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The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers

by Margaret George

4.24 of 5 stars 4.24 · rating details · 20,988 ratings · 736 reviews

This is the story of England's most famous, and notorious, king.

Henry was a charismatic, ardent - and brash - young lover who married six times; a scholar with a deep love of poetry and music; an energetic hunter who loved the outdoors; a monarch whose lack of a male heir haunted him incessantly; and a ruthless leader who would stop at nothing to achieve his desires. His m ...more

Paperback , 939 pages

Published September 15th 1998 by St. Martin's Griffin (first published 1986)

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Lists with This Book

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

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Best Books About Tudor England

8th out of 471 books — 1,254 voters

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102nd out of 5,311 books — 20,538 voters

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Dec 06, 2010 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

The way I felt about this book was perhaps much like Henry VIII felt about one of his doomed wives. At first I was entranced, captivated, under a spell of sorts - I couldn't put the book down. However, about halfway through the honeymoon was over (so to speak), and I began to be annoyed at the little things... This was perhaps not the match made in heaven that I thought it was. Perhaps I had been led atray. By the end there was nothing but the most urgent desire to be done with it - let it die a The way I felt about this book was perhaps much like Henry VIII felt about one of his doomed wives. At first I was entranced, captivated, under a spell of sorts - I couldn't put the book down. However, about halfway through the honeymoon was over (so to speak), and I began to be annoyed at the little things... This was perhaps not the match made in heaven that I thought it was. Perhaps I had been led atray. By the end there was nothing but the most urgent desire to be done with it - let it die already, I'm finished, I want to move on, perhaps even a feeling of violence existed towards the book - I even already had my next reading choice picked out (dare I say that, like Henry, I too could not wait until one "marriage" was over before I was dallying elsewhere?)... Yet after it was all over and I had moved on, I still found myself looking back with fond memories and a feeling of love that I had thought lost by the end of the book...

I think you get the point. George's novel is a masterpiece of history, certainly. She has captured ALL of Henry VIII's life in her 932 page tome. And perhaps that's the problem - right along with the interesting came the dull, the mundane, the repetitive... There is always an interesting thing to consider when reading historical fiction - how much history and how much fiction? I appreciate what George has done, certainly, but for me it's always the fiction part I love, whereas George is more history I think. Give me intrigue, give me drama, give me passion, and anger, and love, and hate. Give me all of that even if it isn't all exactly as it should have been. I think I prefer Philippa Gregory, even with her bastardized history, as opposed to Margaret George with her flawless accounting.

And if you think this review is long, consider the fact that the book took me over a WEEK to read! For those of you who know me, that in and of itself is a sad commentary on it's compelling nature. I would recommend this novel only to the most dedicated historical fiction and Tudor history buffs. ...more

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Feb 01, 2008 Ed rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction , huge-books , books-i-own

I'm ashamed by how long this book took me to read, but my defense is that it's a big thick thing, over 900 pages long. Not one you should pick up unless you're planning to be in it for the long haul and are genuinely interested in the subject matter.

After years of seeing Henry portrayed as a fat, greedy slob whose only concern in life was to have a son, this book made a wonderful change. Finally Henry gets a chance to defend himself. Margaret George clearly put in a lot of work and research into I'm ashamed by how long this book took me to read, but my defense is that it's a big thick thing, over 900 pages long. Not one you should pick up unless you're planning to be in it for the long haul and are genuinely interested in the subject matter.

After years of seeing Henry portrayed as a fat, greedy slob whose only concern in life was to have a son, this book made a wonderful change. Finally Henry gets a chance to defend himself. Margaret George clearly put in a lot of work and research into completing the novel and it brims with historical detail. Henry's main preoccupation, it seems, lay not with his wives or with fathering an heir but with his religion and a large portion of the book focuses on the dissolution of the monasteries and Henry's own personal struggle with god.

Some parts of the book were enthralling, but at other points I found myself a little bored. It seems that Henry's Great Matter really did go on for years and all the detail put in concerning England's breaking away from Rome became rather tedious.

Although the majority of the book is told from Henry's point of view, the text is occasionally interjected with words from the King's jester, Will Somers. I was expecting these passages to be funnier than they turned out to be, although Somers does have his fair share of witty observations.

One thing the book could have benefited from would have been a small glossary of the main characters. I ended up becoming a little confused between Cranmer, Cromwell, Wolsey, More, and so forth.

Despite its length, the book is very easy to read. The language is modern enough for us to understand it easily, but it still retains an aura of authenticity. It is a good piece of fleshed-out, meticulously researched historical fiction and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Tudors. ...more

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Sep 20, 2014 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Richard by: Dave van Es

Shelves: recs-by-friends , tudors , by-women , historical-fiction , 2014 , reviewed , tudors-more

This is a very long but readable novel purporting to be the autobiography of Henry VIII, with commentary by his court fool. It tracks the king's life from his earliest memory at the age of three until shortly before his death. It is vividly told, and even though scenery and small details are mentioned with photographic accuracy for the reader's benefit, it is done so subtly that said reader doesn't really mind. It gives us a glimpse into the innner life of someone often thought of as a "monster" ...more

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Richard Travelin wrote: "Wasn't he in fact a monster?"

I guess it depends on your definition. The book description says that many of the novels Margaret George ...more
Sep 20, 2014 10:37PM

Travelin He really sounds like a lost soul, torn between his newfound invention of divorce and the faster, murderous solutions.
Sep 21, 2014 04:33AM

Apr 01, 2008 Linda Orvis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommends it for: History lovers, especially English

Shelves: historicals

Another flawlessly researched and written book by Margaret George. I knew quite a bit about Henry before I read this, but it added a dimension that I hadn't expected to his character. Years after reading it I traveled to England and was surprised what a celebrity he still is there. Truthfully, though he's known for the outrageous elimination of his wives, we sometimes forget what an amazing effect he had on the progress of Great Britain by severing ties with Rome. George represents him as a tort ...more

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Mar 21, 2009 skein rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-star

By the end, it was difficult to decide who is more self-absorbed: the author or her subject.

Margaret George said she wanted to give King Henry better PR. She failed totally.
The plot was (naturally?) given over to his various wives/political schemes, but in 900 pages George really, really could have gone a little further than cliche: the betrayed wife, the scheming bitch, the virtuous woman, the stupid slut, the ugly dog, and the useful nurse. I find it intensely disturbing and frankly unbelieva By the end, it was difficult to decide who is more self-absorbed: the author or her subject.

