Anne Boleyn: Henry VIII's Obsession
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Product Description
Product Description
Doomed queen of Henry VIII, mother to Elizabeth I, the epic story of Anne Boleyn.Anne Boleyn was the most controversial and scandalous woman ever to sit on the throne of England. From her early days at the imposing Hever Castle in Kent, to the glittering courts of Paris and London, Anne caused a stir wherever she went. Alluring but not beautiful, Anne's wit and poise won her numerous admirers at the English court, and caught the roving eye of King Henry. Anne was determined to shape her own destiny, first through a secret engagement to Henry Percy, the heir of the Earl of Northumberland, and later through her insistence on marriage with the king, after a long and tempestuous relationship as his mistress. Their love affair was as extreme as it was deadly, from Henry's 'mine own sweetheart' to 'cursed and poisoning whore' her fall from grace was total.
About the Author
Elizabeth Norton gained her first degree from the Universiy of Cambridge, and her Masters from the University of Oxford. Her other books include Jane Seymour: Henry VIII's True Love, Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Discarded Bride (both published by Amberley Publishing) and She Wolves: The Notorious Queens of England. She lives in Kingston Upon Thames.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
First, the positives. The book itself is beautifully presented, with many well-chosen pictures and a very nice dust jacket cover. The writing is crisp, the author strives to present a balanced portrayal of Anne, and she does engage with some primary source material to reach her conclusions.
However, maybe I have read too many books about Anne Boleyn, but there did not seem to much new here, and with constant speculative phrases like "Anne certainly would have thought or felt this", the book came off as a bit oversimplified and unsophisticated.
For me, Eric Ives' book on Anne Boleyn is still the definitive work, and probably will remain so, even after G.W. Bernard publishes his own full length work on Anne later this year, which will undoubtedly seek to discredit much of the previous marvellous work that has been done on the subject of Anne Boleyn.
Overall, if someone is looking for a well written concise introduction to Anne Boleyn, this would be a good choice. But a person like me, who has read nearly every book on Anne Boleyn that has been published, is probably going to be left wanting more.
However, maybe I have read too many books about Anne Boleyn, but there did not seem to much new here, and with constant speculative phrases like "Anne certainly would have thought or felt this", the book came off as a bit oversimplified and unsophisticated.
For me, Eric Ives' book on Anne Boleyn is still the definitive work, and probably will remain so, even after G.W. Bernard publishes his own full length work on Anne later this year, which will undoubtedly seek to discredit much of the previous marvellous work that has been done on the subject of Anne Boleyn.
Overall, if someone is looking for a well written concise introduction to Anne Boleyn, this would be a good choice. But a person like me, who has read nearly every book on Anne Boleyn that has been published, is probably going to be left wanting more.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have read most of the biographies of Anne Boleyn. This book is quite well-written, but brings nothing new at all. Norton does not seem to have researched this in a great deal of depth, and seems to be relying on other people's work in the area. As so much has been written about Anne, this seems pointless. The language at times also sounds almost like historical fiction, asserting facts and feelings that cannot be backed up. If you know nothing about Anne Boleyn, and can't get hold of Joanna Denny's very readable but well-researched book, then I would recommend this. If you already know her story and are looking to research further or to find something new, I'd recommend Eric Ives.
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am an avid book reader and yet it is not often I feel compelled to write a review, especially not a bad one.
However I felt this book deserves it. After reading things such as "Anne would have felt.....", "Anne probably........", "Anne maybe..........." and "Anne wouldnt have........." (I am sure you get the picture) for what seemed the hundredth time in less than one Chapter I totally lost heart with this book. I was left wondering how much research the author had actually accomplished as the pages of this book are just full of the groundless supposition and the unsubstantiated opinion of the author.
I have given it 2 stars simply because I enjoyed the colour photographs contained in the book.
I bitterly regret wasting money on this book. I have never been so disappointed with a book on Anne Boleyn and, as a huge fan of Anne Boleyn and the Tudors, I have read most of them.
However I felt this book deserves it. After reading things such as "Anne would have felt.....", "Anne probably........", "Anne maybe..........." and "Anne wouldnt have........." (I am sure you get the picture) for what seemed the hundredth time in less than one Chapter I totally lost heart with this book. I was left wondering how much research the author had actually accomplished as the pages of this book are just full of the groundless supposition and the unsubstantiated opinion of the author.
I have given it 2 stars simply because I enjoyed the colour photographs contained in the book.
I bitterly regret wasting money on this book. I have never been so disappointed with a book on Anne Boleyn and, as a huge fan of Anne Boleyn and the Tudors, I have read most of them.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent!!!
This was a great book and was suficient enough to be used as part of my research for the leaving cert history research project! Read more
Published 12 months ago by GemmaH
Can't think of any positives, only questions
What is the point of writing a history of the most written about wife of Henry VIII when you don't add anything new to the discussion? Read more
Published 15 months ago by K. J. Greenland
Not the best book on Anne Boleyn
There's a large amount of literature on this fascinating lady, and this most certainly is not the best. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Domino
Anne Boleyn in a Nutshell
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is beautifully written and flows off the page. I have read other books on Anne Boleyn which are equally good. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Grace Poole
A Real Person
I really enjoyed this book. It is thoroughly readable and tells the whole story of Anne Boleyn, showing her as a real person with ambitions and fears. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2009 by Alice Penworthy
A Fascinating Read
I came to this book knowing little about the six wives of Henry VIII but I finished it keenly awaiting the opportunity to read the next one planned in the series and reassured that... Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2009 by Mary Jebson
Indulgent Passions
Although this is an interesting read I'm far from convinced it adds much to what is already known about Anne Boleyn. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2009 by Neutral
Very readable introduction to a ruthlessly ambitious woman
I got this book as a present, and although I have not read much about the Tudors since school, I quickly got into this pithy and yet surprisingly in-depth account of the most well... Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2009 by History fan
brilliant
I thought this book was brilliant. I have read lots of books on Anne Boleyn and this is the best one that I have read. It gives a really balanced view of Anne's character.
Published on 30 Nov 2008 by Jo
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