The Tudors (Revealing History) [Paperback]

Richard Rex (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2005 | Series: Revealing History

The Tudor period is regarded by many as England’s golden age, and still casts a spell over the public imagination. Whether it’s the glittering rule of Elizabeth, the ruthless power of her father Henry VIII, or the bloody and radical reign of Mary, the Tudors remain the most fascinating English dynasty. Richard Rex looks at how the public and private lives of the Tudors were inextricably linked, and how each Tudor monarch exuded charisma and danger in equal measure.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The Tudors' claim as the most popular subject in English history is stronger than their initially flimsy claim to the English crown, established by conquest when Henry Tudor defeated Richard III in 1485. Rex duly captures the anxieties experienced by all Tudor monarchs as they sought to invest their rule with legitimacy, which lends a dynamic aspect to this analytical narrative of the dynasty. Directing himself squarely to the recreational reader of history, Rex provides the monarchs' perspectives on affairs of the realm, which saw each Tudor confronting rebellions, religious schisms, and successions. Naturally, Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I, perennially producing histories such as David Starkey's Six Wives (2003), are the most significant in Rex's estimation. However, he hardly dismisses the intervening reigns of Edward VI and "Bloody" Mary I as mere footnotes in England's revolutionary transformation from a Catholic to a Protestant country. A British academic, Rex comments perceptively on both personality (particularly on Mary's and Elizabeth's positions as women in power) and policy. A high- quality introduction to the Tudor era. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

'Gripping and told with enviable narrative skill... a delight' THES; 'Vivid, entertaining and carrying its learning lightly' EAMON DUFFY

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Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: Tempus (June 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752433334
• ISBN-13: 978-0752433332
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,926,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for history lovers, March 16, 2006

By 

Mariama A. Bangura - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Tudors (Revealing History) (Paperback)

The Tudors is a wonderfully written book. Instead of focusing on mundane little details about each monarch's personal life, this book focuses on what each one did while ruling England. This is a great book for those who want an overview of the Tudor dynasty, and would make an excellent textbook for a course on Tudor history.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A `must' for in-depth English history collections, September 13, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tudors (Hardcover)

Richard Rex is Director of Studies at Queens' College in Cambridge and the author of numerous papers on Tudor England, so his introduction THE TUDORS comes from a richly researched background, making it a `must' for in-depth English history collections at the college level. The public and private lives of the Tudors of England's `golden age' are examined in a guide which considers how dukes and kings influenced one of the greatest ages in English history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good intro to monarchs of Tudor period, January 1, 2010

By 

Chris Haynes (Stone Mountain, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Tudors (Hardcover)

My interest in the Tudor period of English history was piqued after I started to watch the Showtime series "The Tudors". The show is very good and I wanted to get some more background on the period and the monarchs that ruled England at that time. This book provides a sufficient introduction to the reigns of Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary Tudor, and Elizabeth I. The author seems to be at times almost apologetic in his portrayal of these rulers in a more positive light than other historians. Maybe 'apologetic' is too strong, but he seems to give them the benefit of historical doubt. In any event, it is a worthwhile read to brush up on this period of history. The book is quite accessible to the general audience and avoids being bogged down with too many details. There are some areas where the author presumes some knowledge about events and people of the the times that are not explicated (e.g the Lollards - who they were and why they were treated as they were), but in fairness to do so may have turned the book into a tome. All in all a good read.