Margaret George said she wanted to give King Henry better PR. She failed totally.
The plot was (naturally?) given over to his various wives/political schemes, but in 900 pages George really, really could have gone a little further than cliche: the betrayed wife, the scheming bitch, the virtuous woman, the stupid slut, the ugly dog, and the useful nurse. I find it intensely disturbing and frankly unbelievable that Catherine of Aragon was not a virgin at her marriage to Henry; that he thought Anne Boleyn a lying skank from the first moment he met her; that Jane was totally enamored with him and wanted nothing more than to be his wife; that Catherine Howard was not hysterical over her impending doom as firsthand accounts record; that Katherine Parr (who had been married twice before Henry condescended to notice her) was still a virgin. (And thrilled to his touches, no less. It's hard to believe that anyone could enjoy the caress of a corpulant old man with a stinking open wound on his thigh, but there you have it.)

For a novel that claims to be researched so extensively, and delivered with such attention to accuracy (it's The Real Henry!), all this was a serious issue to me. What else? Henry's claiming to be the same size at 40 years that he was at 20 - this, again, is frankly contradicted by the size of his armour. His famous temper was toned down considerably - although his snarky remarks were duly reported, the vitriol was shrugged off, sandwiched between paragraphs of patient consideration.

The 'notes' by Will Somers were generally useless, often intrusive. He pleaded for the reader to forgive Henry without giving any justification - he's not such a bad guy when you get to know him!

Meanwhile, Henry moans because his daughter, Mary, hates him. Why, why?! Maybe because you disinherited her, drove her mother to near-madness, and sent them both into comparative poverty and isolation? Just a guess.

Maybe I'm just angry. It pissed me off that Jane was mourned and moaned over for five hundred damn pages, that Anna of Cleves was called a dog and a horse by everyone, that Anne Boleyn was literally demonized, that Henry really loved his children, dammit, and wanted them to love him back!

George eventually discounted Henry's pre-occupation with having a male heir, too, and his reasons for such. I find myself wondering how much of the (considerable) misogyny in the novel was unintentional - just a reflection of her own views.

I'd say it was only euphemistically about Henry VIII. The best-written bits, the parts with most emotional pull - such as Henry's aggravatingly protracted mourning over his 'one true wife', Jane - were obviously inserts from the author's own life. It's only natural, perhaps? this 900-page tome took thirteen years to research & write. Some part of yourself is going to slip in.
...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Orsolya rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tudor-england , history , henry-viii , library

932 pages. You’re probably thinking: “That’s a lot of pages!” I admit I was a bit intimidated by the length of Margaret George’s novel on Henry VIII. However, I assure you, the length is less of an issue than the actual content of this gargantuan book.

Disappointment arose quickly, as the beginning of The Autobiography of Henry VIII “welcomed” me with a very slow and dull start. The first several chapters were drab recaps of the events of Henry’s youth which lacked any emotion, excitement, or per 932 pages. You’re probably thinking: “That’s a lot of pages!” I admit I was a bit intimidated by the length of Margaret George’s novel on Henry VIII. However, I assure you, the length is less of an issue than the actual content of this gargantuan book.

Disappointment arose quickly, as the beginning of The Autobiography of Henry VIII “welcomed” me with a very slow and dull start. The first several chapters were drab recaps of the events of Henry’s youth which lacked any emotion, excitement, or personal opinion (even though this is supposed to be “Henry’s view”). Initially, the most interesting moments were the note of Will Somers, which sadly, were too rare in usage. Also adding to my poor first impression, were the inaccuracies which stuck out like sore thumbs. I could not determine if these were thus because the novel was first published in 1986 or because it was Henry’s view and his side of the story is skewed (an attempt to add character to the story); but either way, I noticed the errors.

The characters were flat and underdeveloped, especially Henry who was deemed no growth or depth and seems very child-like even during late adulthood. The novel lacks any connection to the characters. Granted, there were some interesting moments throughout the novel (such as with infamous Anne Boleyn) but these were sprinkled too loosely and encompassed a roller coaster ride between boredom and entertainment. Meaning, there was never a constant flow in the story’s plot line. Furthermore, some of George’s contrived Henry experiences created simply for the novel were so outrageous and ridiculous that it created even more dissonance in the already filtered reading.

Like most Henry VIII novels, The Autobiography of Henry VIII focused mostly on Henry’s mistresses, wives, and search for wives. Many readers tend to complain that Henry is only described in regards to his six wives, but apparently even from “HIS” view, his wives are deemed the most diversification. All other events – rebellions, downfall of Cromwell, Henry’s children- are less than side notes in this novel. In fact, if this is Henry’s view, then he would describe himself as shallow and elementary if we are to believe how he is portrayed in his novel.

Speaking of wives, I especially disliked how Anne Boleyn was depicted. Love her or hate her, it can be agreed that she possessed a certain level of intelligence and conniving. However, George created a bimbo character that was annoying, frivolous, and prone to temper tantrums. It is the equivalent of the usual portrait of Catherine Howard. Anne of Cleves was presented in a much brighter light, showing strength and personality while Catherine Howard’s relationship with Henry, in Henry’s view, was based merely on physical attraction. The End. Nothing more there. Basically, Henry comes off as a virginal 15-year old teenager desperate for sex with Catherine. He made me dislike that marriage even more than I already have. Although, that being said, Catherine’s deceit toward Henry and her death prompted one of the most powerful reactions from Henry in the novel allowing the reader to finally see his true feelings.

The best parts of the entire 932 pages were the last 30 or so pages depicting the war with France, the death and funeral of Charles Brandon, and the impact on Henry. Plus, of course, the death of Henry himself was also moving (although less so than Brandon’s).

Overall, I can see why some readers could love (and do love) George’s novel. There are some books which are simply terrible and some which aren’t for everyone. This one is simply not for me. I suggest it more for a Tudor reader whom hasn’t read a hundred books on Henry, already. If you have, like myself; you may find yourself skimming large sections like I did.

...more

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Jun 01, 2009 Boof rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommends it for: Fans of historical fiction, the Tudors, anyone interested in history really

Recommended to Boof by: Tisha

Shelves: biography-memoirs , european-royalty , historical , read-in-2009 , tudors , british-authors , my-most-amazing-books , uk

"I'm Henry VIII, I am, I'm Henry VIII I am, I am!"

Wow! There's never a dull moment with old Henry. Teenage King, always warring with France, cuts ties with Rome and changes the course of history just so he can get a divorce, six wives - two have their heads lopped off, one dies in childbirth, one is too ugly, one won't provide him with a son (tsk! what was she thinking?) and the other gets to mop up his gangrenous leg until he dies. Phew!!!

This is a fabulous book: long, but so worth it. Writte "I'm Henry VIII, I am, I'm Henry VIII I am, I am!"

Wow! There's never a dull moment with old Henry. Teenage King, always warring with France, cuts ties with Rome and changes the course of history just so he can get a divorce, six wives - two have their heads lopped off, one dies in childbirth, one is too ugly, one won't provide him with a son (tsk! what was she thinking?) and the other gets to mop up his gangrenous leg until he dies. Phew!!!

