Pleasures & Pastimes in Tudor England [Hardcover]

Alison Sim (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1999

While continuing the medieval tradition of tournament and pageantry, the Tudors increasingly read and attended the theatre, danced and took a keen interest in music. This text explores the pastimes of Tudor men and women, from all levels of society, both at home and at large. Both before and after the great religious upheaval of the Reformation, the festivals of the Church provided the perfect excuse for revelry; and weddings and christenings were then, as now, great social occasions. In addition to the entertainments of the Tudors, the autor sketches the history of Tudor dress and discusses Tudor homes, affording an insight into the ways of contemporary interior decoration. Covering the full range of entertainment organized and enjoyed by the Tudors, from card games to bear-baiting, the book shows that despite living over 400 years before the invention of radio or television, the Tudors did not live a mundane life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alison Sim is a freelance historian with a specialism in Tudor housewifery skills. She works as a costumed guide at the Tower of London and at Hampton Court, and has lectured on Tudor food at the Mary Rose Trust. She authored The Tudor Housewife (Sutton, 1996) and Food and Feast in Tudor England (Sutton, 1997).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Alan Sutton Publishing, Ltd.; illustrated edition edition (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750918330
• ISBN-13: 978-0750918336
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,875,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Overall View of Tudor Enjoyments, June 1, 2000

By 

Rebecca L. Latson (Angleton, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pleasures & Pastimes in Tudor England (Hardcover)

In studying the Tudor era for my character role in a local Renaissance Faire, I ran across this book by Alison Sim during a search. It's a wonderful book divided into various chapters centering on separate items which made up Tudor enjoyments. Chapters in the book include clothing, architecture, reading, dancing, theatre, and hunting & games, to name a few. Ms. Sim's writing is not the least bit dry and makes the facts enjoyable to read about. It's a must for anyone like me who is studying the time period to improve upon their faire or SCA persona as well as to add to their knowledge in general.