Today is the day World Book Day is celebrated in the UK and Ireland. It is a celebration of books, authors, illustrators and reading. All round the UK and Ireland children will be dressing up as characters from books (as a teacher I was Cruella Deville one year and a dementor another!) and using their £1 vouchers to buy a new book.
As I am passionate about books and history, I thought I’d celebrate this wonderful annual event by offering a copy of my book The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown to one lucky person. I will sign it and dedicate it for you. To be in with a chance of winning it, you need to comment below answering three questions:
- What is your favourite book of all time?
- Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance?
- What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it?
You need to comment before midnight tomorrow night (US Eastern time) and I’ll announce the winner on Saturday. The winner will be picked at random and only one comment is allowed per person. Open to everyone worldwide.
1. My favourite book of all time is “The Autobiography of Henry VIII” by Margaret George.
2. I would love to dress up as one of Henry VII’s wives – preferably Anne Boleyn but as I am blonde it might have to be Jane Seymour!
3. I am currently reading The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives and it is fantastic.
1. My favorite book is hard to pick, but I could read “Katherine” by Anya Seton over and over again!
2. I’m actually working on a replica of the ensemble Anne Boleyn wore to her execution.
3. I’ve read “The Anne Boleyn Collection” twice and refer to it frequently while writing my own Tudor historical fiction.
1. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
2. A Hobbit-not hard, I’ve already got the big hairy feet. All I need is a nice cloak.
3. Catherine Fletcher’s ‘Divorce of Henry VIII’. Excellently researched and informative, but difficult to get through.
There are to many to choose from. The hobbit, the forgotten beasts of eld, and the mary rose: befors the mast.
I have dressed up as the dread pirat roberts before. I also do living history of the tudor and Elizabethan era.
Last tudor themed book i read was the loveletters of henry the 8th and ann bolyn off of project Gutenberg.
1) favorite of all time? Probably “Mary and Elizabeth: Queens, Cousins, Rivals”
2) Elizabeth I, as an older woman…to really understand what it was like to dress in a manner to conceal her aging. I think that would be very enlightening!
3) currently reading both “the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn” and Loades’ “Henry VIII court, church and conflict”
1. favourite book. busman’s honeymoon by D. Sayers. Escapism, good character and setting description. humour and pathos. and the book is vividly written so as to put you in as one of the bystanders. and you’d want to be one. Can be re-read – on vacation, on a cold winter day. can dip into it and read any chapter or page, and enjoy it
2. character costume – Natalie Dormer’s “reading gown” in the Tudors I – when Henry comes into her room and sees her sitting by the window, reading. “Don’t move, you are so beautiful”.
3. bring up the bodies by H. Mantle. re-read. why? because it is fiction, but it is written in a new tense,that gives it immediacy, and gets the reader inside the mind of Thos. Cromwell
1) my favourite book is probably ‘A little love song’ by Michelle Magorian very hard to choose though read so much!
2) I would probably dress up as ‘Red Riding hood’ my fave book from childhood, plus i remember attending school dressed as her for world book day many years ago and loved it! It’s a story that i still love and love the updated version what was in the cinemas last year!
3) I am currently reading ‘A Visitor’s companion guide to Tudor England’ by Suzannah Lipscomb. It is a good reference book when visiting places to make sure you see everything of interest as well as including stories of certain Tudor people! Would definitely recommend it to anyone who wishes to do a tour of Tudor places in England and to anyone just wanted a bit more information on those that lived in the time.
1. my fav book the constant princess
2 Katherine of Aragon for costume from the tudors
3.the other boleyn girl
1) The Autobiography of Henry VIII – by Margaret George
2) I would dress up as Henry’s fool, Will Somers.
3) Bastard Prince- Henry VIII’s Lost Son, by Beverley A. Murphy. I like it because it gives a very good researched account of the life of Henry Fitzroy. It also goes to show that he had a lot more to do at his father’s court than is usually mentioned in other books.
My favorite book of al times is a tree grows in brooklyn or the bible. If ibciuld dress upvas any character in any book I think that it would be a toss up between anne boleyn or anne frank. Both strong women, who w were not afraid to say watch was on their minds. The last book on the Tudors that I had read was the six wives of henry the 8th. For tge upteenth time. I think one of the things that draws me back to this particular book is the story and the differences between each wife and what drew henry to each one.
1. My favorite book would probably be, Doomed Queens, by Kris Waldherr.
2. I’d dress up as Mary I ,from the book Mary Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer.
3. The last Tudor themed book I read was Margret Beaufort; Mother of the Tudor Dynasty by Elizabeth Norton
Oops! I forgot to say what I thought of the book! I thought that the Margret Beaufort: Mother of the Tudor Dynasty, was very well researched. It was a really great read, and it helped me understand this amazing woman.
1) My favourite book of all time is The Bible.
2) I would like to be/dress up as the Duchess in the Duchess of Malfi by John Webster.
3) “Mary Rose”, by David Loades, the biography of Henry VIII’s younger sister. I really enjoyed this book, there were lots of things new to me and it was a great mix of diplomacy, dresses, and festivals.
1. My Favourite book of all time is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Truly a joy to read!!
2. I would most like to dress up as Queen Elizabeth I. I can’t tell you how much i Loved the female Elizabethan fashion.
3. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. What a wonderful book, it mad me laugh and cry! Very exciting to read and left me without words to describe how much pleasure it gave me to read.
Very hard to decide, but my favorite book of all time would have to be “The Great Gatsby” it really touched me and I’m usually not a “fiction” reader. I can’t pick just one character to dress up as but I would love to either dress up as Anne Boleyn or Daisey Buchannon or someone from Downton Abbey! Currently, I’m trying to finish reading “The Fall of Anne Boleyn”, but I’m finding it very hard to get back to it, because of it being such a travesty and mockery…
1. My favorite book of all time is The King’s Pleasure by Phillipa Gregory
2. I would dress up as Jane Seymour from the wedding scene of The Tudors. Loved her dress and jewelry.
3. The last Tudor themed book I read was ANNE BOLEYN A New Life of England’s Tragic Queen by Joanna Denny
Today is my bday so if I win this would make the perfect bday gift!!!
1. So hard to choose but would probably go with Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. Scarlett O’Hara
3. Bring up the bodies by Hilary Mantel. I read Wolf Hall and Bring up the bodies in one week during December. The Tudor period has always been my favourite from history and I couldn’t put Mantel’s books down. Amazing reads, want to try and get tickets for the plays in Stratford upon Avon. My next historical read will be She-Wolves by Helen Castor.