This is a fabulous book: long, but so worth it. Written from Henry's point of view so we get to see his life as he sees it. We all know what a bad-tempered tyrant he was supposed to have been, but in this book we get a glimpse at what may have made Henry make the decisions he made. He was born into royalty, taught to believe that he is above others (and boy, does he!) but we also see another side to him. There are times when I actually felt sorry for him; to be surrounded all your life by "yes-men" and never really knowing who you can trust must have been pretty tough even if you are surrounded by jewels and banquets all day long.

Not surprisingly, his poor wives come in for a pretty raw deal; but again it is written from Henry's point of view. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard never stood a chance and Katherine of Aragon was treated appallingly in later life when the King decided that he wanted to move on to a younger model. No wonder when it came to searching for a new wife 4th time around, all the eligable young European princesses were hiding in the shadows.

This is a real tome of a book and one I enjoyed immensley. The fact that it took the author 15 years to research, I knew I was in safe hands with getting a wonderful peice of fiction based entirely on fact. I would highly recommend this to history fans. Big thumbs up for this one! ...more

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Boof Ahhhhh, he is so CUTE!!!! I love his little face. I can't wait for you to take him home; I hope it brightens up your house again.
Jun 02, 2009 12:34PM

Chrissie Isn't Oscar something else. How can one not fall in love with him. Skye is Skye, Oscar is Oscar. I already love both. I believe puppies are made so da ...more
Jun 02, 2009 11:31PM

Jun 15, 2015 Kimber rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle , historical-fiction-england

I really enjoyed looking at things from Henry's POV. If i hadn't read any other historical fiction or biographies about the time I might be of the opinion that Harry was just a tragic figure cursed by run after run of bad luck. However, I have read a lot about Henry's England. That, and the fact that George uses Will Somer's notes as a warning not to believe all that Henry writes, and one can see that this journal of Henry's is rife with dissembling, rationalizing, and self-deceit. It is NEVER I really enjoyed looking at things from Henry's POV. If i hadn't read any other historical fiction or biographies about the time I might be of the opinion that Harry was just a tragic figure cursed by run after run of bad luck. However, I have read a lot about Henry's England. That, and the fact that George uses Will Somer's notes as a warning not to believe all that Henry writes, and one can see that this journal of Henry's is rife with dissembling, rationalizing, and self-deceit. It is NEVER Henry's fault.
George does put forth a theory about Henry's wives that I have not seen so blatantly stated before: Henry constantly craves love and acceptance because he never received any from his mother. He proves this over and over by his instant descents into love and his almost as instant disillusionment when 'Wife X' does not equal "Wife Ideal" (aka His Mother's Perfection).
Other Historical novels often look at Henry through the eyes of his women, his friends or his courtiers. They show puzzlement and disbelief at his emotions and actions. It is refreshing and somewhat amusing to see how Henry chronicles his own life and the explanations behind his own behaviour. We all know how this story ends but for once we are seeing it from the Giant at the top of the Beanstalk's POV rather than Jack's.
Definitely worth a read simply because there are so few historical fiction novels with POV from Henry VIII.
I rounded up my stars on this one. Rating it a 3.5.

P.S. After finishing the novel I watched a documentary titled The Palace of Henry VIII on PBS. One of the assertions they made was that Henry might have suffered a frontal cerebral cortex injury when his horse rolled on him during a jousting tournament (post-divorce Katherine, pre-execution Anne). Looking back at the novel one can really pinpoint the beginning of his irrational behaviour to that time in his life. The undiagnosed injury could have caused minor to major personality changes, auditory and visual hallucinations and paranoia. Hmmm...sounds like it might be a credible theory. ...more

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Mar 06, 2014 Michel Avenali rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Review

+ Superb pace and research
+ Engaging and extremely readable
+ Detailed, engrossing characters
+ A window on history

First and foremost Margaret George is a superb historian and writer, she has the ability to make history alive and incredibly engaging. This hefty book makes you feel like it opened a window into Tudor England and dropped you right in the midst of Henry's long and tumultuous reign, and the voyage is always exhilarating and unforgettable. I did not always like Henry, I did not al ...more

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Jun 15, 2010 Kandice rated it 5 of 5 stars

Five stars does not feel like enough for this book. It took me a little longer than usual to read the 932 pages, but I think that's because there were passages I re-read over and over for their beauty. My book is riddled with post-its to mark quotes I didn't want to forget, and had I not already purchased this book before reading, I would have done so just to have those quotes at my fingertips whenever I wanted them. It was that good. I don't know why I'm surprised because The Memoirs of Cleopat Five stars does not feel like enough for this book. It took me a little longer than usual to read the 932 pages, but I think that's because there were passages I re-read over and over for their beauty. My book is riddled with post-its to mark quotes I didn't want to forget, and had I not already purchased this book before reading, I would have done so just to have those quotes at my fingertips whenever I wanted them. It was that good. I don't know why I'm surprised because The Memoirs of Cleopatra is one of my favorite books and I own it in both paperback and hardback because it's been read enough times that I know when I read it again I'll be lugging it around. She is a lovely writer.

I think everyone is, at least passingly, familiar with the Tudors, and if not them as a family, then Henry VIII because of his many wives. I love the Showtime series, but don't feel that the sexual wantonness is realistic. It's entertaining, don't get me wrong, just not realistic. If Henry had so many lovers he would not have needed so many wives. George shares this view. I like that she portrays him as such a religious man. It only stands to reason. He was the second son, so slated to the church, not the throne. His early education would have been very, very heavily religious. Adultery was simply wrong, king or no, and while I believe he had lovers, their numbering in the scores just seems silly. The fact that historians agree that Anne Boleyn was a virgin until their marriage (or very close to it) despite it's taking seven years to arrange speaks volumes.

The book is written in a journal format. Supposedly Henry's journal, as found by his fool, Will. Will is sending the journal, long after Henry's death, to Henry's illegitimate daughter by Mary Boleyn (yes, Anne's sister). Will makes notes where he sees fit and this adds immeasurably to the perspective. Not many were honest and straightforward with the king, yet his fool saw and heard all. Because of the journal form, George is limited to the vocabulary and medical terms of the time. Henry VIII most likely sufferred from Type 2 Diabetes, which contributed to his size, poor health and declining mental capacity near his death. I felt she did an excellent job portraying this using the topical vernacular. Even had I not already known this about Henry, I would probably at least have had a suspicion after reading.

I'd like to list all the quotes I fell in love with from this book, but, really, that would entail pages. Instead I think I'll close with my very favorite (I think . It's hard to choose!). It applies to all of us, everyday, so why would it apply less to a man because he was king? A very, very lonely king at that?

By God, it would make a fine morning's ride, and I was ready for one. Should I ask Katherine? A gallop together, in the damp March air-but no, this was her prayer-time. Nonetheless, I could ask. Perhaps she would...? No. She would not.

