No comments about William Of Malmesbury's Chronicle Of The Kings Of England: From The Earliest Period To The Reign Of King Stephen.

4 comments about King Henry VIII (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series).

1. I have tried to abide by a discipline to read at least one Shakespearean play a year. I rarely if ever have reviewed any of them because they are so picked over that I don't feel that I have anything to add. However, it was with a good deal of anticipation that I stepped away from the renowned to the obscure by reading "King Henry VIII". I say that because it was the subject that interested me and I admit that it made quite a difference reading a play about someone I knew something about. This, in turn, gave me pause to consider many things about "King Henry VIII" that I would never have even known to consider about his other histories. It's not that I read many of his other histories but those that I had read left me completely at the mercy of the Bard for any sort of perspective or overview.
   
   What I found most interesting about "King Henry VIII" is the limited scope that the play covered. Let's face it: even today Ol' King Henry VIII is a treasure chest of plots and subplots. Yet Shakespeare treated his subject with a great deal of respect and, essentially, rewrote history before it was even written. The four or five main characters (with the exception of Cardinal Wolsley) all come across in good light. Perhaps Ann "Bullen" is a bit empty-headed but certainly Henry, Anne of Aragon and the lesser known (outside of the Church) Thomas Cranmer are all noble through and through. There is little of the bawdy, glutonous Henry that history has given us. You would guess that Shakespeare would have done great things with such a subject but he didn't and the question that I asked myself was; WHY?
   
   I have not studied anything about this play. I prefer to always see what the play says directly to me before being told by others as to what it means. Thus I may be stating the obvious but I came away with the conclusion that "King Henry VIII" was written for Shakespeare's Quenn Elizabeth. It was pretty obvious when reading Cranmenr's final speech and it put everything into perspective. All that went before were noble and all that came after were not even mentioned. The "noble" divorce of Henry and Ann of Aragon was necessary so that Henry have the proper opportunity to sire Elizabeth. I'm not sure enough of my timetables to know if Elizabeth I was still alive when this play came out but even if she weren't it would still be the Bard's tribute to her.
   
   I had come to expect that most of the "good stuff" of Shakespeare (with the exception of "King Henry V") was to be found in his tragedies primarily and comedies next with the histories coming up a poor third. However, I kept my pencil busy underling passages in "King Henry VIII". It is a good play, it's not "MacBeth", but it's a good play. I'd have considered rating it 5 stars but then we'd have to rate some of the rest as 7's 8's and 9's. Most people who'd take the time to read Shakespeare probably already have a pretty good working knowledge of at least the popular history of the King with six wives. Read it for yourself and I think that you, too, will find that history is better understood when you are already familiar with the subject.



2. ... the reviews for King Henry VIII by William Shakespeare (and all their other books as far as I can tell) as if different editions have the same content - obviously in the case of classics that is far from true.

   ... 3 editions of Henry VIII at this time: (1) Hardback edited by Gordon McMullar published in November 2000 (2) Paperback edited by Jay L. Halio published in September 2000 (3) Paperback edited by R. A. Foakes published in February 1998

   Their editorial reviews describe ALL 3 of these editions as "This is the first fully annotated modern-spelling edition of King Henry VIII to appear for over a decade and includes up-to-date scholarship on all aspects of the play, including dating authorship, printing, sources and stage history." I don't think so! The reader reviews don't distinguish the editions but they are the same reviews posted for the different books. I wish I could contribute the answer but I am still trying to figure it out -- in the meantime, purchase cautiously or you may be disappointed.




3. Shakespeare managed to describe the later life of King Henry the eight, with much intelligence and gracefulness. This play, written centuries before, has captured my attention unlike any present-day play or novel. King Henry VIII was based on the life of the notoriously known King Henry the eight of England. To my dismay, only two of King Henry's wives were mentioned. This play showed how King Henry's life was never truly complete: he couldn't trust anyone, he was unfaithful to the Lord, his wives and his country, and he was never blessed with a son, to be heir to his throne. For myself, the climax of the play was viewing how the king dealt with the change of wives and the birth of his daughter, Elizabeth. The play King Henry VIII by William Shakespeare is a wonderful recommendation for anyone who wishes to understand the tidings of King Henry the eight from a fictitious, historical, personal point of view, rather than from historical facts.



4. This was an appropriate conclusion to Shakespeare's career. Not only are the characters such as Henry VIII, Cranmer, and Wolsey convincing, but the poetry and images are beautiful. In addition, through the fall of several characters such as Wolsey, we can see reflections of Shakespeare himself as he wrote his 37th and final play. It is also poetically appropriate that one of the greatest writers England ever knew ended his career by writing a play about one of the greatest kings that England ever knew! I DO NOT believe that Shakespeare only wrote parts of this play as many people do. With the beautiful images, poetry, and captivating characters, I am very confident in the belief that this play was written entirely by the one and only William Shakespeare.

1 comments about White Rajah: A Biography of Sir James Brooke.