Favourite book – well it’s bound as a book – Shakespeare’s Richard III
Book character costume: Anne Boleyn in Eric Ives’s chapter about Anne’s fashion sense. The clothes sound so beautiful.
Last Tudor themed book read: “Heartstone” by CJ Sansom. I liked it less well than either “Sovereign” or “Revelation”. Currently reading “The Winter King”. Excellent.
1) My favourite book of all time is a draw between Alison Weir’s “Innocent Traitor” and Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”.
2) I would probably dress up as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, cause it’s a pretty awesome outfit ;D
3) I am currently readying “Three Maids For A Crown: A Novel Of The Grey Sisters”. It’s made me very emotional so far, the innocence of such a young, abused girl forced onto the throne against her will. Also, the sisterly love and loyalty shown is very moving. In fact I wasn’t aware that Lady Jane Grey had sisters until reading this, and it seems they also suffered. It’s fascinating, and I would really recommend it to everyone who loves the Tudor Era.
1) It’s a tough question… but my favourite book of all times is The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.
2) Definately Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the wind.
3) Virgin and the Crab by Robert Parry. I loved it. It was moving and funny at the same time. I loved the character of John Dee and young Elizabeth Tudor.
1. Fav book of all time “Playing Beatie Bow” by Ruth Park and “Atonement” (amazing book!!!)
2. Who would I like to dress up as – Emma from Austin
3. La Temps Viendra
1) my favourite book,the merry wives of henry viii by ann nonny .2) i would dress in anything tudor,3) at the moment reading the fall of anne boleyn by alison weir.
Favourite book: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.
I’d dress in anything from the 1300 – 1600s.
Just read Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. She writes from Thomas Cromwell’s viewpoint, which is interesting, as most of the Tudor books I’ve read have had one of the Tudor queens as the main character, but I found it a bit too long and not easy to get into.
Persevere with both Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies!! Both are excellent books and well worth reading. My husband had to wait long past feedtime before he ate…I was that engrossed in these books!
1. Too many to choose from! But one I’ve read more than most is Azincourt by Bernard.Cornwell.
2. I once dressed up as Elizabeth I for a school assembly and I’d love to do it again!
3. I’ve just read both the Red and the White Queen by Philippa Gregory. I really enjoyed them and liked looking at the same events from opposing sides (even as fiction) and I especially liked the way Gregory slipped in her theory on Perkin Warbeck being a real.heir and not a pretender 🙂
1. It’s hard to pick just one, as I have so many favourite books, but if I absolutely HAVE to pick one, then I’ll say The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George
2. Dress up: fictional – probably Arwen from Lord of the Rings. But, last Halloween, I dressed up as Anne Boleyn, complete with a “bloody” choker around my neck! 🙂
3. The last Tudor book I read was Elizabeth I by Margaret George. I really enjoyed it – it was refreshing to read a fictional work that included the interplay between Elizabeth and Lettice.
Thanks for the giveaway!
1. Other than the Bible, I’d say my favorite book is probably about a different Anne, “Anna Karenina.”
2. I would probably dress up as Sydney Carton, one of my favorite fictional characters–also in tribute to my daughters, who, when we played together in their youth, would always “make me” play the male characters!
3. It was “Bring up the Bodies,” by Hilary Mantel. It was extremely well written and arresting, a page turner, though I had some doubts about her interpretations. Still, I’d recommend it to any Tudor Period lover
1) favourite book: would be difficult to choose between:
– Mists of Avalon from Marion Zimmer Bradley. I read it when I was 13 years old, have been rereading it ever since. It was the first time that I realised that there could be ‘another’ side to the history lessons we got in school, and that there were indeed also powerfull and strong women throughout history. I learned a lot from that book…
– Katherine, by Anya Seton. So beautifull, so touching… such a wonderfull love story and yet again, another strong woman in history. Every time I (re)read that book, it’s like I’m getting stuck in that timeframe.
2) Anne Boleyn, no doubt about it… I bought the B-necklace a few years ago when I revisited the Tower of London, and I do not wear it much. Would love to wear it dressed up as Anne…
Funny story, I wore it when I just bought it in the Tower, on May 19th 2010 (the day Ann was excecuted…), and one of the actor’s who were dressed up in Tudor clothes saw it, and adressed me as ‘Good to see you again, Mistress Boleyn’. I kindly thanked him 🙂
3) I just reread Katherine… must read it at least once a year….
PS: sorry for any mistakes, English is not my native language…
1. My favorite book of all time is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen…it is the only book I have ever read over and over again, and I never tire of the banter between Darcy and Elizabeth.
2.I would dress up as Hermione Granger…I love the Harry Potter series and see myself as Hermione in many ways.
3. The last Tudor book I read was The Sixth Wife by Jean Plaidy. Jean Plaidy is the queen of historical fiction in my eyes. I didn’t really know much about Katharine Parr, but this fictional tale, inspired more research on this woman who just barely escaped Henry VIII.
1) Several, but so far Tudor Cousins,by Dulcie.M.Ashdown.
2) Charles Brandon, Henry viii’s brother in law.
3) The king’s mother, by M.K.Jones and M.G>Underwood.
Extremely interesting biography of Ldy Margaret Beaufort, Henry vii’s mother.
I would have to say that my favorite book of all time is Killing Lincoln. Maybe I would even dress up as Mr. President. Probably not, though……I’m definitely not tall enough & the stove-pipe hat would completely cover me….lol. I would be more likely to dress up as a southern belle. I have a lot of books about the Tudors, The Boleyns, & almost every other royal person from that era, but my over-all favorite is
without doubt The Lady In The Tower by Alison Weir. I just wanted to join the fun & participate in the contest, but I already have the book that is the prize.
1) The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (It’s a book I keep rereading, at least – this question’s a tough one!)
2) Anne Boleyn (I pretend to be her anyway when I’m nervous)
3) The Other Boleyn Girl – I thought it was kind of overrated, and I definitely didn’t like the portrayal of Anne.
1. Favorite book of all time is Conrad Richter’s The Awakening Land. It’s actually a trilogy including The Trees, The Fields, The Town. It’s a story about a pioneer family living in the Ohio Valley and it’s the only book I have read multiple times!
2. The White Witch from CS Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe but I imagine her costume to be gorgeous.
3. Dissolution by CJ Sansom. Absolutely loved it and I’ve purchased every other book by him because of it. I love the main character Matthew Shardlake and how the author tells the Tudor stories through the eyes of a commoner giving a very different perspective from most other Tudor books out there.
Forgot to include my thoughts on The Lady In The Tower. I think Alison Weir is a very gifted author. She had to have done an amazing amount of research to write this book. It is incredibly interesting. I felt like I was in the crowd most of the time.
