Book Review: Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Title: Bring up the Bodies
Author: Hilary Mantel
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
ISBN: 978-0805090031
Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
Pages: 432
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

I love The Tudor Era in British History. There is so much that it offers in terms of plots, narratives and what actually took place. Henry VIII has always been a personality that has been elusive in history. Writers and biographers have tried hard to document everything about him and his six wives, and most of it has been brilliant stuff. To add to this “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel was released in 2009 and won the Booker Prize as well for its taut writing and great storytelling.

Wolf Hall told the story of the Tudor Era from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell and his growing up years and how he came to be assigned to Court as Henry’s closest confidant and Master Secretary. The book also depicted Katharine of Aragon’s state at court and how the entire council, especially Cromwell plotted to get King Henry a divorce from her and marry his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn.

Bring up the Bodies begins in September of 1535 and covers just over one year. Anne Boleyn has been married to King Henry VIII for just under 3 years. She has born him a daughter, Elizabeth, who will rule England one day. She has not managed to produce a male heir. England is in a state of turmoil due to Henry’s drifting away from the Vatican and his controversial annulment to his beloved first wife, Katharine. Amidst all this Jane Seymour – the Queen’s lady-in-waiting catches the King’s attention and everything is a mess. Anne has a miscarriage the same day as Queen Katharine is buried. King Henry wants out of the marriage and this is not a good sign for Anne or her family, that schemed and plotted to make her Queen.

Hilary Mantel as usual does a fantastic job of Historical Fiction. The first of her books that I read was, “A Place of Great Safety” – which is based around the time of the French Revolution focusing on the lives of Georges Danton, Camille Desmoulins and Maximilien Robespierre, and not to mention was again brilliantly told.

The reason I love her books is that the descriptions come alive instantly. While reading Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies, one feels that Mantel has successfully transported you to 16th century England and its problems.

King Henry VIII’s life and times have always fascinated me. However, this book is less about him and more about Thomas Cromwell and what he experiences at Court. Thomas Cromwell’s character is sketched to perfection. He is struggling throughout the book – to do what is right to the King and what he thinks is correct. This conflict has been brought about superbly in the book.

Hilary Mantel’s skill surpasses in this book and I cannot wait to read the third book, which will complete the trilogy of Thomas Cromwell. Her writing is to the point and precise. The narrative is intricate. Mantel’s writing moves through Cromwell’s consciousness from thought to thought, as the drama of Anne Boleyn’s life is played out. I will for sure read more of her books, which I have missed in the past. One of the few writers whose craft is super.

Here is my favourite quote from the book:

“Those who are made can be unmade”

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Book Review: Hide me among the Graves by Tim Powers

Title: Hide me among the Graves
Author: Tim Powers
Publisher: William Morrow, Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-0061231544
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Pages: 528
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

This is the first Tim Powers novel I have read and can confidently say that may be I will read another one. I liked this one. I did not love it but I sure did like it a lot. The blend of fantasy fiction and historical fiction intrigued and that’s what prompted me to read this book. I am glad I did. It was a different sort of experience for me.

Hide me among the Graves is a very distant sequel to his book, The Stress of her Regard (you don’t have to read this one first). The book is about pre-Raphaelite painter Gabriel Dante Rossetti and poetess Christina Rossetti as they fight the Nephilic vampires banished by the Romantic poets Byron and Shelley. Interesting, isn’t it? There is more to it than this. Someone re-woke the Nephilim and Christina invited one of the vampires to her house, in the form of her uncle John Polidori, and now everyone is in danger – of not dying but of turning to a vampire. The Rossetti family is accompanied by an ex-prostitute, Adelaide, her lover and a missing daughter.

This is the plot and thus begins the Victorian journey of Goth and Darkness. Hide me among the Graves is a very fast read. One doesn’t have to think so much while reading it and once a while you need a book like this, amongst the literary reads. The characters are unlikely and you will not know what hit you as you read along. Imagine Christina Rossetti fighting a vampire – I love this kind of flights of fancy in books, the unexpected always lurking to take you by surprise.