Thus we use our supposed "knowledge" of others to speak on their behalf, and condemn them for the words we put in their silent mouths.

Having asked Katherine in my mind, and been refused, I was free to go alone.

George speaks of us all. Henry was a man, like any other, and that's the greatest thing an autobiography can leave us with. ...more

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Feb 17, 2015 Szeee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015

VIII. Henrikről mindenki tudja, hogy egy rakás felesége volt és néhányat le is fejeztetett közülük. Kegyetlen, nagydarab, rettegett király hírében áll, de szerintem a rossz hírneve miatt nem igazán akaródzik senkinek közelebb kerülni hozzá, hogy jobban megismerje.

Ez a könyv azonban erre hivatott. Természetesen nem valódi önéletrajz, hanem fiktív, de nagyon jól visszaadja, hogy milyen lehetett Henriknek lenni, milyen lehetett hercegként, magányban, szeretettelenül nevelkedni, majd szintén hatalm VIII. Henrikről mindenki tudja, hogy egy rakás felesége volt és néhányat le is fejeztetett közülük. Kegyetlen, nagydarab, rettegett király hírében áll, de szerintem a rossz hírneve miatt nem igazán akaródzik senkinek közelebb kerülni hozzá, hogy jobban megismerje.

Ez a könyv azonban erre hivatott. Természetesen nem valódi önéletrajz, hanem fiktív, de nagyon jól visszaadja, hogy milyen lehetett Henriknek lenni, milyen lehetett hercegként, magányban, szeretettelenül nevelkedni, majd szintén hatalmas magányban királyként uralkodni és szerepet játszani évtizedeken keresztül. Akinek nem lehetett igazi bizalmasa, akinek mindig viselkednie kellett, aki nem élvezhette hétköznapi emberként az életet. Na jó, kicsit túlzásba estem, mert annyira azért nem volt borzalmas Henriknek, de a könyvből is tisztán látszik, hogy azok voltak a legboldogabb pillanatai, amikor civilként, egyszerű körülmények között tölthetett el napokat a szerettei körében.

Ez az írás ugyan szól Anglia XVI. századi politikájáról és történelméről is, de talán mégiscsak inkább a király feleségeivel való kapcsolatát helyezi a középpontba. Nagyon jó érzékkel ábrázolja az írónő, hogy mi játszódhatott le a királyban, amikor egy-egy nő az érdeklődésének középpontjába került. Az indítékokat, a vonzalmakat, az érzelmek váltakozását mind hihetően és logikusan vezeti végig. Nagyon érdekes egyébként, hogy a 6 feleség mennyire más és más személyiség volt és mégis ugyanazon király mellé sodorta őket a sors. Mindegyikőjük személye jól lett bemutatva, akárcsak Henrik fiatal emberből megfáradt, idősödő királlyá való érésének folyamata.

Aki elolvassa ezt a könyvet, teljesen máshogy fog tekinteni erre a történelmi alakra. Már nem fog annyira kegyetlennek és félelmetesnek tűnni, csak egy embernek, aki amellett, hogy nagy tehetséget mutatott a költészet, a zene, a teológia területén, maradéktalanul élt a hatalmával mindenféle értelemben. Bár őrültségnek tűnik, de még egyházának a katolikus egyháztól és a pápától való elszakadása is teljesen logikusnak és érthetőnek tűnik a könyvben felvázolt nézőpontok alapján.

Határozottsága és erőskezűsége mellett azonban Henrik időről-időre szánnivaló bábunak tűnik a történelem sodrának kezében, aki kétségbeesetten próbálta megvédeni a rá bízott országot, kétségbeesetten küzdött trónörökösért és békéért a körülötte intrikáló nemesi családok és a többi nagyhatalom gyűrűjében.

Nagyon szerettem olvasni ezt a könyvet, olvasmányosan, érdekfeszítően és hihetően írta meg Margaret George mind az 1200 oldalt, így nem tudok neki rosszabbat adni öt csillagnál. ...more

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Jul 04, 2013 Chrissie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-britain , hf , kirkus , text-checked , bio , european-royalty , alt , dumped , disliked

After 172 pages I have decided to dump this.I do NOT enjoy reading it and I have given it a fair try. I am often hesitant toward autobiographies, particularly when they are historical fiction. An autobiography cannot, by definition, provide an impartial view on the events that occurred. Margaret George is an author known for her thorough research, but in that which is not known she has made suppositions that I cannot accept. In my mind it is very clear that Henry was motivated by power. He was a After 172 pages I have decided to dump this.I do NOT enjoy reading it and I have given it a fair try. I am often hesitant toward autobiographies, particularly when they are historical fiction. An autobiography cannot, by definition, provide an impartial view on the events that occurred. Margaret George is an author known for her thorough research, but in that which is not known she has made suppositions that I cannot accept. In my mind it is very clear that Henry was motivated by power. He was a king and it definitely was his job to increase England's (and his own) glory, strength and power. Why did he split with the Pope? Divorce was not allowed. When Catherine's father, King Ferdinand of Spain, did not support Henry against the French as had been agreed, it is not so strange that he questioned his wife's allegiance. In addition she did not give him a male heir. Henry's choices were motivated by a search for power. This is a power game, nothing else. I object to George putting these words into the text:

I would take my place on the Continental stage, to pursue England's lost dream of conquering France in its entirety. Perhaps that was what God truly required of me; perhaps it was here that I had failed Him. As King, there were certain tasks that I must undertake, as surely as a knight at Arthur's Round Table was given them, and to shirk them meant shame and cowardice........

Perhaps when I conquered France, God would turn his face toward me. I became more and more convinced of it. .......

My advisors and Council, by and large, were not convinced. Of my desire to redeem myself with God they were unaware; but they were against war with France. Father had spoiled them with his lack of involvement in foreign entanglements, and like any privileged state, they had got used to it. (page 145)

There is no proof of such a supposition. He used the church for his own purposes; I do not see him as being religiously motivated. He is motivated by a search for power.

This book is a diary written by King Henry, with added notes by his jester, Will Somers. These notes are meant to explain, round out and fill in the King's statements. But tell me why are they never funny if he is the court jester?! These "notes" add nothing, they merely disrupt the text.

In addition, it is mentioned by Somers that the song Greensleeves was sung. Although it is today discounted, it has been thought that King Henry wrote it for Anne Boleyn. King Henry hadn't even met her yet.

And Catherine of Aragon was married to Henry's older brother Arthur first...... It is stated she is a virgin!

Although I am not stating that Margaret George is fictionalizing the known facts, I question all too often her suppositions, and there is no humor!

Even if there is a family tree at the front of the book it isn't that simple to keep track of all the characters. Do you know why you have to call people Duke or Marquis or Earl of for example York or Exeter or Cambridge? That is because all the men are called Henry or Edward and the women Mary or Catherine or Anne. This is a way of keeping track of who is who.(ha ha) I would have appreciated a map of these places.