1) Changing Places by David Lodge is probably my favourite but apart from historical books, I mainly read vampire novels and science fiction.
2) The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland (I do have multiple vampire outfits but lead female vampires in book are so far disappointing. I also have an Elizabeth I costume which doesn’t wear well in a pub on New Year’s eve!)
3) Presently reading non-fiction, The Tudor Chronicles by Susan Doran. Not very easy to read as absolutely full of detailed facts but is a beautiful book.
Just finished The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. Readable, I suppose, but the characterisation felt all wrong and a lot of “poetic licence”. May have appeared even worse as I read it straight after Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel which I really enjoyed. An interesting angle and the characters felt more real.
My favorite Book is the Autobiography of Henry the VIII narrorated by his Fool Will Somers. The author was Margaret George. I would love to dress up as Queen Katherine of Aragon because of her immense strength to go toe to toe with Henry and Ann. And the last Tudor book I read was The Other Boleyn Girl. I have read it numerous times it is such a good book.
Favorite book- Innocent Traitor-Alison Weir
Would probably dress as Lady Jane Grey-have been mesmerized by her story for many years-admire her courage beyond words.
Last book-TheRise and Fall of Anee Boleyn-Retha M. Warnicke
My favourite book of all time is the Authorized Version of the Bible (King James), I read it everyday.
I would dress up as Queen Elizabeth I, my heroine.
The last Tudor themed book I finished was Elizabeth I by Rosalind K. Marshall.
The Red Queen,
Alice in Wonderland would dress up as,
The Red Queen, I love the Tudor Dynasty.
1. Eleanor of Aquitaine: By the Wrath of God, Queen of England
2. Eleanor of Aquitaine or Anne Boleyn, I love them equally!
3. The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie
1. My favourite book of all time is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
2. Like many it would have to Anne Boleyn in her unmarried vibrant days.
3. The Winter King a biography of Henry VII by Thomas Penn. Very detailed and filled a huge whole in my knowledge. But strangely it leapt from Biswirth to 7 years in missing the early part Zof his reign altogether!
My favourite book is Alice in Wonderland – a much loved book since childhood and appeals to my quirky personality.
I would dress up as either my eroine Anne Boleyn or The Queen of Hearts.
The last Tudor book I read was Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle. It is a book about Henry VIII 6th wife Katherine Parr and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Have just started The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory.
1. Jane Eyre
2. Becky Sharpe from Vanity Fair
3.Philippa Gregory The Other Boleyn Girl. It’s so readable, she has a gift for prose.
1. It is very difficult to answer but if I had to pick it would be Anne of Green Gables.
2. Elizabeth I from the scene in Elizabeth:The Golden Years when she is on the horse giving her army a pep talk during the Spanish Armada.
3. The last Tudor book I read was The Women of the Cousins War by Phillipa Gregory and a couple other authors.
1. My favourite book of all times might be “The Autobiography of Henry VIII” by Margaret George. It started my love for the Tudor period.
2. I would love to dress up as Elizabeth I (with a red wig), or her mother, Anne Boleyn (natural hair).
3. I am currently reading The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives.
Favorite book of all time: Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger
Book character that I would dress up as: Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights
Last Tudor themed book: The Tudors, final shooting scripts 1-5 for Showtime Series created and written by Michael Hirst
My favorite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird. I love to reread, teach, talk about it!
If I were to dress as any character, I would dress as Lady MacBeth or Ophelia. How fun to act crazy for a day!
The last Tudor themed book that I read is Shadow of Lions. I like the sympathetic view of Anne Boleyn as a devout Christian rather than a power hungry woman.
1. My favourite books are The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I can’t choose just one!
2. I would probably dress up as Nynaeve from the Wheel of Time.
3. I think the last Tudor-themed book I read was probably Alison Weir’s Anne Boleyn book a few years ago. I really enjoyed it; it’s my favourite of her books so far.
1) favourite book – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
2) Queen Elizabeth 1st
3) Bring up the Dead Bodies by Hilary Mantell. She evokes the feeling of living in the intrigue of court life in Tudor times. She also does an amazing job of portraying Thomas Cromwell as a likeable individual.
1. My favourite book of all time is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll because it reminds me that there is magic, we just have to look for it.
2. Probably Alice.
3. The last Tudor-themed book I read was Hilary Mantel’s Bring Up The Bodies, which I finished yesterday. I absolutely adored it, I find her presentation of Cromwell sympathetic but also utterly convincing. At moments it was very funny, in others almost painfully sad. I thought it was incredible. Cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone interested in the Tudors.
1. favorite book Memnoch The Devil by Anne Rice
2. would dress up as professor McGonagle from Harry Potter
3. Last tudor book read was Lady In the tower, very good
1. This is such a hard question. I love so many books. One that really stands out to me, though, is The Neverending Story. I loved how the book had two different colors of font; one for the book I was reading and one for the book Bastian was reading. It was a wonderful, magical escape that I really enjoyed.
2. I’m also a fan of Alice (of Wonderland fame, of course) and I have dressed up as her for Halloween in the past, so I’d probably dress as her again. It’s a fun, simple outfit.
3. The last Tudor themed book I read fully (I’m still in the process of reading Henry VIII: The King and his Court) Alison Weir’s Mary Boleyn. I enjoyed reading it, but was not astonished by it because we really do know so little about her.
My favorite book of all time is A.S. Byatt’s “Posession”. But “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel was the most thrilling read for me this year.
If I had to dress up as any fictional character it would probably be Anna Karenina or Madame Olenska from Tthe Age of Innocence”by Edith Wharton.
The most recent Tudor-themed book I read was “The Lady In the Tower” by Alison Weir and I thought it was well written and so well researched.
1. Winter’s Tale (Richard Helprin)-magical fantasy of New York City (the white horse living in the ceiling of Grand Central Station sparks my imagination).
2. Glenda, the Good Witch (Oz)-just because
3. Bring up the Bodies-great book. Can’t wait for the last one in the trilogy.
1. Anne Boleyn by Margaret Heys, because it was the first historical novel I read at
13yrs old after seeing the TV series Six Wives of Henry VIII. I was then well and
hooked on the Tudors.
2. Morgana, out of Merlin.
3. On this day in Tudor History, a great source of every day imformation on theTudor
era. Read it fully when first got it, and now I read the relevant date every day,
a long side which ever book I am reading, which at the moment is War Time Farm
1) This is one of the hardest questions for me because I have so many favorites but having to choose just one, I’d have to say it is Fraser’s “Mary, Queen of Scots”. This book was so well researched and written, it lead me to a life long desire to learn more of the Tudor era. That was in 1971 and my interest has not decreased one iota!