Tim Powers’ writing is sharp and meant for readers who are into vampires but not of the pop kind. The book has famed poets and artists peeping from the pages and the reader can sense Powers’ love for the Classical. The secondary characters are also well-rounded and not ignored in the book, which is another plus for me when I read a book.

The setting of the book is brilliant – Victorian London – dark and cold, perfect for a book of this nature. Hide me among the Graves is a delightful read – it has the “secret fantasy” element that unravels itself as you go along and at the same time it mingles with the classical without getting too pedantic (though sometimes predictable). I enjoyed the book.

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Book Review: The Legend of Amrapali by Anurag Anand

Title: The Legend of Amrapali
Author: Anurag Anand
Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors
ISBN: 978-9380349473
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5/5

Historical fiction is not an easy subject to dabble with for a writer. Let us get that clear before I begin writing this review. Also let me make it very clear that to merge the two – history and fiction is no easy task. The facts get mingled with fiction and vice-versa, and leave readers either satisfied or disgruntled or wanting more to chew on.

Not too much ground has been covered with reference to Indian Historical Fiction. There is scope for lots more or maybe it is just that it doesn’t get spoken about as much as its counterparts. It is because of these notions and presumptions; I steer clear of Indian Historical Fiction. With great trepidation I started reading Anurag Anand’s, “The Legend of Amrapali”. It was the plot that drove me to it – how much do we really know about the famed town wife (loosely put, a prostitute for some)? Was she even one? Did she have an exclusive lover? The one true love of her life? There have been movies made on her, however I am sure this book is one of its kind.

The version we know: Amrapali was a courtesan. Famed, intelligent and beautiful, who lived in the city of Vaishali, the capital city of the Lichchavi clan, one of the eight Kshatriya clans that united to form the Vajjan confederacy. She was declared to be the state courtesan so there would be no fights amongst her suitors (she had those many, yes). Amrapali also had an affair with Bimbisara, King of neighbouring Magadha and also bore him a son. Later she turned to Buddhism and so did her son. This is the acceptable version. The one we know and concede with.

Anurag Anand’s version on the other hand is somewhat different. There are twists and turns at almost every chapter and make the reader wonder: Is this true or not? Maybe not, however that is what historical fiction is supposed to be (as I mentioned earlier): a good blend of facts and fiction. In this version, Manudeva is the King of the Vajji confederacy who is infatuated with Amrapali and wants her to be his at any cost. On the other hand, she has a lover Pushpakar, who obviously loves her a lot. The King proposes. Amrapali rejects it. Pushpakar dies in the bargain and Amrapali is made the state courtesan. What follows and makes the rest of the story is her revenge exacted on the King.

There are times when the plot loses its finesse and grip. The writing is racy and easy to comprehend. Anurag has tried and succeeded in painting a picture of an era lost and not remembered. Amrapali’s characterization is superbly done – demure, beautiful and vengeful at the same time. I am guessing that was the idea. There are too many things happening at the same time. Having said that, the book is a welcome change, in the sense to get to know Amrapali better (to some extent) and understand what could have been the other side of the story. I would recommend it as a one-time read, but for sure if you want to know about her, then give it a try.

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Book Review: Elizabeth I by Margaret George

Title: Elizabeth I
Author: Margaret George
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 978-0670022533
PP: 688 pages
Price: $30.00
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

One might think that reading through 688 pages is daunting but I tend to prefer longer novels – they allow me to really reside in the book and get to know the characters. One of my favorite female heroines is Elizabeth the First and one of my favorite historical novelists is Margaret George so I figured this would be a perfect combination – and I was right! For me knowing more about the Tudor era and what transpired through historical fiction is like icing on the proverbial cake. I love that era and what went on in that time. To be able to imagine and know what could have actually happened and no better than Margaret George to do it for me.

