the Council to take the youngster into her household. The Council agrees and Catherine invites Elizabeth to live with her.

Denoriel has been Elizabeth's friend for a long time -- in mortal terms -- and is now having lascivious thoughts about her. Since he believes that she would never think of him in a lustful manner, Denoriel tries somewhat unsuccessfully to school his thoughts. Little does he know that Elizabeth is having the same problem about him.

Lady Alana -- Aleneil -- keeps watch over Elizabeth as one of her maids of honor. So does Blanche Parry, a mortal with some ability to sense magic. Both are necessary, because Prince Vidal Dhu of the Dark Sidhe still wants to kill Elizabeth. Even though Oberon has forbidden him, or any other Dark Sidhe, to directly attack the child, Vidal knows that Elizabeth's succession to the throne would lead to a wanting time for the Dark Court.

Rhoslyn -- half-sister to Denoriel and Aleneil -- performs a similar service for Vidal among Lady Mary's household. Yet Rhoslyn is becoming ever more dissatisfied with the Dark Court. Contrary to what she had been told, Rhoslyn has found that the energy that feeds the Bright Court can also sustain her. But she doubts that her brother Pasgen would leave the Dark Court with her, so she continues to follow Vidal's orders, if not quite as he would have preferred.

Pasgen discovers that the mists in one area of the Chaos Lands have developed sentience. Apparently the mists were awakened by Elizabeth's request for assistance and then provided a lion to attack her enemies. Now these mists are inhabited by vaguely humanoid shapes: one with red hair like Elizabeth and the other with gold hair like Denoriel. The mists welcome Pasgen and even solicit his return, but he is afraid of their potential.

Harry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, finds a calling in Underhill. The Sidhe domains of Alhambra and El Dorado have been cursed by the Spanish Inquisition and are now infested with the Great Evil and minor malignities. He has been enticing older Sidhe back from the Dreaming to fight against these malevolent forces.

In this story, Denoriel meets Thomas Seymour in Queen Catherine's home and notes that the man is very welcome there. Yet Thomas is a man of lusty desires and selfish concerns. He wants to marry either Elizabeth or Mary to gain political power. Mary has little use for him, but Elizabeth is too naive (and devoted to Catherine) to plainly state her objections to his unwelcome attentions.

Vidal nurtures various plots to increase hostilities in the British Isles and to remove Elizabeth from the succession. He urges the Scots to continue their raids across the border and to repel offers for political settlements. He also encourages the followers of the old religion to instigate slanders against Elizabeth.

Denoriel is kept busy defending himself from personal attacks and trying to protect Elizabeth from political ploys. Even Rhoslyn and Pasgen become involved in defending Elizabeth and Denoriel. Their efforts lead to Denoriel becoming less averse to peaceful relations with his Dark Court siblings.

This story continues the fantastic explanations of English history leading up to the Elizabethan Age. Of course, all the magical effects are hidden from history, but much happens beyond mortal kenning! This volume leaves plenty of unexplored history for sequels.

Highly recommended for Lackey and Gellis fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical adventures, Unseleighe plotting and Underhill romances.

-Arthur W. Jordin

By Slanderous Tongues.......2007-06-02

As ever, Mercedes Lackey always entertaining. This is a fun series and am looking forward to the next.

