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Over the years, I've read most of the Tudor books, fiction
and nonfiction, I could find. Countless books. Good books, a few
great ones, and lots of bad ones. This page lists both the books used
as references for the website as well as my personal favorites.
My Favorite
Tudor Books Everything
Else
My Favorite Tudor Books (when people
ask me what Tudor-related books to read, these are the ones I list) PAVANE
by Keith Roberts Eventually I will be at a loss
for superlatives when describing my favorite books. PAVANE is a
beautiful book, written by one of the masters of 1960s science
fiction. It is a work of alternative history, one of the first of that
genre and perhaps the best. It begins in 1588 with the assassination
of Queen Elizabeth I and the subsequent supremacy of the Catholic faith in
England. From there, PAVANE evolves into one of the most interesting
and entrancing books I have ever read. Like The Fifth Queen, it
has a superb ending. If you haven't read this, please please please
check it out. It's recently been reissued and it's simply
wonderful. Few books strike me as deeply imagined, most walk over
familiar ground - PAVANE is a true original.
THE
FIFTH QUEEN by Ford Madox Ford I love this
book. It's not historically accurate, or it may be - we don't know
much about Catherine Howard's life. Even so, it's great reading.
Ford uses the life of Henry VIII's fifth queen to explore the culture of
fear, treachery, and paranoia which characterized the Tudor court.
Catherine battles Thomas Cromwell in an attempt to prevent further religious
and political change. The book is divided into three parts and
contains engrossing portraits of familiar Tudor figures; Princess Mary,
Henry VIII, Cromwell, Norfolk, Catherine herself - all are beautifully
brought to life. And for the record, Ford spent years researching this
book. I think it's a persuasive and fascinating work of historical
fiction - and the ending is fantastic. I love Catherine's final speech
to Henry.
THE
CANDLEMASS ROAD by George MacDonald Fraser Fraser
is justly famous as author of the Flashman novels, among the best (and
certainly the funniest) historical fiction ever. But his talent is
more expansive than even Flashman would suggest. Everything he writes
turns to gold, at least in my opinion. Long fascinated by the history
of his native Scotland, in THE CANDLEMASS ROAD, Fraser recounts the story of
Lady Margaret Dacre and her perilous life along the English-Scottish
border. The writing is superb; I expect nothing less from
Fraser. My one quibble is that the book is so short - I didn't want it
to end.
THE
STEEL BONNETS by George MacDonald Fraser This work
of history is concerned with the outlaws and Border lords (reivers) who
fought along the English and Scottish frontier for several hundred
years. It's a wonderful work of history and makes me wish more great
writers would turn to the genre; if nothing else, you're guaranteed good
writing. And this was such a fascinating time period - I'm thrilled
that one of my favorite novelists wrote its definitive history.
And if you haven't read any Flashman,
it's never too late to start....
THE
SUCCESSION: A NOVEL OF ELIZABETH AND JAMES ENTERED
FROM THE SUN: THE MURDER OF MARLOWE DEATH
OF THE FOX: A NOVEL OF ELIZABETH AND RALEIGH by George
Garrett This Elizabethan trilogy is among the best
historical fiction of any period. I particularly enjoyed DEATH OF THE
FOX; Garrett brings the complex and fascinating Walter Raleigh to
life. But the entire trilogy is wonderful. Everytime I slumber
or groan my way through the latest awful Tudor fiction full of heaving
bosoms and Egads!-worthy dialogue, I think fondly of Garrett and Fraser and
Ford.... Garrett's series is a wonderful addition to any library; he
wrote great books, not merely great Tudor books. ENTERED FROM THE SUN
is a nice companion piece to Anthony Burgess's A
DEAD MAN IN DEPTFORD, another good work of historical fiction.
(Burgess also wrote NOTHING
LIKE THE SUN, a fictional look at Shakespeare's love life.) And
though THE SUCCESSION has less to do with Elizabeth and James than the title
implies, it's still a fun exploration of Tudor life. Hey, I can't do
these books justice - just read them!
MARY,
QUEEN OF SCOTLAND AND THE ISLES by Margaret George I didn't much like George's Autobiography
of Henry VIII, but this book is very good. I spent an enjoyable
weekend reading it; I thought the years of Mary's imprisonment were
particularly well done. And the account of Bothwell's imprisonment was
sufficiently cringe-worthy. This is a sympathetic and entertaining
journey through Mary's life, perhaps too sympathetic at times. But -
it's not history, it's fiction, and Mary is the heroine. There are a
few sex scenes but they're not too ghastly.
