The Tudors

The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty

By: G. J. Meyer

Narrated by: Robin Sachs

Length: 24 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller

For the first time in decades comes a fresh look at the fabled Tudor dynasty, comprising some of the most enigmatic figures ever to rule a country.

“A thoroughly readable and often compelling narrative...Five centuries have not diminished the appetite for all things Tudor.” (Associated Press)

For the first time in decades, here, in a single volume, is a fresh look at the fabled Tudor dynasty, comprising some of the most enigmatic figures ever to rule a country. Acclaimed historian G. J. Meyer reveals the flesh-and-bone reality in all its wild excess.

In 1485, young Henry Tudor, whose claim to the throne was so weak as to be almost laughable, crossed the English Channel from France at the head of a ragtag little army and took the crown from the family that had ruled England for almost four hundred years. Half a century later his son, Henry VIII, desperate to rid himself of his first wife in order to marry a second, launched a reign of terror aimed at taking powers no previous monarch had even dreamed of possessing. In the process he plunged his kingdom into generations of division and disorder, creating a legacy of blood and betrayal that would blight the lives of his children and the destiny of his country.

The boy king Edward VI, a fervent believer in reforming the English church, died before bringing to fruition his dream of a second English Reformation. Mary I, the disgraced daughter of Catherine of Aragon, tried and failed to reestablish the Catholic Church and produce an heir. And finally came Elizabeth I, who devoted her life to creating an image of herself as Gloriana the Virgin Queen but, behind that mask, sacrificed all chance of personal happiness in order to survive.

The Tudors weaves together all the sinners and saints, the tragedies and triumphs, the high dreams and dark crimes, that reveal the Tudor era to be, in its enthralling, notorious truth, as momentous and as fascinating as the fictions audiences have come to love.

Praise for The Tudors

“A rich and vibrant tapestry.” (The Star-Ledger)

“Energetic and comprehensive...[a] sweeping history of the gloriously infamous Tudor era... Unlike the somewhat ponderous British biographies of the Henrys, Elizabeths, and Boleyns that seem to pop up perennially, The Tudors displays flashy, fresh irreverence [and cuts] to the quick of the action.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“[A] cheeky, nuanced, and authoritative perspective...brims with enriching background discussions.” (Publishers Weekly)

“[A] lively new history.” (Bloomberg)

©2010 G.J. Meyer (P)2010 Random House

A Real History Lesson

I enjoyed this book a lot. I am currently rewatching The Tudors and I love picking out the factual things and the things they got very wrong on the show - drama, anyone? I enjoyed hearing about the pre-Henry VIII rulers. I feel like I didn't get a lot of Elizabeth in her portion of the book, but more of the men surrounding her. However, I learned more about her vanity and deformities than I knew before.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes Tudor history.

Very revealing

loved the factual story of the Tudors. many myths dispelled and questions answered. we'll worth the listen

Easy to follow the trail

What about Robin Sachs’s performance did you like?

Very good narration.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but impossible to do unless you're an insomniac.

Any additional comments?

If they had taught history in this way in school, I would have been an A student.

Another great one from G.J. Meyer

I pretty much love anything by G.J. Meyer and this was no exception. And, Robin Sachs could narrate a cookbook and I'd still devour it! They make a great team.

This Writer Really Doesn't Like Women

This writer really doesn't like Elizabeth I and does a shabby job with her reign.

I quarrel with some of the conclusions

While this was clearly a well-researched book, I disagree with some of the conclusions. For instance, Queen Elizabeth's reluctance to name an heir becomes much more understandable when you look at the Tudor dynasty post King Henry the 8th and see how often a potential successor was used as a tool and was then discarded to the detriment both the predecessor and the successor. Certainly, Elizabeth would mind bendingly selfish, but I think but branding her as irresponsible in this case is overstated.

Fascinating

Loved it. Interesting and informative. Very detailed. Well worth listening to again. Highly recommend this for any Tudor fan.

Another Brilliant Effort

After so much enjoying A World Undone, also by GJ Meyer and also read by Robin Sachs, I thought a would give The Tudors a try and so glad I did. It’s shame that Robin Sachs passed away. I’ve listened to dozens of audiobooks on Audible and their partnership stands out.

Biased attempt at a summary history

While the challenge of writing a single volume on the Tudor’s, this volume falls short through a mixture of old school anti-Protestant straw men and revisionist views of life in the 15th and 16th centuries,

Had to return

The narration was fine. The substance was okay. Clearly biased, but there are so many books with pro-Tudor bias that I'm ok with some balancing of the scales. I had to return the title because it was incomplete. The background chapter on torture just cut off. I'm not sure about other omissions, but that one was pretty glaring.