1. The book tells the life story of Sir James Brooke, the British-born rajah of the kingdom of Sarawak in Northern Borneo (today part of Malaysia). Brooke's life has been told many times and this retelling does not shed much new light to it, except for the unabashed recognition of the fact that, by all indications, Brooke was homosexual (probably not latent), and especially attracted to handsome young men. Otherwise, it's an easy-to-read, well written retelling of a story which, at a closer look, actually proves a lot less interesting and adventureous than you'd think if you only know the bare skeleton of it.

No comments about King George III (the Mad King).

2 comments about KING CHARLES II.

1. antonia fraser does full justice to the topic so that you come away with a new clear and unbiased picture of a very approachable english king she uses exelant language and has a skill to keep her reader interested this book is well worth the read antonia frazer does an amazing job as usual



2. This is what popular historical writing is all about - a readable, knowledgeable, enjoyable book. Fraser provides a superb introduction to the varied life and dramatic times of king Charles II. Her background information is clear and reliably accurate, she provides a great deal of insight into the person of this most personable of kings, and her bibliography is a launching place for further explorations. One could only wish to be able to submit a list of suggestions for new books...

No comments about Michael of Romania: The King and the Country.

No comments about The Kings and Queens of England.

5 comments about Catherine Walker.

1. Some interesting material presented here, would've been nice had Diana lived to write a forward for it. Anyone buying this book with the idea of getting a lot of Diana material will see some of that. You will also be getting, as the title says, a lot of autobiographical material about Ms. Walker. No scandalous stories,many good photos, not all of them of the Princess. I personally think someone wanted to boost the sales by emphasizing the Diana link.



2. I happened upon this book one afternoon on my lunch hour. How I missed it's release I will never know. I went back that night and read it cover to cover and then bought it. It is perhaps the definitive book about the inside details about Diana's life, but also about Catherine Walker's as well. The book was clearly not meant to be another glossy "Diana" book rehashing all of the same old information. It was a guide to life with pictures and sketches. I laughed, I cried, I still read it about once a week. It is inspirational. If you are looking to read a book about Diana that has nothing new to say, do not read this book. If, however, you are a serious follower of the world of coture (and Catherine Walker) this book is a must. You will finish it and feel as if you were there during the fittings. BRAVO!



3. This is an amazing illustration and revelation of one of our world's most talented designers who also happened to be one of Princess Diana's most astounding friends and helpers in that wondrous world called royalty. I found the tale of Catherine Walker so informative yet I was still left with numerous questions as to some of the details surrounding her life before and after she became famous. The photographs are gorgeous and reveal some interesting examples of a lady who truly fits the description designer. Catherine Walker will always be one of the world's most gifted dress makers but I'm still curious as to how one would go about actually seeing her shop or, imagine this, buying one of her creations. Undoubtedly she deals with only the rich & famous while all the time remaining in the background. This is one among many of my Princess Diana books I cherish because of its detail and marvelous focus on a multitude of gowns and their intricate pieces. Catherine Walker is an amazing woman who has truly lived a life from tragedy to fairy tale status. I am an avid admirer. This book is far more than pages/pictures between covers; it's a gift of for the eyes and heart! Wonderful!



4. The night the book arrived from London, I read it cover to cover. It offered me a glimpse into the elegant world of fashion and royalty. Ms Walker provided her view of her world with a very human, caring all the while impassioned tone. This is an inspirational book to be read by afficionados of the late Princess Diana and the world of couture. A success story, not stymied by tragedy. The perfect gift for any occasion.



5. i have always been interested in princess diana. her most fabulous clothes always seemed to be designed by catherine walker, always a name without a face. now we can learn about the tragedy that turned this woman into one of the greatest designers of our time. catherine walker has carved out a place for herself in fashion history. an interesting story with beautiful photographs. a must have for all princess diana fans as well as fashion fans.

2 comments about The House of Tudor.

1. [[ASIN:0750932406 The House of Tudor]
   
   This is a great book to read. Not too academic and not too vague. It is a very personal look into the lives of these glorious tudor monarchs.



2. Though it produced only five sovereigns, the Tudor dynasty had a disproportionate impact on English history. Founded as a family of some power and fortune by Ednyfed Fychan who served Llewellyn the Great in the early 13th century, the Tudors had nearly as much English and French blood as Welsh in their veins when Henry Tudor, a little-known political refugee, staked his future on a single coup d'etat -- and won. Henry VII descended from Edward III through his maternal line and wrapped up the Wars of the Roses by his marriage to the neice of the king he had defeated at Bosworth Field. This well-written volume supplies the context for England's break with the Church of Rome and its part in the Renaissance that followed.

1 comments about The Life and Times of Henry VIII (Kings and Queens of England Series).

1. I am a newcomer to the life of this amazing English king, but this book has been truly fascinating. Well written, informative, and easy to read, I recommend Mrs. Fraser's book to anyone who wants to start learning about Henry. For an expert on the subject, this is probably too basic for you.