The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn: 'The Most Happy'

A lot of the Tudor authors like Alison Weir write non-fiction books in an essentially pop-y sort of style, which is great for those who are just beginning to learn about the subject, but after a while you may want something deeper and less sensational. The story itself is sensational enough without embellishment. I enjoyed all of the research and background information on the political scene here, especially the fact that Henry had challenged the Pope's authority to enforce laws in England when Anne Boleyn was still a mere child - which was news to me and definitely takes a lot of the blame off her for the ensuing madness and schism. She may have taken advantage of his disposition, but it was always there. Definitely a recommended read for anyone interested in the period, and this amazing story.

Anne Boleyn was accused of essentially the same catalog of crimes used against every powerful woman since (and probably before) Jezebel - sexual infidelity, witchcraft, heresy, capriciousness and foul temper. As Ives explains, she may not have been physically the most beautiful woman at court, but her intellect, sophistication and worldliness (she had served at the Austrian and French courts) made her by far the most attractive. What is incredible about her courtship with Henry is the sheer number of missed chances to get a proper annulment of Hal's earlier marriage to Katharine - which, of course, would have removed the impetus for the English Reformation, and all the carnage that followed. What makes this a great read is Ives' ability to translate renaissance history into modern terms: Anne's rise and fall were inextricably linked to larger political and religious forces in Henry's court: her demise was the direct product of a temporary court alliance between the hard line crypto-Protestants (Thomas Cromwell et. al.) and the equally hard line Catholic sympathizers (Norfolk, plus the former followers of Thomas More). Once Anne was off the scene, they happily returned to their ideological trenches and resumed ploting against each other. Anne's was a vibrant life in a world which punished the vibrant and the intelligent.

I found this an excellent read when I was studying Anne Boleyn. While never becoming too bogged down in details, it tells her story compellingly and with the necessary human touch which makes Anne's story so engrossing.Focusing on faction as one of the major causes of Anne's downfall, we are taken from her contested date of birth to her final end, through the whims of the king, life at court and her dubious romances. Ives gives the legends a brisk working over and gives the facts clearly with all the available evidence. This is THE book on Anne to read and I strongly recommend it to anyone studying her life.

Scholarly but not stuffy, Eric Ives' book is the best biography by far I have read of Anne Boleyn. It is packed with original research and serious scholarship but at the same time is readable and easy to follow. The average intelligent layperson would enjoy reading this. Ives, Antonia Fraser and Alison Weir are all MUST READS for Tudor scholars and history buffs.

Even those who have little interest in the story of the second wife of Henry VIII could be attracted by Mr. Ives' clear writing style, wit and "proper historical scepticism". To those with a keener interest, this book is as irresistible as Anne herself. With much of the book based on original research, the text offers new and absorbing insights into a complex person and of life at court under Henry VIII. For the most part, Mr. Ives maintains a proper distance from his subject, but from time to time, he opens his cloak of objectivity to expose the admirer beneath. If you are also an admirer of glimpses of court life, both in France and England, then you should order this book.