Book Review – ‘Totally Chaotic History: Ancient Egypt Gets Unruly’ by Greg Jenner

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

This is a brilliant book! I just wish parts had more detail but as it’s a children’s book you can’t have all of the information in it. So, I went and watched a very interesting documentary called ‘Secrets of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings’ and I still want to find out more! Luckily not long to wait until the next in this book series on the Romans, which comes out in October 2024 just in time for my birthday!

I love the interplay between Greg Jenner and Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price, and the illustrations are fabulous by Rikin Parekh. The book is easy to follow along, in a chronological format, but with some interspersed sections like on Egyptian construction, or medicine. The chaos meter is a fun addition, along with the accuracy alarm, which highlights the fact that our understanding of history can change over time.

Choosing to include dates, places, and names throughout means that it isn’t dumbed down too much, which I do sometimes think about the Horrible Histories series which does have a lack of dates in many books. The book respects that children can learn and can get engaged with the history. Ancient Egypt is probably a good place to start for the series because it is something that children will probably at least have some visual images of like mummies, and it has some of the chaos that no doubt draws children in.

It’s reminiscent of a more modern Horrible Histories but I think I prefer Greg Jenner’s writing style to Terry Deary’s, and I love Horrible Histories anyway, but I liked the written interplay between Jenner and Price in this book. It’s a brilliant run-through of Ancient Egyptian history, I’d really recommend it, not just for children, but for anyone who wants a fun introduction to the period.

Book Review – ‘The Marriage Portrait’ by Maggie O’Farrell

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Frankly I couldn’t fault this book. It was engaging to read, and the characters came across as real people which is really important when writing historical fiction. Don’t confuse Lucrezia d’Medici with Lucrezia Borgia, though the two are related – Lucrezia d’Medici (the subject of this novel) was married to the grandson of Lucrezia Borgia (Alfonso d’Este). It’s strange to think that while this story was happening in Italy, a young Elizabeth I was on the throne in England.

The story plays on the popular culture insinuation that Lucrezia was poisoned by her husband, but with a twist. It was dark and emotional, and you knew how it would end in the broadest sense from the first chapter. The jumping between her last hours and following her story from childhood up to that moment really worked, and it’s often difficult to do. Lucrezia was an intriguing character and the perception of her by her family really affected her sense of self, so it was interesting to see how that played out.

The author’s note at the end explained any changes made to the historical record in the novel and why they were made. Without knowing the history in detail, it didn’t seem like any of the changes were made just for the sake of it, they were made for clarity and consistency and didn’t change the journey or outcome of the story itself.

On another note, the paperback cover is just beautiful! And I can completely understand why it was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023. Brilliant!

Book Review – ‘Tudor Feminists: Ten Renaissance Women Ahead of Their Time’ by Rebecca Wilson

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

I enjoyed this book – it was good to learn more about some of the people I knew less about like Arbella Stuart, Grainne O’Malley, and Aemilia Lanier. I had only heard of Lanier in passing, knew she was a poet, and O’Malley I largely knew about through Greg Jenner’s excellent episode on her on his ‘You’re Dead to Me’ podcast. I have Sarah Gristwood’s biography of Arbella Stuart to read so I may now be bumping that up my list!

There are a few errors throughout like referring to Henry Courtenay as 2nd Marquis of Devon when he was 2nd Earl of Devon and 1st Marquis of Exeter or saying that Perkin Warbeck claimed to be Richard Duke of Gloucester when he actually claimed to be Richard Duke of York. There were also some aging errors like Edmund Tudor being aged 24 on 1 November 1455 but aged 26 on 1 November 1456, and that Margaret Beaufort and John de la Pole being aged 3 and 7 on their marriage, but they were only born a year apart. Little things like this kept distracting me from what I was reading.

I would say that we need to be careful applying the word ‘feminist’ to 16th century women as it is a modern concept, and these women were living in very different times. But I also think that this wasn’t necessarily a feminist view which I liked, though it does mean the title is a little misleading. Just personally for me, I don’t like to see a modern concept put on women living 500 years ago, others might, and that might just be a personal preference for me.

Overall, I think this was a good examination of these women, particularly the ones which are less well-known where there is less confirmed information about them. It was very accessible for those with less knowledge which is really important – I love anything which makes history more accessible to those who love to learn but wouldn’t necessarily pick up a drier text. I know I struggle reading some of the drier academic texts sometimes myself, so this is a great introduction to prompt people to look further into the women discussed, and women’s history more generally.