If this book is not going to get me inside the heads of the leading players in a believable manner, I might as well just read a book of non-fiction or go to Wikipedia. Once I started questioning what I was being fed, I spent more time reading Wiki than reading the book!

There was one, and only one, little sparkle in the first 172 pages of the book, and that is when Henry fell head over heels in love with his brother's wife Catherine.....but soon that disappeared and was replaced with his drive for success and power. 932 pages of this is just not my cup of tea. I warn you, you have to love the Tudors to be drawn to this book!

No, this book was not even OK! I ran to Wikipedia every time I could. I expect more than one little sparkle in 172 pages. ...more

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DuckieMorroe Laura wrote: "Still really enjoying the book. The plot is thickening. I love it that I'm learning history in a way that feels fun, and it's making me ...more
Jul 08, 2013 01:54PM

Laura It really is. :)

I didn't read any more about that part, I'm gonna stay tuned and see what Michener tells me at this point. If he doesn't let me know, ...more
Jul 08, 2013 03:16PM

Dec 18, 2012 Brittany B. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone!

Recommended to Brittany B. by: My favorite historical fiction authors

Shelves: favorite-authors , audiobook , biographical , 1all-time-greats , classic , epic , high-recommend , historical-england , audio-most-wanted , historical-best-of , 1books-to-read-over-and-over , 1favorites , best-of-the-best_any_genre , crack-head-addictive , favorite-narrator , fiction , funny , hist_famous-person , historical-fiction , my-first-of-author , review-needed , headless-hero_heroine

Yep... Finished a week, and I'm listening to it again...
******************************************************

Book: 6stars
Narrator : 6++++ stars

The best book I've read this year.

I intend to write a review that is worthy of this grand book.

I encourage anyone interested in this historical masterpiece to buy this as an audiobook. This is a novel that is made even more compelling by outstanding the perchance of the narrator, (It is rumored that the author was the director of the audio performance ...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographies , fiction , my-fav-authors , my-fav-books

A huge book--over 900 pages. But worth every one! We've all read about Henry VIII and his six wives. Dry, historical facts and events. This book delves into what kind of man (and king) he may have been. His fears, his strengths are discussed here in the form of a diary that has been discovered after his death and is being sent to an illegitimate daughter of Henry by his "fool", Will Somers. The word "fool" refers to someone who is permitted to speak plainly to the King or Queen. To tell the trut ...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographical-fiction , british-history-fiction , historical-fiction

Henry Explains Himself. Fictionally

Much has been said about Henry VIII... so what is his side of the story? Why did he behead two of his 6 wives? their associates/relatives? two of his closest friend-advisors? hundreds of alleged treasonists? protestants? whole monestaries full of monks? ... Henry explains all this and more.

If you know the story of the Tudors, this will have you laughing out loud. He looks at his daughter Mary dressed in black translating pious works and remarks how like her mo Henry Explains Himself. Fictionally

Much has been said about Henry VIII... so what is his side of the story? Why did he behead two of his 6 wives? their associates/relatives? two of his closest friend-advisors? hundreds of alleged treasonists? protestants? whole monestaries full of monks? ... Henry explains all this and more.

If you know the story of the Tudors, this will have you laughing out loud. He looks at his daughter Mary dressed in black translating pious works and remarks how like her mother she is, just as would any father who had not "illegitimized" his daughter, forbade her contact with her dying mother or put her under house arrest. In deference to Anne's love of all things French, he's arranged to have a special executioner and sword from France ... just for her. He speaks of his "sister, Anne" (of Cleves) without a hint of irony. In the end he wonders where real men like More and Cromwell had gone, as though they died natural deaths and not on his order of execution.

Among the many skills of the author is the careful presage of future events and people. For instance the subtle introduction of Anne Boleyn's brother and musician; Catherine Howard's past life; the future power of the Seymours; the conversations with Cromwell or More; the character of Thomas Seymour considering his role in the lives of his final widow and second daughter (which taking place after his death is not presented here)... the list goes on and on.

The dialog is wonderful from the self-centered Queen Anne Boleyn to the academic Katherine Parr, the warm and innocent minded Thomas More. Henry's thoughts and take on everything from the servants' simplicity, to his wives, to the plight of the King of France are exquisitely crafted.

You can laugh out loud in just about every 10th page and marvel at the scholarship and detail.

Through it all, a consistent voice and character for Henry is maintained in a way that grips you through the full 900+ pages.

To fully appreciate this book, you need to know who is who in Tudor England, but you can enjoy it with minimal background.

This book is a rare masterpiece. ...more

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Dec 23, 2007 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: justagreatread

I've been on a huge kick for historical ficton lately especailly the Tudors. Henry VIII is the most amazing character in British history. This book allows you to look a his life on a whole not just one portion of it.

It talks of his youth. His marriage to Katherine of Aragon. Anne Bolyn. (alot.....) and all his other wives. I never really paid much attention to his life except for the well told tales with Anne Bolyn so it was great to get an over look at all his loves and loses.

This book kinda dr ...more

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Dec 12, 2008 Reinhold rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Langatmige Geschichtsstunde

Dieses Buch ist das (fiktive) Tagebuch des als Blaubart in die Geschichte eingegangenen englischen Herrschers. Besonders witzig fand ich die Idee, dazu noch Anmerkungen des Hofnarren einzuflechten um dem ganzen einen kritischeren Touch zu geben. Die großen Vorzüge des Buches sind mit Sicherheit die gute Recherche und der Versuch das Leben eines der verrufendsten Könige der Geschichte aus seiner eigenen Sicht zu erzählen. Dadurch wird dem Leser eine aufregende Geschicht Langatmige Geschichtsstunde

Dieses Buch ist das (fiktive) Tagebuch des als Blaubart in die Geschichte eingegangenen englischen Herrschers. Besonders witzig fand ich die Idee, dazu noch Anmerkungen des Hofnarren einzuflechten um dem ganzen einen kritischeren Touch zu geben. Die großen Vorzüge des Buches sind mit Sicherheit die gute Recherche und der Versuch das Leben eines der verrufendsten Könige der Geschichte aus seiner eigenen Sicht zu erzählen. Dadurch wird dem Leser eine aufregende Geschichtsstunde der ersten Hälfte des 16. Jahrhunderts vermittelt. Es wird ungemein viel Wissen über die politischen und religiösen Zustände der Hochrenaissance mitgeteilt.

