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The Autobiography of Henry VIII
The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers | Margaret George
Much has been written about the mighty, egotistical Henry VIII: the man who dismantled the Church because it would not grant him the divorce he wanted; who married six women and beheaded two of them; who executed his friend Thomas More; who sacked the monasteries; who longed for a son and neglected his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth; who finally grew fat, disease-ridden, dissolute. Now, in her magnificent work of storytelling and imagination Margaret George bring us Henry VIII's story as he himself might have told it, in memoirs interspersed with irreverent comments from his jester and confident, Will Somers. Brilliantly combining history, wit, dramatic narrative, and an extraordinary grasp of the pleasures and perils of power, this monumental novel shows us Henry the man more vividly than he has ever been seen before.
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Lauraandherbooks
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This is it... my last book on Henry viii .. well almost!! I have been on a royal rampage (lol) for longer than I can remember.. I have been on this guy and his extended family for so long.. next is Anne Boleyns diary 🤔

AshleyHoss820 The Tudor‘s are so freaking fascinating! 😊 3y
Reecaspieces Loved this book! All her books are fabulous. I loved 3y
28 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lauraandherbooks
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Well this is definitely reading like a diary... and I‘m finding it interesting... very large book!! 932 pages to be exact

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Lauraandherbooks
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Seriously this book probably weighs 5 lbs! It‘s huge!!! But this is my last book on Henry viii - as big as it is I hope it‘s a good one!! Here we go 📚😃

24 likes1 stack add
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Lauraandherbooks
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I have been on the Tudor‘s for probably well over a year, numerous books - from the Plantagenets on! I have about 4 more books to get through and I think it is finally time to move on.. no offense but there is a world of books and literary classics, other genres & other royals I have waiting to be read 📚📚📚

TheBookHippie Oh fun!!! 3y
Crazeedi One of my favorite periods to read 3y
26 likes2 comments
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Lauraandherbooks
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This is a very big book- just got it today! And as much as I have read , practically studied Dear Henry viii , I can‘t imagine after reading a book as big as this there would be any stone left unturned... we shall see 😊😊

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mjdowens
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Pickpick

Margaret George does it again. She has a way of bringing to life these historical figures. They speak to you of the events we know of and gives explanations of the hows and whys of it. I read. 900+ page book in less than a week and feel like I lost a friend.

Wife Maybe I should try this one again. 🤔 3y
mjdowens It took me three tries to get into N.K. Jemison The Broken Kingdom, but ended up loving it. Sometimes it is just the timing I guess. Hope you try it again though 😊 3y
22 likes2 comments
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EmilieGR
Pickpick

Love how human and real George makes these great ladies and gentlemen of history

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TheSpineView
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vkois88 🖒🖒🖒 such an interesting person 5y
59 likes1 comment
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LeahBergen
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#WontGetFooledAgain

It took me a while to come up with a book that had “fool” in the title (or subtitle, in this case) 😆

#MarchIntoThe70s

Melissa_J Have you read this one? I‘ve had it forever but it remains unread. 5y
Ingerella I love this book! I read it right before we went to London and visited all of the historic places mentioned it in. 5y
batsy An excellent subtitle 😆 Lovely cover, too. You and @TrishB with your pretty editions make me want to read *all* of the historical fiction. 5y
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Cinfhen Nice choice👍🏻 5y
TrishB I nearly did this one too 👍🏻 Your cover is much nicer than mine ❤️ @batsy now I have cover envy too! 5y
TrishB @Melissa_J I‘ve read- it‘s as good as all her others, and I‘m not a Tudor fan! 5y
Cathythoughts ❤️👍🏻 5y
Lizpixie The interpretation is up to you! Nice choice👍 5y
LeahBergen @Melissa_J I haven‘t which is odd as I‘ve read both of her other really huge ones (about Cleopatra and Mary Queen of Scots). 😆 I think I bought it during a period of being “Tudored out”. 5y
LeahBergen @Ingerella Perfect timing! 👏🏻 5y
LeahBergen @batsy I find big honking historical fiction books oddly comforting. 😆 5y
LeahBergen @TrishB Oh oh; here we go again with our old historical fiction covers thing! This is the American first edition and thankfully not as hideous as the first edition of The Sunne in Splendour. 😆😆 5y
LeahBergen @Lizpixie I actually couldn‘t believe I didn‘t own a book with “fool” in the title. 😆 5y
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TrishB
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I‘ll let you work out the #stupidman 😁
#septemberdanes