A TUDOR TRAGEDY: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CATHERINE HOWARD HENRY
VIII: THE MASK OF ROYALTY ELIZABETH
TUDOR: PORTRAIT OF A QUEEN by Lacey Baldwin Smith
I've been raving about LB Smith since I started this
website. When visitors write and ask what is essential to read, I
point them to Smith's work. Unfortunately, two of the above works are
out of print. Yeah, I know - there's plenty of room for junk on
bookshelves but apparently no room for great works of history. Well,
go to Amazon.com and order them used. Smith's bio of Catherine Howard
is the only one ever written which concerns Henry VIII's ill-fated 'Rose
Without a Thorn'. He collects the scant historical knowledge of her
life and creates a compelling portrait of a misguided girl and her ambitious
family (the sprawling Norfolk clan). His bio of Henry VIII is simply
the best available on the second Tudor king. It has great
psychological insight and a sharp sense of humor; after a lifetime of
studying Henry, Smith is still fascinated by the king and determined to
understand his contradictory character. But read it only after reading
a general bio of Henry VIII; the author assumes some knowledge of the Tudor
court and its cast of characters. And his brief bio of Elizabeth Tudor
is a persuasive sketch of England's most fascinating and accomplished queen.
MY
ENEMY THE QUEEN THE
CAPTIVE QUEEN OF SCOTS by Victoria Holt MY ENEMY THE QUEEN is the only fiction I know of which considers the
life of Lettice Knollys, Elizabeth I's cousin who married the queen's great
love, Robert Dudley; she was also the mother of Elizabeth's other great
favorite, the Earl of Essex. THE CAPTIVE QUEEN OF SCOTS is - you
guessed it - about Mary, queen of Scots in captivity. It's an
entertaining and well-written book, a great way to spend an afternoon.
It's actually the first Tudor historical fiction I ever read and so I've
included it as a sentimental favorite. I followed it up with the book
on Lettice Knollys. Holt also wrote as Jean Plaidy and Philippa Carr
and a few other names I can't remember. She wrote loads of books, most
of which are concerned with English royalty. Public libraries usually
have most; her work is very popular. If you would
like to recommend a Holt/Plaidy book, write to me.
BRIEF
GAUDY HOUR by Margaret Campbell Barnes This is one
of the better works of historical fiction about Anne Boleyn.
THE
PRINCE AND THE PAUPER by Mark Twain This is
Twain's famous tale of Prince Edward, only son of King Henry VIII, and Tom
Canty, a pauper boy who is his physical twin. Twain wrote my favorite
book of all time (Huckleberry Finn) so I am biased, but this is still a
great book. The story is very entertaining and fun and there are
moments of genuine suspense and pathos. Some people classify this book
as children's literature; in fact, they say that about lots of Twain's
work. Why? He's a natural storyteller and perfect for adults.
YOUNG
BESS ELIZABETH,
CAPTIVE PRINCESS ELIZABETH
AND THE PRINCE OF SPAIN by Margaret Irwin Elizabeth Tudor has brought out the best in many writers, but
perhaps none more so than Margaret Irwin. This trilogy has recently
been reissued, thus earning the publisher my enduring gratitude. She
creates a vivid portrait of Elizabeth's entire life and there is the usual
colorful cast of supporting characters. Of the three books, my
favorite is the last but all are excellent. Her writing is evocative
and often very beautiful. I'll be reading along and think, What a
perfect sentence! If you want a persuasive and compelling portrait of
the Virgin Queen, read Irwin. No one else comes close.
ELIZABETH
AND ESSEX: A TRAGIC HISTORY by Lytton Strachey This is one of my favorite books about Queen Elizabeth I. Strachey
always writes like a dream, with style and wit, and in this work he explores
the complex relationship between the Virgin Queen and the infamous earl of
Essex. Essex was the great favorite of Elizabeth's later years, but he
rebelled against the queen (his petulance was exceeded only by his
ingratitude.) Like Strachey's equally good Eminent
Victorians, this biographical study is primarily psychological.