2) Each Halloween I dress up as a different historical character; I’ve been doing this for many years. My all time favorite was Catherine of Aragon; I am at an age I can pull her off very well! In fact, I will go again this year as Cathrine; I’ve added to my costume and now have a more authentic French hood.
3)The last book I read and loved was Eric Ives, “Anne Boleyn”. I am retired and on a fixed income so I have to choose carefully when purchasing books. I tend to avoid historical fiction (although I’d love to be able to buy them!) and stick to the books written by historians who have carefully researched the subject and who has a reputation for accuracy – just as Claire has now developed with her books!
I love the idea of a holiday where children dress as historical characters and also receive money to purchase a book. I wish we did this in the states. When Harry Potter started a reading craze here and world wide, I was excited that so many children were learning to love to read as I did when I was a child. Unfortunately, we also had to put up with a lot of negative reaction from those who felt books with witches and wizards were devil inspired; I don’t think they gave children enough credit to know the difference between fact and fiction, good and evil.
Best to you always, Claire. Keep ’em coming!!
1. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
2. I would love to dress as Sayuri from Memoirs of a Geisha. The descriptions of the kimono are just too tempting to ignore!!
3. Anne the Saint by Leigh Jenkins. Every time I read or watch something about Anne Boleyn, a small part of me hopes for a different outcome (birth of a prince) and with this book my strong inhale before can be an exhale of relief lol
I love Anne the Saint as well! Have you read Jane the Confidante?
How nice, Claire!
1. What is your favourite book of all time?
“The Awakening” by Kate Chopin. It is one of the earliest American novels that focuses on women’s issues and was widely censored when it was first published in 1899. Beautiful read!
2. Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance?
Although a little unorthodox for a woman, how about Bram Stoker’s Dracula? Or, Smeagol (although that would take a lot of makeup, well, I would hope so, ha)
3. What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it?
I am actually reading Claire’s “The Anne Boleyn Collection – The Real Truth about the Tudors” right now. I love it!
My favorite book of all time is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley; it’s hte Arthurian legends told from a female point of view. Love it! I’ve read it at least 10 times.
I’d love to dress up as Kamala, Siddhartha’s lover, teacher and mentor. She’s such a complex and interesting character in fiction.
The latest Tudor book I’ve read is, believe it or not, The Other Boleyn Girl. I heard so much negative about it re: historical accuracy that I never wanted to read it. Recently, though, I picked it up at a friend’s house, and I have to say that I enjoyed it. I know it’s not factual, but the period is so fascinating! Before that I read Bring up the Bodies and LOVED that one!
After hours of demented memory searching, finding and discounting titles of books I have loved, read and re-read, and now to choose one??!!! Ohhhhhhhhh boyyyyyy…..ok, here goes….WOLF HALL. Hilary Mantel does what the data crunching historian hasn’t done in the past, she attempts (and succeeds imo) to get under his skin, into his heart and mind to present Thomas Cromwell as a living, breathing, deep thinking, family loving man. Too often he is portrayed as an unfeeling creature, almost the creator of evil circumstance than someone picking a route thru it…and with his son and extended family ever in his heart and mind.
2. Character to dress as…….ok, don’t laugh, I stand 5’2″ from sole of feet to root of hair…..but……Marie Antoinette! I know, the wigs were taller, and wider, than me but…..as a one off chance…..that’s the girl for me!
3. Last Tudor themes book….was David Loades’ “Mary Tudor”. Initial reaction? I would take her mother aside and, like Dickens’ Spirit of Christmas yet to be, I’d show her the blood on the streets of England, the fires…..but, most of all, i’d show her the woman her catholicism made of her daughter. Mary, i think, was inherently a loving person but the years of war between her mothet and father plus all the tale-fabricating factions within the court, left her unsure of anyone or anything. Henry, of course, thinking with his little head and not his brain, did nothing to convince Mary of his love. Stepmums are always witches, but Anne, too, could have been more humane towards Mary instead of beating her with the same vitriol she gave Katherine. There’s a lot to digest in this book…..now, I’m hoping that CJ Sansom has anothet Shardlake out soon and, of course, vol 3 of Ms Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy is nearing completion!!
Ooops…..I know Marie Antoinette isn’t strictly a book character, but she has figured in books….Jean Plaidy being foremost in fiction and Antonia Fraser in factual.
Besides…..who wouldn’t want to try those luscious dresses?!
1. My favorite book of all time would be Shutter Island. Yes, there was a movie made about it, but it doesn’t come close to the book. The author made you feel what the characters were feeling, think what they were thinking, and ultimately believe what they believed, which led to incredible emotion and confusion upon finishing the book.
2. The only character I would chose to dress up as is Anne Boleyn. Her style was impeccable, her jewelry (the famous B necklace, among others) was lavish, and just to be dressed up as her, giving one the chance to sort of “be” her, would be an experience in and of itself.
3. I am currently reading The Fall of Anne Boelyn: A Countdown. I have not, in all honesty, been able to put this book down in three days, and I am coming to end. I appreciate that it isn’t necessarily one-sided, in that it doesn’t immediately place blame on one certain person, but that rather investigates all suspects and actions. I also adore the simplicity with which is written; the simplicity easily giving the reader the chance to be in a certain character’s shoes (ie, Anne Boelyn). I literally felt her fear and confusion, I felt Henry’s excitement at her death, I was confused and angry, much like the people of England. It’s just a wonderful book.
1) my favorite book of all times is Blood will tell: a medical explanation of the tyranny of Henry VIII.
2)the character I would dress up as Anne Boleyn, I just love her no matter what she did or didn’t do.
3) my last Tudor theme book I read was the Anne Boleyn Collecton-The Real Truth about the Tudors and just love it, was well written.
It’s great to know about World Book Day! I had never heard of it before, and wish we had it in the U.S.
As to the questions, I’m sure I had as difficult a time as many others in limiting my choices to one! But here goes…
1) Probably “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” . Love fantasy, and nonsense poetry (like “Jabberwocky”, also by Lewis Carroll). But wait! What about the Arthurian Legends, like “Le Mort d’Arthur” and “The Once and Future King”! And I can’t forget non-fiction historical biography! LOVE that, like “Mary, Queen of Scots” (Antonia Fraser)…..
2) I would be Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. She had French style like Anne Boleyn, and Scotland in the 16th c. needed some splash!
3) Last Tudor book read was “On This Day in Tudor History”, by ‘our’ Claire. I really could not put it down, and read it over Christmas in 2 days.
Happy World Book Day! 😀 Now that’s my kind of holiday.