Unlike most historical fiction novels, even many of George’s previous works, Elizabeth I doesn’t start at her birth and move forward from there. Instead the book begins in 1588, during Pope Sixtus V’s call to the Catholic faithful to aid in the deposition of “that wicked queen of England, the pretender” Queen Elizabeth. By this time, Bess has occupied the throne for thirty years and has faced many a threat to her crown, both from within and without the realm. Now she must deal with the greatest threat of all, the famed Spanish Armada which, armed with the Pope’s blessing, sails towards England’s shores with invasion and conquest as its goals. What follows is an intimate look at Elizabeth’s life as she navigates this and other crises during the last fifteen years of her reign, detailing both her political machinations as well as the lesser-known moments of her private life.

The novel is co-narrated by Elizabeth herself and begins in 1588 as she enters late middle age . Co-narrator is her cousin, Lettice Knollys – the woman who had the audacity to actually marry the queen’s main squeeze – Robert Dudley, The Earl of Leicester. Covering the last 25 years of Elizabeth’s illustrious reign this book puts a very human face on the great Queen – complete with her need to keep notes to jog her memory, hot flashes that are troublesome, the sadness of the loss of more and more long time friends and trusted advisers.

The characters are rounded out, well developed and made very human – among the stand-outs are William Shakespeare, Francis Drake, Francis Bacon, Walter Raleigh, William and Robert Cecil and the indomitable Earl of Essex – Robert Deveraux, the step-son of Robert Dudley and the son of Lettice Knollys- who Elizabeth had taken under her wing and upon whom she had lavished many rewards and titles.

Ms George’s use of dialog and description draw us easily into her story. It’s as if we are the proverbial “little birds” sitting on the shoulders of her characters, seeing and hearing all the private and mysterious secrets of Elizabeth, Lettice, her Deliahish cousin, and her beloved men think and do. Robert Dudley, Elizabeth’s life-long love tugs at our hearts while we feel her longing and heartbreak over his loyalties, desires and, then betrayals.

Although George has taken a few liberties with timing and the placement of personages, which she dutifully notes in her afterword, her faithfulness to historical accuracy is impressive, yet never dry or tinged with an academic monotone. Elizabeth and her court come to life; they are living, breathing people, not dissimilar from you or I in their desires or feelings.

George immerses you in the time period, to where you can hear the rustle and hissing of silken dresses as Elizabeth strides the halls of Whitehall, feel the sting of a chill drizzle as she rides out upon the grounds of Greenwich Park, hear the rambunctious music fueling the unfettered Twelfth Night celebrations. Though much of Elizabeth’s life is unknown, especially her private interactions with her close confidants and advisors, George presents those scenes so realistically, it’s hard to believe those conversations didn’t take place exactly as she describes. Elizabeth, both as a woman and as a ruler, was an enigmatic figure, a woman of contradictions in her behavior and quixotic in her moods. No one in her court ever really knew her, which was just as she liked it, but which makes her all the more alluring and frustrating to later generations. However, George has done a superb job of making a window into Elizabeth’s soul, even as Elizabeth, so she famously said, would not do unto others, presenting a fresh, clear-eyed perspective on this complex woman.

Book Review: The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

Title: The Memoirs of Cleopatra
Author: Margaret George
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-0312187453
PP: 976 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Price: $18.99
Source: Author
Rating: 4/5

I was excited to read about Cleopatra from the author of such a wonderful historical novel as “Autobiography of Henry VIII”. I was also glad that she reverted to using the first person narrative after the less successful re-telling of the story of Mary, Queen of Scotts. I have to say that I enjoyed “The Memoirs of Cleopatra”, but it still fell short of my expectations.

The biggest problem I had when reading this book is to tune out “Masters of Rome” series of books by Colleen McCullough. After reading the series, I could only look at the history of Ancient Rome through McCullough’s eyes and any departure from her story-telling did not sit well with me, even though Margaret George could have been more accurate with her description.

