Book 13: The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory

I really enjoyed this book until the last 50 pages or so. I became interested in Anne Neville after reading other Philippa Gregory novels and watching television adaptations of her work. Last year I read a biography about Anne.

This book begins when Anne is 11 and she is presented to the Edward IV's new queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Their marriage is an embarrassment and an affront to Anne's father, the Earl of Warwick who was negotiating a marriage between Edward and a French princess.

Gregory captures the thoughts of a young girl as she plays as being queen with her sister Isabel. Anne also calls Margaret of Anjou and Henry VI the bad queen and sleeping king.  

But Anne has to grow up fast when her father decides to support another candidate as king and uses Anne and Isabel as his tools to make new alliances. 

I disliked the emphasis on witchcraft especially at the end of the novel. Even after she is crowned queen to Richard III,  Anne is haunted by fear of Elizabeth Woodville's curses. 

I still enjoyed this book. 

First Re-read: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

I don't remember when I read this book maybe 20 or 30 year ago? I don't know what led me to pick it up. I do remember that I really liked it. It convinced me of Richard III's innocence in the deaths of his two nephews--the princes in the tower.. I began to doubt that conclusion after I read Weir's book on the subject. 

I loved revisiting The Daughter of Time after reading The Princes in the Tower Both books focused on police procedures to investigate the ultimate cold case of the princes.

In The Daughter to Time, Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant is stuck in a hospital bed with a broken leg. He becomes fascinated by a painting of Richard III and investigates if Richard is really responsible for the death of his nephews. 

Grant concludes that the children survived Richard's reign and suspects Henry VII. Of course, he didn't have access to the records that Langley did.

Book Seven: The Princes in the Tower Solving History's Greatest Cold Case by Philippa Langley

This book was fascinating. The author Philippa Langley was the historian who led the Looking for Richard Project and discovered the grave of Richard III. That discovery upended accepted historical dogma as myths. 

In this book, Langley turns her attention to what traditionalists consider Richard's most horrific crime--the disappearance and presumed murder of the Princes in the Tower (King Edward V and Richard Duke of York.) The Missing Princes Project treats it as a cold case missing persons investigation. 

Looking beyond English sources (under the control of Richard's successor Henry VII) in the Netherlands, Ireland, and elsewhere, the Project uncovered evidence that both Edward and Richard survived their time in the Tower and attempted to regain the throne from the Tudors. 

Langley and her team aren't done. Phase Two of The Missing Princes Project will continue its original research and search of international and private archives. I can't wait to read what it finds. 

Book One: The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel

I read most of this book last year, but just finished it this morning. I had mixed feelings about the other two books in this trilogy but enjoyed this book more. 

The Mirror & the Light begins literally seconds after the execution of Anne Boleyn and ends as Thomas Cromwell is executed. 

Despite her death at the opening, Anne's presence is felt throughout this novel. At one point, while reading verses about the men convicted of adultery with Anne, Cromwell's nephew remarks, "You see there is no mention of the lady." Cromwell thinks that none is needed: "Anne is always in the room." I felt the same way.  

I was intrigued by a description of Edward IV, Henry VIII's grandfather. 

"...King Edward grew soft in middle age, his eye always rolling in the direction of any woman at             court, wife or maid under the age of thirty. He lolled on a daybed with supple flesh, while his own         brothers plotted against him..." 

While many assume Henry was a lusty playboy, he was more like a choir boy compared to some of the other royals. His appetites for good food and drink didn't decrease--think of Henry's popular image of a fat man lustily eating a large turkey leg.

I think about Edward's decision to marry Elizabeth Woodville and how that threatened his reign, and compare that to Henry's obsession with Anne Boleyn and all that he was willing to risk to marry her. Of course, I knew Edward was Henry's grandfather but I never really thought of their similarities.

