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Tudors (2012)

by Peter Ackroyd(Favorite Author)

3.98 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0230706401 (ISBN13: 9780230706408)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Macmillan

series

The History of England

review 1: The second volume of Ackroyd's history of England, this work covers one of the most astonishing and exciting periods of English history. Two of the most revered and famous monarchs existed in the Tudor period, that of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. The whole reformation and what it entailed, really separated our Isles from continental history and led to our definition as a modern race. Henry's time was defined by his cataclysmic relationships with two wives fouling foul of the executioner and he became also a pioneer of the use of divorce. It is interesting to see how the Tudors interacted with other European powers, always on the dividing line between the struggles of France and Spain. I found the Elizabethan period to be the most interesting. The Virgin Queen was truly a gr... moreeat monarch and it is interesting to see how this mysterious woman steered our country onto a great imperial path. It was the time of the early explorers and the start of Empire and the infamous defeat of the Spanish Armada is a highlight as is the conflict with Mary, Queen of Scots, who was ultimately dispatched at Fotheringay castle, a place I once visited as a child and a whole story that was most inspiring. I look forward to see how England progresses beyond the Tudors. It, for sure, can be said that they were a dynasty set apart from others and that their influence can still be felt today. It was a fascinating period of English history and I eagerly anticipate to see how history develops from here, as Peter Ackroyd's six volume history continues to progress.
review 2: There's very little that is new in this book, but it is well-written and very engaging. For those who want a well-balanced and essential understanding of the Tudor monarchs and the England they created one need look no further than this book. Like its predecessor in Ackroyd's proposed 6 volume history, this book is told with a novelist's eye. There a better books for those specializing in this period, but there are few as entertaining and satisfying. less

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