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3:24 pm
April 11, 2011
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Do we know what became of Alice after her escape from the Tower?
10:55 pm
June 15, 2012
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I don’t read historical fiction all that often, but I just finished reading ‘The Arrow Chest’ by Robert Parry. I loved it! I stayed up late last night so I could finish it, and now I’m sorry it’s finished.
5:02 am
April 9, 2011
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I picked up a paperback version of a John Grisham novel I had no idea existed – The Litigators. At the time I was still reading The Maya Codex, I started reading the first cople of pages of the Grisham novel and it was such a light funny read that I have continued. While it is not ground breaking stuff by any stretch of the imagination I am enjoying the light hearted approach that Grisham is injecting into this legal story. And I think that’s why I am enjoying it. At first I knew how it was going to end, but I have a feeling this story isn’t going to end with the protagonists winning the case. It also helps that the main character is sympathetic, Grisham went through a stage where the main character was often an unappealing grumpy man. And it seems this guy doesn’t have some deep dark secret, which is nice.
1:26 pm
January 3, 2012
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Neil Kemp said
Do we know what became of Alice after her escape from the Tower?
Yeah she didn’t get very far, she was recognised by some of the guards on the way home from a night out and promply arrested and put back in the Tower however this time she had no hope of escape as a stout padlock was put on her door instead of the usual wooden peg that was used. She and her common law husband were chained to the bottom of Traitors Gate? and low tide and slowly drowned when the tide came in. Whilst her lover who had helped her escape (a Tower Guard called John Bawd) was for the want of a better word tortured to death by the other guards, who were ashamed of the fact that one of their own betrayed them and what the Tower stood for. He was firstly imprisoned in a cell called little ease, a cell to small to stand in or lie down in, so had to spend his time in a crouching position, which must have been agony, he was also so I believe he had a romantic encounter with the Duke of Exeter’s daughter (the Rack) he was then hung in chains from the walls of the Tower and left to die of exposure and rot. Such was the price of Betrayal.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
3:00 pm
April 11, 2011
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Yuk! No happy endings there then. Thanks for the info’, Boleyn. I was hoping for a happy conclusion, but then I guess that would have been a lot to hope for during Henry’s reign.
4:53 am
November 6, 2012
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I am reading The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn. Very interesting. Shows what she might have thought and felt in her own opinion, along with what she might have wrote in her diary.
"She who has been the Queen of England on earth will today become a Queen in Heaven."- Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
10:26 pm
June 7, 2010
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I recently read Elizabeth Chadwick’s “Lady of the English,” an historical fiction about Empress Matilda and Adeliza of Louvain.
I also finished Erik Larson’s “In Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin.” It’s an excellent read. A true story about
the American Ambassador, William Dodd and his daughter, Martha’s life in Berlin in the early 1930’s, amongst the increasing power and violence of Hitler’s regime. I found this book read like a novel, but was highly informative and well-written.
"By daily proof you shall find me to be to you both loving and kind" Anne Boleyn
5:06 am
November 18, 2010
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sounds good milady Dutchess. I’m not really into WWII but it’s now a toss-up between WWII and the Crimean War as to which one to study next..
It's always bunnies.
8:51 pm
December 5, 2009
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I’m reading Claire’s, ‘A Day in Tudor History’, which is brilliant, interspersed with the second book in the Deborah Harkness series, which isn’t brilliant but is entertaining (even though I can’t remember the title).
I love Stephen King but I tried to get into the time travel book about JFK and found it difficult to get into. I’ve put it on hold for the time being.
Next on my list is David Loades book on Catherine Howard even though I’m a bit sceptical.
1:01 am
January 9, 2010
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You’re right to be skeptical about David Loades’ book on Katherine Howard Louise. I’ve just finished reading it and it was dire; little in the way of referencing, a weird chronology that goes all over the place, things that were plain wrong and repetition, repetition, repetition. Did I mention repetition? Poor Katherine herself barely appears at all. Anne of Cleves does quite well out of it though. Feel free to pass over it!
