History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

First legionaries
Rather Good.
Whence the Roman legion?
Must-read

Early Roman Armies (Men-at-Arms)
Nicholas Sekunda
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1855325136
Release Date: 1995-07-17

Book Description

The early Romans were only one of a number of peoples that inhabited Iron Age central Italy. From the 8th to the 3rd century BC, the Romans undertook territorial expansion, and conflict with neighbouring tribes and cultures resulted in open war, most notably with the Samnites. Alliances sprang were created too - but the rise of Rome was unstoppable. This title covers the equipment, weaponry and dress of the early Romans, from the traditional foundation in 753 BC to the third century BC, where the dominance of Rome was beyond challenge. It also deals with developments in warfare, covering the early cavalry, the pre-hoplite army, the hoplite army and the manipular army. Etruscan, Latin, and Samnite warfare are also discussed.

Customer Reviews:

First legionaries.......2007-04-02

Describes and illustrates not only the early armies of Rome, but of their Etruscan, Gaulish, Samnite, Latin, Venetian, and Pyrhhian enemies. The Epiran elephants and the Gauls are especially neat.

Rather Good........2006-04-03

For a book series like Osprey that is more devoted to regalia details and great color plates. This book was filled with a fine amount of historical details that have scarcely been mentioned in most military histories. The author proves his three main points. First, the legion came from the Etruscans, not the Greeks. Secondly, it was developed to meet the more formidable threat of the Samnites, rather than the Gauls. Lastly, he proves how resourceful and tenacious even the earliest of Roman armies were.

Whence the Roman legion?.......2001-06-26

This book revolutionized my understanding of the Roman legion. Everyone acknowledges that the legion somehow evolved out of the Greek phalanx, which had come to dominate warfare in the years between 500-350 BC to such an extent that we know it was used by peoples as diverse as the Carthiginians and the Etruscans. In fact, it was from the Etruscans that whom most commentators assume that the Romans learned it, while under the rule of Etruscan kings. Sometime between about 400 and 275 BC, however, two new formations came to dominate warfare, the Macedonian phalanx and the Roman legion. Sekunda argues for a very different interpretation of the development of the legion, arguing that it was done in response, not to the Celtic invasion of the early 4th century, but much later due to the defeats at the hands of the nimble samnites. His interpretation may be radical (and may dim the reputation of Camillus, its traditional inventor), but it makes sense. Anyone who wants to weigh in on the early development of the legion needs to at least take his arguments into account to do the topic justice.

Must-read.......2000-06-27

This book is one that is informative. It gives depth and detail about the early roman armies that Caesar used to expand his vast empire. I recommend this book to all interested in history, or even warfare. It will be an eye opener to all new to Rome. Great book.

Training the Roman Cavalry: From Arrian's Ars Tactica (Military Series)

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Could we have a translation for the non-equestrian?

Training the Roman Cavalry: From Arrian's Ars Tactica (Military Series)
Ann Hyland
Manufacturer: Sutton Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0862999847

Customer Reviews:

Could we have a translation for the non-equestrian?.......1998-08-22

Hyland analyses what is known of Roman cavalry in a manner that will tell the expert or middling rider a lot, but she needed more summary for the non-equestrian to make this valuable to her supposed target audience: the historian who knows little about horses, and therefor dismisses their role. She goes over the cavalry display in Arrian in such great detail that, except for the javelin part, your drill team could set it up. In the end, she tells us, yes, the Romans could do just what Arrian describes: wow, big surprise. Only the crown-of-creationists, to whom all previous cultures must be inferior in all matters including horsemanship, would have thought otherwise; you know, the sort of people who say, "Even though this ancient authority says they did such and such, of course they could not have, being too crude." This book is most useful for its description of the construction details and use of reconstructed Roman tack, when one feels balanced or overbalanced in which actions, and that sort of thing. I also dislike her using her own books so often as an authoritative reference: I'd like to know where she got her ideas or information originally. Her Medieval Warhorse books are much better.

