Books/Movies on the Tudors and Plantagenets

[Kimberly]

Elisabeth, I would be more than happy to send you a copy of Avalon if you cannot find it...seriously

[Elisabeth]

Hi, Kim, many thanks for your kind offer.   But of course the minute I said I couldn't find "Avalon" I found it through an interlibrary loan search. I think all of Anya Seton's novels are on file, and this despite the fact that she was quite prolific. So whenever I finish "The Winthrop Woman" (which gets better and better the more I get into it), I will move on - or is it back (??) - to what sounds like Arthurian times... Courtesy of Ms. Seton and you!  

[Kimberly]

Oh its way back to King Edgar the peaceable, vikings,Leif Erikkson  and so forth. Its wonderful

[Prince_Lieven]

Hey guys, I just finished the Layesmith book 'The Last Four Medieval Queens'.

I'll give my opinion, but of course speak only for myself. By the end of the book, I felt cheated. What had great potential ended up being a dismal effort, IMO. Firstly, when Laynesmith quotes primary sources, she doesn't translate them - so we hear of the 'Quene' and her husband the 'kynge'. Of course, this is just one of my personal pet hates, others might not mind - indeed, some like it. But it irked me.

Secondly, every single source she mentions in backed up in a footnote. So pages are filled with endless footnotes that could have easily been noted at the end of the book, as in many other books.

Though explanations of how the 'Quene' was perceived at the time were at first interesting, they soon lost allure, especially when all they consisted of was Laynesmith repeatedly pointing out comparisons between the 'Quene' and the Virgin Mary.

Other chapters like the second half of 'Queens as Mothers' and 'The Queens Relatives' were interesting, but hardly enough to make up for the disappointments. Over all, I wasn't impressed.

[Kimberly]

Although I have a "shed load" of biogs and reference books, you cannot beat a really well written historical fiction book on a cold winter's evening. Liam has started a topic on King John so I have to recommend Barbera Erskine's "Lady of Hay" which tells of the life of Matilda de Braose and her terrible death at the hands of this ruthless King

[bell_the_cat]

Hey guys, I just finished the Layesmith book 'The Last Four Medieval Queens'.

I'll give my opinion, but of course speak only for myself. By the end of the book, I felt cheated. What had great potential ended up being a dismal effort, IMO. Firstly, when Laynesmith quotes primary sources, she doesn't translate them - so we hear of the 'Quene' and her husband the 'kynge'. Of course, this is just one of my personal pet hates, others might not mind - indeed, some like it. But it irked me.

Secondly, every single source she mentions in backed up in a footnote. So pages are filled with endless footnotes that could have easily been noted at the end of the book, as in many other books.

Though explanations of how the 'Quene' was perceived at the time were at first interesting, they soon lost allure, especially when all they consisted of was Laynesmith repeatedly pointing out comparisons between the 'Quene' and the Virgin Mary.

Other chapters like the second half of 'Queens as Mothers' and 'The Queens Relatives' were interesting, but hardly enough to make up for the disappointments. Over all, I wasn't impressed.

The reason for all the footnotes is that this is academic history, and the writer has to protect herself from attack by other academics who are waiting in the wings like vultures trying to pull the theory apart!

This is also the reason for the aparrent repetition of the main gist of the argument (Queen = Virgin Mary).

It does sound a bit dry, but I'd still like to skim through it at some stage (maybe in a bookshop!). I personally prefer the footnotes at the foot of the page, so I don't have to keep turning back, as I'm always wondering where the author got that information from (or whether they just simply made it up).

The reason why she doesn't translate the original texts is probably the same - it would lead her to accusations of "doctoring the text" by her fellow academics. It is a big  assumption however that her entire readership is familiar with mediaeval English - but then she writing for fellow specialists, and not the general reader.

[bell_the_cat]

Although I have a "shed load" of biogs and reference books, you cannot beat a really well written historical fiction book on a cold winter's evening. Liam has started a topic on King John so I have to recommend Barbera Erskine's "Lady of Hay" which tells of the life of Matilda de Braose and her terrible death at the hands of this ruthless King

Not a happy end, then?

[Prince_Lieven]

The reason for all the footnotes is that this is academic history, and the writer has to protect herself from attack by other academics who are waiting in the wings like vultures trying to pull the theory apart!

This is also the reason for the aparrent repetition of the main gist of the argument (Queen = Virgin Mary).

It does sound a bit dry, but I'd still like to skim through it at some stage (maybe in a bookshop!). I personally prefer the footnotes at the foot of the page, so I don't have to keep turning back, as I'm always wondering where the author got that information from (or whether they just simply made it up).

The reason why she doesn't translate the original texts is probably the same - it would lead her to accusations of "doctoring the text" by her fellow academics. It is a big  assumption however that her entire readership is familiar with mediaeval English - but then she writing for fellow specialists, and not the general reader.

You're probably right, Bell, and as I said, I didn't like it, buy others might.  

[Prince_Lieven]

BTW, I just finished Sharon Penman's 'When Christ and His Saints Slept' about the English civil war in the 12th Century. Wonderful stuff, fiction I'd recommend to anyone.  

[palatine]

There is a review of The Golden Age, the sequel to Elizabeth, at Harry Knowles’s Aint It Cool News website which was written by someone who got to attend an advance screening.  In the talkback below the review, a few posters used some language that could potentially ruffle the sensibilities of some here.  If you feel that your sensibilities might be ruffled, just read the review and skip the talkback, which doesn't contain any spoilers/news about the movie. 

Here is the link:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31914

[helenazar]

There is a review of The Golden Age, the sequel to Elizabeth, at Harry Knowles’s Aint It Cool News website which was written by someone who got to attend an advance screening.  In the talkback below the review, a few posters used some language that could potentially ruffle the sensibilities of some here.  If you feel that your sensibilities might be ruffled, just read the review and skip the talkback, which doesn't contain any spoilers/news about the movie. 

Here is the link:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31914

Well... the author of this review seems to think that this sequel is pretty good, but then again he/she also thought the original Cate Blanchett version was fab... Enough said... 

[noodle2121]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the site, and i just all types of history, but the Tudors, Bourbons, and Romanovs particularly captivate me.  I'm so glad I found this site, where there are other people who share my love of history and discussion.  There is this amazing book i'm reading called, "Divorced, Beheaded, Survived: A feminist Reinterpretation of the Wives of Henry the VIII" that is really good.  Almost all of Alison Weir's books are amazing, especially, "The Children of Henry VIII" in which she included not only Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth, but also, though not his daughter, Lady Jane Grey.  Alison Plowden's "Tudor Women" is also a good read. 

[Kimberly]

Exciting news: The screen rights have been procured from Sharon K Penman's excellent novel "The Sunne in Splendour". A script based on the novel is now going the rounds to locate the finance to make the movie.
Kenneth Branagh has read it and it is said that Al Pacino has said that he would like to portray Richard in a film. Fingers crossed that if it comes to fruition, it stays true to the book and doesn't get an injection of La La Land !!!

The BBC are also looking at the script for a 3 part drama about Richard.....it is hoped that Richard Armitage will feature as Richard. (I have posted his pic elsewhere.)

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

I think Al Pacino is now too old to play Richard III.
And please, let's get a British actor to play him.  There aren't many good American actors anymore...

Larry

[Kimberly]

Absolutely agree with you.
Also on the wishlist would be NOT Scarlett J, Natalie P OR the ghastly Keira (Poutly) Knightly :-)