Book 13: Catherine of Aragon by Garrett Mattingly

I've read a few novels about Catherine of Aragon before, but this is the first history. I realized that while I knew the broad outlines of Catherine's life, I didn't know many details. For example, I wrote about her uncertain future after Arthur's death and deprivations and embarrassment she experienced, but it was worse than I realized. In addition to being a pawn of Henry VII and Ferdinand of Aragon, she was also hurt by conflicts between her servants, clergymen, and ambassadors. In many ways, she stood alone as she did years later after Henry VIII dissolved their marriage. Her strength never failed her in either struggle. 

I sometimes thought it was only stubbornness that kept her from retiring to a nunnery when Henry made it clear their life together was over. But it was her strong determination to save her soul, her daughter's, her husband's, and even the souls of her adopted countrymen. I hadn't realized that it was Catherine that kept England from another civil war. 

I didn't care for Mattingly's writing style; I found it awkward and sometimes melodramatic and overwrought. It was still a worthwhile book to read. 

Book 12: Green Darkness by Anya Seton

This is a tale of romance and reincarnation. This story begins in 1968. Recently married Celia Marsdon is unhappily hosting weekend guests at her husband Richard's ancestral estate. During a tour at a haunted manor house, Celia faints and later falls into a coma.

The second part of the book takes place from 1552 to 1559 through the reigns of Tudor Monarchs Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. Young Celia Bohun lives with her aunt at her family's former estate now owned by Sir Anthony Browne. Celia falls in love with Brother Stephen, a young monk who serves the Browne family.

In the 16th Century, Celia and Stephen's love ends in tragedy, as will Celia and Richard's in the 20th Century unless Celia and Richard can relive the events of their previous lifetimes.

I was intrigued by the book's description as a reincarnation story set in Tudor England. I had previously read two Anya Seton books, and decided to give this a try. The 1968 portion of the book wasn't particularly interesting; the Tudor portion was much better, especially the portions that dealt with the upheavals caused by the official religion changing from Protestantism to Catholicism and back again. 

Another Reread: The Concubine by Norah Lofts

One night recently I wanted to read a book, but nothing from my dwindling TBR pile appealed to me. I picked up The Concubine by Norah Lofts. I  have fond memories of this book. I think I first read it when I was 17, and stole its format for my term paper on Anne Boleyn. 

I don't know if I would still rank it as one of my favorite books, but it's still a good book. 

Book Six: The Autobiography of Henry VIII, With Notes by his Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George

I really enjoyed this book; I'm glad I didn't pass it up as I had previously. 

In the Prologue, Henry VIII's fool is writing to Catherine Carey Knollys, the daughter of Henry VIII and Mary Boleyn to send her the journal that Henry wrote. (Note: it's unclear if Henry VIII really was Catherine's father.)

The journal begins with Henry recalling his first memory of becoming a Knight of the Bath at age 3. This rang true because I had recently watched a program that described how important this ceremony would be--one of the few times Henry would even see his father Henry VII. 

George does a good job of showing how Henry rationalizes his beliefs and decisions. Does he really believe only he knows the true thoughts of God? It reminded me of Henry's grandmother Margaret Beaufort as described by Philippa Gregory in The Red Queen. 

Near the end of the book, Henry is seeking the love of his children. I wonder how any of his children could truly love such a rash and dangerous man. Especially Mary, who suffered horribly through Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and the reign of Anne Boleyn. 

TV Talk: What We're Watching

It's been a few months since I've posted about TV. So, here it is.

Outlander: Jeff got a special promotional price for a year of Starz, so we finished Season 7.  My main issue with the show is that I don't care much about some of the younger characters. I'm ambivalent about Brianna and Roger. I was intrigued by the Jem kidnapping, but that fizzled out. I like Ian, but his wife Rachel does nothing for me. I dislike William Ransom, Jamie's son. I have no interest in the sex scenes of Roger and Brianna and Ian and Rachel. 

Squid Game: I had trouble getting into Season 2 until they returned to the actual game. This time, a group of players tries to stop the games, but there's a traitor in their midst. 