Dass ein Buch das als Autobiographie gefasst ist, natürlich kein objektives Bild vermitteln wird ist von vornherein klar. Diesbezüglich hat sich Margaret George auch sehr viel Mühe gegeben. Sie schildert das Leben eines naiven, ruhigen und gutmütigen Mannes, der die ganze Zeit über ein getriebener der Umstände ist und letztlich nur selten negative Eigenschaften zeigt. Soweit war das auch zu erwarten, dass jedoch die (nach dem Ableben Heinrichs) eingefügten Kommentare des Hofnarren Will Sommers, dieses Bild nur selten umdrehen und wirklich kritisch kommentieren, ist ein böses Versäumnis. Mag der Versuch Heinrich VIII. in ein besseres Licht zu rücken gerechtfertigt sein, so war er ganz bestimmt kein Engel - George schießt hier wohl über das Ziel hinaus.

Das Buch hat kaum Höhepunkte, vielmehr fließt es über 1300 Seiten einfach dahin. Es ist nicht mitreißend aber interessant - darüber sollte man sich bewusst sein, ehe man mit dem Lesen beginnt. Wer eine auch nur ansatzweise spannende Story erwartet, wird das Buch bald aus der Hand legen. Wenn Sie jedoch eine anspruchsvolle Darstellung der Hochrenaissance erwarten, dann sind Sie hiermit ganz bestimmt gut bedient. ...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Sher rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you like historical fiction, you will LOVE this book. The reader is lead to believe that it is more fact than fiction because of the amount of research Margaret George did in preparing this book for publication. She read and studied many books and period accounts (check out the bibliography), as well as having visited England more than once for the express purpose of researching the life and personality of Henry VIII during the 15 years it took her to write it. No one had ever thought to try If you like historical fiction, you will LOVE this book. The reader is lead to believe that it is more fact than fiction because of the amount of research Margaret George did in preparing this book for publication. She read and studied many books and period accounts (check out the bibliography), as well as having visited England more than once for the express purpose of researching the life and personality of Henry VIII during the 15 years it took her to write it. No one had ever thought to try to get into the mind of Henry to see what was really going on there until Ms. George did her homework for this book. I believe it is very revealing. She does not try to make him into something that he is not. We still see him as the king we love to hate - an overweight king who suffered from dementia, felt things very deeply, acted on impulse, loved women, and had people around him put to death if they didn't agree with him. But what it does show is how he came to feel and do the things that he did. One can come close to understanding him, and perhaps even empathizing with him through this book. It is very well and beautifully written. I loved the associated history that I learned along the way. My one and only criticism is that towards the end I got a little bogged down in the war and the politics. I had become so accustomed to the forward movement in this lengthy book that I was a bit disappointed when it slowed down. Just a minor criticism, however. It is overall a fabulous book. I listened to this book, and it is just possible that if I had read it I may not have gotten so bogged down. When you actually read the book it is much easier to go back and check facts and may help to keep things straight.

I feel so bad for people who cannot get past the so-called aristocratic, stuck-up British accent that narrator David Case uses. It has been said that his narrations are an acquired taste. I was a bit put off at first myself. But I tell you, he is incredible! I believe that Henry VIII must have sounded just like David Case (also known as Frederick Davidson)! His characterizations are fabulous, and he runs the gamut of emotions which I feel right along with him. He brought me to tears when Brandon died, and made me feel sad at Henry's death. I was as mad at Ann Boleyn as Henry was, and I adored Jane Seymour right along with him. I was disappointed for Henry when Elizabeth was born female (definitely not like me in real life), and so sad for him when baby boy after baby boy did not survive. This book lives because of David Case's narration. If you listen to audiobooks but have not yet acquired the taste, it will be worth it for you to persevere until you do. He is a master and has done a masterful job of narrating some of the best literature ever written! ...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Ian Mapp rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

This has to be the best way to learn about history - read a fictional account of a particular subject. This makes things interesting and educational.

932 pages - you have everything you could want to know about Henry VIII and what drove him to make the well known decisions. He comes out of this book with many merits. He may have made mistakes but everything he did, he did for the right reason.

500 pages in and we are still on Katherine of Aragon. But then again, he was married to her for 20 odd ye ...more

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Apr 08, 2009 Grace rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book thrust me into what I now call my "Tudor period." The book is fiction, but loaded with historical facts. I followed it with nearly half a dozen non-fiction books about the Tudors. It's hard to pick which one is the most interesting. Henry VII, who was a soldier who won his right to the throne, and as a result, was a very hard man. Henry VIII, one of history's most misunderstood men. Thirty-eight when he died, people! That famous portrait you see of him--he's about 36!! Thirty-six! That ...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Autobiography of Henry VIII is the first novel published by esteemed historical fiction novelist Margaret George. Although this book may seem like a real autobiography at first glance based on the title (of course it's not - how is that even possible?), this novel is actually a fictional firsthand account of the life of Henry VIII, as told by his fool, Will Somers.

Sitting at a very thick 960 pages, The Autobiography of Henry VIII may seem an overwhelming feat to some readers, especially thos The Autobiography of Henry VIII is the first novel published by esteemed historical fiction novelist Margaret George. Although this book may seem like a real autobiography at first glance based on the title (of course it's not - how is that even possible?), this novel is actually a fictional firsthand account of the life of Henry VIII, as told by his fool, Will Somers.

Sitting at a very thick 960 pages, The Autobiography of Henry VIII may seem an overwhelming feat to some readers, especially those skeptical about picking up this novel to begin with. However, if you know anything at all about the history of Henry VIII (and his six wives!), I highly recommend sticking it out. This novel will change your outlook on this king forever, and is much better than most other fictional accounts of Henry VIII's life.

My own personal interest with Henry VIII and the Tudor monarchy peaked tremendously after reading The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. I found it grossly fascinating that Henry VIII - such a disgusting, yucky person both physically and mentally - had women pursuing him from every corner of Europe just because he wore a crown.

This particular novel chronicles everything about the life of Henry VIII - his young adulthood, his conquests, his illnesses, his psychotic breakdowns, the banishment or deaths of his wives, and more - all told by the comedic persona of Will Somers. The Autobiography of Henry VIII reads quite smoothly, and is highly entertaining, especially since Henry is made to sound like an idiotic spoiled teenager.

In this book (which I have no doubt is historically accurate on most accounts), Henry is a real piece of shit. With every person that does him any wrong, including his wives, Henry scrolls through his book of Scripture to find quotes he can bend and somehow apply to his "mistakes" (such as cheating and committing adultery). He then uses those quotes to persuade his court to banish that particular person or ritual from his kingdom.

In The Autobiography of Henry VIII, Henry is a villain you love to hate. It's what makes this novel amazing and titillating. The amount of time and research George invested in to pen this novel is evident in her writing. This book is by far one of the best I've ever read not only in the historical fiction genre, but overall. I give this novel a full 10 stars out of 10 stars.

Other amazing novels by Margaret George are Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, The Memoirs of Cleopatra, Mary, Called Magdalene, and Helen of Troy. She also recently released Elizabeth I.

