Customer Reviews

The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church

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This new volume from G. W. Bernard is truly a masterful compendium, beautifully researched and documented. Its topic is one that all too often is overshadowed by religious polemics and partial analysis. Bernard, however, falls prey to neither of these limitations as he plumbs the documentary evidence and previous research of others to offer intimate details of the issues revolving around Henry VIII, his spouses, his realm, and his "remaking of the English church." Carefully and methodically, the author moves through the issues involved, while offering fresh insight and the evidence to support his contentions. From personal letters of the monarch and official papers of state, he delves deeply into every available source to give as complete a picture of the time as humanly possible. If the English Reformation fascinates you, as it does me, you will find in this fine volume a treasure trove of information. For those looking for something lighter, or for an introductory volume, this probably is not the place to start. But as a reference or as a detailed study, I can imagine no better place to turn. To Bernard, I say "bravo"!

At well over seven hundred pages (including a hundred of fine printed notes), G.W.Bernard's history of Henry VIII's reformation of the English Church is likely to be the gold standard on the topic for years to come. The prose is lucid and the author's mastery of his subject matter is beyond doubt. The reader should be warned that this is not a work for someone approaching the topic cold. You don't need a post graduate degree in Tudor studies to enjoy this book, but it assumes the reader is already familiar with the general history of the period. Some limitations I should note. Bernard says little about England as part of a European community. What I call the "Planet England" school of historiography is unfortunately unavoidable in most English language histories, and this is no exception. Also Bernard avoids the vast topic of how people in Tudor England viewed the world. On this subject I recommend E.M.W.Tillyard's "The Elizabethan World Picture." Nearly fifty years old and small enough to put in your pocket, it is still the best summary of this important matter. Law was essential to how these people thought, and Bernard is too cursory here, which removes a whole dimension. We see what was done but without a full understanding of why. Also the language has changed appreciably over the last 400 years. When quotes are given from Henry VIII's contemporaries, even Bernard tends to view them as if coming off the BBC News. People used language VERY carefully back then, with a richness and precision that has been sadly lost. Some effort might have been made to regain it. Caveat lector. But with these limitations in mind, this book is still essential for anyone seriously interested in why we live in the modern world and not under the rule of the Popes.