Medical Care for the Roman Army on the Rhine, Danube, and British Frontiers in the First, Second, and Early Third Centuries Ad (Bar International)

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Medical Care for the Roman Army on the Rhine, Danube, and British Frontiers in the First, Second, and Early Third Centuries Ad (Bar International)
Patricia Anne Baker
Manufacturer: John and Erica Hedges Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1841713783

Book Description

The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves, a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard, an empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr, a warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time.

Customer Reviews:

Very informative.........2007-10-06

Very informative book! Weir manages to give us a detailed description of the personalities of each of these six queens. What makes this book such a success is that its very easy to read making it impossible to get bored!

History made interesting.......2007-09-17

I haven't been a big history buff in the past (no pun intended) but after seeing a glimpse of a documentary on Henry VIII, I was curious. This book was GREAT! I simply couldn't put it down and lugged the big book with me on the bus, on planes, etc. In fact, it inspired me to continue reading up on the Tudors. Highly recommended!

The perfect storyteller........2007-08-24

Impeccably researched, fantastically written, wonderfully enthralling. Anyone interested in British history, monarchs in general, the tudor period, politics, or anyone who just plain likes gossip will love this book. It was really great.

Loved this book!.......2007-08-14

A friend recommended some of Philipa Gregory's books to me. After reading "The Other Boelyn Girl" I decided to try non-fiction. I would have never dreamed that I would enjoy a big, thick, historial, non-fiction book about 16th century England. However, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" was fantastic! I could not put this book down! I have ordered Ms. Weir's other books about Lady Jane Grey, Henry VIII's court and Elizabeth. After reading this book, you will look at the Tower of London, Hampton Court, Hever Castle, etc. in a completely different way when in London. You have to hand it to the Brits; they have the most interesting and fascinating history of all.

Great account of history.......2007-08-12

If you're in the market for a book that gives a thorough account of each wife of Henry VIII, then this is the book for you. Over 600 pages long, this packs together history and great writing. It's written chronologically, from Henry's days before his betrothal to Katherine of Aragon, up to the death of his last wife, Katherine Parr. It flows together perfectly. It's easy to read, to boot. I think my favorite parts were the quotes taken from personal letters, and hand-written accounts by those closest to the royals themselves.

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Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII
David Starkey
Manufacturer: Vintage Books USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Meticulously researched
Trying too hard to be different
Don't Believe Megan
HORRIBLE!!! Don't bother reading this steaming piece of...
Interesting reading, even if the book isn't well written.

Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII
David Starkey
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 069401043X

Book Description

No one in history had a more eventful career in matrimony than Henry VIII. His marriages were daring and tumultuous, and made instant legends of six very different women. What could make him marry six times? In this remarkable new study, David Starkey argues that the king was not a depraved philanderer, but someone seeking happiness -- and a son. Knowingly or not, he empowered a group of women to extraordinary heights and changed the way a nation was governed.

Henry took his first bride, Catherine of Aragon, when he was seventeen. They lasted twenty-four years together, but Catherine suffered through many miscarriages and failed to produce a male heir. Henry then fell in love with Anne Boleyn, the mother of Elizabeth I. Their relationship transformed England forever, but Henry had Anne beheaded and married his next wife, Jane Seymour, on the very day of Anne's execution. At last, Seymour gave birth to Henry's longed-for son, Edward VI. What followed was a farcical beauty contest which ended in the King's brief marriage to the "mare of Flanders," Anne of Cleves. Finally, there were the two Catherines: Catherine Howard, the flirtatious teenager whose adulteries made a fool of the aging king and who was the second bride to lose her head; and Catherine Parr, the shrewd, religiously radical bluestocking who outlived him.

Six Wives is a masterful work of history that intimately examines the rituals of diplomacy, marriage, pregnancy and religion that were part of daily life for women at the Tudor Court. Weaving new facts and fresh interpretations into a spellbinding account of the emotional drama surrounding Henry's six marriages, David Starkey reveals the central role that the queens played in determining policy. With an equally keen eye for romantic and political intrigue, he brilliantly recaptures the story of Henry's wives and the England they ruled.

Customer Reviews:

Meticulously researched.......2006-05-13

David Starkey's "Six Wives" is very engaging and easy to read, despite the intimidating weight of the hardcover. Starkey is a brilliant historian and he breathes life into his subjects as he covers their life and times. He is an expert on all things Elizabethan and readers can trust that his interpretation of events always has extensive research behind it. The few pages of prints in the center of the book are a nice addition, though personally, I wish there were illustrations of the various castles and manors as well as the formal portraits we are given.

