Tag: nonfiction

Book Review: “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols” by Jessica Carey-Bunning

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The wives of Henry VIII have been an area of fascination for history nerds and novices alike for centuries. We all know the stories of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Kateryn Parr. However, these stories only offer a glimpse at the lives of these women. They follow the more traditional studies of the Tudor queens, but what happens if we take a more revisionist approach to their lives? What can we learn about these women besides their crowns and who they all married? There is more to their stories, like the minute details that Jessica Carey-Bunning explores in her book, “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols.”

 

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am always looking for a new approach to the Tudor queens. So when I saw that it was a book featuring all six wives with a promised fresh perspective, I decided to give it a chance. 

 

Carey-Bunning has taken a different approach to these six remarkable women. Instead of a biography about their lives, she has chosen to highlight aspects of their lives. We, of course, go in chronological order, starting with Catherine of Aragon. With Catherine, we examine why she was named Catherine and its significance in her family, as well as her finances as the widow of Arthur, and extended through her annulment. We then moved to Anne Boleyn and explored her role in the Chateau Vert pagent as well as her looks, either with the English gable hood or the French hood, and she includes the latest research into what Anne might have looked like. After Anne, we transition to Jane Seymour, to her stance on matters of faith and whether or not she was a popular queen. 

 

Anna of Cleves may have had the shortest reign of all the queens, but it is her education and her faith that Carey-Bunning explores in her section. Katherine Howard also had one of the shortest reigns of any of Henry’s wives, but for different reasons than Anna of Cleves. With Katherine, we explore exactly what kind of influence the young queen had and her connection to her infamous cousin Anne Boleyn. Finally, we examine Kateryn Parr, the 17th century’s fascination with the queen, and the tale of her almost arrest over religious matters. 

 

I found this book refreshing with the new approach to the wives of Henry VIII. I learned new aspects of the queens, which was very nice. Carey-Bunning combined an easy-to-follow writing style with innovative research to give her readers a different way to look at the Tudor wives. If you want to learn something new about the Tudor queens, I think you will enjoy “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols,” by Jessica Carey-Bunning.

Book Review: “Dynasties: The Noble Families of England” by Patrick Coleman

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think about royal history, we often tend to think about the monarchs and their immediate families. However, the stories of the noble families that surround the crown can have some of the more interesting tales of how the families were created and how they survived. The stories of the English nobility are particularly fascinating, with some families and titles dating back centuries. How did these great families begin? How did they earn their titles? Who were the major figures in these noble houses, and how did they survive to the modern day? Patrick Coleman explores the tales of the nobility and how they shaped England’s history in his book, “Dynasties: The Noble Families of England.”

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. As someone who reads extensively about the royal families of England, I sadly know very little about the individual noble houses of England and their histories. When I saw this book, it instantly caught my eye, and I knew I wanted to read it.

It should be noted that this book is more of a resource for understanding the nobility of England rather than a riveting read. Coleman doesn’t just throw his readers blindly into the fray. Instead, he begins by explaining the origins of the nobility and its hierarchy. He also dives into how the titles were passed and the elements of the coat of arms, and finally, explores the seats of the noble families. It is a firm foundation for novices of the nobility and a nice refresher for experts in the field.

We finally come to the central premise of this book, the exploration of the noble families of England that have survived to the present day. Each chapter explores a different family, their origins, how they gained their titles, famous or infamous figures in their family trees, their family seat, and the current holder of the title. The noble families featured in this book include: the Howards, the Seymours, the Thynnes, the Somersets, the Stanleys, the Percys, the Grosvenors, the Cecils, the Russells, the Cavendishes, the Lascelles, the Manners, the Herberts, the Wellesleys, and the Spencer-Churchills. There were some stories that I knew because of my own pursuits into the past, but others were completely new, which was thrilling.

I learned so much about the nobility and these famous families. It was very well written and extremely well researched. If you are looking for a resource that can help you better understand the great families of England, I recommend you read “Dynasties: The Noble Families of England” by Patrick Coleman.

