Boleynfan said:

Tina – I see more and more Eleanor-Anne similarities: both had a lot of love in them, especially motherly love, they both had ambition, they both did things their own way, they were both striking to look at, but in an unconventional way…Ooh, you're right, wouldn't it be great if Henry lay next to Anne? Revenge! 🙂

Well, like I said, I know it would be impossible for that to happen, but I just love the idea of him being buried beside the woman whose demise he assisted in.

You know what? When I saw the excerpt of that scene in The Tudors when Henry goes to visit Anne of Cleves and Elizabeth at Hever, well, I couldn't help wishing that he got a ghostly visit or two…or three before he left. Nothing over the top mind you. Moving his chamber pot from its' usual spot would work. Or tripping him up as he walked down the hall. And then a soft laugh to creep him out. Nice little subtle touches you know

This seems sad now that I'm writing it since I read so many books, but I only own the first two on your list, Tina! I'm working on getting some of the others though.

Love the ghost idea 🙂 Wouldn't that be great? I can just picture the scene, in an eerie novel (I call dibs! ). Or in a movie, with creepy music playing. Maybe Anne's wild laugh instead of a soft one? Hmm…

Thanks for the new thread!

Boleynfan said:

Bella – Duchess of Aquitaine by Margaret Ball is good, in my opinion, if you want a novel. I actually really liked The Captive Queen by Alison Weir, and I'd definitely recommend it. I'm not sure about non-fiction, but I'm interested too–anyone know about Eleanor non-fic?

One of the most comprehensive non-fiction books I have read about Eleanore is, Eleanore of Aquitaine and the Four Kings, by Amy Kelly.  The information is mostly taken from contemporary sources.  Excellent book on the life and times of Eleanore.  If you would like to read more non-fiction about Eleanor and Henry, (mostly Henry) Henry II, by W.L. Warren.

Bella44 said:

I've got: Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

             Virgin by RObin Maxwell

             Last Days of Henry Vlll by Robert Hutchinson

             Children of Henry Vlll by Alison Weir

             Elizabeth l by Anne Somerset

             Elizabeth by David Starkey

             Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy

And an absolute truck load of others (12 biographies on Anne Boleyn alone!) so I'm not going to list them all here!  But out of those ones I really liked Alison Weir's 'Children of Henry Vlll' and 'Elizabeth l' by Anne Somerset.  I've got Carolly Erickson's 'Bloody Mary' but it's been a while since i read it, do remember she went into a bit of detail about Mary's love of fashion and jewellery though – which is always fun to read about!

Bella — reading your list was like seeing a mirror image! LOL

Was over on Amazon reading some of the reviews of 'Bloody Mary'. It got mostly positive reviews, but I noticed a few felt Ms. Erickson made excuses for Mary. I don't know if that's accurate or not. I had sympathy for her, but still recognize her flaws, and it was just a tragic lfe considering that it started so lovingly. Was wondering what you thought.

I haven't read Bloody Mary, but I don't really think it's fair to be so sympathetic toward Mary. Yes, I feel sympathy for her: she had such a hard life. Still, her actions eventually showed that no matter how kind she might have started off, she ended up cruel. She deserves pity, definitely, but her reign was remembered as a reign of terror. She was called “Bloody Mary” for a reason, after all!

Gentillylace said:I just finished reading Robert Harris' novel The Ghost (the basis for the Roman Polanski movie The Ghost Writer) — a good, quick read, very obviously a roman a clef disguised as a thriller. Now I am reading Queen of Scots by John Guy, a quite readable and enlightening biography although the writing style is a little dry. I'm about a quarter of the way through, with Mary just arriving back in Scotland after her years in France. Have any of you read either of these books?

I've read both of these. I enjoyed The Ghost. I like the unexpected ending. Queen of Scots by John Guy is my favourite biography of Mary Stuart. The writing is a bit dry, but I like Guy's analysis of Mary's life, and, in my opinion anyway, he does not make her into the tragic figure of historical fiction. Mary became more human to me. I hope you enjoy the bio.

I've finished 'Lady in the Tower' (really enjoyed it) and I started 'Captive Queen' last night during my commute (and while I've visualized Henry Plantagenet as a YOUNG Peter O'Toole — like he was in Laurence of Arabia, believe me, I am NOT seeing Katharine Hepburn right now LOL). Figured it was time to take in a bit of fiction for a change of pace.

Sharon said:

I thought Hepburn was perfect.  Beautiful and fiesty just the way I picture Eleanore.  I'm trying to remember Captive Queen.  Doesn't Eleanore come off as sweet and loving?  All peaches and cream?  Wonderful, cherishing Mom?   IMO, Hepburn had the real Eleanore down perfect. Strong as steel.  She had to be to survive in that family.

I watched Becket over the weekend.  Peter O”Toole played Henry in that, too. Richard Burton was Becket. 1964 film.  Lion In Winter, 1968. film. Whoever those women were in Becket who played Eleanore and Maud,…Oh wow … they were awful.  Really awful.

Hepburn is THE Eleanor!!

I just saw someone (oh good grief who was it? LOL) play her in this year's Robin Hood with Russell Crowe (and Cate Blanchett as Marian, who has an Elizabeth/Lord of the Rings Galadriel sort of moment that drove a friend of mine up the wall LOL). Anyway, I can't even remember who played Eleanor in Robin Hood. I know she was in it, and unfortunately I kept comparing her and their Richard and their John to everybody in the Lion in Winter! LOL (The guy who played Richard was no Anthony Hopkins, the guy who played John was no Nigel Terry, and Lord knows the guy who played Philip was no Timothy Dalton *ROWR*)

Oh I loved Becket. I saw it a couple of years ago — so nice to see O'Toole as Henry again  and I can be a sucker for Burton LOL

You know, probably on my 6th or 7th or 8th viewing of The Lion In Winter, I did wonder something and I'll just toss it out to all of you kind of off-track. Henry II reminded me of Henry VIII in that they both had their troubles with Rome…only Henry Tudor did something about it and never looked back. A few times after seeing TLIW and later Becket, I wondered myself — did Henry Plantagenet ever consider breaking with Rome and making a go of it as head of the Church of England? Or would that have been incredibly revolutionary for the time?

Oh Sharon — as for Captive Queen so far, here's the gist. Eleanor's tired of being married to Louis. She sees Henry Plantagenet and about 3 or 4 pages later, they're making love and plotting.  (Reminded me of Hepburn in TLIW saying that when she saw Henry they broke the commandments on the spot! LOL)

wreckmasterjay:

I believe the new book you are talking about is Fatal Attractions by G.W. Bernard. I believe Claire did a review of that but I'm not sure. Haven't read it yet but I also want it for my collection, even if I end up throwing it at a wall when Bernard says Anne was guilty 🙂

I think you're talking about Anne Boleyn and Me: The Diary of Elinor Valjean, London 1525-1536. I read in a while ago and thought it was okay not great. It's fairly juvenile (I think a book for older children/young adults) and “written” by a girl who prefers Katherine of Aragon to Anne. I thought it worth a read but not fantastic.