The first disparity was the identity of Cleopatra’s mother. In “Memoirs of Cleopatra”, she is described as Ptolemy VII’s half-sister. In “Fortune’s Favorites” and “Caesar’s Women” by Colleen McCullough, she is described as a daughter of King Mithradates of Pontus. This little detail is probably insignificant but McCullough’s version makes Cleopatra’s connection to Rome’s enemies poignant. Also, McCullough describes an affair between Caesar and Mithradates Nysa, who is in her version Cleopatra’s mother’s sister or Cleopatra’s aunt. It would have been an interesting connection to explore if Margaret George decided to follow this version of Cleopatra’s story as well. Although she did not explore any of these possibilities, I kept thinking about all of these connections and that hindered my enjoyment of the novel.

The most interesting paradox between the two treatments of Cleopatra’s story is the character of Caesar. McCullough devotes all of her books in the series so far to him and he comes out to be a completely different person than Margaret George makes him out to be in “The Memoirs of Cleopatra”. I have to agree with George’s depiction of Caesar. He is shown as an almost infallible person that he undoubtedly was (almost being the imperative word here since McCullough makes him god on earth). However, by this time, I have already bought into McCullough’s legend of Caesar so it was a bit disappointing to read about this human version.

Other characters that appear in both places confused me. I liked Marc Antony in George’s version better because he appeared as more complex individual than in McCullough’s version. In her books, he is just a beast in human clothing. Octavian is shown with more potential for later brilliance in McCullough’s version, so that is why I like him better in her novels. George makes his emergence unexpected although she writes from Cleopatra’s point of view and that might be how she perceived him. Fulvia is too one-dimensional in George’s version — she’s just some shameless hussy who can’t live without a man by her side. I think Fulvia was too unique and interesting (after all she captured the imaginations of Claudius, Curio, and Antony — very different and strong individuals) for her time to have so little said about her. But again Cleopatra’s perception of her might have been different.

The characters that appear only in George’s version are extremely well realized. Olympus and Mardian were fascinating and the author really let us get to know them. Ptolemy Caesar appears as such a wonderful and brilliant boy that his fate is truly tragic. The Kandake was also an unusual strong female role-model that is hardly, if ever, heard of in the story of Cleopatra.

Cleopatra herself is a wonderful character. George did a wonderful job getting inside her psyche. She was certainly brilliant and a good politician who, alas, followed her heart more often than her reason. I like the way George makes a distinction between Cleopatra’s love for Caesar and her love for Antony. The best scene in the whole book is the plan and description of Cleopatra’s death. It is amazing that the author can make the readers feel triumphant that this woman is killing herself.

The biggest problems with this novel are that it is too long and there are inconsistencies in the description. Cleopatra’s stay in Rome is hard to reconcile with history because of so many inconsistencies. For example, how could she cross the pomerium into the city of Rome if no anointed ruler can do that? The length is really felt here because some key moments in time are summarized while superfluous details are elaborated to the point of boredom. All in all, this is a great epic on Cleopatra’s life.

Book Review: Heartstone by C.J.Sansom

Title: Heartstone
Author: C.J. Sansom
Publisher: Panmacmillan
ISBN: 9780330533799
Genre: Historical Crime Fiction, Literary Fiction
PP: 725 pages
Price: Rs. 299
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

In “Heartstone,” C. J. Sansom embroils his hero, lawyer and do-gooder Matthew Shardlake, in several intrigues that take him away from London for a large part of the novel. It is 1545, and the profligate King Henry VIII is squeezing his subjects dry in order to wage an expensive military campaign against France. The king has ordered English currency devalued, levied heavy taxes, conscripted every able-bodied Englishman, and even hired foreign mercenaries to wage war against the enemy.

Matthew, who is forty-three and hunchbacked, has never married but is a respected member of Lincoln’s Inn. He frequently puts aside his professional interests to get involved in other people’s business. For instance, he often visits Ellen Fettiplace, a woman who has been in Bedlam for nineteen years and has grown attached to Shardlake. Although he has no romantic feelings for Ellen, he is determined to find out who placed her in the asylum and why. In another matter, Queen Catherine Parr asks Matthew to look into the case of Hugh Curtey, a ward of Sir Nicholas Hobbey. There is some suspicion that Hugh has been exploited and Catherine wants Matthew to investigate the allegation.