Trying too hard to be different.......2005-12-21

I read this book with great deal relish in thinking that I might get fresh perception on the history of the six wives of Henry VIII. What I found was an easy to read, easy to understand, well researched but highly opinionated book. I think the author tries so hard to be different from other historians and books on this subject that he managed to turned opinions and conjuctures into facts as he see it.

Most of the book deals with two wives, Katherine of Aragon and Ann Boleyn. The rise, love and fall of both women who dominated much of Henry's life takes up much of the author's book. The rest of the four wives, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr all got parred down, almost like an summarized aftermath after the two main events. I always thought each woman was pretty unique. (Henry seems to like "Katherine or Catherine as a name in his women.)

This book also proves to be dominated by Henry VIII as he's in almost every single page once he's crowned. From this book, the reader will have a good understanding about how Henry deals with his interpersonal relationship with his wives. You may have a better understanding of Katherine of Aragon and Ann Boleyn even if you may not agreed with many of the author's opinions. But after that, the rest of the four wives adds nothing to what lies published before this book.

I would recommend Allison Weir or Antonia Fraser books on this subject initially. I would recommend this book only for experienced readers of this subject matter. Reason for that is that the author proves to be too opinionated in his writing and it would be best if you read this book if you got a good grounding on the subject.

Don't Believe Megan.......2005-11-29

Friends, this is an excellent book. If you were to watch his DVD series on Elizabeth and other Tudor monarchs, you would clearly see that David Starkey is an excellent scholar, has an outstanding grasp of the Tudor monarchs, is quite articulate, and can take the highly complex issues and explain them in a very understandable way. This book is no exception. It is very intelligently written, is helpful, and not just a rehash of other scholars.

I find Megan's reveiw of this book so far from reality and utterly foolish as to be offensive. Her suggestion that one could learn as much from a story book is utterly absurd. Undoubtedly, her review must be the result not only of pure bias but also of pure inebriation.

HORRIBLE!!! Don't bother reading this steaming piece of..........2004-12-26

Starkey's writing is terrible! First off, he thinks his view is the one, true, right one and all other Tudor biographers got it wrong! He has an annoying habit of making ridiculous assuptions about the personalities of the queens. He puts them into misogynistic,cartoonish categories--he dismisses Jane Seymour as a boring, mousey doormat, then speculates whether that was all really a *calculated act* on her part! I guess that's the only way she could be interesting to him as he seems to relish the conniving/bitchy/vamp portraits he paints of Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Starkey supposes that 16th c. queens reacted to certain situations in a flippant manner as would modern teenagers, or teens on the "O.C." This is so ridiculous. These were patriarchal times and these queens were literally fighting for their lives. I can't believe some people loved this steaming pile of poop! This book is a waste of time and money! It isn't fit to line my bird's cage!

Interesting reading, even if the book isn't well written........2004-11-25

David Starkey's 'Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII' is obviously a highly researched piece of work. I've read many Tudor biographies, and this is by far the most extensive I have ever laid eyes on. But unfortunately I have more bad than good to say about it.

What good I can say is trivial. It's a large, long book that takes some concentration and thought to get through. Starkey knew his material well before getting down to business, although I don't believe he wrote about everything he could have. In the space of 765 pages (not counting the index and notes, which took an additional 80+ pages) there is so much information on the politics of Henry VIII's marriages, one cannot help but feel some awe. But that is where the interest ends for me as a reader. Unlike with the Tudor biographies of Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser, I wasn't drawn into the story in the least. And this is where the bad begins.

Where should I start? First of all, the book is completely unbalanced. Well over 300 pages are devoted to the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, while barely 40 explain the relationship with Anne of Cleves. The same can be said for the story of Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. Perhaps there really is much, much more to the relationship between Boleyn and Henry Tudor, but I still believe that a balance could have been found and more depth explored with Henry's other wives.