Okay, but starting to get ridiculous.......2007-02-12

I really liked this series when it started out, since I was fans of Lackey's Serrated Edge series and I also like historical fiction with twists. The Guardian Sidhe plot line combined with the era of the Tudors seemed like an excellent idea. However, sorry to say, the believability of the novels seem to have gone downhill since This Sceptr'd Isle. In Isle and in Ill Met By Moonlight, Denoriel and Aleniel are presented as trusted friends, protectors, and advisors. Denoriel, especially, is shown to be a father-figure to both Harry and Elizabeth. Makes sense, since he is after all, centuries older, wiser, and is possessed of the Sidhe's love for children.
Which is why I was shocked when Lackey and Gellis decided to present him as Elizabeth's lover, of all things. To me, this just doesn't work. It's absurd to have a man, or elf if you prefer, go from raising a child to suddenly seeing that same child as a potential love interest. Yes, I know Denoriel is unbelievably hot and sexy, but STILL. And the reasoning given, that in order to protect Elizabeth from being attracted to Thomas Seymour, she needs another lover to distract her, and Denoriel is conveniently available and can't get her pregnant, plus she has stirrings of puppy-love for him . . .no this is just ridiculous. They would have done better to go with the original historical line that Elizabeth disliked Thomas Seymour since she saw him only as a stepfather, with Denoriel protecting her the way a father or brother would have. The teenage Elizabeth, from all the biographies, was not the type to have casual affairs with men at ANY age, she valued her autonomy too greatly and she knew that once a man gets a woman in bed, back then it was seen as a powerplay, which was why she always avoided such things. Also she hated marriage because of the dangers it presented to a woman, witness her mother and Henry VIII, because it gave total control to the man. Saying she would never marry because she could have her Sidhe lover and thus never miss out on sex or have to worry about commitment doesn't fit the image of Elizabeth that I know. And what about Robert Dudley, Elizabeth's great unrequited love? He barely gets a mention, Elizabeth is so preoccupied with Denno. Unless they're going to bring him up in the next book and say that the reason Elizabeth was able to resist him for so many years was because she loved Denoriel. Spare me! All in all the whole Elizabeth-Denno affair seemed tawdry and cheap to me instead of tender and loving. It would have made better sense for him to have fallen in love with Elizabeth once she was queen and Dudley had married her cousin Lettice, then she would have been looking at him as a woman who has known love and loss, not as a starry-eyed adolescent. I felt it also diminished the very real danger Seymour's advances caused her reputation, since there was no chance she might respond to them and jeopardize herself, the way there was in actual history. It would have been better if there HAD been a chance, then the book would have had some tension and Denoriel would have been tested as to how he could protect his charge without revealing himself and the whole scene of questioning at the end would have been a lot more dramatic. Yes, i know this is alternative history, but I think Lackey did a much better job with her other series, alternate Venice in Shadow of the Lion and This Rough Magic.

excellent Elizabethan historical fantasy .......2007-02-07

The prophecy is clear that Princess Elizabeth will eventually sit on the throne bringing an enlightened period to the mortals. The fairy realm remains divided as it has for several years over the now fourteen year old offspring of the late King Henry VIII who is being hounded eternally by a gaggle of executed spouses. The dark Unseleighe Sidhe Prince Vidal Dhu believes that preventing Elizabeth's ascension will mean a return to their glorious Dark Ages filled with horror and misdeeds that fueled these malevolent elves.

However, to achieve his side's darkest objective of insuring Elizabeth's fall from grace, they must remove preferably by death her overly protective guardians, the traitorous Seleighe twin elves, Lord Denoriel and Lady Aleneil. Dhu assigns the elimination of the Princess' protectors to twins Rhoslyn and Pasgen; if anyone can get at Denoriel and Aleneil it is their Dark elven half-siblings. With them removed from the scene the prophecy will fail as Elizabeth will surely find a spouse or some way to alienate her half-siblings the recently crowned boy King Edward VI and the heir their older half sister Princess Mary.

The third Scepter'd Isle Elizabethan historical fantasy (see ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT and THIS SCEPTER'D ISLE) is an excellent blending of mid sixteenth century English royal history and a fantasy thriller. The stakes are high as the rival elven groups battle not only for their future but that of the humans. The key players from the mortal and paranormal realms seem genuine including the target Princess Elizabeth due to the mixing of real events and known facts of her young teen years into the story line. Fans will cherish this top quality collaboration between two distinguished authors from differing genres who prove that adding one and one can surpass two when greatness join forces.

