The Wives of Henry VIII
by Fraser, Antonia - Hardcover w Jacket - New
Fraser (
Mary, Queen of Scots ) here turns to the reign of Henry VIII, who ruled
from 1509-1547, and the six women he married: Catherine of Aragon, Anne
Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine
Parr. From her scrupulous research and informed interpretations of
historical events, Fraser succeeds in presenting Henry's queens as
complex and intelligent women who struggled to express themselves in a
world where females were subservient to and ruled by men. Catherine of
Aragon, married to Henry for 20 years, displayed cleverness and bravery
when she fought her husband's attempts to divorce her. Anne Boleyn, a
learned woman, was innocent of the adultery she was accused of, but was
beheaded because she could not produce a son. Unlettered, 21-year-old
Katherine Howard, queen for just 18 months when she was beheaded in 1542
for the "violent presumption" she had committed adultery, met death on
the block where her cousin Anne Boleyn had died six years earlier. By
firmly anchoring each woman's fate in Henry's failure to be
philoprogenitive--most crucially in not producing male heirs--Fraser
makes a major contribution to feminist scholarship. Illustations not
seen by PW. 50,000 first printing; History Book Club and BOMC
alternates.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Fraser
here attempts to provide a fuller view of the six women who unenviably
danced around the maypole that was the corpulent King of England.
Fraser, the distinguished author of many historical studies, including
The Weaker Vessel ( LJ 8/84), portrays in fascinating detail the women
who sought to be included in and were sometimes destroyed by the power
structure of the times. Inevitably, more time is spent on Catherine of
Aragon (after all, Catherine and Henry were married 24 years, whereas
all five of his other marriages only totaled a little over ten years),
and although Fraser claims to have tried to avoid any bias, she betrays a
lingering sympathy for Henry's first queen. One cannot help but
speculate, as the author does, what history would have been like if
Catherine had provided Henry with a male heir. Not only were Henry's
wives prisoners of their biology, but also Henry himself. Fraser's
readable style, empathy for her subjects, and piquant use of historical
details and anecdotes make this a satisfying addition to the history
shelves. Recommended for all public and academic libraries. Previewed in
Prepub Alert, LJ 7/92.
- Katherine Gillen, Denver P . L .
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. Fraser (
Mary, Queen of Scots ) here turns to the reign of Henry VIII, who ruled
from 1509-1547, and the six women he married: Catherine of Aragon, Anne
Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine
Parr. From her scrupulous research and informed interpretations of
historical events, Fraser succeeds in presenting Henry's queens as
complex and intelligent women who struggled to express themselves in a
world where females were subservient to and ruled by men. Catherine of
Aragon, married to Henry for 20 years, displayed cleverness and bravery
when she fought her husband's attempts to divorce her. Anne Boleyn, a
learned woman, was innocent of the adultery she was accused of, but was
beheaded because she could not produce a son. Unlettered, 21-year-old
Katherine Howard, queen for just 18 months when she was beheaded in 1542
for the "violent presumption" she had committed adultery, met death on
the block where her cousin Anne Boleyn had died six years earlier. By
firmly anchoring each woman's fate in Henry's failure to be
philoprogenitive--most crucially in not producing male heirs--Fraser
makes a major contribution to feminist scholarship. Illustations not
seen by PW. 50,000 first printing; History Book Club and BOMC
alternates.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Fraser
here attempts to provide a fuller view of the six women who unenviably
danced around the maypole that was the corpulent King of England.
Fraser, the distinguished author of many historical studies, including
The Weaker Vessel ( LJ 8/84), portrays in fascinating detail the women
who sought to be included in and were sometimes destroyed by the power
structure of the times. Inevitably, more time is spent on Catherine of
Aragon (after all, Catherine and Henry were married 24 years, whereas
all five of his other marriages only totaled a little over ten years),
and although Fraser claims to have tried to avoid any bias, she betrays a
lingering sympathy for Henry's first queen. One cannot help but
speculate, as the author does, what history would have been like if
Catherine had provided Henry with a male heir. Not only were Henry's
wives prisoners of their biology, but also Henry himself. Fraser's
readable style, empathy for her subjects, and piquant use of historical
details and anecdotes make this a satisfying addition to the history
shelves. Recommended for all public and academic libraries. Previewed in
Prepub Alert, LJ 7/92.
- Katherine Gillen, Denver P . L .
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Weight - 2.11 lbs
Always from a nonsmoking + pet-free place
TRNSPNTGRYLDVIV NR!