1. What is your favorite book?
Oh my goodness, this is such a hard question! I would have to say the Harry Potter series as a whole. Not only is it a wonderful journey to go on as a reader, but I also grew up with the books so there’s a lot of memories associated with J.K Rowling series for me. 🙂 (I also really love Les Miserables. The book has so many layers and great social commentary that’s really still relevant today.)
2. Which Book character?
Anne Boleyn or Elizabeth, hands down.
3. What was the last tudor themed book you read?
The Autobiography of Henry Viii with Notes by his Fool Will Sommers. I love rereading this book because I discover something new each time I read it! Margaret George is a fantastic historical fiction author and I feel like she captures Henry’s voice well without making him a stereotypical caricature of a cartoonish villain.
I love “Les Miserables” and the “Hunchback of Notre Dame”. Victor Hugo is one of my favoyrite authors.
1. I am super fan of JRR Tolkien and The Middle Earth, so my favourite book ever is The Lord of the Rings 😀
2. An elf-woman, such as Arwen or Galadriel from the afore mentioned books or any character from a novel based on the Middle Ages or Tudor times!
3. ‘The Boleyn Inheritance’ by Philippa Gregory, quite entertaining and easy to read!
1. My favorite book of all time is “Anna Karenina” by Tolstoy. Amazing and so tragic!
2. I’d love to dress up as is Anne Boleyn. So glamorous and beautiful.
3. The last book I just finished reading was “To Die For” by Sandra Byrd. It was amazing. My heart ached for Meg and Will when it seemed they were never going to be together. Just before that, I read “Le Temps Viendra: A Novel of Anne Boleyn” by Sarah Morris. Amazing as well! I love being transported to that time by such vivid writing. Wonderful!! Now I’m reading “1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII” by Suzannah Lipscomb.
1. My favourite book of all time is Secrets of the Tudor Court by Darcy Bonette because it talks about the reigns of Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr, also a little of Edward VI and Mary I, slightly Catherine of Aragon as well, all told from the point of view of Mary Howard whom I find a really interesting character and not fictionalised very well in popular culture.
2. If I had the chance I would be Elizabeth I definetly, since the wives of Henry VIII were obviously all married and so Henry would have had a say and might have thought they were being too revealing, and ditto Mary I and her husband Phillip, but Elizabeth was Queen in her own right and could wear and spend what she pleased.
3. The last Tudor themed book I read was called Anne Boleyn and Me, by Alison Prince, I thought it was amazing! It starts off quite childishly with narration from an eleven-year-old maid-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon, but then she changes and gets older as Henry VIII does, she sees Anne become Queen and become headless, and Jane rise to fame, the ending is very good indeed, it is all written very vividly.
1. My favourite book of all time is an autobiography on Queen Mary by James Pope-Hennessy.
2. I know I am a woman but I would be Bertie (George VI) from The King’s Speech book.
3. The last Tudor book i read was Winter King. The book was a fantastic read and definitely recommend it to anyone.
My favorite book of all time is Gone With The Wind.
I would dress as Scarlett O’Hara if I was given the opportunity.
I read The Kingmakers Daughter last week. I thought she was brilliant how she weaved the tale of the two sisters together, as she did with Th Other Bolyn Girl. Only this time during the War of the Roses and the starting of the Tudor line.
Gone with the Wind is amazing! I read it when I was really young, 8-9 years old and I also love the movie!
1. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book right now. I am sure this answer has and will change over time.
2. The character I would most like to dress up as would be Elizabeth so I could wear a huge dress. Of course Cinderella would work for that purpose too.
3. I have yet to read a Tudor time period book. I stumbled across your site a few months ago. Dedicated free time to reading the site from the beginning to current posts. Just made it this week. I do own the kindle versions of your books and look forward to starting them. You have sparked my interest.
Ok here goes:
1. my favourite book of all time is and has been since childhood ” the sceret garden” by France Hodoson Burnett.
2. Because of my solid and strong build, mature age and love of strong women I’d dress as Boudeica ( I don’t have Anne’s delicate build to carry her off well)
3. Last Tudor themed book was ” the Constant princess ” by Philippa Gregory.
1. My favourite book of all time is Outlander (Cross Stitch) by Diana Gabaldon.
2. Dressing up as Claire or Jamie Fraser from my favourite book would be a blast. I’ve always thought dressing up as Anne Boleyn or Elizabeth I would be great fun as well. Definitely someone historical.
3. The last Tudor-themed book I read was The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown by Claire Ridgway as an ebook. LOVED it. 🙂
1) My favorite book is Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I love how JK Rowling delves into the young Tom Riddle and we get to see how and why he became Lord Voldemort.
2) If I had the chance, I would dress up as Professor Trelawney from the Harry Potter series (do you sense a theme yet?) I think her style is so completely crazy and fun. It would also be very easy to mimic her hair, as mine is just a few degrees less wild than hers 🙂
3) The last Tudor themed book I read was The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives. I thought the book was very good, I appreciated how in depth and detailed Ives was, as I did not know much about her life besides the 3 years she was queen.
Oops, silly me. I got two books mixed up. The last book I read was the Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives.
1.) It’s not Tudor based, but my favorite book of all time is Magic’s Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
2.) Anne Boleyn
3.) Kathryn: In the Court of Six Queens by Lynn Abbey Merton
My favorite book is Katherine, by Anya Seton tied with Gone With The Wind.
My favorite style of dress would be from Katherine’s time period or the Napoleanic period. Love the empire waisted gowns.
Last Tudor era book was Le Temps Viendra, by Sarah Morris.
Forgot to leave my opinion of Le Temps Viendra. Excellent!!
My Favourite book of all time? Stephen Kings Fire Starter
Which book character would I dress up as? This one is hard,Anne Boleyn if I had the talent to make something like that, but more realistically Katniss from the Hunger Games, she would also be more recognizable to the people I know. I’m the only History geek among my friends.
Last Tudor themed book I read was Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey, I enjoyed it, it’s the first book I have read that wasn’t about only one of Henry’s wives.
1) Quite hard to determine,but I would say “Cleopatra : A Life” by Stacy Schiff. A really well written book and Cleopatra’s life is just fascinating .
2) Probably as a Duke of Brittany (With in mind the way Francis II of Brittany is dressed on his recumbent statue).
3)Paul Friedmann’s Anne Boleyn . I really enjoyed it,it really has a more political side to it,which permits the reader to really understand the many “streams” of politics Anne had to swim through and see how difficult Anne’s position really was .
Yann. I got interested in reading Paul Friedmann: he was cited in so many books. and found his book on google books . printed it off, and read it. it is very cool toward anne isn’t it?