Chapters:

  1. Margaret Beaufort: Mother of a Dynasty
  2. Margaret Pole: ‘A Strong and Constant Man’
  3. Katherine of Aragon: Humble and Loyal
  4. Anne Boleyn: The King’s ‘Concubine’
  5. Catherine Parr; Writer and Survivor
  6. Anne Askew: Heretic and Poet
  7. Bess of Hardwick: Much-Married Visionary
  8. Grainne (Grace) O’Malley: Pirate Queen
  9. Aemilia Lanier: The Dark Lady
  10. Arbella Stuart: The Forgotten Queen

Book Review – ‘Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court’ by Owen Emmerson & Kate McCaffrey

~ Helene Harrison ~ 2 Comments

A brilliant study of Anne Boleyn’s early years at Blickling, Hever, Mechelen, and in France, up to her debut at the English court. Been a while since the exhibition which this book was designed to go alongside, but I’m really glad I’ve read it now. It’s a lot of information but still easy to read and engaging.

It is sometimes difficult to write about Anne Boleyn and try and bring a new angle to it. But there is not generally a lot written about Anne’s early years on the continent – it’s said she came back to England with a sort-of exoticism which captured Henry VIII and that she may have developed reformist religious ideas while there, but not much more is said in many books. This book is different; it only focuses on the period before Anne appears at the English court, and on the people that she was around during this pivotal period like Louise of Savoy, Claude of France, and Marguerite of Angouleme.

There is work from various historians brought together, like Elizabeth Norton, Tracy Borman, Claire Ridgway, and Lauren Mackay, as well as Emmerson’s and McCaffrey’s views. There are also a lot of primary sources used including Anne Boleyn’s letter to her father from 1513, the accounts of George Wyatt, and George Cavendish, and excerpts from the Letters and Papers which can be accessed on British History Online.

Emmerson and McCaffrey have done an inspired job of bringing together the existing research with new insights. It’s a brilliant book to add to my collection, and one I’ll return to in order to better understand Anne’s earlier years and the influences that shaped her into the famous English queen we know today.

Chapters:-

  1. Le Temps Viendra
  2. ‘Fortune Favours the Bold’: The Boleyn Family Origins
  3. ‘Now Thus’: Thomas Boleyn: a Career Courtier
  4. ‘He That Will Thrive, Must First Ask His Wife’: The Boleyn Women
  5. ‘A Good Seed Makes a Good Crop’: The Boleyn Children
  6. ‘A Princely School and a Centre of High Culture’: Anne in Mechelen 1513-1514
  7. ‘You Would Have Never Taken Her for an English Woman’: Anne in France 1514-1521
  8. ‘Perseverance’: Anne’s Debut at the English Court 1522

Book Review – ‘Mary I: Queen of Sorrows’ by Alison Weir

~ Helene Harrison ~ 1 Comment

Thanks to Headline Review for sending me a copy of this to review.

I really enjoyed this one, better than the previous one in the series on Henry VIII. Mary’s story is less well-known which is perhaps why I enjoyed it more. Henry’s story has been raked over so many times now and trying to fit his whole life and all of the intricacies of the changing foreign, domestic, and religious policy into a single book was a very big ask. On the contrary though, Weir’s exploration of Mary I’s story goes beyond the idea of ‘Bloody Mary’ and back to her childhood.

We see Mary go from a beloved heir to the throne, to a disgraced bastard, and claws her way back through turmoil onto the throne of England, where she loses the love of the people which brought her to the throne in the first place. The development in Mary as a character is striking, from the precocious and intelligent child to the determined woman who stuck to her principles through the divorce of her mother and continued to stick to her religion even when threatened with death, makes for engaging reading. However, once queen, Mary loses her charisma and almost her sanity, and becomes an almost pathetic figure in Weir’s eyes.

Henry VIII in this story comes across as the all-powerful tyrant, who Mary doesn’t see initially as the source of her problems, blaming everything instead on Anne Boleyn. But we see the scales fall from her eyes, as she realises her father’s power and determination to be right in all that he does. Mary mourns the loss of sibling relationships with both Edward and Elizabeth, largely because of their differences in religion. Religion is the driving force of Mary’s life.

