The tempestuous; bloody; and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history; not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship; Alison Weir draws on early biographies; letters; memoirs; account books; and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn; an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for vengeance; Jane Seymour; a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves; a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard; an empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr; a warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time.
#498195 in Books Burlingame; Michael 2008-12-10Format: Box setOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.00 x 4.30 x 7.00l; 9.50 #File Name: 08018899362008 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A great achievement!By RyanThis is without a doubt the greatest book I have read on Abraham Lincoln. This is a colossal achievement by author Michael Burlingame and I have much respect for the amount of effort that was put into this project. I would recommend this to every one I know.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Deserves to be called definitiveBy Robert C. Solomon; M.D.If you want to know all about Lincoln; this is an excellent choice. Well researched and written; this is a very readable yet scholarly biography whose 2000 pages will leave you feeling quite satisfied that you've taken it all in. This is not; however; a Civil War history. The Civil War consumed Lincoln's presidency; and so of course there is much about the war; and Lincoln's management of it. But there is little of battles or tactics; so if you are hoping for that; you will still have to go read Catton; or Foote; or any of the dozens of other works focused on that subject. Here you will find insight into Lincoln's interactions with the other politicians and the generals whose leadership was crucial to the conduct of the war.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A fitting biography.By SewardWhile on holiday in the US in 2008 I purchased a book on Lincoln; which prompted me to read Sandburghs Prairie and War years. These books were enjoyable but they felt like they were written by Lincoln's greatest admirers. Burlingame's biography explains so much about the man and the economic and political landscape that lead to the Civil War that it is hard to imagine that anyone can improve on these momentous books. Lincoln is rightly regarded as the most famous American that ever lived. Every now and then a person comes along who has few equals either as a demagogue or a visionary leader. Lincoln was one in a billion. These books do him justice.