Nobody Wants This: We've been fans of Kristen Bell since Veronica Mars. I also heard or read that this was a good show. We agree. Bell is a sex podcaster dating a rabbi (Adam Brody.) It's cute (though I hesitate to use that word) and funny.

Only Murders in the Building: Again, we heard or read that this was good, so we tried it. We just started the fourth season. 

Matlock: I like Kathy Bates, and we tried this on a whim. It has a similar structure to that of Veronica Mars: a season long mystery with cases of the week. I'm enjoying both the weekly and seasonal stories. 

I've been watching a few things on my own.

The White Queen: Another Starz series and a re-watch from 2013. I've always been into the Tudors, but the Plantagenets are fascinating on their own. 

Miscellaneous Tudor history series. These shows have historians discussing the various people and places with actors dramatizing some scenes. There tend to be three episodes per show. The first, The Private Life of the Tudors, focused on Henry VIII. 

Another Henry VIII series was called something like, Man, Monster, Myth .A third I just started was about the King's men--the men who influenced Henry VIII. One name (so far) surprised me--Anthony Plantaganet. He was Henry's mother half-brother. The historian made a point to mention twice that he was illegitimate. I also saw a program about Lady Jane Grey. (Why don't they call her Queen Jane, anyway?) 

In my viewing, I learned something about Jane Seymour. Male doctors were allowed in the confinement chamber when she gave birth to Edward. A historian believes Jane may have died because the doctors didn't have experience in delivering children. They should have listened to the mid-wives. 

Book Three: Henry VIII and his Court by Neville Williams

Full disclosure: I discovered this book in my high school library and read the parts about Anne Boleyn. This book was a major source of my senior year term paper. It's only 260 pages with several photographs, but there are a lot of facts, names, and dates in a small amount of text. 

I was able to identify the book by the language, "Playful bandinage, perhaps, but exceedingly dangerous." It was a description of an conversation between Anne Boleyn and Henry Norris. I had never heard of that word before, and I never heard it since. Note: I just checked the dictionary, and it only lists badinage, meaning banter. 

Overall, a good background book on Henry VIII with lovely photographs. 

Book Two: Anne Boleyn A King's Obsession by Alison Weir

I enjoyed this book. Weir writes both historical and fictional treatments; her fiction works are rooted in historical facts.

Here, the story is told from Anne's point of view. Anne didn't love Henry but after his relentless pursuit started to include a proposal of marriage and a queenship, Anne decided why not? I like this interpretation because it matches my own view.

Weir adds a love between Anne and Henry Norris, which is never consummated. I had imagined that Anne and Harry Percy remained in love throughout their lives.  

While Weir had said that feminism was unknown in Tudor England, she recognized that Anne spent years in the households of  Margaret of Austria and Marquerite of Valois. There Anne was exposed to an intellectual movement that questioned traditional concepts of women. She may have even met Leonardo da Vinci 

A King's Obsession is the second of the Six Tudor Queens series. I previously read the first and enjoyed that too. I've started another book about the Tudors--they are fascinating. 

Book 25: The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

The Red Queen is Margaret Beaufort, mother to Henry VII. A bride at 12, a mother and widow at 13, Margaret devoted the rest of her life to her son, doing whatever she could to advance his claim to the English throne. In this novel, that included ordering the murders of two innocent boys (the princes in the tower.)

Gregory portrays Margaret as a religious hypocrite: constantly asserting that her ambition is God's will--including the dubious interpretation that since there was no sign, it must be God's will to kill the two princes. 

I'd be interested in reading a more scholarly approach to Margaret Beaufort's life.

I've actually read seven of Gregory's Plantagenet and Tudor Novels. I read The White Queen is about Queen Elizabeth Woodville, the mother of Elizabeth of York, several years ago. In a suggested reading order and historical timeline, I should have read The Red Queen before The While Princess. Too late to remedy that now.

I won't seek out Gregory's novels, but I would like to read more about Anne Neville, The Kingmaker's Daughter.

Book 24: The White Princess by Philippa Gregory

The White Princess is Elizabeth of York daughter of King Edward IV and wife to Henry VII, the first Tudor king. 