The book is well-written, aside from a few typos which I assume will be ironed out in the final edit, as this was an uncorrected proof – missing spaces between some words largely. There was also a blindingly obvious historical inaccuracy which I had to go back and check that I was in the right year and hadn’t missed a chunk of the story out. Weir has Katherine Parr nearly being arrested for heresy early in her marriage to the king in 1544, when it was actually towards the end of her time as queen in 1546. Something fairly small, but it just set my teeth on edge.

Mary often appears as a side character in Tudor fiction, pushed aside by Anne Boleyn and abandoned by Henry VIII, or as the hated queen who Elizabeth replaces. Weir’s work paints Mary as so much more, as we see her ups and downs and how important her faith was to her. A really interesting and engaging read.

Book Review – ‘Anne Boleyn’s Letter from the Tower’ by Sandra Vasoli

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Who thought it was possible to write an entire book on a single letter? Well, Sandra Vasoli manages it, and what a brilliant book as well! I have never quite been sure what to make of this letter said to have written by Anne Boleyn to Henry VIII from the Tower of London on 6 May 1536. Many historians question the authenticity of the letter, saying it’s a fake.

Vasoli follows the track of the letter through the years, tracing it from Anne Boleyn through Thomas Cromwell, and the Cottons to its storage in the British Library. I’m now fairly convinced that the letter is in fact genuine! Vasoli’s descriptions of how the letter came to survive are compelling and based on solid research. It’s a hot debate between Anne Boleyn historians whether the letter is genuine and there are lots of different opinions as to what happened and who wrote the letter.

It’s concise and well-written, short chapters easy to delve in and out of. The letter is reproduced in full and a photograph of the copy in the British Library so you can get a real sense of it. There is also a quick overview of Anne’s life, and Cromwell’s rise and fall. The analysis is thoughtful and examined from both sides of the argument, which is the mark of a good historian.

I’d really recommend this book for any Anne Boleyn’s historians, or Tudor historians, for a masterclass in analysis of a letter, and how important context and provenance is. It’s a brilliant little guide to one of my favourite documents related to Anne Boleyn.

Chapters:

  • Anne Boleyn’s Tower Letter
  • The Marriage Collapses
  • Anne’s Brave Assertion
  • The Letter’s Many Mysteries
  • Cromwell’s Great Crime
  • The Bequest of Thomas Cromwell and the Letter’s Path
  • Henry’s ‘Great Griefe’
  • Anne’s Letter: The Legacy

Book Review – ‘Tudors and Stuarts on Film: Historical Perspectives’ by Susan Doran and Thomas Freeman

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

This is a book that I first read while at university while studying for my two history degrees. It’s quite a comprehensive look at the Tudors on film, at least up to 2009 when the book was published. Of course, there have been several new adaptations of the Tudor stories published in the last decade and a half but naturally these are not discussed, so the book does now feel a little outdated, but that doesn’t stop the discussions of older films such as ‘Anne of the Thousand Days’ and ‘A Man for All Seasons’ making compelling reading.

The chapters aren’t all about individual films. The introduction is interesting with an overview of views on historical films and what separates them from costume dramas. Other chapters include Henry VIII on film, discussions of the two films mentioned above each get their own chapter, and the last chapter looks at the question why the Stuarts aren’t so much featured on film. It’s an interesting mix and it works well.

It can feel dry at times, but it is a useful introduction to historical films particularly under the Tudors, which is probably one of the most dramatised eras of English and British history. Susan Doran in particular is a very well-respected Tudor historian, and others including Thomas Freeman who edited the book with Doran, Glenn Richardson, John Guy and Christopher Haigh. These are all well-respected names in their field.

It is well-worth reading if you have an interest in historical films as it opens your eyes to inaccuracies and why they might have occurred and you may watch films going forwards with new eyes, though without dimming your enjoyment of them.

I am still here! Book Update.

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Hello all!

I feel like I’ve been very quiet recently, but I’ve been beavering away editing my second book and writing my third book, and I’m starting a new job in January at my alma mater, Northumbria University, so I’ve just been quite preoccupied.

Thought I’d just quickly jump on here to give you an update on the writing process and some of the research I’ve been doing.

My first book ‘Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue and Treason’ is currently on sale 30% off over on the Pen and Sword website so if you want to grab one as a Christmas gift, now is the time!