At the moment I’m reading ‘Witch Hunt’ by Syd Moore, a time-slip novel involving the witch hunts in 17th century England. Quite enjoying it and now want to know more about the ‘witches’, and Matthew Hopkins, and the civil war.
8:39 am
January 3, 2012
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Bella44 said
You’re right to be skeptical about David Loades’ book on Katherine Howard Louise. I’ve just finished reading it and it was dire; little in the way of referencing, a weird chronology that goes all over the place, things that were plain wrong and repetition, repetition, repetition. Did I mention repetition? Poor Katherine herself barely appears at all. Anne of Cleves does quite well out of it though. Feel free to pass over it!
At the moment I’m reading ‘Witch Hunt’ by Syd Moore, a time-slip novel involving the witch hunts in 17th century England. Quite enjoying it and now want to know more about the ‘witches’, and Matthew Hopkins, and the civil war.
Hello Bella Haven’t see you here for a while, so hope you have been ok.
Matthew Hopkins is a bit of enigma he disappeared from history just as quick as he appeared I believe his who reign of terror lasted a sum period of about 8 months, but boy what an impact he made. He based his whole terror campaign on a book written my a woman hating monk called the Mallaus Malifecarum (Hammer of the witches). I’ve read little snippets of it and it seemed that he believed every woman was a disiple of the devil.
To throw a slight twist into the whole brew I believe that for the most part most of these witch trials were based on mass hysteria and in the case of Salem, Ergot poisoning and perhaps a little bit of jealously too. However this isn’t the page to be going into all that, and it’s something I might have a bash at putting in the appropiate forum for something different for us discuss at a later date.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
7:23 pm
January 9, 2010
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I’ve been fine – having a little holiday staying with relatives, thanks Boleyn 
You’re right about Matthew Hopkins being an enigma, he seemed to come out of nowhere and then in the course of about 3 years put to death hundreds of people (mainly women) before dying at the age of about 27 of tuberculosis. He also wrote his own book, ‘A Discovery of Witches’, the ideas in that being exported to America and used to devastating effect in Salem.
‘A Discovery of Witches’ is also the name of the first book that Louise was talking about by Deborah Harkness, ‘The Shadow of Night’ being the second. I haven’t read the second book yet but I did enjoy the first one.
4:32 am
November 18, 2010
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How much influence does Malleus Maleficarum(http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/) have on Hopkins??
It's always bunnies.
2:10 pm
January 3, 2012
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Anyanka said
How much influence does Malleus Maleficarum(http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/) have on Hopkins??
To be honest Anyanka I believe that the Malleus maleficurum was a sort of guide book for these so called witch hunters to dip into for help in dealing with those poor woman and some men as well suspected of witchcraft. It wasn’t used exclusively at every trial, it was used as one would use a dictionary to look up the meanings of words. If for instance a woman (and it was mainly woman who were accused of witchcraft) was acussed of bewitching cattle the witch hunter would look into the book and see how this situation was dealt with. Bewitching Cattle = to get a confession about this you must swim the witch etc. Whatever happened to her after that treatment was solely at the Witch hunters discretion.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
7:26 pm
February 24, 2010
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Here in America, our Malfoy was Cotton Mather. He “found the study of witchcraft made to order for his neurotic and oversexed spirituality.” He wrote the book, Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions. And it was a best seller in 1689.
Here is the link if you’d like to read some of it.
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/p…..A_MATH.HTM
1:18 am
October 28, 2011
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Hi everyone, I haven’t been on in weeks. Busy working on a new website which has been pretty boring, as it always is.
I tried, again, to read lady in the Tower by Weir, and can’t even get past the first chapter. Sorry Louise 
I don’t know what sort of mood I’ll have to be in to actually read the thing.
I’ve been reading children’s books mostly, spent a week or two re-reading Malory Towers, St Clare’s and Naughtiest Girl. Then I read the sequels to Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH that the author’s daughter wrote. I only discovered these books last year and I love them.
Currently I am reading some Nicholas Stuart Gray for the first time. I actually kept some aside earlier this year as they’re very difficult to get here (and something I would normally just sell) but I read the garland of Filligree and fell in love with them. I just finished Down in the Cellar and I think I’ll start Wardens of the Weir next. Did anyone read him as a kid? He’s very funny, I love the humour in them.