Harriet Klausner

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries)

Average customer rating:

A Forgotten Princess, A Queen Remembered
Red Rose of the House of Tudor
Ok Book
My review
A great book for those who love English history

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries)
Kathryn Lasky
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0590684841

Amazon.com

"Do you know who I am? I shall tell you. I am Elizabeth, Princess of England, daughter of Henry VIII and his wife Anne Boleyn. I am eleven years old. My mother, once Queen, is now dead. Almost eight years ago, when I was not yet three, Father chopped off her head."

Daughter of a fallen queen, young Princess Elizabeth lives a complicated and dangerous life. She fears her father's famous temper but loves him dearly, noting that she would trade all her jewels just to be noticed by him. She also loves her brother Edward, heir to the English throne, but doesn't like her older sister Mary, who torments her and conspires against her. Kat, her governess, is so worried for Elizabeth's life that she spends hours checking their room for poison whenever they move to a new palace. Court intrigues swirl around her, the French are threatening an invasion, and Kat is clamoring for her to have another bath--that makes nearly six in three months! Through Elizabeth's diary, author Kathryn Lasky brings the Tudor world to life: glittering banquets of peacock, eel, and swan; palaces so stinky that "everyone goes about with their noses buried in pomander balls to hide the stench"; archery contests, where Elizabeth excels; and Latin and logic lessons... where she needs a little work. Some of the history is slightly flawed (a misplaced date or two), but readers will enjoy the great detail as they learn about the childhood of one of England's greatest monarchs. An epilogue, with Tudor family trees, paintings, and background information enhances this already excellent and entertaining book. (Ages 10 and older) --Sunny Delaney

Book Description

N/A

Customer Reviews:

A Forgotten Princess, A Queen Remembered.......2007-04-02

This book provides a unique look at what life may have been like for Elizabeth long before she was queen. It's easy for historical figures like Elizabeth to become so much larger than life that we forget they were real people, once. Elizabeth I recreates the emotions and thoughts of an adolescent girl in a way that shows that even a princess feels the universal emotions of loneliness, fear, and doubt.

Elizabeth I addresses two themes especially well: a daughter's longing for her father's affection, and a keen political mind's awareness of what it takes to be a successful ruler. Despite the fact that he had her mother beheaded, Elizabeth still loves her father and lives for the moments when he shows her favor. She is also an astute observer of the goings on in the world of royals and nobility, and early on comes to the realization that if she should become Queen, she must remain unmarried to retain her rule.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves diaries and memoirs and takes an interest in the intricacies of queendom.

Red Rose of the House of Tudor.......2007-03-27

This is one of the first in the Royal Diary series that I have read and It is by far my favorite. It gives a great insight in to palace life and into the life of a teenager. It is a great read for all Princess. This book also includes historical facts and pictures about Elizibeth the 1st and her family. I recomend this book for anyone who likes princess, drama and historical fiction. This is one of my favorites in an intriuging and educational series

Ok Book.......2007-03-06

I really like to read books about people and what happened in their life. I have read alot of diaries from different people in different time periods. I found as I was reading that this book starts out medium exciting. In the middle of the book it gets boring and I just felt like starting over on a different book, but by the end of the book I just didn't want to put it down. I really didn't know anything about Elizabeth 1 but after reading this book I would be able to tell you good, bad, and interesting things that happened to her. I found as I read the book that she is like me in many ways. She likes to be outside on sunny days, be around people, be adventurous and free, and she loves animals. It made it easier to read the book because I could look for more ways she was alike me. Even though there were many interesting things that happened in this book I wouldn't recomend this book to a friend. I wasn't really excited to read the book and I went really slow through it.

My review .......2007-02-25

I loved this book it made me relize that the world has changed alot from 1544to now (2007). The best part was that I felt like i was the one going through all the trials and challanges , That Elzibeth went through .

A great book for those who love English history.......2006-11-20

Having taken English History in a British school many years ago, I found this book to be very enlightening in reference to this period of time. This book gives a great insight into the formation of the Elizabethian period.

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