Many reviewers have lashed out against Starkey's language and grammar. While I'm no English expert, I must agree that it's difficult to "get into" the story and stay focused on Starkey's writings. And yes, he does tend to ask too many questions and doesn't hesitate to express his opinion, and stick with it, over historical facts.

And last for this review, but certainly not least and not the truly last of my personal complaints against the book, is Starkey's blatant disregard for other historians and authors. In his introduction, he denounces the books of Fraser and Weir (with author names), which totally lacks class and respect and in my opinion. And that's far from the only time he does such a thing. I remember at one point in the book, just after the birth of Elizabeth (daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn), Starkey denounced, with a bit of cool arrogance, the "unsubstantiated" claim that Anne wanted to breast-feed Elizabeth but Henry wouldn't allow it. I won't deny that I have read about this before and that I really don't know if it's true or not, as I am not a hard-core historian. But I am curious as to why Starkey believes, as he seems to in many sections of his book, that his is the one and only true version of events. How does he know that? And just because there is no hard evidence for certain events, how does Starkey know that they did or didn't happen?

PBS created a mini-series based on Starkey's book (Starkey himself narrated) which turned out to be worse than the book. It's a sorry thing that a book so long and informative should turn out so uninteresting, but it did.

Average customer rating:

Interesting but Questionable
Utterly boring
The Best Info. on the Tudor Queens
Big book, ultimately a disappointment
I wish I'd read these reviews before buying the book!

Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII
David Starkey
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060005505
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Book Description

No one in history had a more eventful career in matrimony than Henry VIII. His marriages were daring and tumultuous, and made instant legends of six very different women. In this remarkable study, David Starkey argues that the king was not a depraved philanderer but someone seeking happiness -- and a son. Knowingly or not, he elevateda group of women to extraordinary heights and changed the way a nation was governed.

Six Wives is a masterful work of history that intimately examines the rituals of diplomacy, marriage, pregnancy, and religion that were part of daily life for women at the Tudor Court. Weaving new facts and fresh interpretations into a spellbinding account of the emotional drama surrounding Henry's six marriages, David Starkey reveals the central role that the queens played in determining policy. With an equally keen eye for romantic and political intrigue, he brilliantly recaptures the story of Henry's wives and the England they ruled.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but Questionable.......2007-10-03

There have been numerous books written on the lives of Henry VIII's wives both as a complete history and on an individual basis. Starkey's book is an interesting read if you want to have a very in-depth understanding of just how incredibly political each of his marriages were. There are complaints that most of the book is spent on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn but in looking at the history of these two women, they were the beginning of the making of Henry as well as England's history to come. Catherine of Aragon has been painted in some books as being a complete victim to be sympathized with for the harsh cruelty of Henry while he pursued Anne Boleyn. Starkey is not the first to intimate that she was actually a political machinist in her own right but he likes to present himself as being the first. Catherine's situation is no different than any other woman's reaction to "the other woman" so to imply that Catherine was not so obedient and submissive as she appeared is merely to say that perhaps she was at one point but came into her own as she progressed as Queen of England. That's psychology 101. Regarding Anne Boleyn, there's really nothing new painted about her specifically but there's a great deal of information presented about the true complexity of the divorce proceedings. This is truly the first book I've read that goes into just how many people were involved, what they actually did and how the hand-offs took place from person to person. In other works, only the most prominent figures in the picture are brought to light. The other wives did figure prominently in Henry's marriages from a very political standpoint. However, many authors outside of Starkey have indicated that there is little recorded information on each the successive wives especially in regards to Anne of Cleves. The one extreme criticism I have for Starkey and all the other authors regarding Catherine and the "consummation" of her marriage is the supposed evidence. Starkey follows the same path as all the others. I was hoping to see something more plausible. Every author states that the marriage must've been consummated based on two points of evidence. Arthur's boasting the following day of marriage being thirsty work and that he'd been amongst Spain and Catherine's silence on the subject. Why is it that every author does not take into consideration that Arthur was a 15 year old boy who carried the weight of an empire and was expected to perform his marital duties and therefore may have bragged because he couldn't state the other possibility....that he didn't perform? Regarding Catherine's silence on the subject and the question of "why didn't she complain?", she was a born princess. What princess/Queen who was 17 years old, in a foreign land and married to a King would complain that the marriage had not been consummated? To do so would be the equivalent of denigrating and humiliating her husband and a nation. The question is always left that only God knows whether the marriage was consummated or not. I beg to differ. There is one other person who would know if Catherine was a virgin and that would've been Henry. He was not sexually ignorant when he made Catherine his wife and where were his boasts? I recommend this book more for the political information surrounding the wives and what raised them and who truly took them down. Henry may have had final say but his court was very powerful in manipulating him. This book points this out more than any other out there.