Favorite book: I really can’t decide. I love all history, and am big on conspiracy theories – I have several JFK assassination conspiracy books that are on my bookshelf waiting to be read.
Character I’d like to dress up as: Anne Boleyn (of course! – I’m starting to go through withdrawal since you won’t be having a tour at Hever this year where I can wear my Anne Boleyn dresses – can’t wait for the reunion tour).
Last Tudor themed book read – I’m currently reading Death and the Virgin by Chris Skidmore, which is about the death of Amy Robsart. I’m about half way through – so far it doesn’t look like he’s holding Robert Dudley and Elizabeth culpable for her murder.
My favorite book: Threads by Nell Gavin
Mary Todd Lincoln
Last Tudor related book I read: Her Highness, the Traitor, very good book.
Probably The Hobbit.
I’d dress up as Catherine Howard!!
Sister Queens!! It was soooooo interesting!
My favourite book of all time (and has been since childhood) is the velveteen rabbit! My close second is Tuesdays with morrie
I am going to be a geek and admit that I would love to dress up in a Star Trek dress!
The last tudor themed book I read was secrets of the tudor court by Darcey Bonnette.
1. “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon
2. Claire Fraser from the “Outlander” series
3. Just finished “Wolf Hall” & “Bring Up the Bodies”, Christmas gifts from my son. Both excellent. The only real picture I had of Cromwell was from the PBS “Six Wives of Henry VIII”. I eagerly await the third book. but feel sorry for him already cause he dies within the next 4 years or so. What an interesting man, he was paying it forward long before the rst of society thought of it.
favourite book- A Christmas Carol. I reread it every Christmas.
character I would like to dress as – Anne Boleyn
last Tudor book I read – Virgin and the Crab. I loved this book. It introduced me to the fascinating real life person John Dee. After reading the book I did further research on John Dee and his amazing life as scholar and spy.
The Christmas Carol- classic! Dickens is one of my favourites!
Favourite book – either The Diary of Anne Frank or A Tale of Two Cities. I love Marie Antoinette’s costumes from the Sophia Coppola film – would love to dress as MA or the Duchesse de Polignac, or if I was to pick a character from a book it would be Mina Harker from Dracula. My last Tudor themed read was The Bones of Avalon by Phil Rickman – I really enjoyed it.
my favorite book of all time is Lord of the Rings.
I would dress up at Eliabeth the 1st.
I am reading If the Queen had lived.
Good morning
Thank you for your books/website/emails… I am truly obsessed with Anne and your work.
1. What is your favourite book of all time?
– I know this is not Tudor related but my fav book is Water for Elephants.
2. Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance?
– Elizabeth I
3. What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it?
– Currently reading Wolf Hall
– Previous book was The Anne Boleyn Collection (Loved it!!!!!!)
Hope you have a great day and weekend Clare!
Hi! I love your site!
Favorite book of all time? Ooh, ow, that is tough. For Anne Bolyen books, I loved Weir’s The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn. I’d right now like to dress up as Cheryl Strayed from the book Wild. My last Tudor book was Ives’ The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn.
1.What is your favourite book of all time?
Of the few that are forever favorites, I would have to choose “Green Darkness” by Anya Seton for the blend of real persons in the Tudor years and fictional characters and the forever intriguing possibility of reincarnation.
2.Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance? Anne Boleyn of course during the height of her success; fabulous jewelry; luscious gowns.
3.What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it?
I recently finished reading “Lady Penelope: The Lost Tale of Love and Politics in the Court of Elizabeth I” by Sally Barlow. What a fascinating book; fascinating woman. The daughter of Lettice Knollys (who came Countess of Leicester) who was the daughter of Catherine Carey; who was the daughter of Mary Boleyn. Loved it.
My favourite book is Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa. It’s the longest novel written in English, so it’s not often read in its entirety but I’ve read it twice and found it too short on both occasions!
Who to dress up as is the difficult question.I would say Anne Boleyn but I’m short, blonde, middle-aged and distinctly unslender, so maybe not…. Perhaps the wicked Lady Susan from Jane Austen’s early novel of that name!
The last Tudor themed book I read was Dissolution by CJ Sansom. Not my usual sort of reading but I really enjoyed it. It was a real page-turner and was very well-researched. It conveys the nastier side of Cromwell and Tudor England very evocatively – and of course, there is an Anne Boleyn connection in the plot.
1. The Bppk Thief by Markus Zusak – one I picked up a long time ago because I liked the cover and I am glad I did. It’s such a beautiful and heartbreaking story.
2. Most probably Arwen from Lord of the Rings
3. My last Tudor themed book was The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Claire Ridgeway 🙂 I thought it was well written, easy to read and easy to understand. Not too bogged down with people and places and dates, just the facts as they are known. My 9 year old cousin is doing a project in school on Anne Boleyn and she found it to be the one she understood the most.
1. Favorite book – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
2. I’d dress up like a young Elizabeth I – when she was in love with Robert Dudley
3. Last Tudor-themed book – Blood Will Tell by Kyra Cornelius Kramer – one explanation of the condition of Henry Vlll that could have caused him to be such a tyrant. Very enjoyable.
Sorry, that was meant to say The BOOK Thief.
Favorite book: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Most like to dress up as: Elizabeth Bennett
Last Tudor Book: the Red Queen (does that count, as its really about Henry VII’s mother?). Anyway,thoughts on this book were lukewarm…interesting take on the subject, but rather an unsympathetic main character…
1) far too many favourites..The Belgariad, Dragon-riders of Pern A Christmas Carol.
2) a Queen dragon Rider or a Tudor Lady.
3)The Dark Rose by Cynethia Harrod Eagles . Nannette Morland spends her childhood in the Kendle home of Katherine Parr’s mother before going to court and eventually serving along-side and the as a lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn. She later serves KP in the same role. In the follwing book, The Priceling Nannette is in the service pf Elizabeth.
My favorite book is absolutely “On this day in Tudor history”. I look forward to each day to see what happened and as I read it I visualize it in my head. It starts my day off on a great note,
I would LOVE to dress up as Elizabeth I, I am always trying to find someone to make me a replica dress of hers. I absolutely loved how she dressed. Not to mention I admire her strength and determination.
The last Tudor book I read was The Other Tudors, King Henry’s mistresses and bastards. Fascinating, I got so involved in it that I am now studying the family tree of the Tudors. I have just ordered several books on the subject and I cannot wait to start.
Although I study every aspect of the Tudor times, right now I’m on the genealogy facet of them.
my favorite book would have to be A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. My English Teacher in HS got me interested in reading with Hemingway.
