October was a busy month with lots of travel, so I was focusing on finishing one book at a time. Here’s what I’ve been reading lately.
Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery – Eric Ives
The great Eric Ives tackles the story of Jane Grey from a different perspective. How did the woman who was the nominated heir to the throne with full support of the government lose? Ives also explains why Mary Tudor was the actual usurper and how she wound up as queen. It’s an interesting way to explore the Nine Days’ Queen, and I thought it was pretty interesting.
Washington’s Secret War: The Hidden History of Valley Forge – Thomas Fleming
To be honest, I never really felt I read about the hidden history of Valley Forge. The author gives lots of (probably too much) information about what led the Continental Army to Valley Forge. He also gave basic information about what happened while they were there. This book could benefit from a really good editor who starts with the question of “what is the hidden history?”
A Brief History of The Tudor Age – Jasper Ridley
Another book that could do with some editing. The Tudor Age gives a solid overview of England from 1485 to 1603. But there are a lot of just factual errors. Dates, locations, and even people are identified incorrectly. If all of the errors were fixed, it would be a good snapshot of Tudor England.
Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life – Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
This is a memoir written by the Bush twins about life thus far. It’s a collection of essays from both Barbara and Jenna. Some of them cover the same events from each of their sides, and some are unique to each of them. Overall, it was a very sincere and easy to read story of their lives. I enjoyed it.
Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII’s Discarded Bride – Elizabeth Norton
Another book by Elizabeth Norton about a Queen of England. Anne of Cleves was Henry VIII’s fourth wife and was the second “divorced” in the rhyme. She grew up in a German duchy and became Henry’s queen after Jane Seymour died. I would say that Anne was one of the ultimate survivors of the Tudor Age. Henry’s request for a divorce devastated her, but she recovered and received a big payout for it. This was an interesting read with the focus on Anne, instead of her just as a side character.
Have you read anything interesting lately?
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