Sharon said:

Has anyone found a book written about Henry's sister Mary?  I don't believe I have read anything strictly about her life. Nor have I found a book dealing with Margaret. Any ideas?

Amazon has something called The Sisters of Henry VIII but it gets mixed reviews. I thought I remembered hearing about another book on them from years back, but drawing a blank right now.

Sharon said:

Has anyone found a book written about Henry's sister Mary?  I don't believe I have read anything strictly about her life. Nor have I found a book dealing with Margaret. Any ideas?

Sharon,

  I bought a book when I was in England titled “Sisters to the King: The tumultuous lives of Henry VIII's sisters— Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France” by Maria Perry. I was quite good, a lot of detail about both Margarte and Mary, who I knew little about. It may be published under another name in America, but if you are looking to know more about Henry's sisters, it is probably a good choice. The book was given good reviews by both David Starkey and Antonia Fraser. I hope this helps!

DuchessofBrittany, thanks for the Referral.  I have just ordered “Sisters To The King” on Amazon.  The book is coming from England and won't be here until next month, but that is ok.  It should be here in time for me to take it on vacation with me.  In the meantime I hve plenty of books sitting here begging to be read. 

I am in the middle of Virgin and the Crab, By Robert Parry, and I am loving it.

Just read the reviews of Elizabeth's Women over on Amazon UK and am happy to see that it will be available in the States in September! Thanks for the recommendation.

I just finished reading Speaking for Myself, Cherie Blair's autobiography.  (We share a birthday, 12 years apart.) The first half or so of the book is quite interesting: the second half tends to go in for a lot of name-dropping and self-exculpatatory explanations. Mrs. Blair reminds me a bit of Margot Asquith, another controversial wife of a British Prime Minister during wartime.

I am also reading a biography of Frank Duff, the Irish founder of the Legion of Mary (a Catholic organization for laity of which I am a member), by Robert Bradshaw. This book deliberately tends towards the hagiographic, as Mr. Duff (who died in 1980) is being considered for beatification.

I'm still reading The Lady in the Tower but took a break due to work. I'll be starting it back again soon though. A teacher gave me a copy of Children of Henry VIII about 10 years ago; now I just have to find where it is (probably in one of the chest drawers which is brimming over with everything Tudor and Patrick O'Brien!). I'm definitely going to look for His Last Letter (I wonder if it's in the States yet), but I am torn on reading Philippa Gregory's novel about Margaret Beaufort. I have hated everything I've read by her in the past, but I'm wondering if this will be any different — or will she jump the shark yet again? (If anyone reads it and you also have mixed feelings about her, let me know what you thought of it. I value the opinions of everyone on here enough that I'd take a chance if enough of you recommended it).

PS Lady K — just spent the last few minutes reading an excerpt from the first chapter of The Queen's Fool. Interesting intro but you're right about feeling annoyed. I only read about 5 or 6 pages and I can't say I care for her declarations of Elizabeth not only being a wh*re, but a practiced liar who was the daughter of liars. I know the woman wasn't perfect, but good grief LOL

Lady K said:

Hi TinaII2None,

It was so funny, the very first page of the Queens Fool mentioned the word sex (not that im a prude)

I wasnt a fan of the White Queen, mainly due to all the silly witchcraft. Have you seen this future release on Margaret ?  “Margaret Beaufort the Mother of the Tudor Dynasty” – Ellizabeth Norton. I think it comes out in September.  

A few of my friends rave about Children of Henry VIII, so im curious to see what that one is like too.

🙂

 

ROTFL! Yeah, I noticed that too! And I'm not a prude either but good grief — can't it wait until say page 71?

Do you mind my asking — what the heck did witchcraft have to do with Elizabeth Wydville? Is Gregory trying to allege that she was a witch?

 

Yes, I had heard about the Norton biography and will be on the watch for it — thanks! *g* I read that one bio on Margaret back about 10 years ago (my local main library had to borrow it from a university library and then I had a limited amount of days to read it), and I don't know about the rest of you, but Margaret Beaufort may be — for me anyway — the most puzzling of all the Tudors and that's saying a lot. I'm never quite sure what to think of her — but perhaps I should start a thread elsewhere on the forum and throw that one out to the group!

 

I loved Children of Henry VIII. Definitely check it out!

 Put my money where my mouth is and instead of getting side-tracked here, I posted a new topic under the Tudor character forum — it's about Margaret Beaufort. Interested to see what you all think.