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Elizabethan-Rebellions-Hardback/p/22351

My second book, ‘Tudor Executions: From Nobility to the Block’ is on track for a July 2023 release which is very exciting! It’s all been edited and typeset so I just need to get the indexing done, which is always a time-consuming job, but really worth doing. One of my pet peeves is a history non-fiction book which doesn’t have an index! Makes it harder to find the information you need if you’re just dipping in and out rather than reading cover to cover.

I’ll be updating here and on my social media channels when it becomes available for preorder.

My third book is progressing, which I’m not revealing the title of yet, but those of you who follow me on social media may have guessed by now it is on Anne Boleyn, though not a biography I hasten to add. This one is a real passion project of mine, based on my master’s dissertation which I wrote over a decade ago now. It’s felt like I’m putting lots of pressure on myself to do this one justice because it is just so important to me.

I’ve been doing some very interesting reading, getting more up to date on current thinking and what’s changed over the last decade. Books I’m particularly enjoying and making good use of include:

  • Eric Ives – The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn (an oldie but excellent – the Bible for Anne Boleyn lovers!)
  • Tracy Borman – Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History
  • Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey – Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court
  • Owen Emmerson, Kate McCaffrey and Alison Palmer – Catherine and Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers
  • Stephanie Russo – The Afterlife of Anne Boleyn: Representations of Anne Boleyn in Fiction and on the Screen

Plus, many more, of course, though the above are the ones I’m focusing on at the moment. I really cannot wait for this book to get out in the world though you’ll have to wait until 2025 I’m afraid! I’m really enjoying working on this and can’t wait to reveal more about it as time goes on, so make sure you’re following me on social media to get the most up to date news.

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Book Review – ‘Richard III: A Failed King?’ by Rosemary Horrox

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

These Penguin monarch short biographies are really helpful and concise, especially when you’re not familiar with the monarch or period. They’re very good introductions to the reigns and monarchs.

One thing I find slightly off putting about these books is that there is very little on the consorts. For example, in this book I think there are only 4 mentions of Anne Neville in this book despite her being Richard III’s wife and the mother of his son. I know the book is about Richard, but I don’t think you can talk about a monarch without talking about his family.

Rosemary Horrox has certainly covered the important points of Richard’s reign, but I think has underestimated the importance of how earlier events shaped his reign. For example, the Readeption, exile abroad and first battle experiences are skated over in just a page or two.

Some monarchs I think it’s easier to do a short biography, but Richard III isn’t one of them and I think this means that some things are missed like the discovery of his bones and what we discovered from them, his relationship with Anne Neville and his son, the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower, and his court more generally and how it differed from that of his brother. These topics would all have added to the overview but are skated over in just a line or two in some cases.

It’s a good introduction but there are better books on Richard III if you want something more overarching. The focus is on the reign itself and it is minimal outside that focus.

Chapters:

  1. The Youngest Brother
  2. The Protector
  3. By the Grace of God, King
  4. Picking Up the Pieces
  5. Defeat

Book Review – ‘Henry VI: A Good, Simple and Innocent Man’ by James Ross

~ Helene Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Another great little book in the Penguin Monarchs series. I really these books because they’re not too dense and give you a really good introduction to monarchs you’re not so familiar with. Henry VI is one of these monarchs for me; I know a bit, but not too much.

Ross does a really good job of explaining some of the more complex concepts and movements clearly. Henry VI’s reign is often a difficult one to get to grips with as there are different regents, and lots of battles and the crown changing hands. It’s interesting but can be complex to decipher everything going on. I think Margaret of Anjou’s influence possibly deserved more page space as she was such a huge influence but only merited a few mentions.

The book is lacking in detail at times, but I guess the point of this book is to whet your appetite and give you the basics, so that you can go off and do more research on your own. It certainly offers insights into Henry VI on whether he was made for kingship, his mental state, and his religious devotions. Henry VI comes across as a man who struggled with being king and would have been more suited to the religious life than a public life of service.

James Ross brings Henry VI to life and makes me want to know more, particularly about him as a person and how he grew up and into his kingship. Well-researched and written.

Chapters:

  1. Introduction: The Enigma of Henry VI
  2. Behind the Façade: Henry’s Character and Capability
  3. Policy and Profligacy 1436-1453
  4. Collapse and Catastrophe 1453-1461
  5. Conclusion: Death and Afterlife