For more book reviews, please visit http://dreamworldbooks.com . ...more

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Jan 14, 2008 laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to laura by: Lindsey Carlile

Shelves: fiction

Overall, I loved this book. It was fascinating to read about the life of Henry VIII through his perspective. Seeing it that way helped make more sense of some of the decisions he made while King. I thought everything surrounding the Boelyn drama was fantastic. I loved the vivid descritions of the emotional roller coaster he seemed to be on for the majority of his life.

I could hardly put this book down during the first few hundred pages. However, I admit I got a little "stir crazy" towards the e ...more

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Jul 02, 2014 Athena Ninlil rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction-and-romance

An easy read and entertaining. But it adds nothing new. It is written from Henry VIII's (with occasional notes from his fool Will sommers) POV so it might pertain to the stereotypes. Yet they are too stereotypical for my like. The dowdy old sexy nun who may have lied, may not but it is too pretty and dumb and submissive and haughty and overbearing on poor young handsome Henry who is also irrritated by her disdain of English people and the Scots and repulsed by her "gift". Will adds that she is f An easy read and entertaining. But it adds nothing new. It is written from Henry VIII's (with occasional notes from his fool Will sommers) POV so it might pertain to the stereotypes. Yet they are too stereotypical for my like. The dowdy old sexy nun who may have lied, may not but it is too pretty and dumb and submissive and haughty and overbearing on poor young handsome Henry who is also irrritated by her disdain of English people and the Scots and repulsed by her "gift". Will adds that she is fat and while he criticizes Henry, he often excuses, lamenting that poor Henry was too much of a dreamer to see the evil oportunists, including his wives, who pulled his strings. Anne is the charming but evil conniving scheming witch who Summers constantly calls her as such, and Henry later describes as ugly and working her magic beyond the grave. Oh and Katherine of Aragon had the monstrous baby while Anne didn't (which historically there is no evidence that either gave birth to deformed babies, in regards to Anne, it was mostly later propaganda by enemies). Jane the demure passive wife. Anne of Cleves, the gigantic obese woman which makes Henry so repulsed. Catherine Howard -I almost breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't depicted in the sa,e shade she's always depicted in fiction but that later went downhill with Will also calling her a slut and being so plain to everyone. The only wife who was portrayed accurtely (for the most part) was Katherine Parr. Her intelligence, wit, and charm, as well as her defense of her religion is well depicted here.
Lastly Henry's daughters fall into the same old categories, to quote Sommers here, Mary an ugly wench and angel of vengeance and to quote Henry VIII, Elizabeth is not beautiful enough but smarter and the new hope but too scheming to ever make anyone happy. Also, does the author know that the men Henry refers to as inexperienced youths who never had a taste of war (some of them) in fact were in a war before?! Edward Seymour was among the many knighted in the King's second battle with France.
The only courtier who was more or less assessed with good eyes by Henry and the author, was Thomas More. I felt the book was fairer to him than others.
And that leaves the rest of Henry's family. Henry VII the evil shadow, the specter, the miser who has no love for his wife, Elizabeth of York knows no happiness and yet she prefers Arthur over Henry, and then Meg Beaufort the evil old hag.
Great that she used the original letters (for that I gave it an extra star) but the portrayals were all stereotypical. ...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Elizabeth(The Book Whisperer) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Omg, words can not express how much I adored this book. Wowsers, each word was perfect and I was on awe every second. This book is crack for the Tudor lovers soul!

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Jul 14, 2015 Luana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: big-books-challenge-2015

940 pagine e non sentirle...probabilmente non c'è miglior modo per descrivere questo lungo romanzo. Sono rarissimi i momenti di noia (d'altra parte certe tresche di Enrico fanno concorrenza alle peggio telenovelas spagnole/sudamericane) e il lunghissimo lavoro di ricerca e documentazione portato avanti dall'autrice è ben visibile e fa venir voglia di leggere altro sull'argomento.
Ma allora perché solo 4 stelle invece che 5? Il problema di fondo è radicato in un mio limite personale: non sono mai ...more

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Oct 16, 2009 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Tudors television series on Showtime peaked my interest in the Tudor's and furthermore began my interest in Margaret George.

The Autobiography of Henry VIII was very well researched and a great reminder that there was a young Henry VIII, not just the overweight, pompous jerk that most stories tell. I loved the background of his youth, the telling of how he met and fell in love with Katherine of Aragon and his quick ascension to the throne.

I'm not sure why, but I've always had a soft spot for ...more

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Jun 08, 2015 Marina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical , 16th-century , library_english , library_hebrew

The book is a fictional diary written by King Henry VIII of England before his death and encompassing all his life, from early childhood and to his last day. After the King's death the diary is found by his personal fool, Will Somers, who included his views on events in it and sent it to Mary Boleyn's (and Henry's) daughter Catherine.
The story follows Henry since he was a young boy, when he was "only a second son" and nobody had any expectations of him other than serve the church, and later when
The book is a fictional diary written by King Henry VIII of England before his death and encompassing all his life, from early childhood and to his last day. After the King's death the diary is found by his personal fool, Will Somers, who included his views on events in it and sent it to Mary Boleyn's (and Henry's) daughter Catherine.
The story follows Henry since he was a young boy, when he was "only a second son" and nobody had any expectations of him other than serve the church, and later when he made his friends for life and became a king and a husband, and much later when he started to change wives like socks and created his own church and fought a war and had a son and lost his health and the one thing that pushed him to do all he's done is the need to be loved - by his mothers, his wives, his subjects and even his enemies. A fascinating life story of a man who's done more in one lifetime than many would have done in two and would make a riveting novel in the hands of a competent writer.

Unfortunately, Margaret George doesn't seem to be one.

Apart from the King, everyone, but absolutely everyone, is either evil, demonic, useless or stupid. No one's graceful, intelligent, competent, without having some giant flaw that completely nullifies all of their abilities, while Henry, no matter his flaws, remains untouched - he would never have demolished all those lovely monasteries had that devil's messanger Cromwell not filled his head with Satanist propaganda; he would have never executed his beloved wife Anne was she not a deformed witch who practised Dark Magic; he would not have rejected Anna were she not fat and ugly, while being offcourse young and perky himself (not!). He is in continous mourning over Jane, conveniently failing to mention the only reason for that is being deprived of someone before being ready to discard them himself.
Henry is the only smart, kind, generous, loving person in the book, and he is also good at fighting, dancing, hunting, composing, who everyone end up falling in love with - a Mary Sue if I ever saw one.

More often than not Henry talks, thinks and reacts as a woman would - another failing of the author to get into the mindset of a man but her biggest mistake, her complete failure to understand and write a real person is the complete lack of repentance - halfway through the book, when I realised how understandably biased it was, I have been waiting for the end, where I expected to read Henry's thoughts about the things he believed at the time - how he regrets brutally ignoring his daughters, how he regrets believing the obvious lies about Anne Boleyn, how disgusting he must have looked in the eyes of Anna and Catherines, how strongly the loss of Jane affected him because it wasn't of his choosing.
I expected all that because when the person is dying, he has no more need for pretence, for the burden of lying to oneself.

