Henry VIII Penguin Monarchs, John Guy
Henry VIII Penguin Monarchs, John Guy
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Henry VIII (Penguin Monarchs)
The Quest for Fame

Author: John Guy

Narrator: John Banks

Unabridged: 3 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 06/28/2018


Synopsis

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Henry VIII: The Quest for Fame by John Guy, read by John Banks.

Henry VIII's reign transformed the physical and spiritual landscape of England. Magnificent, tyrannical, a strong ruler, a 'pillager of the commonwealth', this most notorious of kings remains a figure of extreme contradictions: a devout traditionalist who oversaw a cataclysmic rupture with the church in Rome; a talented, charismatic, imposing figure who nevertheless could not bear to meet people's eyes when he talked to them. In this revealing new account, John Guy explores how Henry himself understood the world and his place in it - from his sheltered and increasingly isolated upbringing and the blazing glory of his accession; to his desperate quest for recognition, fame and an heir, and the terrifying paranoia of his last, agonising, 54-inch-waisted years - and in doing so casts new light on his choice of wives and ministers, his impact on the European stage, and his extraordinary legacy.

About John Guy

John Guy is an award-winning historian of Tudor England. A Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, he is the author of Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart, a major international bestseller that won the Whitbread Award and the Marsh Biography Award and was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. His other books include A Daughter's Love: Thomas More and His Dearest Meg; Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel; and a landmark, bestselling history of Tudor England.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Matthew on September 26, 2022

When I studied history for A level back when I was 18 (about 472,439 years ago) we had a book called “Tudor England” by John Guy which was massive and heavy to carry around but which I only read about ten pages of. If only I had had this one instead which is a far more manageable just over 100 pages......more

Goodreads review by Lois on October 11, 2022

2.5 stars rounded down The information is largely accurate and accepted. However the author treats Anne Boleyn with a ton of sexism and most of the statements regarding her are exaggerated or taken from her known enemies and treated as gospel. The biographer will point out some of Henry's failings bu......more

Goodreads review by Simon on January 27, 2015

This is one of the first batch of the 'Penguin Monarchs' series of brisk biographies (around 100 pages) of English kings and queens that Penguin has published, with dozens more to follow over the next few years, taking us from Athelstan to Elizabeth II. It's worth mentioning that these books are real......more

Goodreads review by Carolyn on March 06, 2018

A balanced introduction to King Henry VIII's reign that includes both Henry's strengths and his "deadly impatience." Guy incorporates the latest research concerning Henry and his reign including medical analysis of his health problems and difficulty fathering surviving children. The book provides an......more

Goodreads review by Bookwormandtheatremouse on August 21, 2018

This is a truly fascinating way to find out about Henry VIII but without so much detail that you lose focus or interest. As a historian I often struggle to read books about History as they are often dry (terrible thing to say I know) but this has the balance right - you have the key information and......more


Quotes

An immensely satisfying introduction to the large and moody monarch ... John Guy is a very good historian who knows Henry VIII better than almost anyone. Guardian