Gregory's version of Elizabeth is a far cry from the historical Elizabeth. This story begins after Richard III's fall at Bosworth Field. Here, Elizabeth is Richard's lover and is mourning his death, knowing that she will now have to marry her enemy Henry VII.

Elizabeth endures rape and humiliation, as well as intense scrutiny and suspicion from her husband and his formidable mother Margaret Beaufort. Elizabeth and Henry reach a truce and find love with one another for a brief time. 

Gregory's book focuses on the threat of various pretenders to the young Tudor dynasty. The most serious was Perkin Warbeck. In this story, Warbeck appears to be the true Prince Richard, the brother of Elizabeth. It makes a more dramatic, romantic tale if Warbeck is one of the Lost Princes of the Tower. 

Ultimately, Elizabeth sacrifices her brother for her sons. Her cousin Margaret Poole does something similar. By not protesting the execution of their brothers, Elizabeth and Margaret may keep her sons from harm. It's dangerous to be a York under Tudor rule.

Gregory does a good job (you won't hear me say that often) showing the suspicion, fear, and paranoia of Henry VII's court. The Tudors may have won the throne at Bosworth Field, but they had to fight to keep it. 

Book 28: The Sisters of Henry VIII by Maria Perry

I picked this book up at a library sale, but don't seem to have a record of it on this blog. No big deal, but I wonder when and where I got the book.

Something in the introduction struck me the wrong way--the author derived great pleasure watching people's faces as they take in the unexpected information. There was just something so condescending about her comments. 

Henry VIII's two sisters Margaret and Mary were married to the King of Scotland and the King of France respectively. I think Margaret was the more interesting sister. I never got a sense of Mary's personality. She seemed rather shallow.

I would enjoy hearing more about Margaret. 

Book 25: Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

This is the second book in Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy focusing on the fall of Anne Boleyn through Thomas Cromwell's point of view. 

Ten years ago, I read Wolf Hall. My reaction to Bring Up the Bodies is similar. The choice of Cromwell as a narrator is brilliant. Even though Mantel is a prizewinning, acclaimed author, I just don't like her style. I find it stilted and awkward. To each his or her own. 

Another Library Book Sale

Cynthia and I went to the Mark Twain Library book sale in Redding today. It was a beautiful day for a drive. The sale started Friday, and already we could see blank spaces where books had been. I bought eight books.

1. Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives. I've been looking for this book at book sales for  years. I borrowed it from the library and read it in 2021. I was psyched to find it today. This alone would have make the trip worthwhile. 

2. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. Why not get another copy? I have four now, plus the one I'm cutting up for my art journal.

3. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. I've heard good things about the Stephanie Plum novels. I like to start series with the first book and finally saw the first today.

4. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. I read the previous book, Wolf Hall. I wasn't crazy about it, but wanted to finish Anne Boleyn's story.

5. The Sisters The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary S. Lovell I vaguely remember reading something--maybe a book review--about the sisters. Decided to find out more. 

6. The Woman Who Ran for President The Many Lives of Victoria Woodhull by Lois Beachy Underhill Woodhull is a fascinating woman from the first wave of feminism. I'm intrigued to learn more about her. 

7. Railroads Across America A Celebration of 150 Years of Railroading by Michael J. DelVecchio There were several books on railroads. I selected this one for industry background.

8. Reel Art Great Posters from The Golden Age of the Silver Screen by Stephen Rebello and Richard Allen This is a gorgeous book of movie posters. I looked up Bette Davis in the index and saw three of her movie posters. That was enough for me. 

I'm really pleased with my selections today, especially Eric Ives' book. 

Book 16: Katherine of Aragon The True Queen by Alison Weir

I've read seven (I think) histories by Alison Weir. This book is my second novel by her (the first was Innocent Traitor about Lady Jane Grey.) Katherine of Aragon is the first novel in the series, Six Tudor Queens. 