Book Review: “The Tudor Theatre: 1576-1642” by Nicholas Fogg

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think about the world of the Tudor theatre, we often think about the greatest playwrights of the age. Kit Marlowe, Ben Jonson, Thomas Kyd, and of course, William Shakespeare. We think of the Globe Theatre and the grand plays and masques that were performed for the rich and the poor alike. But this is only a small glimpse into the world of the Tudor theatre scene. Nicholas Fogg explores the beginnings and the end of this period in theatrical history in his book, “The Tudor Theatre: 1576-1642.”

I would like to thank Pen & Sword Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. I am not very well-versed in theatre history, so I was hoping for something that would be easy for me to follow along, yet also very informative.

Fogg begins in the year 1576 with the opening of The Theatre, which was a passion project of James Burbage. It was the first location dedicated solely to plays and acting, but it will not be the last. Over sixty years, we see the explosion of the theatrical arts from the great playwrights to lesser-known figures. Fogg takes the time to analyze the popular plays and those that don’t get enough attention. We also get to see how politics, the Puritans, and the plague affected the theatre scene. We witness the rise and fall of actors, playwrights, and theatres until the Puritans finally decided to close theatres for good in 1642, once the Stuarts fell for a time.

Fogg is an expert in this field of study, and he shows it on each page, but sometimes, as a novice, I felt a bit lost. The amount of information in this book was a bit overwhelming for someone like me, who is not too familiar with the theatre world. However, if you are someone who loves the Tudor theatre and wants an in-depth look at this period of theatrical history, you might enjoy “The Tudor Theatre: 1576-1642” by Nicholas Fogg.

Book Review: “Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty” by Dan Jones

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think about significant law documents from medieval England, we think about the Doomsday Book, the Assize of Clarendon, and the Statutes of Westminster. These documents would remain significant to England, but there is only one that would transcend its original purpose: the Magna Carta. To many nations, it is the foundation of liberty and justice for all. But, if we take away all the sparkling praise of the present day for the document, what can we discover about the Magna Carta? What was the Magna Carta truly at its heart, and why was it written? Dan Jones examines this document and the circumstances behind its creation in his book, “Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty.”

I have been wanting to read and review all of the books Dan Jones has published currently, so when I saw this book, I knew I wanted to read it. The Magna Carta and its creation have been an area of interest for me for a while, so I wanted to see what new information Jones could provide to this field.

So how did the Magna Carta gain such a lofty reputation for a document written and sealed over 800 years ago? To understand this question, we need to go back to the reigns of Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, and the infamous King John, the king who was behind the reason why the Magna Carta was necessary. It is by understanding the reigns of his father and brother that we can tell, as an audience, how different John was compared to his Plantagenet ancestors.

John wanted to have a stronger hold on his English subjects, but the barons would not have it. They decided to rebel against John with his high taxes, his stringent laws, and his endless wars. The Magna Carta was a result of discussions and a few drafts, but it was this document that set the guidelines for peace, which lasted for a while. The Magna Carta was reissued a few times after John’s death, but it became an antique lost to time thanks to the Tudors. It was revived during the reign of the Stuarts, and its champion was Sir Edward Coke, who helped draft the Petition of Rights. From this moment on, the Magna Carta grew to become a document of liberty that would be a foundation for nations like the United States of America.

It is quite extraordinary how a document sealed at Runnymede over 800 years ago as a peace agreement between King John and his barons would turn into a symbol of liberty for the Western world. While this is not my favorite book by Dan Jones, as I found it a tad dry, I did find it informative and easy to follow. If you want a book about this remarkable document and its legacy, I recommend you read “Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty” by Dan Jones.

Book Review: “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens” by Nicola Clark

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think about queens of the Tudor dynasties, we often think about films and dramas that show the queen with a gaggle of girls following behind, gossiping, and just being best friends with their queen. However, things on TV and on the screen are not always truthful. The ladies-in-waiting during the Tudor dynasty lived on a tightrope on whether to live their truths or to stay neutral and silent. For centuries, these women tended to be in the shadows of those whom they served, until now. Nicola Clark, in her debut book, “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens,” tells the stories of these hidden figures of Tudor history.

I have been following Nicola Clark on social media and her research. When I heard that she was writing a book about the ladies-in-waiting for the Tudor queens, I was intrigued. I wanted to see what new information Clark could provide to the study of the Tudor court.

