Book description
This is the story of England's most famous, and notorious, king. The
facts of Henry VIII's life and reign were more astonishing, poignant and
outlandish than the plot twists of most fiction. Henry's character was
complex: he was a charismatic, ardent - and brash - young lover who
married six times; a scholar with a deep love of poetry and music; an
energetic hunter who loved the outdoors; a monarch whose lack of a male
heir haunted him incessantly; and a ruthless leader who would stop at
nothing to achieve his desires. His monumental decision to split from
Rome and the Catholic Church was one that would forever shape the
religious and political landscape of Britain. Combining magnificent
storytelling with an extraordinary grasp of the pleasures and perils of
power, Margaret George delivers a vivid portrait of Henry VIII and Tudor
England and the powerhouse of players on its stage: Thomas Cromwell,
Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. It is also a narrative
told from an original perspective: Margaret George writes from the
King's point of view, injecting irreverent comments from Will Somers -
Henry's jester and confidant.
Margaret George is the author of several
best-selling novels, including Mary Queen of Scotland & the
Isles, Mary, Called Magdalene and, most recently,
Elizabeth I. She travels widely to research her novels and
lives with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin.
