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76 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative Fiction, June 11, 2001
My knowledge of Tudor England is certainly not comprehensive, but this book appears to have been very thoroughly researched and to be very solidly based on the factual information that has come down to us. Of course, being a work of fiction, the author has taken the liberty of putting her own interpretation on the facts and supplying private thoughts and words as she thinks appropriate. Nevertheless, the reader can probably learn as much about Henry and his times from this book as from a casual perusal of the historical record. In many ways, this is a dark book. Henry was a complex man, and dangerous to get close to. A number of those closest to him lost their heads. Life was relatively short in those days anyway, though, and I found myself feeling for Henry by the end. In a very superstitious age, he was driven by his own inner demons. And it is apalling how superstitious these people were. There was a strong tendency to attribute every significant event as an act of God. Given the misfortunes that dogged his life, Henry was often left to wonder what he had done to offend his "God". Hence, he can convince himself that his marriage to Katherine of Aragon was incestuous when there was no hope of her giving him a son, despite many years together and the possibility that she was one of the few who really loved him. Later, he is able to convince himself that Anne Boleyn is a "witch". Disagreeable she might have been. She comes across as vain, selfish, greedy and vengeful. But, she certainly wasn't directly responsible for any of the deaths and illnesses in Henry's family. Nor is it likely that hismarriages were provoking angry responses from any vengeful deities. If you have any interest in the life and times of Henry VIII, then you should definitely read this book. Even if you don't have any special interest here, this is an excellent book. It gives a very human and compassionate look into the life of a remarkable man. It's quite long, but it never bored me, and the quality of the writing and level of scholarship behind this work are outstanding. Although he will infuriate you at times, you will understand and appreciate him in the end.
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65 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best of Margaret George, January 16, 2001
Margaret George has three historical novels in print, Henry VIII, Mary - Queen of Scots, and Cleopatra. All are wonderful reads, but in Henry VIII she hits the pinnacle. This is an enthralling book which takes you back to the 16th century in all its splendor. Magnificently hefty, Henry VIII fills every page with artful words and one heck of a story. There are a handful of authors whose newest works I eagerly wait upon. Margaret George is one of them. And, The Autobiography of Henry VIII holds a very dear position among the 500+ historical and historically-based books in my library. Read it. You'll be thankful that you did.
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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow! This is an amazing book!, October 11, 2005
I do not typically read historical fiction, being more of a mystery fan myself. However, I recently read Philippa Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl" and enjoyed it, and my interest was piqued enough to seach out other books about Henry VIII. I came across George's book quite by accident in a bookstore one day, and decided to purchase it, vaguely remembering that it got good reviews on Amazon. I'm certainly glad I did! George's "The Autobiography of Henry VIII : With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers" is an amazing book. It's quite daunting to look at (being more than 900 pages long!) but I can assure you that, once started, you will fly through this book. As the title implies, this book is from Henry's point of view, and it is written as a journal. In the opening pages we hear from Henry's fool Will, who is writing to Henry's illegitimate daughter Catherine (Anne Boleyn's sister Mary is the mother). Will explains that he is sending her Henry's journal, a journal that he, Will, found after Henry's death. He admits that he has read through it and added notes of his own in some sections, which is George's clever way of adding a more objective opinion to some of "Henry's" ramblings. This book presents a fascinating, and markedly different, view of Henry than is usually presented in history books. Instead of seeing Henry VII as a mean, vindictive, overweight slob, he comes across as a mostly kind man who is haunted by inner demons (especially near the end of his life). If you're at all interested in Henry VII (and even if you're not!), I strongly urge you to pick up this book.
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