Clark has decided to focus on the ladies-in-waiting during the reign of the six wives of Henry VIII. While there were numerous ladies-in-waiting during Henry’s 36-year reign, Clark has made a conscious decision to focus on a select few of the women who served. She has chosen seven women to highlight: Maria de Salinas, Lady Willoughby, Elizabeth Stafford, Duchess of Norfolk, Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, Gertrude Blount, Marchioness of Exeter, Jane Parker, Viscountess Rochford, Anne Basset, and Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk. Some of these figures, such as Maria de Salinas, Jane Parker, and Katherine Willoughby, are relatively familiar to average Tudor fans; however, including other women from different levels of service, from novices to more experienced ladies, adds depth to this area of study.

Clark shows us as readers what life was like for a lady-in-waiting, what they would deal with daily at court, and how, after they got married, home life was like. We get to see how they navigated an ever-changing world, from switching between queens quickly to figuring out what they were willing to sacrifice for their position and their families, as well as discovering whether their faith was strong enough to survive the dynasty. It was all a matter of time and patience.

 I found this an enjoyable read with stories about women who were often on the sidelines. Clark shed light on more obscure Tudors, and I think it gave more dimension to the tumultuous Tudor court. I am curious what Clark will write about next. If you want to learn more about the ladies-in-waiting for the wives of Henry VIII, I recommend you read “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens” by Nicola Clark.

Book Review: “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Heather R. Darsie

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

We all know the story of Anne Boleyn. The story of the English noblewoman who caught the eye of King Henry VIII, who decided to divorce his first wife, Katharine of Aragon, to marry Anne. He broke away from Rome and created the Church of England to do it, but marital bliss did not last long, as a few years later, Anne would leave their three-year-old daughter Elizabeth behind when she was executed by Henry over charges of adultery. We know this version of the story, but what if we look at Anne’s story from a continental European perspective? How does her story change when we view her life through a religious lens? Heather R. Darsie hopes to show her audience a different side of Anne Boleyn in her latest book, “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn.”

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have thoroughly enjoyed Darsie’s previous books because she adds depth to the Tudor dynasty by exploring European sources that are not prevalent in other nonfiction books about the Tudors. When I heard that she was writing a book about the fall of Anne Boleyn, I was curious to see what new information her continental sources would provide to Anne’s story.

So, how do you add something new to Anne Boleyn’s story when it is one of the most discussed topics when it comes to studying the Tudors? Darsie explains that her book is not a typical book about Anne Boleyn, as it focuses briefly on Anne’s life and examines the legal, religious, and international contexts surrounding her life. Each chapter of this book begins with part of a poem by Sir Thomas Wyatt, which is a nice touch as he was an admirer of Anne Boleyn. The first part of the book was a bit of an overview of Anne’s life, but Darsie did not go into much depth about Anne’s fall. Instead, she shows the relationships between England and continental Europe with the different political powerhouses. I found the information about the relationship between England and the German princes particularly interesting. It is these relationships that would prove pivotal in Anne’s life, reign, and fall from grace.

It is truly part two where Darsie shines. It is here that she focuses on the religious aspects of Anne’s fall. We all know that Anne was a bit more radical when it came to her religious views, but Darsie takes it a step further. She shows how England was trying to break from Rome centuries before Henry came along. Then, we get to see the religious reformers of England and of Europe who impacted Anne’s religious leanings. There is also an incident in Munster with the Anabaptists that freaked out Henry VIII very badly. Once you put the pieces together that Darsie lays out, it is quite astounding. 

As someone who reads a lot about Anne Boleyn, I am always looking for a new approach to her life. This is exactly what I wanted. By the end, I was speechless, and it brought new life to Anne’s fall and ultimate death. If you are a Tudor nerd and want a new angle to Anne Boleyn’s story, I highly recommend you read “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Heather R. Darsie.

Book Review: “Queens at War: England’s Medieval Queens” by Alison Weir

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The fifteenth century in England was a time of war. Between a usurper king, fighting with France, and fighting amongst themselves, an English king must be prepared to go into battle at any moment, and his queen must be ready to support him in any way. During this period, there were five kings and queens, and while the kings get a lot of attention, it is the queens who should get their flowers for what they did in times of distress. Alison Weir explores the lives of the final five Plantagenet queens in her final book in the England’s Medieval Queens series, entitled “Queens at War.”