Along with his intrepid assistant, Jack Barak, Matthew takes to the road, and a long road it is. Not only will he end up in Portsmouth, where Henry’s huge militia is preparing to defend the English coast from invasion, but he will also tangle with ruthless and greedy men who are willing to kill in order to keep their secrets hidden. Barak would rather stay in London with his pregnant wife, Tamasin; however, in order to avoid military service, he accompanies Shardlake. Matthew is intelligent, compassionate, prone to melancholy, stubborn, and a bit obsessive. Even when threatened with bodily harm, he refuses to abandon his inquiries.

“Heartstone” is fluid, informative, entertaining, and a marvel of research. The author’s period detail and descriptive writing are impressive. Sansom includes maps and background information that add realism to this intricate tale. We inhabit sixteenth century England and experience what life was like for royalty, gentlemen, farmers, merchants, and particularly soldiers (they sometimes ate rotten food, lived in flea-infested quarters, and took orders from arrogant and abusive commanders). Their reward? To get “ripped apart and slaughtered in battle.” We get glimpses of the powerful weaponry on a gigantic warship. In addition, the author points how widespread corruption and favoritism were at every level of government, and how bitter the enmity was between the affluent and those who lived from hand to mouth.

Each character is scrupulously depicted. Ellen at times appears to be irrational, but she has moments of great calm and lucidity. What terrible memories make her terrified of leaving the institution? Nicholas Hobbey and his wife, Abigail, are obviously keeping something from Matthew, but can he learn what it is in time to help Hugh? Among the villains is a familiar face, Sir Richard Rich, who is back to give Matthew even more grief. Historical novels are hard to write. One can write history and one can write a good novel; but to do both – write good history into a good novel with believable characters requires an artistic chemistry which few authors possess. Sansom does; and it shows.

Some may balk at the book’s length (over six hundred pages), but those who love high-quality British historical fiction will welcome this new installment in an excellent series.

An Interview with Ashwin Sanghi

Ok. So I was a little blown away after reading Chanakya’s Chant. I mean, the plot intrigued me for sure but it was also the writing, which was hands down taut and had so much to say. And that is when I decided that Sanghi’s interview had to be a part of my blog and here it is…Hope you enjoy it. The review will soon follow…

Why historical fiction?

I grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha. In school, my favourite subject was history. Sure, I hated the boredom of memorization but I loved reading about wars, kings, revolutions and spiritual movements. I was transported into a mysterious and magical world of the past. I see India’s present (and our future) deeply rooted in the past. No matter how big a banyan grows, it has to depend on its roots for stability and strength. As economic growth happens, the new emerging generations of Indians will need to fall back upon their history, culture and mythology to keep themselves rooted.

Wasn’t it difficult to run parallels in the book, one historical and the other modern?

Not really. I usually spend around six months researching a subject before I get down to writing the story. By the time that I start
writing, I have before me a road map that plots every twist and turn in the plot. In the present instance, I had two independent plots
before me, one ancient and one modern. I simply needed to analyze the points of commonality and ensure that they meshed at the right places… a little bit like coordinating the arrivals and departures of two trains via the same platform.

A thriller and a semi-literary novel. How did you manage the writing for this one?

I don’t know which one of my books you’ve christened “semi-literary” because I’m not part of that exalted circle! I’m simply a commercial paperback writer who enjoys spinning good old-fashioned yarns. My primary objective is to entertain my audience. If you’re looking for allegory, intricately woven descriptive passages, hidden meanings or award-winning literary prose, I’m not your guy!

Ashwin, the writer…

During the release of Chanakya’s Chant, Dr Shashi Tharoor said that writers like me are writing for Indian audiences almost exclusively. In his view, my breed represents a new generation of Indian writers who don’t really care whether western audiences will appreciate us. Dr. Tharoor called it “the smuggling of Indianness past the immigration inspectors of English literature”. Thus, Ashwin the writer is also a smuggler!