There was none.

What is worse, George could have done it so easily - make the diary disposable, have the King planing to destroy it after finishing but somehow not being able to. That she chose not to do it shows an unfortunate lack of depth and maturity (qualities her Henry also shares) of writing.
...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Carole Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars

The summary doesn't do this book any justice. Not only does it talk about the key points in his life, it talks of other minor events not seen in movies or other books. Within 900 something pages, Margaret George brings Henry VIII back to life (I don't like that thought). Henry VIII, in my opinion, was psychotic and a little bit insane. However, I found this book interesting and well written.

It took me a while to read it. Oh, lets say about 2 weeks, roughly. It's a big book. I keep finding myself The summary doesn't do this book any justice. Not only does it talk about the key points in his life, it talks of other minor events not seen in movies or other books. Within 900 something pages, Margaret George brings Henry VIII back to life (I don't like that thought). Henry VIII, in my opinion, was psychotic and a little bit insane. However, I found this book interesting and well written.

It took me a while to read it. Oh, lets say about 2 weeks, roughly. It's a big book. I keep finding myself picking up larger books lately. However, it was large, but it kept my interest. Don't let the size scare you, you'll find yourself reading 50 pages in no time. It draws you in. It was hard to put down, but I forced myself. I wanted to pace myself.

I love the Henry VIII Margaret George portrayed in her novel. He seemed more real. She showed not only his weakness and negative qualities, but she also showed his strengths and positive qualities. I may not like Henry VIII that much, but I did find myself understanding him more.

The books viewpoint was mostly the Kings, but Will Sommer made an appearance here and there. I was expecting his parts to be more jesterish (if thats a word), but it wasn't. Yeah, he did have his one-liners, but...it actually bored me just a little bit. I think I would've liked the book better if there was more comic relief or if Will Sommer's part wasn't included. I wasn't a fan of him.

All-in-all I did find this book very interesting and a complete original. I loved how Margaret George brought this man, Henry, to life. Also, I loved her writing skills. I'll probably find myself reading more of her novels later on. I do recommend this book if you are a Tudor era lover, like moi. Our of five stars I think I'll have to give it a 4. It would be a 4.4, but I rounded.
...more

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Sep 15, 2008 Tisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommends it for: Tudor & History Fans

Shelves: historical-fiction , home-library , favorites , royalty-tudors

The Autobiography of King Henry VIII is an outstanding read. The story is written as a journal of Henry's passed on to his illegitimate daughter, Catherine Carey.

This book is different from any other Tudor book I've read and I particularly enjoyed receiving the perspective of King Henry himself, since most are written from the view of one of the Queens or others in court. This version allowed me to see the man behind the crown.

The story covers Henry's life beginning during his father's reign wh ...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Barb rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fictionz-of-real-people , historical-fiction-tudor-1485-1603 , read-in-2011 , books-everyone-but-me-loves

I had been looking forward to reading this novelization of life of Henry VIII for quite some time. With 932 pages it took a bit of effort for me to finish, especially because I never felt particularly drawn into this novel.

I did learn a lot about the early years of Henry's marriage to Katherine of Aragon and many other things which were interesting. Unfortunately, I never got any sense of depth or realism from the historical figures as people, everyone came across as flat.

It almost felt as if ...more

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About Margaret George

Margaret George is a rolling stone who has lived in many places, beginning her traveling at the age of four when her father joined the U.S. diplomatic service and was posted to a consulate in Taiwan. The family traveled on a freighter named after Ulysses' son Telemachus that took thirty days to reach Taiwan, where they spent two years. Following that they lived in Tel Aviv (right after the 1948 wa Margaret George is a rolling stone who has lived in many places, beginning her traveling at the age of four when her father joined the U.S. diplomatic service and was posted to a consulate in Taiwan. The family traveled on a freighter named after Ulysses' son Telemachus that took thirty days to reach Taiwan, where they spent two years. Following that they lived in Tel Aviv (right after the 1948 war, when it was relatively quiet), Bonn and Berlin (during the spy-and-Cold-War days) before returning--at the height of Elvis-mania--to Washington DC, where Margaret went to high school. Margaret's first piece of published writing, at the age of thirteen, was a letter to TIME Magazine defending Elvis against his detractors. (Margaret has since been to Graceland.)

But it was earlier in Israel that Margaret, an avid reader, began writing novels to amuse herself when she ran out of books to read. Interestingly, the subject of these was not what lay around her in the Middle East, but the American west, which she had never set foot in. (Now that she lives in the American Midwest she writes about the Middle East!) Clearly writing in her case followed Emily Dickinson's observation "There is no frigate like a book" and she used it to go to faraway places. Now she has added another dimension to that travel by specializing in visiting times remote from herself.

Neither of these horse sagas got published, but the ten-year-old author received an encouraging note from an editor at Grosset & Dunlap, telling her she had a budding talent but should work on her spelling.

It was also in Israel that Margaret started keeping land tortoises as pets, an interest which she still follows today. She had a great affinity for animals and nature and that led her to a double major at Tufts University in English literature and biology. Following that she received an MA in ecology from Stanford University--one of the earliest departments to offer such a concentration. Today she is active in environmental and animal conservation groups.

Combining her interests led her to a position as a science writer at the National Cancer Institute (National Institutes of Health) in Bethesda, Maryland for four years.

Her marriage at the end of that time meant moving, first to St. Louis, then to Uppsala, Sweden, and then to Madison, Wisconsin, where she and her husband Paul have lived for more than twenty years now. They have one grown daughter who lives in California and is in graduate school.

Through all this Margaret continued to write, albeit slowly and always on only one project at a time. She wrote what she refers to as her 'Ayn Rand/adventure novel' in college and her 'Sex and the City' novel in Washington DC. It was in St. Louis that she suddenly got the idea of writing a 'psycho-biography' of Henry VIII. She had never seen such a thing done but became convinced the king was a victim of bad PR and she should rescue his good name. Her background in science meant that only after thoroughly researching the literature and scholarship on Henry VIII would she embark on the novel itself. She sought the guidance of a Tudor historian at Washington University for a reading list, and proceeded from there.

It was actually fourteen years between her initial idea and the publication of The Autobiography of Henry VIII. The book made an impression for several reasons: first, because no one had ever written a novel sympathetic to the king before; second, because it covered his entire life from before birth until after his death, making it almost a thousand pages long, and third, because it was so fact-filled.

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“Thus we use our supposed "knowledge" of others to speak on their behalf, and condemn them for their words we ourselves put in their silent mouths.” — 20 likes

“Yet we always envy others, comparing our shadows to their sunlit sides.” — 10 likes

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