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. I am a big fan of Weir’s books, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her England’s Medieval Queens series. I wanted to see which queens Weir would focus on in this book and how she would approach their lives.

The years covered in this last book are 1399-1485, covering the reigns of Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Edward IV, and Richard III. The queens featured in this book are Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Woodville (spelled Widville in this book), and Anne Neville. While I am familiar with the stories of Katherine, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Anne, Joan is a less well-known figure to me. Weir gives her readers a bit of background information about how Joan of Navarre was Henry IV’s second wife after his first wife, Mary de Bohun, died. Joan was married previously as well, to John IV de Montfort, Duke of Brittany. While she did have children with John, she never had royal children with Henry IV. Weir shows how Joan was treated as the stepmother to King Henry V after he married Katherine of Valois.

Weir explores Katherine of Valois’ relationships with both Henry V, the warrior king, and Owen Tudor, the man she fell in love with after the death of Henry V. We get to see how Katherine’s son, Henry VI, and his wife, Margaret of Anjou, dealt with the rising Yorkist faction. With her husband taking ill, it was Margaret of Anjou who was the figurehead for the Lancastrian cause in a conflict that would be known as the Wars of the Roses. Eventually, a young man named Edward IV would become King of England, and he shook the English court by marrying an English woman, Elizabeth Widville (Woodville). Finally, Weir explores the downfall of the Plantagenet dynasty and the end of the young Yorkist regime with Richard III and his wife Anne Neville.

Overall, I found this an informative and easy-to-follow book. It was a bit of a review for me as I am familiar with this period, but I found myself learning new information in this book, which was exciting. I think if you want to learn about 15th-century queens or if you are a fan of England’s Medieval Queens series, I recommend you read “Queens at War” by Alison Weir.

Book Review: “Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe” by Janina Ramirez

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think of famous medieval European women, we often think of figures like Joan of Arc and Isabella of Castile. They are seen as women who broke the mold and challenged traditional stereotypes by becoming leaders in traditionally male-dominated fields. These women would be used to craft the identities of their respective nations, but they would help shape the identities of other women from the 18th and 19th centuries. We think we know the stories about these medieval women and their lives, but what new information can we learn from their lives when we examine their lives from their eras? Janina Ramirez takes the stories of seven medieval women and their contemporaries to show how their legacies have been transformed in her latest book, “Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe.”

This is the third book that I have read by Janina Ramirez, as I have read her book “Femina” and her biography on Julian of Norwich, which I loved. So when I saw that she was writing a new book about medieval women, I knew it was an instant buy for me.

While there have been centuries worth of amazing women from all over the world, Ramirez is focusing on seven countries/areas of interest: France, the Iberian Peninsula, Greece, the Low Countries, Germany, Italy, and Britain. In each chapter, Ramirez focuses on two women or groups of women, one from the medieval era and one from either the 18th or the 19th century. For the medieval period, she has selected: Joan of Arc, Isabella of Castile, Anna Komene, Marie of Oignies and the Beguines, Empress Adelaide of Bavaria, Catherine of Siena, and Lady Godiva. For the more modern women, Ramirez focuses on Charlotte Corday, Agustina Raimunda Maria Saragossa, Laskarina Bouboulina, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Lola Montez, Anna ‘Nina’ Morisi, and Queen Victoria. 

What is truly inspiring about this book is seeing these stories removed from the glossy veneer used to promote nationalism, to show that these women were real and they made a difference by being themselves. We get to see warriors, writers, queens, empresses, revolutionaries, and religious women. However, we also get to see them as daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers. These women did not live in a vacuum. They lived and were more than just symbols for their nations. They fought in their own ways for what they believed was right, whether it was to protect their families or their nations, or following the path set forward by their faith. These women were real, and they were not myths; they were human. 

This is another sensational book by Ramirez. While I did know a few of the medieval women featured in this book, I knew nothing about the 18th and 19th-century women, which was thrilling to see how Ramirez weaved these tales together. I loved this book so much, and I am excited to see what she will write next. If you love medieval women’s history and learning more about their legacies, I highly recommend you read  “Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe” by Janina Ramirez.