I have fallen for English History and would love to pro tray a knight from the 1300’s. I am reading a book about the Clairs so to really see this period alive would be great.
I have read several books by Alison Weir including the Wives of Henry VIII. Amazing how the women were brokered and used back then.
1. Favorite book: Gone With the Wind
2. I’d dress up as Scarlett O’Hara
3. Legacy by Susan Kay, which I absolutely loved. I also read the kindle sample of Le Temps Viendra by Susan Morris recently, and I’m counting down the hours until tomorrow so i can buy it.
1.What is your favourite book of all time?
My favourite book of all time is Murder Most Royal by Jean Plaidy. I first read it when I was eight years old. The copy I have is like a love-worn teddy bear. I used to refer to it so much that I had to tape the pages together to get the book to stay together. I recently bought a new copy , but again, the first copy is like an old friend, I cannot bear to part with it.
My second favorite book of all time is Shogun by James Clavell. My copy is almost threadbare from being loved and read so much! James Clavell’s tale of feudal Japan reminds me so much of the intrigue in the Tudor court. Thef orbidden love between Lady Toda Mariko and Capt. Blackthorne, aka Anjin-san is a stoy that both beguiled and saddened me. Lord Yoshi Toranaga reminds me of a very fair Henry VIII, perhaps what he would have been like had he not fallen off his horse in January 1536.
2.Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance?
Mary Queen of Scots. I have a medieval “lady” costume that I purchased a number of years ago. I am too robust to try and pull off an “Anne Boleyn”, however, I can easily pull off a dowager lady or queen in my garb.
3.What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it?
Le Temps Viendre by Sarah A Moore. I bought an e-copy from Spartan books. It had a very good premise, and Sarah’s portrayal of a young Anne was most enjoyable. I can’t wait until the next segment comes out! I will read it for sure!
1. After thinking about this a bit, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Harry Potter series is my favorite. However, I would say the 7th book is my favorite because of the strength of all the characters and how their personalities come out in the end. Of course, it’s also the end…which means I feel the need to start over when I finish 🙂 I grew up reading this series and remember reading the first one in 6th grade and being fascinated. The series is always a great read and something I can pick up with I want to just get lost in that world. I’m also getting into the Outlander series. Also a great read. Almost debated putting that one here as #1 because I love the idea of traveling back in time. But Harry ultimately won. 🙂
2. I would probably dress up as Anne Boleyn or a courtly woman from that period. The clothing during that time fascinates me and I’ve never had the chance to wear it.
3. The last Tudor themed book I read was Pleasures and Pastimes of Tudor England by Alison Sim. For the second time. I love reading this book because it’s amazing to me to study how they lived during that time. Sure, you can read ideas in books or see them on shows, but I enjoy reading about the real people and how REAL life was like for them.
Favorite book: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Dress up:Anne Boleyn
Last Tudor book: just beginning your ebook-the Fall of Anne Boleyn A Countdown
Very much enjoying it!
1. The Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibotson.
2. Liberty 5-3000 from Ayn Rand’s Anthem.
3. Mary Tudor Princess, Bastard, Queen by Anna Whitlock.
This book is very informative and addresses many controversial
topics dealing with Mary Tudor’s continuously changing status and
her reign over England. I enjoyed this book very much and would
Recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn not just more about
Mary Tudor but the Tudor as a whole
1. My favorite book would have to be The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I read this book when I was 11 and have pulled it from my book shelf multiple times to enjoy over again.
2. If I could dress like one character it would be Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games series. Her wild fashion, hair and makeup would make it so much fun!
3. The most recent Tudor related book I’ve read is actually one that I find as a tool of reference. It’s Elizabeth’s London by Liza Picard. From reading about how roads were built to clothing worn, it does a good job of giving someone a basic understanding of how life really was for all levels of society. My only wish was that it had more pictures, drawings, photos inside. I can visualize in my mind but my mind is never satisfied with what I think something looks like, it’s always wanting more!
Oooh! Fun competition Claire! I LOVE books.
1. I really have a couple of books that I could read over and over again: I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, and The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan.
2. I have dressed up as Harry-ette Potter 🙂 I would love to dress as Grete in Girl With A Pearl Earring. I loved the book and the movie and hope to one day have a print of the painting.
3. I usually read two or three Tudor themed books at once. The last one I read was Between Two Queens by Kate Emerson. I liked reading about a different person than I usually do (Anne Bassett), but I thought some of the plot points were pretty far fetched. It was a great story though and kept me riveted. I am now reading My Lady of Cleves.
1. My favourite book is ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte.
2. I would love to dress up as Anne Boleyn.
3. The last Tudor themed book I read was ‘Anne Boleyn’ by Joanna Denny. I thought it painted a sensitive portrait of Anne as a woman who was caught up in the circumstances of her world in sixteenth-century England.
My favourite book is “a lady raised high” by laurien gardener.
I would live to dress as Anne boleynthe last tudor themed book i read was the constant princess by Philippa Gregory i love her books from a fiction p.o.v
I love the facts of tudor England
1. Cry Harry and England. On Henry V.
2. A man for all Seasons.
3. Henry VIII
In answer to your questions:
1) My favourite books of all time would have to be “The Chatelaine”, followed by the sequel “The Wilderling” by Claire Lorrimer. The books chart the history of the Rochford* family from the late Victorian era up to the end of the WW1, in particular focusing on the young American Heiress, Willow, who marries into the family. I first read these books 30 years ago and re-read them about every 2 years! Sheer escapism. (* Rochford … coincidence!)
2) I have a penchant for tragic queens, so I would LOVE to dress up as Marie Antoinette, although I imagine it would not be very comfortable! By the way, I recently read “Marie Antoinette: The Journey” by Antonia Fraser. I thoroughly recommend it.
3) I’m currently re-reading “The Lady in the Tower” by Jean Plaidy. It’s written as if from Anne Boleyn’s own perspective and is one of my firm favourites among the books I’ve read about Anne Boleyn.
(As a child I grew up very near Hampton Court and spent a lot of time there. I think I was 8 when I first became aware of Anne Boleyn and I’ve been obsessed ever since. I’m now 52!)
1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2. Eleanor of Aquitaine
3. The other Boleyn girl by Philippa Gregory
1. My favourite book is The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice
2. I loved Anne Boleyn’s clothes on The Tudors.
3. The last Tudor book I read was Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir but didn’t like it.
1. Katherine by Anya Seton
2. Either Anne Boleyn or Eleanor of Aquitaine
3. Le Temps Viendra: A Novel of Anne Boleyn by Sarah Morris. It’s an excellent book, expertly researched, well written, and thoroughly enjoyable.
