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

Hates Elizabeth

Please be forewarned that the author does not like Elizabeth I. This perceived bias hampered my enjoyment of the book.

Pretty good, but watch out...

The good:
The narrator is clear, concise, has a good cadence, and is overall excellent. The author does a good job of covering almost 120 years of Tudor rule, though the largest percentage of his story is devoted to Henry VIII (maybe half the book?? with the other half devoted to 4 other monarchs). However, this seems reasonable given the profound religious and cultural changes instituted by that great English monarch. The author does an excellent job of setting the stage for major events and addressing, at high levels, factors contributing to various decisions made by the players. If you have only a little familiarity with the subject at hand, this audio book MIGHT be for you.

The shabby and belligerent:
Over-and-over the author talks about the characters, events, and consequences of Tudor rule through a 21st century lens of neuve morals and modern journalistic judgmentalism. The author makes it clear he’s not trying to write anything scholarly, which is fine (very good, actually), but for anyone on the lookout for revisionist history writers, put your defenses up. Facts are facts, and the author covers many, but many facts are framed in such a way that this book FEELS like an account of Adolf Hitler’s or Saddam Husain’s regime. This is of course an exaggeration, but fair in my opinion given how one sided his view of Tudors seems to be.

A must have for Tudor characters history buffs.

Where does The Tudors rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best history listens so far.

What three words best describe Robin Sachs’s performance?

crisp,concise and captivating.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

very pleased

Any additional comments?

A wonderful book that clears up a lot of confusion about the characters in Tudor history and the roles they played.

The bar has just risen

This is such a well produced and superbly narrated audio book I think it has raised the bar in my mind of how good audio books can be.
The content was truly fascinating and presented very well for non-history experts. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone wanting a bit more history than you are getting on "The Tudors" tv series. Robin Sachs has a wonderful voice and diction we can only dream of. I will forever be attempting to reproduce his exacting but not overwrought pronounciation of parliament, among many others.
I'm now hooked on history and working my way through other similar titles in ajoining historical periods.
Loved it!

Great Story

This is a wonderful story of English nobility, religion and court life. My only issue is the confusion of religious toleration and persecution. It is a tremendous amount to rake in and keep straight. I believe Meyer could have provided a more substantial background. As in the reduction to just 2 sacraments.

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.

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.