Book Review: “The Thistle and The Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor” by Linda Porter

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Tudors have been an area of fascination for historians and history nerds alike for centuries. The attention tends to focus on either Henry VIII and his six wives or his daughter, Elizabeth I, but we need to remember that they were not the only Tudors. In fact, we should remember that Henry VIII had siblings, Arthur, Margaret, and Mary. While Arthur and Mary tend to get more attention due to their proximity to Henry VIII and his marital life, Margaret Tudor had her own eventful life as Queen of Scotland and the mother of King James V. Linda Porter tells Margaret’s story in her latest biography, “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor.”

I had heard that Porter was writing a new biography about Margaret Tudor, so I knew I wanted to read it. I have read a few books about Margaret Tudor, but they have been relatively short, so I wanted to see what new information Porter would include in this book.

Margaret Tudor was the second child of King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York. As such, she was destined to marry a foreign prince and create a strong alliance for the brand-new Tudor dynasty. Since her brother Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, Margaret’s parents chose a match with Scotland and King James IV, who was twice the age of Margaret. As Queen of Scotland, Margaret did her best to bridge the gap between England and Scotland, deal with her husband’s mistresses and illegitimate children, and be a mother to her son, King James V.

Everything changed when James IV died at the Battle of Flodden. Margaret was now a widow and regent for the young King James V. To protect her family, Margaret decided to marry Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, which turned out to be a trainwreck. Although Archibald did give Margaret her daughter, Margaret Douglas, he was stealing from Margaret’s own properties, which was a jerk move. Margaret wanted a divorce, but her dear brother Henry VIII was against the idea. A bit hypocritical, especially since he would divorce Catherine of Aragon a few years later. Eventually, Margaret would divorce Archibald and marry a third time to Henry Stewart, Lord Methven.

Throughout history, Margaret Tudor has been viewed negatively because she married Archibald so quickly, but Porter showed that Margaret should be applauded for how she survived during difficult circumstances. She fought for herself and her children, even if it meant that she was at odds with her husbands or her brother. Through her letters, we see how Margaret was a diplomat trying to make peace between England and Scotland.

Porter does an excellent job telling Margaret’s story in a respectful manner. This book is extremely well researched and easy to read. If you are a Tudor fan and you want to learn more about Henry VIII’s sister Margaret Tudor, I highly recommend you read “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor” by Linda Porter.

Book Review: “Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth” by Michele Schindler

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

Throughout history, many aspects of life have changed drastically, but one thing has remained the same: the different stages of life—birth, youth, adolescence, adulthood, old age, and death. It is the first stage of life, birth, that tends to get the least amount of attention when it comes to historical research. In recent years, it has been gaining more and more attention, especially when it comes to royal births, which have the most amount of written records. Michele Schindler has chosen to focus on the aspects of medieval childbirth in her latest book, “Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed the previous book that I have read by Michele Schindler, and so when I saw that she had a new book about the medieval period out, I was excited to read it. I have read a few books that featured childbirth, primarily in the Tudor period, but never when it comes to the medieval period, so I wanted to learn more.

Schindler has decided to divide her book into sections, each part focusing on a different stage of childbirth: conception, pregnancy, birth, baptism, infant care, and how society as a whole understood childbirth as part of a woman’s life. Each section has sub-sections that explore aspects like miscarriages, twins, confinement, stillbirths, wet nurses, and deaths during infancy. These are very heavy topics, but they are discussed in a respectful manner.

To give context to the topics discussed, Schindler uses examples from multiple centuries to show how royal and noblewomen dealt with childbirth and its struggles. Some of the women featured in this book include Margaret Beaufort, Margaret of Anjou, Eleanor Cobham, Isabella of Castile, Alice Chaucer, Anne Neville, and Elizabeth of York. She also compared these lives and how they experienced childbirth to the common people to show the difference in status and the importance of ceremonies like confinement to the nobility.

Overall, I found this book to be really well researched, as well as being pretty easy to follow along with. I found a deeper appreciation for medieval women and what they had to go through to have a child. If you want to learn more about medieval childbirth practices pertaining to the higher echelons of society, I would recommend you read “Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth” by Michele Schindler.