Product Details
The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
By Margaret George

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Product Description

Much has been written about the mighty, egotistical Henry VIII: the man who dismantled the Church because it would not grant him the divorce he wanted; who married six women and beheaded two of them; who executed his friend Thomas ore; who sacked the monasteries; who longed for a son and neglected his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth; who finally grew fat, disease-ridden, dissolute. Now, in her magnificent work of storytelling and imagination Margaret George bring us Henry VIII's story as he himself might have told it, in memoirs interspersed with irreverent comments from his jester and confident, Will Somers. Brilliantly combining history, wit, dramatic narrative, and an extraordinary grasp of the pleasures and perils of power, this monumental novel shows us Henry the man more vividly than he has ever been seen before.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #82519 in Books
  • Published on: 1998-09-15
  • Original language: English
  • Dimensions: 1.71" h x 6.17" w x 9.23" l, 2.02 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 960 pages

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
George presents a romanticized Henry VIII and fails to capture the "brilliance, the cunning or the ruthlessness of the grim monarch who tore down monasteries to fill his coffers, executed two of his six wives and sacrificed friend and enemy alike for political expediency," PW commented.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Henry VIII ascended the throne as a vigorous and handsome youth. The story of his long, turbulent reign is well documented, and many authors have used it as background for novels. But George takes a different tack than most in this first novel by telling Henry's story from his own perspective. We are given an intimate view of how it must have felt for Henry to grow up under the influence of a dour father and a frail, distant mother. When he becomes king we watch as his exuberant, trusting nature slowly turns sinister and cruel. Interspersed with Henry's words are comments by his fool, Will, a man who loved his master, served him faithfully, but saw clearly his failings. The author has done a brilliant job and readers will find this book enlightening as well as enjoyable. Patricia Altner, Dept. of Defense Lib., Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A remarkable achievement...Magnificently researched and admirably written." --Mary Stewart

"Her novel is a...banquet feast for most readers...astonishing. There's rousing drama, robust atmosphere and consistently solid characterization; and finally, Margaret George's triumph is anchored in the urgent rhythm her writing attains." --Forth Worth Star Telegram

"It doth brim with lust, violence, cruelty and living conservation...Margaret George has found a new and fresh way to tell the story. --Detroit Free Press