The Six Wives of Henry VIII

I read this book because I wanted to learn more about the characters I saw on Showtime's "The Tudors." And boy, did I! There's a lot of information here. My favorite part was the story of Catherine of Aragon, who didn't receive as much attention in the TV show. In real life, she was a complex person, flawed but very strong, and the book shows how she was a product of her family and the culture of her time.

I was a little hesitant about listening to a nonfiction historical biography, but Alison Weir is a favorite historian/author of mine.
She delivered with this masterpiece!

Simon Prebble delivered a perfect performance, I am not always a big fan of Simon Prebble, but he really is excellent in this narration.

Why am I so happy? Thank you for asking.
It just so happens, that Alison Weir, is one of my all time favorite authors. And if that is not enough, Simon Prebble, is (you guessed it) one of my all time favorite narrators.
Put both of those things together, and then, add the fact that I have been waiting for this book to come out in an unabridged format, for what seems like FOREVER!
So, now you know.
This book is well worth the credit! Snap it up as soon as you can. You'll be glad you did!

Not a new title but a solid pick for any history buff, reality-show junkie or anyone interested in reading about a king of immense capacity, talent, drive, charm, intelligence ... and unbridled lust. From a true Renaissance man of letters and politics, Henry faces the twin drives of a need for a male heir and an unrestrained sexual appetite and proceeds through his reign with increasing frustration, desire and rapacity. As complex as he is towering, the women are treated with balance and moderation. A fine listen!

His first wife, faithful, strong and pious, sets a standard no other wives could match.

I thought that the book was rewarding and if you have interest in this particular period of history than you will enjoy this book.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII / B009PRIE2K

I gave "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" five stars when I rated the text version, and I'm happy to give this audiobook the same, or at least four-and-a-half stars. I don't care for Simon Prebble as much as for Weir's other narrators; in general I prefer narrators of the same gender as the author for non-fiction, and in specific to this case, I don't care for some of Prebble's pronunciations. I preferred Judith Boyd's ("The Lady in the Tower") smooth "Shap-we" (for Eustace Chapuys) to Prebble's "Chap-poo-we". But these are minor flaws that I'm prepared to forgive for the sake of the overall text.

If you're coming to the audiobook without having read the book, this is a solid scholarly look at the six wives of Henry VIII, from the childhood of Katherine of Aragon to the death of Anne of Cleves. I especially enjoy that this book really is about the wives and not about Henry, and I also highly recommend the following companion text "The Children of Henry VIII".

~ Ana Mardoll

Facts Are Fun!

I appreciated that the book was based on historical facts, but not dry and uninteresting.

Great as always!

Though this book is non-fiction, the facts are still so interesting that it's occasionally hard to believe that these things actually happened.

I would recommend this audiobook, it is an easy listen and is full of interesting history that makes for an excellent story.

Learning about the less famous wives of Henry VIII was awesome.

The courting of each woman is really interesting.

I don't recall crying or laughing.

I like the narrator's voice

One of the best. It was really fun and interesting.

There were no characters in the book per say, but I liked Henry's last wife, Catherine, best.

No, I had not had the pleasure, but I enjoyed his narrating quite a bit with this book.

Not quite, but only because of the sheer length of the book.

A great book to listen to for anyone interested in Henry VIII. Alison Weir wrote a splendid book, and Simon Prebble narrated it superbly.

Read from January 21 to February 01, 2013

Excellent read. I have read several books that cover the lives of the Tudors and more specifically Elizabeth, Mary and Henry. However, none had done much with the wives of Henry VIII beyond Jane Seymour having been the mother of Edward VI. So I picked this one up and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Weir has written several first class histories on this period so there is much overlap. The first third of the book was not only familiar, but in some cases a direct re-tracing of steps. However, the details were oriented toward the lives of the wives, not the politics or religion. In the middle of the book the story provides detail on not only the lives of the wives, but of Henry as a husband and private person. Weir creates a portrait of a powerful leader struggling with ruling a nation while growing older, heavier and having massive issues with fatherhood and fathering.

As the book gets to Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr, Weir does not disappoint. In many respects this is the same story I've read from the point of view of the Children of Henry, the Life of Elizabeth and other histories, but from the point of view and experience of these three women. Weir creates portraits of real people which allow the reader a meaningful experience beyond a simple understanding of the facts.

All six of these women had fascinating stories. Having been married to Catherine of Aragon the longest, the largest single portion involves her life. Having been married to Catherine Howard for the shortest interval, the book tells the tale and moves on. I enjoyed Weir's following through with the stories of Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr who outlived Henry. Thus, this was truly the story of the wives from beginning to end.