The Fall of Anne Boleyn

A Countdown

By: Claire Ridgway

Narrated by: Claire Ridgway

Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

During the spring of 1536 in Tudor England, events conspire to bring down Anne Boleyn, the Queen of England. The coup against the Queen results in the brutal executions of six innocent people - Anne Boleyn herself, her brother, and four courtiers - and the rise of a new Queen.

Drawing on 16th-century letters, eye witness accounts, and chronicles, Claire Ridgway leads the listener through the sequence of chilling events one day at a time, telling the true story of Anne Boleyn's fall. The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown is presented in a diary format, allowing listeners to dip in, look up a particular date, or listen from start to finish. Special features include mini biographies of those involved, a timeline of events, and full referencing.

Why was Anne Boleyn executed? Who was responsible for Anne Boleyn's fall? Was Anne Boleyn's execution a foregone conclusion, and was she framed?

Claire Ridgway, creator of The Anne Boleyn Files website and best-selling author of The Anne Boleyn Collection, George Boleyn, and On This Day in Tudor History continues her mission to share the real truth about Anne Boleyn.

©2014 MadeGlobal Publishing (P)2014 MadeGlobal Publishing

Fascinating, well researched, and great narration.

Would you listen to The Fall of Anne Boleyn again? Why?

Absolutely love the story and it's excellent research. The narration and story transport you back to Hampton Court and the Tower of London. One feels the angst the courtiers must have felt back in the 1500s.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Anne Boleyn, but I'm obsessed. Claire's excellent work both in her books and on her Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society websites given me a new and reasonable perspective on Anne and her time. She is not a victim, but she's not the common homewrecker many have assumed she was. There is so much more to her and Claire takes you there with facts, insights, and clarity that you can believe in.

Have you listened to any of Claire Ridgway’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes - I listened to "The Truth in the Line" By Melanie Taylor about Tudor Era Miniaturist Nicholas Hilliard (wonderful Read!) and the "Anne Boyelyn Collection" another of Claire's books on the Tudors in Anne's time. Both make me feel as if I am sitting in one of the court palaces as an observer of people and places hundreds of years ago.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

You've heard the story. Now behold the truth.

Any additional comments?

Often authors mold history to make reading more provocative --- think The Other Boleyn Girl. Sadly these dramatizations often become conventional wisdom. Claire Ridgeway recognizes that truth told can be better than fiction. Henry VIII and his times were fascinating without the creative adjustments. Claire's research and primary source documents with reasonable inferences based on the times and the customs are far more interesting, human, and will stand the test of time.

Thoroughly Enjoyable

Well told and informative. The chronological order and detail are helpful to those new to Anne Boleyn's plight. Thank you Claire Ridgway

Absolutely fabulous completely enjoyed the book decided to listen to the author read it

Claire brings Anne’s story to life. Rest In Peace Anne Boleyn. Claire has taken up you cause.

great story

I loved it. easy to listen to. enjoyed it all, no problem listening to it

Terrible sound quality

This offers nothing new and is simply a retelling of events. There are many other much more detailed and insightful books on Audible about Anne Boleyn and her life.
The sound quality is awful! It sounds like it was recorded in a cupboard and is not Audibles normal standard at all.
I would not recommend it at all.

Excellent Read

At last an account of Anne's last year based on the actual sources from the time, a concentration on the facts and events without sentimentality and overemotional reaction but with distanced appraisal on the part of the author to the possible interpretations of the events. I also loved the way Claire Ridgeway presented differing interpretations of other distinguished historians and how she leaves it to the reader to make his or her own judgement. I for one tend to agree with the author's arguments which hold Henry responsible not only for the facts she presents but also in the light of my own knowledge of Henry's behaviour towards his first wife Catherine of Aragon and Cardinal Wolsey and also how in the first years of his reign he had his father's hated tax collectors beheaded on flimsy charges. No matter what one might think of Anne and her behaviour in former years she certainly did not deserve to die in this shoddy way and I think the charges were a work of fiction and even absurd especially the supposed sexual relations with her brother George.
Claire Ridgeway reads well enough but she is not a professional narrator so there are times when pacing or intonation becomes a little strange.
I think that this is a wonderful book for someone who has background knowledge of the period and the various important figures of Henry's court. The author does begin with a cast list of the main people in the story so if you are a neophyte it might be a good idea to earmark that first chapter and go back from time to time to situate people if you find it hard to remember who is who.

Good story but ruined by amateur narrator

Really disappointing. Narrator who is also the author was awful. She should have left it to a professional!

The fall of Anne Boleyn

An absolute must for all lovers of the Anne Boleyn story. Great that tbe actually author narrates too. A Great Liston packed full of facts.

This book is one of the best ones about AnneBoleyn

Loved it! Amazing detailed information and great knowledge and narrative skills. This book is one of the best ones about Anne Boleyn. Thank you

A great audio book...

Really enjoyed listening to this audio, Claire Ridgway again puts across events of Tudor England, the events of Anne Boleyn's fall from grace, certainly adds more questions and possibilities to a question that has had historians debating for years...

Great listen

Everything you need to know in one place about the fall of Queen Anne, brilliantly researched and examined

fascinating

well researched and well presented. the author knows the subject and has resisted imposing her own opinions on a truly fascinating individual

factual and fascinating

I could listen to Claire Ridgeway all day! she give facts, her own reasonable conclusions, without ever forcing her opinion. really enjoyed this.

Enjoyable and very informative

This was a thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing listen. Going through day by day enabled all the facts to be presented and smaller details to be included. I loved that this book relied on the sources while still having the author give her opinions.
If you want all the facts put together in a clear unbiased way this book definitely does that and allows you to reach your own conclusions without trying to push the reader in one direction or another.
One of the best non fiction Anne Boleyn books I have come across with an author who clearly knows what she's talking about and has carried out extensive research on this topic. If your looking for the facts your in safe hands with Claire Ridgway.