Customer Reviews

Autobiography of Henry VIII

5 star:		(150)
4 star:		(40)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

If you are interested in the adventures of Henry VIII or you enjoy thick, historical novels, you will probably want to read this book. Margaret George is a good genre novelist and has done gobs of research, but she does not show us the mind of Henry as vividly as some of the great historians, like Antonia Fraser, or Alison Weir. Part of the problem, I think, is the gimmick of autobiography--Henry never sounds convincingly English. It is as if you went to see Anne of a Thousand Days, and instead of Richard Burton playing Henry, its Tom Hanks.

George does better with the character of Will Somers, whose critical comments intrude on Henry's "manuscript" from time to time. She also does a pretty fair job of explaining a long and complicated span of English history. Character development tends to be limited to Henry and his six wives and several mistresses, but that is part of the historical romance genre. The important men in Henry's life: Wolsey, More, Cromwell, Cranmer, come off as cardboard sticks. ( I would have loved to have seen more of the inscrutable Cranmer--now THERE'S a novel for you.)

I know a twelve-year-old's review is probably a piece of scum everywhere else, but I know more about Tudor England than most adults I know. Margaret George takes the modern image of Henry VIII (fat, perverted, eight wives, killed them all) and strips it bare. Then, using ingenious creativity, puts together a magnificent picture of Henry as HE would have seen the world. From the second son to the chivalric king-knight to the Pope-hater to the fat over-eater to the last days, this book has it all. Anyone who thinks that this is an unsatisfactory book (like PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY) needs to read David Starkey's "Six Wives of Henry VIII," then come back and read this beautiful work of historical fiction.

I don't see how this book can warrant less than five stars. While it may not be the most historically accurate book written about English King Henry VIII, it is certainly entertaining, insightful, and interesting. Don't let the length discourage you; 900 pages were up before I knew it and I didn't want it to end. I became so used to Margaret George's diary-style of writing through Henry that I almost felt as if he were my friend.
The book, written all through Henry's point of view (with clever inserts from his fool, Will) greatly improved my knowledge of Tudor England. Also, it really helped me to see Henry's life through his own eyes. Through much research, Margaret George has delved into his very personality and managed to write about every event of any significance in his life. She also showed how each wife and divorce/beheading came with a different justification for Henry VIII. As I came to understand his personality more and more, there were many times I felt sympathy and sorrow for the English monarch.
I highly suggest that anyone who has any interest in this subject read the book!

The first ten or twelve times (yes, it's that good) I read the Autobiography of Henry VIII, I was blown away by the romantic grandeur of 15th-16th century England, and Europe. Enter the world of castles, monasteries, diplomats, priests, peasants and manuscripts (books written by hand on parchment). Margaret George skillfully whisks the reader away from the 20th-21st century to the King's Court, where the ornate intracacies of ballroom and bedroom are as lethal as battlefields dominated by cannon and horsemen. The reader is invited to the private counsel of the King who presides over it all, to discover not only what he says in public, but what he really thinks of his wives, his nobles and courtiers, his rivals in France and beyond. It is a brilliant work of historical fiction, one to be savored many times.
HOWEVER, keep in mind that, as a work of history (as opposed to historical fiction), the books fails badly. Judging by Henry's actual statements and actions, George's interpretation of his life are highly unlikely. There are several events of his life, and of his character that go unnoticed or unresolved in the novel. Remember the actual Henry VIII was decried in England for centuries after his death as a bloodthirsty tyrant. The reasons for his legendary cruelty go unmentioned in George's novel. For that matter, Henry's cruelty itself goes largely unmentioned. He is recast, from the vicious tyrant of history, to a lovestarved prince of fiction. Simply put, the real contemporaries of Henry VIII would not recognize the king portrayed in this book. Did Henry simply deceive himself, so that he did not know what a sharktank his court had become? Was he an incurable romantic, as the Autobiography suggests? No. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the book does not portray the greatest Tudor king as he was.
NEVER MIND. If you want history, read history. If you want to be transfixed by a seductive tale of intrigue, desire, vengeance and greed, this is your book. There are very, very few novels with the romantic sweep of The Autobiography of Henry VIII.

The Autobiography of Henry VIII was, without a doubt, THE best book I've read in a very long time. I was taken aback by the size of the book (900+ pages), but it is an engrossing and riveting read. I found myself rearrainging my busy schedule to make time to sit and read. At first, I was happy that I had so much to read, but as it went further, I found myself wishing that this story could go on indefinitely; that I would never have to come to the end.