Katherine's betrothal to Arthur Prince of Wales was a huge boost to the dynastic hopes of the first Tudor king Henry VII. After Arthur's untimely death, Catherine's future was uncertain: she was a pawn in the ongoing negotiations between King Henry and her father Ferdinand of Aragon. She suffered deprivations and embarrassment of being unable to afford new clothing nor pay her servants. 

Her marriage to the new king Henry VIII must have seemed a godsend to her and the fulfillment of her destiny to become Queen of England. In fact, Weir describes an idyllic, fairy tale marriage in the early years. 

Miscarriages, stillbirths, and the death of an infant prince brought an end to that. 

Despite Henry's abandonment of her and the "dissolution" of their marriage, Katherine remained strong and principled. She never waivered in her belief that she was the true Queen and her daughter Mary was the true heir. She was a remarkable woman. 

The Pretenders to the Princes in the Tower

Henry VII might have defeated Richard III for the crown of England but he did not rest easy on the throne. Several pretenders claimed the crown during his reign sometimes by claiming to be Richard Duke of York, one of the Princes in the Tower. In her book, Alison Weir contends that Henry could have easily disproved these claims by parading the Princes through London. Instead, he spent considerable effort to investigate the claims. Weir cites this as evidence that Henry didn't know the fate of the Princes (although he suspected they were dead.)

Weir's chapter, "Pretenders" focuses on two. 

Lamber Simnel claimed to be Edward, Earl of Warwick, heir to George Duke of Clarence--Edward VI's brother. Henry disproved this by the aforementioned parading the real Warwick through London but not before Simnel became a figurehead in a Yorkist rebellion. I doubt the rebels sincerely believed he was Warwick; Simnel had earlier claimed to be York. Henry was lenient with Simnel and sent him to work in his kitchens.

Another more serious pretender was Perkin Warbeck. Warbeck too first claimed to be Warwick before switching to York. He apparently was more convincing as the Duke of York than Simnel had been. Rebellion in his name failed as well. Ultimately, he as imprisoned and put to death with poor Warwick. 

It's fascinating to think about--was there a market in teaching people to impersonate royals? Was it just the rumors about Princes and towers that got it going? How long did it take? Weir notes that no pretender claimed to be Edward V--he was too well known.

One theory that I saw in The White Princess miniseries is that Edward IV's Queen Elizabeth Wydville spirited her younger son to Europe for safekeeping and that Warbeck really is Richard Duke of York.  His sister Elizabeth in now Henry's Queen. She believes his claim, but what will happen to her husband and children if she declares the truth?

This could have been avoided if they had just crowned Elizabeth.

Book Nine: The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir

I was happy to see this book at the latest library book sale. Years ago, I read The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. It convinced me that Henry VII and not Richard III killed the princes. I had my own copy; that's one of the books I regret giving away/downsizing (another is Rebecca.)

I don't remember many details. I do remember that the narrator thought it significant there was no contemporary reports of Richard's involvement. But Weir shows that there were contemporary accusations, but people had to be circumspect when making such accusations against a king. I respect Weir's scholarship, and she's very convincing. 

I'd like to re-read The Daughter of Time; I don't think I would find it as convincing as I once did. 

Book Four: The Tudors in Love by Sarah Gristwood

Despite a title that could indicate a romance novel, Gristwood's book is a serious study of courtly love as a framework for the history of the Tudor dynasty. While some historians question the validity of courtly love as a concept, Gristwood deems it important to consider how the Tudors used the legends and stories to give themselves credibility and legitimacy in a time of dynastic uncertainty.

Gristwood traces the development of courtly love from King Arthur and Queen Guinevere through the Tudor reign. I wasn't that interested until Gristwood got to the Lancasters and the Yorks. I wish I had understood a little about courtly love when I first wrote about Anne Boleyn for my high school term paper. I remember an awkward phrase or two on that subject. 

I recommend this book to other Tudor history geeks, but not to the general public. I'll add that I found some of writing a bit confusing because of the overuse of the parenthetical expressions. I lost track of some of the sentence subjects.