1:22 pm
December 5, 2009
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Olga said
Hi everyone, I haven’t been on in weeks. Busy working on a new website which has been pretty boring, as it always is.
I tried, again, to read lady in the Tower by Weir, and can’t even get past the first chapter. Sorry Louise
I’ve been reading children’s books mostly, spent a week or two re-reading Malory Towers, St Clare’s and Naughtiest Girl. Then I read the sequels to Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH that the author’s daughter wrote. I only discovered these books last year and I love them.
Currently I am reading some Nicholas Stuart Gray for the first time. I actually kept some aside earlier this year as they’re very difficult to get here (and something I would normally just sell) but I read the garland of Filligree and fell in love with them. I just finished Down in the Cellar and I think I’ll start Wardens of the Weir next. Did anyone read him as a kid? He’s very funny, I love the humour in them.
I’m not sure what mood you’ll need to be in to read TLITT but I’m fairly confident what mood you’ll be in after you finish it!
I love all the Enid Blyton books. Famous Five, Secret Seven, Malory Towers, St Clare’s etc. I gave all mine to charity a couple of years ago, but I sometimes wish I’d kept them.
I’ve never heard of Nicholas Stuart Gray?
6:40 pm
January 9, 2010
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I wish I’d kept all my Famous Five books too. Don’t have too many books from when I was a kid, but do have a complete set of Tintins that were actually my older brothers. I’m in the middle of replacing them as they’re falling to bits. They’ve been well loved!
1:50 pm
January 3, 2012
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Louise said
Olga said
Hi everyone, I haven’t been on in weeks. Busy working on a new website which has been pretty boring, as it always is.
I tried, again, to read lady in the Tower by Weir, and can’t even get past the first chapter. Sorry Louise
I’ve been reading children’s books mostly, spent a week or two re-reading Malory Towers, St Clare’s and Naughtiest Girl. Then I read the sequels to Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH that the author’s daughter wrote. I only discovered these books last year and I love them.
Currently I am reading some Nicholas Stuart Gray for the first time. I actually kept some aside earlier this year as they’re very difficult to get here (and something I would normally just sell) but I read the garland of Filligree and fell in love with them. I just finished Down in the Cellar and I think I’ll start Wardens of the Weir next. Did anyone read him as a kid? He’s very funny, I love the humour in them.I’m not sure what mood you’ll need to be in to read TLITT but I’m fairly confident what mood you’ll be in after you finish it!
I love all the Enid Blyton books. Famous Five, Secret Seven, Malory Towers, St Clare’s etc. I gave all mine to charity a couple of years ago, but I sometimes wish I’d kept them.
I’ve never heard of Nicholas Stuart Gray?
I know what you mean about Enid Blyton I love her books too. I’ve managed to get a few Ebooks of hers so I can read them when ever I am feeling in the mood for something light hearted to read. I love them all, but the ST Clare’s and Mallory Towers books have a secret place in my heart.
I’m sorry I’ve not been about for a while, but I’ve been very busy writing what was to be a short story, but it seems to have grown. I must say I’m enjoying writing it and I’m amazed at just how easy it is to write to. The ideas seemed to have jumped into my head from nowhere, I just hope that when I post it on the forum that you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
12:12 pm
October 28, 2011
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He’s a British author Louise, although as his books haven’t been printed again except for a handful he’s relatively obscure. I’m curling up with Grimbold’s Other World tonight. Then I will have run out of them *sigh* I’ll have to keep hunting, some of them are pretty expensive.
I can never choose between Malory Towers and St Clare’s Bo, I love them both 
Writing can be easy once you get started, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. I often have trouble forcing things out of my head, and they languish there, to take up much-needed room.
Now it is actually December so I’ll do my Christmas reading, I usually like to read the Hobbit, LOTR and the Narnia books this time of year. I’ll squeeze in Wind in the Willows and the sequels some time after, then I might be in the mood to attack the history pile again.