Ms. George has done a remarkable job on this subject. She has gained a loyal reader in me. I am going to buy her other two books in print and I pray that she considers writing the autobiography of both Mary Tudor and Elizabeth Tudor, as I would love to read her interpretation of this intriguing family. (Can you see how some of the 16th century prose is sneaking into my writing?) Since finishing the book, I have been on a Tudor quest; one that was started years ago, when in grade school, I first became aquainted with the Tudor family through the BBC miniseries of The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R.

Do yourself a favor: Buy this book, send the kids and the husband to his folks' house for a few days, gather up your wooly blankets, comfortable chair and hot chocolate and treat yourself well by losing yourself in 16th century England.

Wow, where do I even begin?! "The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers" is an amazing epic novel about the life of one of England's most notorious rulers. This story chronicles the king's life from birth until death, and it is told in Henry's own voice, with occasional notes written by his fool and confidant, Will Somers.

This is a huge book (more than 900 pages long!), but I finished it in about a week and a half. I couldn't put the thing down! If you're a big fan of Tudor history, you will love this book. There are so many books that chronicle Henry VIII and his six wives, but the fact that this story is given from Henry's perspective makes it so incredibly unique. In addition to marrying six women (and beheading two of them), Henry led a very interesting life. He broke all ties with the Catholic Church and appointed himself as the leader of the Church of England just so he could get a divorce from his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, and marry the bewitching Anne Boleyn. Henry also beheaded one of his closest friends, Thomas More, broke up all of England's monasteries, and was obsessed with having a son in order to establish a proper heir to the throne.

In spite of outward appearances, there was so much more to Henry VIII than I ever imagined. When I was reading this book, I was shocked to find myself sympathizing with Henry on so many occasions, and agreeing with his rationale for doing some pretty outrageous things. Yes, he made some very bad, selfish decisions, but Henry was also screwed over like you would not believe, and a lot of his actions made much more sense to me after reading this book. There were so many different aspects to Henry's personality, and I think he would have been a very interesting person to know (although I definitely wouldn't want to have married him!).

Overall, this book is excellent. It gives a stunning portrayal of what Henry was like as a king, husband, lover, father, and friend. I was blown away by author Margaret George's meticulous research and attention to detail. As I was reading, I had to keep reminding myself that this book is a work of fiction because Henry seemed so real to me, and the history was amazingly accurate. I adored this book, and am very sad to be done with it! I highly recommend it to everyone.

After reading Mary, Queen of Scots, I knew I wanted to read every book written by this magnificent author! Her writing style draws you into the day-to-day lives of her subjects, leaving you to feel as if you personally knew the characters. Weeks after completing the book details still come to mind. The sign of a truly gifted author!

I can't say I particularly liked, or disliked, the man Henry VIII. In my opinion, he was an emotionally insecure man, longing to find love, looking in all the wrong places.

As heir to the throne, Henry was taken from his mother's arms during infancy to be groomed and educated by a surrogate family. His rare and treasured moments with his mother left him wanting for "motherly love". He sought this love in emotionally unhealthy ways, often letting his "lower brain" dictate to his "upper brain"...if you know what I mean!

When a present marriage inconvenienced him, he simply had it absolved or, in 2 of his marriages, found reason to behead his wives. Personally, I can't argue the 2 executions...both wives were admitted adulterers, and therefore got their due.

I lost the ability to respect Henry VIII when he sought to end his first marriage, which included declaring his daughter from that marriage to be illegitimate. What a horrible thing to do just because someone else "strikes your fancy". No wonder Mary, his first daughter, went on in history to be known as "Bloody Mary"! What an emotionally distraught life she had!

Henry was emotionally immature and at the same time an extremely sensitive man. He was also very naive to the ways of women...a deadly combination to happiness.

He was fortunate, however, in that his 3rd marriage to Jane Seymour seemed to provide both of them true happiness, but for such a short period of time (she died shortly after delivering him a son).

By the 4th marriage, and knowing 2 more were coming, it was hard to muster anything but pity for a man who could have provided so much in a relationship, given his sensitivities, yet chose a lustful path...all the while daily laboring over "God's wishes".

All in all he seemed a selfish, confused, immature, overly sensitive man with many faults...yet I couldn't help but feel sorrow and compassion for him.

My recommendation? THIS BOOK WILL NOT DISAPPOINT YOU! IT IS A GREAT BOOK, FULL OF INTERESTING FACTS AND DETAILS! DON'T LET THE LENGTH OF IT SCARE YOU...YOU WILL FLY THREW THIS BOOK! IT'S THAT GOOD!

Can't wait to start her book on Cleopatra tomorrow!