My favorite book of all time is “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines.
I would like to dress up as Emma from the Jane Austen book.
The last Tudor themed book I read was “Henry VIII’s Wives. History In An Hour” by Julie Wheeler. I liked it because is a compressed view of all Henry VIII’s six wives. It helps to refresh your memory with a quick guide. It is good as a starter book to keep spreading the Anne Boleyn and Tudor fever.
1. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. Scarlett O’Hara – when she is married to Rhett; just the hats alone would be worth it!
3. I read two-three books at a time; one ‘downstairs” and one ‘bedside’ and have just finished re-reading a) Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starke and my bedside book was b) Life & Death of Anne Boleyn: The Most Happy by Eric Ives. I have a large Tudor book collection and between my own collection and the local library, I can read “Tudor” every week and never tire of the time period or subjects be it non-fiction or fiction.
1)What is your favourite book of all time?
Mansfield Park – Jane Austen
This one of the least famous book of Jane Austen but still is my favourite. The characters are amazing and real. The duality of the human being and the necessity to act as the rules are certainly the best of this book. The way they all deal with the fears make us understanding how hard it was to the woman live in that age.
2)Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance?
Emma Bovary from Madame Bovary- Indeed she is one of the most controversal characters I’ve ever read. She is real and as she was expect to act and live in one way but it just suffocated her at all. Always walking between the correct and wrong Emma at some parts made me angry and happy. She is almost indescribable
3)What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it?
” The six wives of Henry VIII” by Antonia Fraser. For me it was perfect to understand every wife and hers history, life and motivations. Each history ( in this case, each wife) show us one part of the Tudor history. After finishing the book I started to admire all of them. Indeed I can’t even imagine how hard it was for them.
My favourite book is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova – beautifully written and suspenseful.
I would dress up as Grace O’Malley, a 16th century Irish pirate who visited Elizabeth I to seek the release of her sons They seem to have had an interesting meeting speaking in Latin as Elizabeth had no Irish and Grace had no Elglish.
Last Tudor book read was Bring Up the Bodies – an excellent read. Mantel’s Cromwell was well drawn and we see the events through his eyes.
My favorite book of all time is The autobiography of Henry the V111 by Margaret George.
Any Lady from the 15th or 16th century.
The last turdor book I read was Bring up the Bodies by Hillary Mantel. The history of Henry and his court through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell is priceless.
1. What is your favourite book of all time?
My favorite read is a fiction book… Time and Again by Jack Finney. It’s a science fiction time-travel story, wrapped with history, add a bit of a love story, all rolled up with a neat twist of a murder mystery. Love this book!
2. Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance?
This was such a tough question for me to answer. TV and movies are so fashionably visual that it clouds the mind a bit… (e.g., Downton Abby, Audrey Hepburn’s My Fair Lady, Kate Winslet’s Titanic, Grace Kelly’s To Catch a Thief) but the question is a book character. After reading so much about England’s 16th century people, I wanted to go straight there. However….
Finally, my answer is,… Little Red Riding Hood. I want a beautiful, full-length, deep red Celtic style cape. Underneath I’d like to wear a peasant shirt with a dark colored (chocolate brown or black) full-length skirt. I’d pair it up with old fashion laced-up leather boots. The accessories, always a necessity, would be a large leather belt, fingerless gloves, and a great handmade wicker basket. Yeah, red riding hood “suits” me much better than a royal renaissance woman.
3. What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it?
I’m currently finishing up 1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII by Suzannah Lipscomb. The author gives some great insight to her reasons for believing the events of the year 1536 were a catalyst to Henry VIII becoming a tyrant. Do I agree with everything she says? No… None-the-less, I certainly still enjoy reading about her insights. An interesting, good book for anyone’s Tudor library.
Well Fav ,Book The Fall Of Anne Boleyn,I would dress up as Queenn Katherine Parr ,asI think she was a wonderfull infulance on Elizabeth and a kind and carring women,all so one of my favorite Queens that married Henry V111 and was able to get away,with her life and marry a man she truely loved.Most fav book of all is ,All Shakespeare’s Tales,by Winston Stokes,and Charles And Mary Lamb.
I left out my fav Henry V111 on how Willam Shakespeare, tell us of Henry and how this king lived and loved and about all his loves.But all in all love all his worki is great!!
1.What is your favourite book of all time?
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
2.Which book character would you dress up as if you had the chance?
One of the fairies from a Midsummer Nights Dream
3.What was the last Tudor themed book (fiction or non-fiction) that you read and what did you think of it
I read The Queen’s Fool. I though it was an interesting premise and it was very well written.
1. My favourite book of all time is a non-fiction one: Le deuxieme sexe by Simone de Beauvoir. It has changed my life.
2. I would like to dress up as Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. I love her character and I love the clothes!
3. I think it was “Anne Boleyn-one short life that changed the English-speaking world” by Colin Hamer. I thought it was good (it’s a non-fictional book which examines Anne’s impact on the Reformation), perhaps focusing on religious and Biblical arguments rather than on historical ones a bit too much.
My favorite book of all time is “Here Be Dragons” by Sharon Kay Penman. I knocked off Gone with the Wind as my top choice! I loved it because it opened up the world of Wales to me. I studied alot of English History, and had a tendancy to take “their viewpoint” on everything. When I read this book, I gained a whole other insight into peoples, their dreams, desires and motives, and many times, how it differs from accepted truth. Now I always try to find out both sides of things.
I would love to dress up Elizabeth I when she dressed up in armor astride a horse before her armies…An iconic woman who could become a King when needed.
I read lots of Tudor books, but the last one I read was The Lady in the Tower, by Alison Weir. I just really felt for Anne and her situation. I find it highly satisfying and very ironic that she is probably the most well known Queen Consort that every lived! Take that, Henry!
Hi Claire,
My favourite book is wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte which was one of the first books I read and thoroughly enjoyed. If I was to dress up as a character it would be Julius Caesar in full military garb. The latest book recently read of the Tudor period was Alison Weir’s The Lady in the Tower. I found it most entertaining but with some discrepancies.
1. Boy, this is a hard question – but I could say that my favorite book of all time is The Windflower by Sharon and Tom Curtis. It’s a romance novel I found by chance — was one of the most fun, adventureous, and sexy books I’ve ever read! I don’t normally read romance novels, but this one was great!
2. A book character I would dress up as would be Scarlett O’Hara. Antebellum.
3. The Six Wives of Henry VIII – Alison Weir. I thought it was a good book. I think it gave great insight into each wife of Henry VIII. Plus, you really got a sense of how Henry VIII changed as he aged.