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8:18 pm
July 9, 2009
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So…I just finished Karen Lindsey's Divorced Beheaded Survived, and have begun Eric Ives The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn. I thought I had read it, but it turns out I'd read his first version, simply called Anne Boleyn. The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn is the same book but different, incorporating new research. For example, in Anne Boleyn Ives tried to piece together the affair of Mary Boleyn and Henry VIII using information that included the name of the Mary Boleyn ship. It turns out that he subsequently learned that the ship orginally belonged to the Boleyns, who named it themselves, so the fact that it turned up in Henry's fleet at a certain time doesn't necessarily mean he was sleeping with her by then. He also mentions the work of David Starkey a lot, which was pretty cool to me since I read Ives' Anne Boleyn first, then Starkey's Six Wives, then The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn and could see the progression that's been made.
Maybe in a few years he'll release another edition with even more stuff.
Just thought I'd share that. If you've read Ives' Anne Boleyn, do yourself a favor and read The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn-it's not too much new material, but what is new is pretty cool.
Ainsi sera, groigne qui groigne.
10:25 pm
February 16, 2009
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Eric Ives' \”The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn\” is my favourite Anne Boleyn book and has a permanent position beside my computer on my desk. Denny is too over the top sympathetic and Warnicke is too obsessed with \”sexual heresy\” but Ives is fair and balanced. He covers everything and in such detail, brilliant book! I've got his Lady Jane Grey book and also Leanda de Lisle's book on the Grey sisters so I think I'm going tio enjoy comparing what they say about Lady Jane Grey. If Ives' book on LJG is as good as his Anne one then it will be a pleasure to read.
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
6:57 pm
June 20, 2009
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I love Eric Ives' biography on Anne. I can't wait for the Lady Jane Grey one to be available in the states. He does wonderful research, and keeps his opinions pretty neutral.
Let not my enemies sit as my jury
3:26 am
June 21, 2009
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Claire said:
Eric Ives' “The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn” is my favourite Anne Boleyn book and has a permanent position beside my computer on my desk.
Too funny, Claire! That's where I keep my copy! Always within reach when I want to do a little fact checking. All other Tudor books have gone to my bookshelf, but Ives' bio on Anne stays right here. It has sheets of paper stuck in it, with random notes and questions. This book is always my go-to guide for Anne!
Noli me tangere
6:21 pm
July 9, 2009
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I'm almost finished with the book, and what I really like about Ives is that he just presents the facts. As many facts as there might be about something, he lays them out. Other biographers seem to have taken this as a starting point but pick and choose facts to fit their portrait. He's more objective.
Ainsi sera, groigne qui groigne.
7:59 pm
September 11, 2009
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I'm about a third of the way through and, though progress is slow, loving it. I also can't wait to get the Lady Jane Grey one as I believe there is a chronic lack of accurate material on her.
9:30 pm
December 21, 2009
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Its the main book I refer to for facts on Anne, however as a read from cover to cover – I found it really hard slow going. I know its based on facts and research, but I do miss a bit of the romance that Phillippa adds to her 'fiction' (oops I said her name sorry and by no means am I compairing her as a writer – totally no contest!!) Thats why I think I prefer Alision Weir – I find her books easier and more gripping to read.
Sorry, great book, but better for reference rather than a good 'cant put down' read. Perhaps I need to give it another go, Im just reading The Lady in The Tower (alision weir) – so Ill read it again after and re-post.
The Most Happi
5:16 pm
December 8, 2009
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Yes, I`ve read it too. It`s one of my favourites. I`m not getting into this Denny bio at all, so still the Ives book is far away the best I`ve read.
As for Alison Weir, I`d give her books a wide berth. A very wide berth! However, I do wonder what motivated her to write about Anne Boleyn, her previous works make her contempt for Anne quite clear.
Be daly prove you shalle me fynde,nTo be to you bothe lovyng and kynde,
5:25 pm
December 30, 2009
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Alison Weir has strong feelings for various historical characters – either for or against – and no evidence to the contrary will convince her to shift her opinion.
She is very unsympathetic to Anne Boleyn and is also very anti-Richard III.
6:12 pm
July 9, 2009
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I haven't read Lady in the Tower, but on that podcast where she read exerpts from it, Alison Weir actually says that her love of history started with her fascination with Anne Boleyn. She may be unsympathetic, but she's clearly fascinated and keeps coming back to her.
Ainsi sera, groigne qui groigne.
6:42 pm
December 8, 2009
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Jasmine said:
Alison Weir has strong feelings for various historical characters – either for or against – and no evidence to the contrary will convince her to shift her opinion.
She is very unsympathetic to Anne Boleyn and is also very anti-Richard III.
I tried to read her book about the Princes in the Tower. God, it was awful! She based it on Thomas More (who claimed Richard III was born with a full set of teeth and waist length hair), and William Shakespeare (who also based his account largely on Thomas More`s). Horrific!
Weir may be fascinated by Anne Boleyn, but I wish to god, she`d stop inventing stuff and actually look and analyse primary sources.
Be daly prove you shalle me fynde,nTo be to you bothe lovyng and kynde,
9:42 pm
January 5, 2010
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I loved Eric Ives biography, like everyone has been saying it is 'Balanced', not too over symnpatheitc, but i also realy liked Denny's book as it flowed lovely. It was very symnpatheitc, mind you, but i guese i am also symnpathetic towards Anne.
10:28 pm
July 9, 2009
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jonnye29 said:
I loved Eric Ives biography, like everyone has been saying it is 'Balanced', not too over symnpatheitc, but i also realy liked Denny's book as it flowed lovely. It was very symnpatheitc, mind you, but i guese i am also symnpathetic towards Anne.
I'm sympathetic toward Anne too, but Denny's book took a few too many liberties for me. For example, she talks about how Katherine of Aragon had an altar in her chambers but because Anne was, in her words, a \”devout Protestant,\” she would never have an altar in her room. I think it was common practice for a queen to have an altar and prie dieu in her rooms, regardless, and the fact is that the word \”protestant\” only gained parlance after Anne's death, so she definitely wouldn't have counted herself a devout Protestant. Not to say she wouldn't have been in another time; after all, her sympathies were decidedly (if subtly) Lutheran, but it bothers me that Denny can't give her remarks a more nuanced context.
Ainsi sera, groigne qui groigne.
10:51 pm
January 5, 2010
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Yes, i see your point and agree with it.
It was the first Anne Boleyn Book i read, so thats probably why i hold it in high regard, but Eric Ives biography is more balanced and fair
9:38 am
August 22, 2010
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Hannah said:
As for Alison Weir, I`d give her books a wide berth. A very wide berth! However, I do wonder what motivated her to write about Anne Boleyn, her previous works make her contempt for Anne quite clear.
I never had the impression she had contempt for Anne but was actually pretty unbiased towards her. I'm fascinated by Anne Boleyn myself but this doesn't mean I don't see her negative sides, of which there were plenty. In fact all these different aspects make her the interesting character she was.
Could someone give an example of where/in what way Weir is treating Anne contemptuously?