JennyM 😂 6y
Mdargusch Good one! 6y
quirkyreader This has been on my MountTBR for awhile. (edited) 6y
See All 11 Comments
Billypar Ha- perfect! 😆 6y
TrishB @quirkyreader it‘s a good read, as are all her books. 6y
rubyslippersreads Great choice! 😂 6y
Cinfhen Awesome choice 6y
Kalalalatja Lol, perfect choice! 6y
LeahBergen 😂😂 6y
ephemeralwaltz 😂😂😂😂 6y
sdbruening That bear! 6y
141 likes3 stack adds11 comments
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Ingerella
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Pickpick

I don't read many memoirs, so I'm doing a slightly different take on #memoirmonday. I loved this fictionalized autobiography of Henry VIII. The year I read it, my husband and I vacationed in London, during what also happened be the 500th anniversary of his coronation. We spent the whole trip on a Tudor History extravaganza. We went to Hampton Court, Windsor Castle, etc.. It was spectacular!
#readingresolutions
@Jess7

TrishB All her books are great reads 👍🏻 6y
Ingerella @TrishB I agree. I have 5 of them. 6y
Melissa_J I love Margaret George, but have yet to tackle this one even though it‘s been in my TBR shelf for years. 6y
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2BR02B
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#riotgrams: day five

This is the only book about #royalty to be found on my shelves, but at over 900 pages, it's a pretty hefty one.

DarcysMom I love this book! The audio is great too. 6y
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Ingerella
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My ode to #LiteratureOrnaments includes Mr. Darcy of my all time favorite book, Pride and Prejudice. Also, Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon are included. They were not only real people, but were also the subjects of one of my favorite Margaret George books, The Autobiography of Henry VIII With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers. The ornament on the left is Westminster Abbey, which just seemed a fitting companion to the others. @MinDea

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BookishBrooklyn
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Pickpick

Definitely a new favourite here. This book was impeccable! So richly written, it honestly felt like I was reading the actual memoir‘s of the insane King Henry VIII!

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TrishB
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Sophoclessweetheart This book was great x 6y
TrishB @Noonlightreader it was 👍 6y
Balibee146 Looks fantastic! 6y
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Yeah_I_Read I loved this book! 6y
Andrew65 Lol! Run a mile, Anne Boleyn thought she could control him by making him wait but look what happened to her in the end! 6y
Centique Perfect choice! 6y
TrishB @Balibee146 it is 👍 6y
TrishB @Yeah_I_Read me too 😀 6y
TrishB @Andrew65 exactly 😀 6y
Cinfhen Fabulous ‼️🏆 6y
Leftcoastzen Best pick ever! 6y
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TrishB
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#mrknowitall #augustgrrl
@Cinfhen
Hard put to find a bigger one 😀

LeahBergen 😂😂 7y
KarenUK 🙌🙌👍💕 7y
Cinfhen Your bear is sooooooo cute!!!!! 7y
See All 9 Comments
myers85 Great picture! 😊 7y
rubyslippersreads Too cute to be Henry VIII! 😄 7y
PirateJenny @rubyslippersreads Oh Henry was quite the hottie in his younger days! Then he had that jousting accident but still loved to eat. 7y
batsy Omg! The bear is too cute 😁 7y
Izai.Amorim I've heard he was so hot that women lost their head... 7y
Velvetfur Supercute bear! 7y
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Itchyfeetreader
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I love the parts of this book 'narrated' by Henry's fool. Thrilled to find this painting of the man himself at Hampton Court Palace today! Interesting he was painted into a family portrait ....

