Rating: 
Summary: Moral: Don't Marry Henry VIII
Review: Alison Weir has done a wonderful job to introduce the reader to the six wives of Henry VIII. Not only did Weir explain the background of each of the wives, but she also gave the reader a glimpse of life in the Royal Court during the Tudor period of England. It was intriguing to read about the alliances and arrange marriages as well as the required dowries. Not only were the alliances important, but each wife was required to give Henry VIII a male heir. When a wife failed to do so, she was casted away. I found it amazing how easy it was for a King to convict someone of high treason and the fate of that conviction, as Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard found out. Weir also shows just how young and foolish these girls were when they married the King to become the Queen of England. The moral of the story is not to marry Henry VIII unless you want to gamble with either having an annulement or being beheaded.
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Summary: Isn't this book a little overrated?
Review: I was very impressed with Weir's good writing and meticulous reserch. Still, I had a couple of problems with this book that I have not seen expressed by other readers.My first problem is that I did not find the book particularly well-organized. Weir seems to struggle between a chronological and subject matter based structure to her book. The result is that she tends to jump around quite a bit and often repeats herself. My second problem is that most of the rather large amount of text that Weir devotes to discussion of tudor fashion and architecture was wasted on me. Indeed, I cannot imagine that anyone without a fairly extensive exposure to these subjects could really visualize what Wier is describing in these passages. Although I might not be as familiar with these subjects as some of her readers, I imagine that most are more interested in the profound impact that Henry's wives had on 16th century politics than in the clothes that these women wore. The book is a worthwhile read on the whole, but I would advise those who are not tudor history buffs to expect less than a "five star" experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Stunning, fascinating book
Review: I cannot recommend this book strongly enough to anyone who's even slightly interested in the story of Henry VIII and his six wives. This is a gorgeous, cohesive book, easy to read and full of historical detail that enriches the story rather than overwhelms it. There were many times when I forgot I was reading non-fiction, the story was so cleanly presented. This is a far cry from the dry, confusing history lessons I had in high school. Weir makes these women (and the men around them) come back to life, warts and all. Normally reading a book like this, I'd need a flow chart to keep track of all the dukes, duchesses, ladies, lords and scheming religious zealots, but I had no trouble at all remembering who was who, even during the period where every woman was apparently named Katherine, Anne or Elizabeth. It was especially interesting to see how kind history has been to Anne Boleyn, a woman who may actually have been deserving of the executioner's axe. My one miniscule gripe (not enough to drop my review from 5 stars) is that once in a while, Weir puts the story ahead of the timeline and will insert details out of sequence. One example of that is that during a segment discussing the latter years of the marriage of Henry and Anne Boleyn, there's a short paragraph discussing a gift Anne gave to Henry early on in their relationship. There really wasn't any reason why that tidbit couldn't have been presented chronologically; the only thing I could think of was that perhaps the author didn't want to interrupt the narrative about the acrimony between Anne and Katherine of Aragon by tossing in the bit about the gift. There are about a half dozen or so instances like this, and while they don't at all disturb the flow of the book, they struck me as a little annoying given the meticulous detail to the timeline in every other instance. This is a truly masterful book; I plan on immediately purchasing Weir's other books in this genre.
Rating:
Summary: Absorbing and fascinating!
Review: This is perhaps one of the finest biographies of the women who shared their lives with one of the most powerful and fascinating monarchs to have ruled England. Weir devotes the utmost care to each of the six wives of Henry VIII, telling their stories with compassion and giving each an individual voice. Most of the energy of this book is clearly directed on Henry's first two marriages, first to Katherine of Aragon and the divorce that helped to create the Church of England, and his stormy second union with Anne Boleyn, mother of the Great Elizabeth, chronicling her astronomical rise in power and her spectacular fall from grace. Powerful and masterfully written, Weir recreates the fantastical Tudor court and sweeps the reader into this realm effortlessly. Immensely readable and absorbing, this is Alison Weir at her very best. Extremely well researched, I would recommend this book to anyone who is the least bit curious about 16th century society as viewed through the eyes of 6 of the most important women of their time.
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Summary: Simply the best, hands-down
Review: It's thorough. It's accurate. It's all the glamour and betrayl of English court life in a single book. Weir hasn't just raised the bar, she's obliterated it. Everything you could possibly want to know about Henry VIII's wives is in here---the clothes they wore, the gossip surrounding them, and what Ambassador So-and-So thought of their manners. Best of all, it's not the slightest bit boring. If every history book was written this way, the world would be a much better place. Do not hesitate: buy it now.
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Summary: A fascinating, engaging account of the Queens of Henry VIII.