Strachey wants to know why Elizabeth and Essex acted as they did - their
motivations, desires, flaws.... There is much room for disagreement
and often his analysis of Elizabeth's personality makes one want to analyze
Strachey himself, but this is still a great book. It brings Elizabeth
and her court to life and it pulls you deep into the story of the queen and
Essex. It also discusses the always intriguing Sir Francis
Bacon. What a fascinating bit of history! And
once again, let me emphasize the beautiful writing. Style counts with
me. If I want a dry, boring recitation of facts, then I can pick up an
encyclopedia or, sadly, most modern histories/biographies. It's like
that famous Mark Twain quote - 'The difference between the almost right
word and the right word is really a large matter; it's the
difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.'
Exactly. All of the books I've listed here are full of the
right words. Anyone can tell you that Elizabeth Tudor was born
in 1533 and her mother was executed in 1536 and blah blah blah. It's
easy enough. But can the writer create a compelling story worthy of
their subject? Can they bring history to life? I hate picking up
books which are full of facts but written like - oh, they're written in a
perfectly acceptable manner. But who wants perfectly acceptable things
all the time? You want a gripping, fun, fascinating book.
ELIZABETH
I: COLLECTED WORKS The great queen in her own
words - letters, poems, and speeches are gathered here for our admiring
perusal. This selection is arranged in chronological order and
reasonably priced.
TUDOR
COSTUME AND FASHION by Herbert Norris Most people
believe that Janet Arnold's 'Queen
Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd' is the best work on Tudor fashion.
And it is certainly the best guide to making an Elizabethan costume.
But it's also very expensive. Norris covers the entire Tudor dynasty
and includes several color sketches; the book is published by Dover so it's
reasonable priced. If you want to learn about all the different styles
of hats/hoods and skirts and shoes, etc, this is the book for you. If
you actually want to make a Tudor costume, search out Arnold or any of the
excellent Renaissance
Festival sites.
STATESMAN
AND SAINT by Jasper Ridley This is an entertaining
look at the lives of Thomas Wolsey and Thomas More. Ridley proposes
the scandalous idea that perhaps Wolsey wasn't so bad after all and More
wasn't such a sainted fellow - and he argues persuasively in each
case. I think the real value of this book lies in its challenge of
conventional history. Wolsey has far too often been painted as a
villain, too worldly and vain to be a priest and too foolish to escape the
king's wrath. More's tragic death and subsequent canonization have
created an impenetrable aura of goodness about all he said and did
before. Ridley's work, and Peter Ackroyd's more recent biography,
reveal the humanity in the saint. And the revelation does not lessen
More's achievements or courage; they become even more incredible when we
realize he was simply a man like any other, determined to live with dignity
and strength in an age which often rejected both. And Wolsey is
revealed as a pious man whose material acquisitions did not destroy his
spirituality.
ERASMUS
AND THE AGE OF REFORMATION by Johan Huizinga This
is the only biography I have read of Erasmus, the great Dutch philosopher
and friend of Thomas More. He also spoke for many bookworms when he
wrote, 'When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food
and clothes.' Those are nice words to remember when you're torn
between purchasing the
Bernini catalogue or a new outfit. Go with the books. You
can always borrow clothes from more fashionable friends and relatives.
And there are already enough well-dressed people out there. Wouldn't
you rather have a nice personal library? When I finished this
biography, I didn't feel like I needed to read another - Huizinga is that good. There are numerous letters and illustrations,
and these are especially valuable since Erasmus corresponded with many 16th
century luminaries. Often you finish a biography and are happy you've
never met its subject (I always finish biographies of Bluff King Hal in that
mood), but sometimes it's different. Huizinga brings Erasmus and his
times to compelling life; he also allows the humanist to speak directly to
the reader through his letters and books.
There are some works I haven't listed, like Tillyard's Elizabethan
World Picture and AL Rowse's two-volume
study of Elizabethan society. I've also left off Alison Plowden's
'Elizabethan
Quartet', which are wonderful introductory books on Elizabeth.
Plowden wrote the best
book I've read about Mary Tudor and Jane Grey, but it's
out-of-print. And I haven't mentioned Roy Strong's entertaining
study of Tudor portraits. There are lots that I enjoyed which I
haven't listed. I will add them eventually.
Everything Else
I am still working on the nonfiction list. It's hard
to scour bookshelves and look in odd corners when the Ark in Space dvd is
calling out to me. So I will finish this later. Thanks for your
patience. -Marilee
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