Ashwin, the reader…

My grandfather used to give me a new book every week provided that I wrote a review about the one that I had read the previous week. This tradition started when I was ten and went on until I was twenty-two. I owe my love of reading to him and to my mother who would make reading more palatable by smuggling in a few more interesting paperbacks. Thus, Ashwin the reader was also created via smuggling!

From Jesus to Chanakya, what is the next on the table?

History gets my creative juices flowing, so it would have to be historical fiction… that’s more or less the DNA of my genre. Beyond
that, I can share that the story draws from from an event that happened in the 7th century AD. For the rest, you’ll have to read the
book when it’s complete!

How does it feel to know that Chanakya’s Chant was touted above Salman Rushdie’s books?

It wasn’t really. What Shashi Tharoor said was that Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children opened the door for Indian writers like me who are writing with an Indian sensibility for an Indian audience and that we have taken the process to its logical conclusion.

Why wasn’t there more detailing in the mind of Chanakya in the book?

The one single element that I cannot and will not compromise on is pace. Character development, building the scene, background
information and discussions of protagonist’s motivations… they all take away from pace. I use them sparingly, possibly to the chagrin of some readers, because I would not want my reader to have to consciously think about whether they need to turn the page.

Your top 10 all-time favourite books…

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle; War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy; Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie; Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer; Messiah by Ian Rankin; All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren; The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam; Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov; Roots by Alex Hailey; The Almighty by Irving Wallace.

Chanakya’s Chant by Ashwin Sanghi is available at all leading bookstores.

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland

Now I am a great fan of historical fiction but have been a bit averse to the genre because most tell the stories of kings, princesses, and prostitutes with very campy romantic plots that have been recycled and overused to the point of it being absolutely unbearable to those who are looking for a bit more variety in their historical fictions.

Well with Karen Maitland’s Company of Liars, I’ve at last found a book that I simply cannot recommend highly enough.

This novel is completely driven by enigmatic and likable characters (enough with the prostitute with the heart of gold bit!). Needless to say, nobody gets embroiled in a passionate and forbidden love affair, nor are there prostitutes to be delivered into the arms of merry monarchs after a life of misery and suffering. Instead, readers are transported to 14th century England to the time of the Black Plague as nine desperate strangers attempt to escape death as it inexorably surrounds them. We follow this group of strangers across their travels throughout countrysides and villages as the readers truly get a sense of the time and period as lived by people gripped by the plague (Ain’t that refreshing? A historical period not described through the eyes of a princess or prostitute but just ordinary, simple folk). Truly, what made this book a true gem are the characters. We have nine strangers with distinct and believable personas (yes there is a young girl who can seemingly predict the future but this trait only adds to the unexpected ‘creepy’ factor in this novel as she is not your average ‘helpless, young, blonde peasant’) and the mix of the bunch as the plot twists and turns is what makes this a real page-turner.

Additionally, it was hard to say where the story was gonna go. All we are given at the beginning is that this rag-tag group is trying to escape the plague…. and as you read on you genuinely do start to care about each character (even the horrid, nasty one(s)). As one gets absorbed with the struggles that the group of travellers face, readers also become familiar with each character bit by bit. A process that I truly relished and enjoyed as Maitland writes ever so vividly but without exaggeration. The dialogue between characters and description of settings are very readable- Maitland is very straight-forward with her words without feeling the need to romanticize every paragraph.

However you do have to ask yourself why you would want to read a book set in this time period? Is it to learn more about the plague? Or is it to get absorbed in a wonderful fictional story contained in such a setting. Some reviewers did not like this book because of a historical factual slip or two but really it is the characters and their story within the backdrop of the plague that makes this book a winner. Who cares if one little event mentioned in passing by the author didn’t actually happen when the author said it did? It had zero consequences on the plot and lives of the characters. There are more exciting and unsettling things going on with the story to be bothered by an inconsequential slip.