Review: I have always had a soft spot for King Henry VIII's wives and enjoyed reading about them, but never have I come across such a detailed, colorful, and engaging biography of them as this. Alison Weir has done a phenomenal amount of research in compiling this book. She provides us with countless details of the lives of these women, including excerpts from letters written by, addressed to, or about them. She also dispells many of the myths that have grown up around the six Queens. For instance, Anne Boleyn was not the promiscuous wanton she has often been described as, and Jane Seymour may not have been quite as sweet and innocent in nature as most people believed her to be. Coupled with her easy, fluid writing style, this factual detail brings each of the women to life. We get to know them intimately as Weir unlocks their widely varied personalities. Katherine of Aragon (mother of Queen 'Bloody' Mary) was a loving and devoted wife to Henry for 24 years. When he ultimately cast her aside in hopes of finding a more fruitful wife (one who would provide him with a male heir, which Katherine had failed to do), she firmly maintained that she was the King's true wife, the Queen, and always would be. For the rest of her life, she never permitted anyone to call her anything but 'Queen', even though she lived out her last miserable years in a dank, unhealthy estate, with insufficient resources. Anne Boleyn (mother of Queen Elizabeth I) was an outspoken and ambitious young woman, originally one of Katherine's waiting women. She caught the King's attention and Henry developed an overwhelming passion for her. His desire to rid himself of Katherine and marry Anne ultimately led the King to break with the Roman Catholic Church, something scandalous and unthinkable to most of his contemporaries. Unfortunately for her, Anne lacked sufficient discretion, and her political oponents found it all too easy to lay upon her false accusations that would result in her execution. Henry once said that he loved Jane Seymour best of all his wives, perhaps because she succeeded where his other wives had failed - she gave Henry his heir, Edward VI. But Jane, much loved by many Englanders, did not occupy the position of Queen for long. Shortly after the birth of her son, she succumbed to infection and died. Henry remembered her as his favorite for the rest of his life, and ordered that he be buried at her side when he died. Anne of Cleves, the shortest-lasting of Henry's Queens, was ultimately the most successful of the six women. Henry arranged to marry the German princess based solely on seeing one portrait of her. This portrait, however, had exaggerated her appearance, and when the King saw his new wife he was repulsed. He immediately sought a way out of the marriage. Anne could have faced a grimmer fate, except that she was cheerfully compliant where Katherine had been stubborn. The marriage was annulled with ease and the King, grateful for her cooperation, provided Anne with property, funds, and a title as his honorary sister. Henry's next wife was not so fortunate. Katherine Howard was was only a young girl when she married the King, who thought of her as 'a rose without a thorn.' In Katherine, he found a way to recapture his youth. But Katherine was young and silly, and worst of all, sexually promiscuous. When the king found out, he was shattered, and Katherine soon followed in the footsteps of her predecessor and cousin, Anne Boleyn, and was executed before the age of 17. Katherine Parr, Henry's sixth and final wife, served a different function than those who had come before her. By this time the aging King was in failing health and exceedingly fat. Katherine became more of a nursemaid for him, as well as a companion with whom he could converse. Within a few years, the King died, leaving Katherine a widow, free and in charge of her own fate. She re-married and had a daughter by her new husband, but died shortly afterward. The book is long, but well worth the read. Weir has done an extraordinary job of introducing us to these vibrant, diverse women. The book is full of information, facts, quotes - but the writing is very digestible and flows smoothly. Henry's first two wives are given the most attention - Katherine because she lasted the longest, and Anne because she has been saddled with such an infamous reputation. The other wives are not described in so much detail, but we still get to know them quite well. Weir takes us through the entire lives of these women, from their childhood and time before marrying the king, through the ends of their lives (which, in the cases of Anne of Cleves and Katherine Parr, extended beyond the King's own death). Included in the book are several black and white images - mostly paintings of Henry, his family, his advisors, and of course, his wives. I would have liked to see these printed in color, but they are nice enough as is. At the back of the book, Weir has included genealogical tables of England's royal dynasties, the Tudor family, and each of Henry's wives. This is an extremely helpful reference for keeping track of the connections between various nobles that involved in the lives of the King and the women he married. 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII' was a great read, and I would highly recommend it.
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Summary: I'll be reading more Alison Weir!
Review: Alison Weir has recreated, as best we can 500 years later, the inner workings of the English monarchy. She has done extensive research and shared in her text the conflicting views of various recorded information dealing with Henry and his wives. I found myself frequently turning back to the family trees she had included to check dates, siblings, births, etc. This was an excellent book and I will be looking for the next one, Elizabeth I to read now!
Rating:
Summary: fascinating ....
Review: I found the level of detail in this book simply fascinating. I am not a history buff but found it really interesting to compare my own life with the life of a royal woman in the 1500's. Certainly know which one I would choose! I have also read David Starkey's book on the same subject and found Alison Weir's book to be so much better researched and not at all prejudiced towards her subjects (as flawed as they might have been). I also recommend Alison Weir's "Eleanor of Aquitaine" - different time period but equally fascinating.
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Summary: Enthralling to the layperson
Review: I picked this book up on a whim. I am, by no means, a history buff. However, through the 600-page epic I became enthralled as a history of PEOPLE came forward, not merely a presentation of FACTS. These names that we've all heard for years--Henry VIII, his various wives, etc--became more than just dates, names, and stereotypes, but actual people. They become 3-dimentional with their strengths empasized as much as their weaknesses. The details of their motives come to light as much as their factual acts. It is a sublime combination of accurate historical fact and exciting storytelling. Ms. Weir has secured another avid reader and learner.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable read
Review: This book may seem daunting, due to its sheer number of pages, but it reads so quickly, due to the great, smooth writing of Alison Weir. A must-read for all Anglophile's and Tudor addicts!
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