The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Very interesting and thorough. Thorough parts might be fascinating for a scholar, too detailed for an easy read.

The incredible amount of research that went into this daunting volume is impressive, as is the way in which the author fits together the pieces of the story without excessive speculation or forays into into the realm of fiction and fantasy. The work is based upon an array of credible sources and rooted in fact, which is the way I prefer my history lessons served up. That said, I think it could have been an even more compelling read had some of the intricate and occasionally excessive details been left out. Much ink is spilled, particularly in the early chapters on Katherine of Aragon, on describing virtually every pageant, masque, ball or feast the royal couple attended or presided over. Outfits worn and portraits painted are described at some length, and as they are presented in more or less the same order for each wife, tend to give the book a plodding and predictable feel. For this reason I tend to agree with the Kirkus review on the perspective that facts can feel "piled on" . Oddly, Weir sees fit to include irrelevant, extraneous and ill placed details on the conditions of the corpses of Henry VIII (which is interjected at the end of the chapter on Jane Seymour, making it feel particularly out of place) and that of Katherine Parr, along with Anne Boylen's facial expressions after decapitation. One wonders what such facts lend to the overall story. Macabre details aside, the one thing I objected most to was a statement by Weir that the King's refusal to acknowledge Mary Boylen's son as his child should be taken as "conclusive proof" that Henry VIII was not his father. I almost tossed the book down at that point. Though it may be likely that the assumption is correct, given that he had no problem acknowledging his bastard son by another mistress and would have perhaps been all too pleased to once again demonstrate that he was capable of fathering a healthy son, I think most scholars would refrain from calling this conclusive evidence. A few other minor annoyances... there is occasionally a noticeable, sloppy repetition of facts in some sections, while in others Weir neglects to provide the reinforcement we need -- particularly in sorting out the identities of a confusing parade of Dukes, Duchesses, Earls or Ladies mentioned in passing in early chapters and then reintroduced later on without further hints as to their identity. Examples - we are told that the Privy Council kept the young King Edward VI short on funds at least three or four times within a few pages of each other; earlier, when Henry suspects Anne may have been responsible for death of the Duke of Richmond, there's a question on the readers mind as to who that is since it is only mentioned once considerably before this section that this was the title given to King's illegimiate son by an early mistress. A more thorough editing job should have eradicated these somewhat annoying yet minor issues. Last and most disappointing, the book fades out on a decidedly weak note with the details of the funeral of the one last surviving wife, and arguably the least interesting, Anne of Cleves. A mixed bag of engaging character development interspersed with suspenseful episodes and monotonous detail, the book is a must read for those who desire a highly detailed accounting of the lives of Henry VIII's wives. Though I have not read M. Loades book on the same subject, having skimmed a bit of it I would suggest this as an alternative to those who appreciate a much faster pace, written by a recognized expert on the subject who has spared much of what some might consider frivoulous details.

Not sure why but I have been fascinated by this man since before the show about him. Is incredible how much he changed history.

The first time I became aware of the Tudors was when I was in second grade and found in my school library a fiction children's book, written in the format of diary entries, and was purported as the childhood diary of King Henry VIII youngest daughter, Elizabeth. Being a seven year old little girl, I was fascinated by all things pertaining to royalty, especially that of the life of a Princess. I checked the book out and started reading it as soon as I got home. I finished it within a week and from that point on, the craving of knowledge of all things pertaining to England's monarchy, especially the Tudors, was planted in my head. That seed lay dormant in my subconscious for 14 years when, one night as I was watching TV, I saw a preview for a new show that was to premier on ShowTime a few months later. That show was The Tudors. After watching The Tudors from beginning to end, my interest in this most famous royal dynasty was reawakened, and I started researching and reading online everything I could find about them. Thus I came upon a plethora of non-fiction literature about them and I chose this book, Alison Weir's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", to be my first to introduce me to this genre of literature...and this book did not disappoint. If you're as interested in the Tudor family as I am I highly recommend this book. It's a lengthy book but very much worth it to read. Weir presents the facts of these women's lives and her exhaustive research to tell the truth about them shows and, thankfully, the book flows smoothly as if reading a story instead of just being pages upon pages of facts presented in a boring essay format. This style of writing is what pulled me in at page 1 and kept me interested until the very last word; so interested, in fact, I regretted every time I had to put it down. I now look forward to reading more of Alison Weir's books about the Tudors, as well as other author's works about them. If you decide to read this book, you won't regret it.

The six wives of Henry VIII are a source of endless fascination for me. They are definitely among my favourite historical figures. I sincerely admire most of them, and even those to whom I relate less, like Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard, have always held a great interest for me. So of course I knew I had to read The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir sooner or later; and, after waiting for quite a lot of time, I finally gave in and bought it as a Christmas present for myself. I immensely and thoroughly enjoyed this biography. To be honest, it is not perfect: Weir is a little biased sometimes, and the book is a little dated regarding some topics (for example the causes Anne Boleyn's fall). I recall reading somewhere that Weir intended to re-write this book adding new informations - is that true? I would definitely enjoy reading it. Anyway, despite some faults, this book is a solid 5 stars read for me. It definitely deserves its popularity, and I warmly recommend it to all interested in these fascinating women. The wives are represented not only by their actions, but also by their interests, relationships and characters: they truly come alive. The book is also highly enjoyable, and reads more like a novel than like a non-fiction. I found it extremely easy to follow, more than Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser, which is still a fantastic biography, but a little more academic. But if you are new to the subject, and want to learn as much as possible without struggling too much, you should probably try Weir's first.

The book was interesting and well written. Her research was well done. Absoutely loved it.

英語のレベルとしても、内容としても、フレイザーよりは難しめで、入門書というか、一般向けにはフレイザーの方がいいと思います。 専門書としては、アン・ブーリンに対する見方が古いというか、六本指の魔女から抜け切れてないなというところ。もっとも、ジェイン・シーモアに対しても似たような人間としているところは公平ですね。 分厚くてやたらに重量のある本だとか、文句は色々ありますが、完璧な本というのはないので、満足してます。

I am halfway through this book. I love reading about the Tudors and this is an excellently researched book. 10/10

I really enjoyed this book, it has a lot of information, including fragments of documents, and tells you the story at a very good pace. If you want to know more about Henry’s wives this is your book: accurate and entertaining.