A detailed journey through the court and life of Henry VIII. Popular historians have generally portrayed Henry VIII rather more two-dimensionally than did Holbein, viewing him (by and large) as a decadent libertine who killed his wives when he tired of them. Weir (Eleanor of Aquitaine, 2000, etc.), however, is out to change our perspective. She draws upon many years of research and her own very wide reading of English history in offering a rather different take on this highly disreputable man. The first third of her study concentrates on court life in the Tudor era, in which the author is able to point to many aspects of Henry’s personality (especially his rampant womanizing) as behavior typical of the English nobility of the period. In other regards, though, Henry was an anomaly: Originally destined for the Church (his elder brother Arthur, who died young, was expected to inherit the crown), he was well-educated at a time when many European monarchs were illiterate, and he became a great patron of the arts. Many of the more brilliant figures in his Court (such as Thomas More and Erasmus) helped to establish England as a center of learning for the first time in its history. Yet for all of Henry’s very real accomplishments as a statesman, there was a cold and calculating side to him that eventually transformed this striking and (in many ways) brilliant man into one of the most self-indulgent tyrants England has ever seen. In the end, although he may not have been the notorious villain of legend, Henry VIII was a pathetic figure. Thoroughly researched and entertaining, filled with delicious details for general readers and provocative argument for students of the period. Book-of-the-Month Club dual main selection; Literary Guild/History Book Club/Quality Paperback Book Club selection

In a succession of books on medieval and early modern monarchs, Weir has established her credentials as one of the most evocative of popular historians. In Eleanor of Aquitaine (which will be reissued in paperback to tie in with this publication), she brushed aside a forest of scholarly debate in favor of fully rounded human portraits. She now turns to the colossal figure of Henry VIII, aspiring chivalric hero and accidental spearhead of the Reformation. In the age's luxurious ceremony, Weir is thoroughly in her element. She revels in the Field of Cloth of Gold, an elaborate showpiece where Henry met his French counterpart; in the zesty supporting cast; and even in the less appetizing duties of the Groom of the Stool. Henry's passions were many and charming: his beloved dogs Cut and Ball were evidently so prone to getting lost that he would pay some 225 to their finder. Weir's fondness for her character has its difficulties. While admitting that the king proved to be "an imperious and dangerous autocrat who became mesmerised by his own legend," she too is seduced by the myth. Given to romantic hyperbole, she concludes with the largely unsupported sentiment that Henry "excelled all who ever wore a crown"; chalk up another victory for his propagandists. Other problematic characters, like Thomas More ("calm, kind, witty and wise"), are also let off lightly. Still, Weir's nose for detail, her sharpness of eye and her sympathetic touch make this a feast for the senses. (May 1) Forecast: Weir always gets excellent reviews, and Ballantine says there are 500,000 copies of her books in print, and yet she hasn't broken out big-time. Her choice of subject here may make this the one. It is a dual main selection of BOMC, as well as a selection of the Literary Guild, the History Book Club and QPB. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

The events surrounding Henry VIII's tumultuous life have long held public fascination. Weir (The Six Wives of Henry VIII) here examines the minutiae of his daily life and gives prominence to the background players of his court. We learn of the king's daily ablutions, hunting pursuits, "mania for property," and amorous liaisons. Numerous other aspects of the period are examined, such as kitchen hygiene, religious feasts and observances, the adornments of the royal palaces, the financial administration of the household, and, of course, the political maneuvering. As the lens shifts to the court, we are introduced, through such notables as Thomas Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, to the dangerous jockeying for position to achieve royal favor. The paintings of the royal family by Hans Holbein are meticulously described, illuminating the culture and sensibilities of the period. At times, the weighty detail and numerous characters will make the work inaccessible; however, as a scholarly study it is a significant achievement. Recommended for larger public libraries and academic libraries. Isabel Coates, Brampton, Ont. Communications (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A trio of biographies revisits three diverse corners of monarchical Europe in three different centuries. The eighteenth-century reign of Philip V of Spain, the first Spanish king of the French Bourbon dynasty, which still rules in Spain today, was marked by the long conflict called the War of Spanish Succession. But Professor Kamen looks beyond those years of bloodshed and sees that Philip's long reign--of 46 years, in fact--spelled governmental, social, and cultural changes that, in effect, inaugurated Spain as a modern nation. Philip, the grandson of France's great king Louis XIV, came to Spain young and untried, but, as Kamen pictures here, in a scholarly, exacting, but certainly accessible account, he developed the acumen and agility to end his reign as a leader who made a difference. Any biographer of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany must deal with three important issues in his life: his egomaniacal personality; his contentious relationship with his parents, particularly his mother, who never forgot she was the Princess Royal of Britain before marrying into the Prussian royal house; and his role in the outbreak of World War I, specifically the quality and even extent of his leadership once the war began. Historian MacDonogh, in a thorough and incisive treatment, tackles these issues with both aplomb and fairness. Weir is an immensely popular writer of books about European royalty, and her latest book gives ample evidence of her talent. She brings to entertaining light the whole atmosphere of the court of England's great king Henry VIII. Henry succeeded his father on the throne at the early age of 17, and all of England loved him. His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his personality was larger than life. But at reign's end, Henry had acquired the reputation of a tyrant with a propensity for chopping off the heads of his wives. The path from Renaissance prince to mean, old king is traced within the context of all the major players and events that influenced the court setting in which Great Harry ruled. --Brad Hooper