Utterly boring.......2007-10-03

I have never been able to put a book down before on Henry the VIII and his wives. After struggling to finish this book of exhausting but uninteresting detail, I thought I would sell it on Amazon, a first for me. But then, after checking, I learned it was only going for 87 cents. Why am I not surprised?

The Best Info. on the Tudor Queens.......2007-08-09

Excellent and entertaining book about the Queens of Henry the XIII. The best book I have read on this subject.

Big book, ultimately a disappointment.......2007-07-24

Looking, as I was, for the definitive volume on Henry VIII and his wives, Starkey's book was ultimately disappointing in spite of its heft. To spend two-thirds of the book on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, although Starkey clearly found them the most worthy of interest, left the other fours wives' personalities and histories undeveloped and colorless. Thanks to Starkey, we now know every possible detail of the Henry/Catherine divorce, both from Catherine's and Anne's perspective. but very little about their relationships with Henry. For example, with all the pages devoted to Anne, why do we not have a clearer understanding of the disintegration of the Boleyn marriage? How did a woman who was the object of Henry's unbridled passion come to be beheaded a mere three years after marriage? I, for one, would much rather know more of their personal history. How can a book on such a fascinating subject be so dry?

I wish I'd read these reviews before buying the book!.......2007-07-17

I bought this book on a whim, without benefit of these reviews. I should have done my homework. The other reviews on this website are excellent and I won't repeat them here except to underscore two points.

First, as an academic myself I was stunned by the extent to which Starkey's scholarship is biased, subjective and speculative. He blithely makes racist comments about other cultures (the Spanish are "instutionalized sadists," for example). Evidence that is accepted by other writers he dismisses out of hand, while other, more dubious sources that are not normally consulted he accepts without question. Ideas that start out as speculation are facts a few chapters later. Starkey may be a respected historian, but this is not a good piece of scholarship.

Most significantly, he seems unable to put these women into an historic context. He doesn't appear to appreciate what it was like to be a woman, without legal powers, who attracted the attention of a ruthless and brutal king. For instance, he characterizes Ann Boleyn as manipulative. Maybe she was intelligent enough to realize that if she refused the King, she and her family would suffer the loss of their wealth and possibly their lives. The best she could do was to hold out for marriage which at least gave her some legitimacy. Starkey's failure to appreciate the brutal reality of women's lives at this point in history is a huge handicap in writing their biographies.

Average customer rating:

Excellent biography for young readers

The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Gladys Malvern
Manufacturer: Vanguard Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

Excellent biography for young readers.......2000-05-11

This brief but thorough biography of Henry VIII's six wives is simply and effectively written. I first read it as a junior high student, and it has stayed in my mind as an eminently readable, but historically sound analysis of those unfortunate women.

Book Description

There were six of them - three Katherines, two Annes, and a Jane. One of them was the King's wife for twenty-four years, another for only a year and a half. One died, two were divorced, and two were beheaded. It was a dangerous, uncertain life. After the King's death in 1547, his sixth wife finds a box of old letters - one from each of the first five wives. They are sad, angry, frightened letters. They tell the story of what it was like to be the wife of Henry VIII of England.

Average customer rating:

Six queens,: The wives of Henry VIII
Marguerite Vance
Manufacturer: Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Europe | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Six Wives of Henry VIII
Paul Rival
Manufacturer: William Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Average customer rating:

The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000FS6PRY

Six Wives, the Queens of Henry VIII, Part 2

Average customer rating:

Six Wives, the Queens of Henry VIII, Part 2
David Starkey
Manufacturer: Clipper Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 1841979457

Product Description

25 Cassettes (approx 34.25 hours)

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