Per Annie's suggestion, Mom and I have started to watch (and are now somewhat obsessed with) The Tudors, which airs on Showtime (WARNING: Showtime = Scandalous! Do not watch around the little ones!).
So now I'm totally intrigued with this historical period and last night I bought the book "The Six Wives of Henry VIII," by Alison Weir, and it's terrific! I must admit, I bought it because I saw it on Annie and Frank's bookshelf when I babysat... Annie is really doing wonders for my entertainment these days! I wasn't sure if I'd actually read it, or just own it with the intention to read it one day, but I've started and it's great. The author writes it in a very engaging way, and I don't find it boring at all. Very vivid.
Gramuglias - did you read it? Is it good throughout?
Anyway, from the G's, to me, to you, go rent the Tudors and read this book. History is entertaining and informative, who knew?
9 comments:
I knew damnit! Me!! I've been telling people this stuff for years and all I've ever gotten was eye rolling, snickering under the breath or the patronizing 'um hmms' when I talk about it. Now someone else is finally catching on and all of a sudden it's "entertaining and informative". Well, what do you know? Forgive me if I'm not jumping out of my seat in glee now that the cool kids will actually stop to talk to me in the hall.
Fine, I actually am nerdily excited you like it!! And very glad to hear you like the book. As pathetic as it sounds, I chose the book out of a number of different ones in the library solely for the (gasp) pictures. I wanted to see more accurate depictions of the characters since I found it a little hard to believe, for instance, that Henry VIII had such well defined glutes [that he exposes them so freely on the show is another matter - scandalous puts it mildly]. But apparently, in his youth, he was quite the athlete and lusty physical specimen at a towering 6 foot 4. (Who knew indeed, I only ever pictured the gruesome, gelatinous wide-body from later years). I did manage to make my way over to the 'alphabetty parts' of the book and am about 200 pages in and I couldn't agree more - she has a very accessible, story-telling quality to the writing. Parts of the back-story surrounding Katherine, Isabella and, of course, Thomas More are as inspiring as Henry is disappointing. I'm impressed with the show's overall attention to historical accuracy. Of course, the true story is as compelling a drama as you’ll ever hear- you couldn’t make this plot or these characters up if you tried.
Incdientally, they agreed to do a 4th but sadly final season. THey could have run this thing right up through the reigns of Mary and Elizabeth and I would have been in dork xanadu.
Been meaning to check this show out for a while now. And I love the main actor. He was so good in "August Rush" which is a good movie to rent,btw
Me, too, Frank...had to check out images of the characters,
Did you know that Anne Boleyn was "olive skinned" and not considered very attractive for that era?
And me, too, Frank re-Henry. I was having a hard time with "Tudors" until LIsette told me that, indeed, His Majesty was quite the guy in his youth.
Have you heard of or seen "Anne of the Thousand Days"? I saw it when it came out ( early 70's) and am going to see if Netflix has it to watch again. As I recall, a somewhat different depiction from "Tudors" but in just what way, memory doesn't serve me.
And then there's "The Man for All Seasons". Not enough can be said about that classic film about St. Thomas Moore.
Anyway...fast fowrarding thru the sex scenes and "Tudors" is suprisingly good for Showtime. (I can't stand the Pope, though. Peter O'Toole? Just kind of gives me the creeps).
Lisette: Season 3 still not out on video. :(
Frank's a nerd.
Henry was one of the most religiously and civilizationally harmful figures in all of history (in my opinion, much worse than Luther). He launched England on a trajectory which has yet to find its nadir (although it's hard to see how much lower they can fall). There is evidence that a few real Englishmen survive intact (sons of Campion although not necessarily Jesuits). But my God, what could Europe have achieved even to today if Henry had remained faithful?? The islands that saved us from the Dark Ages betrayed their vocation.
If I have an oportunity to watch this series I will not be able to avoid viewing it through this lens.
What can I say, Frank? I'm a trendsetter. Soon everyone will be reading this book and studying the Tudor Dynasty saying, "That Lisette, she was right on!"
Tweens will be hoarding Barnes and Noble for all things Henry VIII (Edward Cullen, who?) and I'll be like "Been there, done that. Duh!"
Fer real, though, I can't put this book down. I should have given you more credit in my post. There's no way this book belonged to Annie. She's too busy studying up the latest developments of fermenting and perserving.
Yeah, Frank, scandalous sex and murder is real real nerdy. Why don't you put some dark rimmed rectangle glasses on and mess up your bed head while you're at it. I've seen how long you've let your hair grow.
I'll add that watching "The Tudors" has given me a better understanding of Luther and how his ideas fermented in England...how Henry and his people used these ideas to further their cause...how devastating these were to the Roman Catholic Church.
Nerdy am I, Clare? Well is it nerdy to point out that Lisette coincidentally posted this on the 500th anniversary of Henry's coronation? Oh, wait a minute. Yes it is. I see it now. Good point.
Thanks for the cover, Mars, but it's a losing battle.
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