However a word of caution: As one settles into the story, the reader must not forget what this book is called: COMPANY OF LIARS…. yes, and when a story is this good with characters so well written- I almost forgot that there is plenty of deception going on, but what about and why? For the most part we have the leader of the group doing most of the narration- a very likable central figure… and as he tells the story and others in the group tell theirs as well, it is a little bit unnerving and quite the psychological delight to try and guess what the lies being told are and for what purpose? As soon as you decide which characters you like and which you don’t…. and the creepy little girl starts to give hints as to what may be going on…. and a single sentence gives you a hint that a character you adore may not be what he seems…. it’s this VERY SUBTLE and yet ensnaring mind-game that makes this book a must-read and a page-turner in every sense of the word.

Company of Liars; Maitland, Karen; Penguin UK; £7.99

The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George

I love British history, and in particular Henry VIII. Having read much of the scholarly works concerning the Tudors, I was hungry for something that would flesh out and balance the often spare dry prose of scholars. I found it in Margaret George’s Autobiography of King Henry VIII.

Ms. George uses the voice of Henry’s Fool-Will Somers, to add an additional and often fascinating look at this troubled but brilliant monarch. Will has a keen, dry, sardonic wit which he uses to great effect throughout the book. It is Will who allows us a glimpse of a very human fallible man, who often was ahead of his time in so many ways.

The greatest gift Ms. George brings to us through this book is to be able to visualize Henry from his early childhood forward. We are finally able to see the motivations for many of the future King’s actions. Here is an able and highly sensitive talented boy. Superior to his much loved elder brother Arthur in every way. Arthur, the future King of England, is his father’s pride and joy. King Henry VII sees the boy as England’s hope. Everything Henry does, by contrast, is constantly overshadowed by his princely brother.

Henry VIII began reading at 3 years of age. By the age of 7 he was already something of a genius, with a gift of languages, a talent for the arts and an absolutely fearless attitude towards life. Arthur, in contrast, was fearful, weak and indecisive. How that rankled the brilliant child, to see an inferior sibling chosen for the throne.

When Katherine of Aragon, the Spanish Princess is betrothed to Arthur, Henry is beside himself. For here is the shining symbol of all he has been deprived of. When Arthur dies of a fever shortly after his marriage, Henry is secretly thrilled. But his father, knowing the boy’s secret aspirations, rounds on him and torments him unmercifully.

Here Ms. George lays the foundation for all of Henry’s future actions. At his father’s knee, the child learns much of treachery, manipulation, and the misuse of power. Yet, the inner longing to be known as a fair just King overrides the negative imprints of his childhood.

Crowned King Henry VIII, he set about making the English court a haven for artists, writers and scientists. He alone created the great Renaissance in British history. His own contributions were enormous. From beautifully redesigned palaces, to boat building, music, and great written tracts on a variety of subjects. One which earned him the title “Defender of the Faith.”

He was the foremost jouster in the land, the fairest dancer and keenest hunter. He was known far and wide as the best King living, and England’s own Flower of Chivalry. Ms. George handles the long slow slide into paranoia and suffering so ably and does it in such a humane compassionate way, that at last, we can see a fully realized man beneath the myth.

Ms. George’s Henry is not just a bloated corpulent beast, but rather a troubled, hurt and mistrustful man. Not without cause, for everywhere he turns plots, cabals and intrigue abound. His failure to secure the throne through a son lay at the bottom of much of Henry’s difficulties. During this period of time, witches, demons and superstition walked abroad, hand in hand with a blossoming logic about the concrete nature of the world.

Much has been made of Henry’s fear of and accusations about witchcraft. Put in the context of those early years, it’s not extraordinary at all. So that when Henry first discovers his second wife Anne Boleyn might be using black magic, his blood ran cold. Given the testimony of highly credible witnesses, Henry had little choice but to believe his quixotic mercurial wife was guilty. Given that though rare, Henry himself could have been accused by association if he hadn’t complied with the verdict, then all the man’s actions become more understandable.

