Bloody Mary [Paperback]

Carolly Erickson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

Here is the tragic, stormy life of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. Her story is a chronicle of courage and faith, betrayal and treachery-set amidst the splendor, pageantry, squalor, and intrigue of sixteenth-century Europe.

The history of Mary Tudor is an improbable blend of triumph, humiliation, heartbreak, and devotion-and Ms. Erickson recounts it all against the turbulent background of European politics, war, and religious strife of the mid-1500s. The result is a rare portrait of the times and of a woman elevated to unprecedented power in a world ruled and defined by men.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A book of considerable literary distinction. The result of [Erickson's research] commands belief as well as respect." --John Kenyon, The Washington Post Book World

"Carolly Erickson has written a historical biography of rare distinction, impressive both as a portrait of the less celebrated of Henry VIII's daughters and in its depiction of the turbulent age in which she lived." --Peter Stansky, Stanford University

"Carolly Erickson has re-created it all so vividly...A dazzling achievement. She has fleshed out the indistinct shade of Mary Tudor so that we perceive her as a living, breathing human being." --Jessica Mitford

About the Author

A Ph.D. in medieval history from Columbia University led Carolly Erickson to six years as a college professor, then to a career as a full-time writer. She lives in Hawaii.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312187068
• ISBN-13: 978-0312187064
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #520,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carolly Erickson is the bestselling author of many distinguished works of nonfiction and a series of historical entertainments, blending fact and invention. She lives in Hawaii.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Biography that Answers Many Questions, January 1, 2004

By 

"orionaldeberan" (STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bloody Mary (Paperback)

I found this book extremely interesting and absorbing to the point where I did not want to put it down. I would recommend it to anyone who, like me, wanted to find out what the foundations were of Mary Tudor's policies and also what she was really like as a person. The detail is so great that one learns even what her voice sounded like. It is as though Mary were alive again and not a figure from the 16th century. As some other reviewers have noted here somewhat critically, the book spends a lot of time discussing Mary's life before her accession to the throne. To me, this is to its' credit as an understanding of the forces, personalities and occurrences in Mary's early life are ESSENTIAL to answering questions about Mary's policies and actions as queen. I enjoyed Carolly's writing style. She is able to convey the complex interweaving of people and events in Mary's time in a manner that is easy to understand and follow along. Highly recommended, as is "Great Harry" also written by Carolly which I am reading now.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, June 9, 2000

By 

S. N. Harris (New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bloody Mary (Paperback)

Carolly Erickson goes beyond the stereotype and searches for Mary Tudor's real character in Bloody Mary. An in-depth view of the beliefs of Mary's educators gives the reader a fascinating glimpse of Mary's motives and the ideas that shaped her life. Mary emerges as a strong woman, challanged by society's strictures and the demands she placed upon herself.

Erickson tends to gloss over Mary's role in the many executions that took place during her reign, but this book is an excellent read for anyone interested in Mary's life.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars more of a history of the times the a biography of the Queen, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bloody Mary (Paperback)

While Carolly Erickson does a commendable job in addressing the topics of the time she spends more time on the associates of Queen Mary then with the Queen herself. Perhaps this is because of the lack of information on the Queen's early years but perhaps a more scholarly assessment of her reign and how it affected England in the long term would contribute more to the success of the book. Erickson does a very good job in presenting an unbiased view of the woman who has been degraded in 350 years of English Protestant Literature. While Mary did have her strong religious convictions that did bring many to the stake she was not a "bloody" tyrant as the Protestants would like her to be remembered. Her successor Elizabeth deserves this title more than this great Queen. Erickson however does not write enough on two famous executions during her reign, those of Lady Jane Grey and Archbishop Cranmer. It seems that these 2 proponents of the Protestant cause deserved more then the passing reference to their exections. On the whole, the book was extremely entertaning and well written. Erickson has a way to capture her audience and evoke both pathos and awe for the only Catholic Queen of England.