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Reecaspieces
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I do not have any favorite villains....I mean they are villains. This would probably be my favorite because I love this time period. He did do some really good things but some horrible, terrible things as well #riotgrams @bookriot #favoritevillains

Megabooks I watched this interesting BBC documentary about his personality change after being injured in a joust by having a horse fall on top of him which left him unconscious for over an hour!!! 7y
Daisydo Oh my! I love him as a villain too! 7y
Jinjer Stacked! I'm watching that PBS series about all his wives. Fascinating! 7y
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Ellen
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Three #royals in my #TBR pile, with no idea when I'll get to them. Henry has been in the pile for years. Anyone read this one? #readjanuary

Dogearedcopy Oh! I love Margaret George's, 'The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Wil Somers!' It's been a few years; but I remember being heavily engaged with this one, and the one about Mary, Queen of Scots 🙂 (edited) 7y
Ellen @Dogearedcopy thanks, that's great to hear! I've read Phillipa Gregory and Hilary Mantel, so curious to see how George treats it. The size of the book is a little intimidating! 7y
28 likes2 comments
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Dedebimp
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Has anyone read this? I really want to but a friend has put me off as she didn't like it. I really want to read some Royal Historical Fiction that is based in truth and I Don't like Phillipa Gregory. Need something to fill the space of my Royal Dramas until The Crown starts on Netflix soon. thoughts? Or recommendations?

Dragon I really liked 8y
Dedebimp @Dragon ehh. I didn't love the writing 8y
See All 23 Comments
Texreader I love the Matthew Shardlake series. See for example 8y
Texreader @Dragon I was not keen on Wolf Hall and the writing style hard to deal with. 8y
Texreader Here's my review of 8y
Dragon I agree with @Texreader C.J Sansom's books are very good. 8y
I-read-and-eat I enjoyed the War of the Roses serie bij Conn Iggulden 8y
BooksRockMyWorld I always recommend Ken Follett and his historical fiction (Pillars Of the Earth, World Without End, Fall of Giants etc...). Those books are long but very enjoyable to read, the guy can write! 8y
ReadingEnvy My favorite historical fiction novels are 8y
GinaAnderson I always recommend The Lymond Chronicles. They're impeccably researched and incredibly written (although the first one can be tough sledding until you figure out her style). 8y
DGRachel I second the recommendation of Conn Iggulden's Wars of the Roses series, and also anything by Sharon Kay Penman. 8y
Schuhbox I like Alison Wier. She has some historical fiction and nonfiction as well about the Tudor age 8y
Schuhbox If you like French historical fiction, I really enjoyed Sandra Guiland's Josephine Bonaparte series 8y
Dedebimp @Dragon I bought this on someone's recommendation. Haven't read it yet. Good? 8y
Dedebimp @Texreader I didn't like Wolf Hall either but I am enjoying the mini series. Ohh. This looks good 8y
Dedebimp @Schuhbox I have never read any French historical fiction. I might try it out 8y
Dedebimp @ReadingEnvy thanks I will check them out 8y
Texreader @BooksRockMyWorld Agreed. These books are fantastic. 8y
Dragon I've heard mixed reviews about this Henry VIII book my friend read it a few years back and liked it but I've since seen negative reviews . 8y
LeahBergen I haven't read this one but I enjoyed 2 others by this author (on Mary Queen of Scots and Cleopatra) 7y
BookwormBritty I really liked it! 7y
57 likes2 stack adds23 comments
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Lani_bug
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Hello, since this is a book and reading community I wanted to share my poetry. In 2013 on this day I wad sexually assaulted and abused because I have autism. I lost all interest in reading and writing. 2014 I met a guy who become my best friend and love of my life. He got me to start reading again this past year and as of today write. I wanted to share my poem about Henry the 8th with you. I hope you like it. :)

Louise Bless you, @Lani_bug! How beautiful that you are reading and writing again! Your choice of such strong, archetypal themes speaks of your strength and ability to transform darkness into an instrument of the light. Hooray! ✨✨✨ 8y
5 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ej0728
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Pickpick

I'm obsessed with Henry VIII, and not just because of Anne Boleyn. It's a fascinating time period ruled by a volatile man. George does a phenomenal job of creating a whole life for Henry. While it's fiction, it does offer the thought that he's just a man with flaws suffering from loneliness.

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