Ms. George has written a masterpiece of human psychology, spicing it up with exquisite depictions of court life during Henry VIII’s reign. She has gifted us with a rare but much needed honest look at this maligned monarch. For here we have a Henry we can understand. We can at times feel deeply for the lost hurt and jealous second son. We can share in his hunger for love and knowledge, knowing that these things don’t come easily to a sitting King.

Finally, we can feel his physical suffering, and glimpse the self hate as he becomes fatter and less regal. Most of all we can peer into his heart and begin to see the folly of his delusions about women and love.

This is a book begging to be put up on the silver screen. Where Ms. George’s work in all its beauty depth and fascinating complexity can truly shine. If you want a rare look at who the real King Henry VIII was, don’t miss this lively, lavish and fascinating book.

Autobiography of Henry VIII, The; George, Margaret; St. Martin’s Griffin; $17.99

Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland

Susan Vreeland’s “Clara and Mr. Tiffany” celebrates the life of Tiffany Studio artist Clara Driscoll, who until the disclosure of recent scholarship was one of the unnamed talents behind the aesthetic luxury of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained glass creations. Vreeland utilizes letters written by Driscoll to her family in Ohio and the information formulating the book “A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls” to flesh out a well-designed portrait of turn-of-the-century New York as lushly detailed as a Currier and Ives print of Central Park.

Is this a novel, or merely a fictionalized biography? Although it is written with a novelist’s skill–with believable dialogue, convincing characterization, and vivid description–it doesn’t exactly tell a story, because the “plot” so closely follows the chronological events in the life of Clara Driscoll, the likely true designer of the famous Tiffany lamp.

As author Vreeland states in her Acknowledgments: “Were it not for the zest of Victorians for regular and detailed letter writing, the world would not have known of Clara Driscoll . . . .” Vreeland’s novel is based on Clara’s detailed correspondence to family members about her work in Louis Comfort Tiffany’s glass studios from 1892 onward. The correspondence, which did not come to light until 2005, has convinced at least some experts that the famous art nouveau “Tiffany lamps”, with their butterfly-, dragonfly-, and floral-themed leaded-glass shades, were not Tiffany’s creation at all, but were actually the product of Clara’s ideas and designs.

Vreeland takes the reader inside the Tiffany workrooms, and does an excellent job of describing the extraordinary effort put forth by designers, glass selectors, glass cutters, and foundry workers in hand-crafting each new Tiffany lamp. (To better appreciate Clara’s brilliance as a designer and production supervisor, readers should visit the Tiffany-studios web site, and follow through the beautifully illustrated description of the making of a replica Tiffany “tulip” lamp. Also, check out the photos of Clara’s dragonfly, butterfly, wisteria, and other lamp shade and base designs.)

Vreeland brings to life the oddball bunch of characters (free-thinking landlady, gay artists, businessmen, straight-laced married couple, others) that Clara encountered daily at her boardinghouse; and also provides glimpses into the luxurious Gilded Age lifestyle of Tiffany himself, a member of the extraordinarily wealthy upper class. In the novel, it is hardly surprising that Clara feels a special, intimate, artistic bond with Tiffany–because of their long-shared secret plan to develop a lamp with a leaded-glass shade. But of course, the plain-faced Clara is practical enough to look for a husband within her own social class. And even after falling in love, Clara is in no hurry to marry, because of the strict Tiffany Studios rule against employing married women. As soon as she marries, Clara will be forced to abandon the glass designing work that means the world to her. (Photos of Clara and the “Tiffany girls” employed in the glass studio can be found by searching the web).

Because I have always loved Tiffany lamps, the novel makes me want to read Clara Driscoll’s letters for myself, to separate the facts of her life from the fictional details so ably supplied by author Vreeland. Although the novel reads too much like biography to suit my personal taste in fiction, it is nevertheless interesting, entertaining, and is “a good read” that tells a fictionalized “story behind the story” of the iconic Tiffany lamp. I rate the novel at 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Clara and Mr. Tiffany; Vreeland, Susan; Random House; $26.00