Il re e il suo giullare: l'autobiografia di Enrico VIII. annotata dal… (original 1986; edition 2010)

This is easily among my all-time favorite books. Margaret George does a masterful job bringing the reader into Henry VIII's world, and bringing his personality to life in an imaginative and beautiful way. ( )

While this was a good read, I felt that it took me *forever* to read. I was told, "Oh it's an easy read you'll be done with it in no time." Over a month later.......I finally finish. That's what I get for trusting someone who reads 10 times faster than I do!

Very interesting perspective on the Henry VIII saga. Does make one wonder if he really felt the way he did as described in this book. ( )

We all know the Henry VIII of legend: the obese king with six wives, who executed two, divorced two, "killed" a fifth, and was only survived by one; who had gout and a variety of other ailments. Too often, too, we only hear his story through his enemies. However, Margaret George's "autobiographical" novel tells Henry's story through is own eyes--leaving nothing out but sometimes changing the truth a bit to suit his own purposes. In addition, his old Fool, Will Somers puts Henry's story into perspective, giving us an "afterward" of sorts."

The novel begins with Henry's origins: the struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster. Continuing through childhood and beyond, the Autobiography tells the story of a truly remarkable person, one who is often maligned in historical chronicles. Margaret George tells Henry's story with poignancy, highlighting the most important aspects of the life of England's first Renaissance king.

Despite all this however, I did find some fault with the novel. I would have liked to have seen more of the humanists, who are mentioned only in passing here. I would also have liked to have seen Katherine Parr more. ( )

This is a huge book both in size and detail. Although it is very much a work of fiction it does give you the feeling what his life was like. Margaret George quite obviously does a ton of research before writing her books and it clearly shows in this epic. Not only is there details of his life and what she thinks she may have been thinking and feeling but there is all sorts of details about the other people, the scenery and the times that they lived and how they lived.

One of my favourite historical novels. Warning: it really is a massive book and its very hard to put down, literally and figuratively. ( )

King Henry VIII obviously didn't write his own biography. Even more obviously, his jester, Will Somers, never interjected notes in his King's journal, if there ever was one.

However, Margaret George has done an exquisite job in portraying one of the most controversial monarchs in English history. Extensive research has gone through this project, and this novel is its fruit.

This biography of sorts follows Henry VIII from his earliest childhood memories until his painful death. Every moment of his life is given the limelight, not just the Katherine of Aragon/Anne Boleyn era, which was historically the most scandalous time of his personal life.

Of course, this being a "journal", it will be written in a biased way, which gives the book character, given that it supposedly was written in his hand. Even the notes from the jester, William Somers, bring a little spice to it, portraying a different view of certain events. Unfortunately, those notes are few and far between at times, and they are sometimes rather lengthy, although appropriate.

Many of the main supporting characters are also portrayed in a human manner, although in a biased view, much like everything else. Anne Boleyn, especially in the days prior to her execution, is a notable and shining example of Henry's bias. The four Thomases in Henry's life (Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and Archbishop Thomas Cranmer) are also portrayed in such a fashion.

Although I'm not particularly familiar with Henry's history, only having been recently acquainted with it, I must say that, despite the blatant bias emanating from the main character, it is fairly accurate. As I said earlier, the author spent many, many years researching for this novel, and frankly, this work of literature is quite stunning.

Henry's story is one of power, love, lust, and suffering. He may have been King, Defender of the Faith, and Supreme Head of the Church of England, but he was a man among so many others. ( )

A most magnificently wondrous work! Maragaret George has not only succeeded in introducing us to King Henry VIII and all of his courtiers and contemporaries, but has put us square in the center of all that is going on at that time and taken us on a journey that one will not soon forget. We live with him and do with him and go with him. We laugh, we cry, we fear and we go through all of the same emotions that he does all throughout. It is an amazing opus and one that is brilliantly done in order to capture us so completely from beginning to end. ( )

I've had a fascination for the Tudors and the six wives of Henry VIII at least since I visited England at fourteen-years-old and picked up this thin booklet on each complete with their portraits. As a result, I've read plenty of books, fiction and non-fiction on the Tudors and Henry and his wives. This is my favorite historical novel based on those figures, and so much better (oh so infinitely better as history and fiction) than the execrable The Other Boleyn Girl.

I tend to the view of Henry as monster. It's hard not to. This is the man that beheaded two of his commoner queens and divorced two royal ones--and came close to arresting and beheading his last queen. This portrait of Henry, though still historical and not blind to Henry's faults, is nevertheless tremendously sympathetic to him and yet works for me. Certainly that the story is told in his own voice helps gain our sympathy. But so do the notes by Will Sommers, who loved and understood him perhaps better than he did himself, and could speak to his self-delusion in an irreverent but compassionate way. ( )

There are a lot of books authored by Henry VIII's opposers. Margaret George wanted to write a book told from Henry's side of the story.

This 950 page tome is a very thorough recounting of Henry VIII's entire life, written as entries in Henry's diary. In between Henry's entries (where we read HIS thoughts), his jester Will adds his perspective, and tells the reader what Henry's subjects were in fact thinking. The contrast between the ruler's brain and his subjects opinions made this book even more interesting.

Ms. George does an excellent job getting us inside Henry's head. I went from being fascinated, curious, sympathetic, and then repulsed by Henry, as he sought to justify his actions at the most difficult times of his life. No matter how repulsed I was, though, I always felt a bit of sympathy for Henry. He never knew who he could trust, and no one would tell him what they really thought.

This is a highly readable book. It's a fast read, too, and the pages just flew by. Recommended for those like me who are just beginning to learn about the Tudor history - or for Tudorphiles who haven't read it yet!

PS - I really need to read a non-fiction book about Henry VIII now, however. Throughout this book I kept asking myself if _____ ever happened, or if it was pure fiction. Very curious to know the established facts of his life now... ( )

wry, confiding, gossipy ( )

This is a 932 page monster of a book telling Henry VIII's life from his point of view.

I read every Tudor book that I can get my hands on and was absolutely over joyed when I got my hands on this book. It is so rich with history and insight ( I believe the author wrote five hand written drafts and read around three hundred books in preparation ) that it really feels like Henry's voice is coming through.

This book spans right from his boyhood, his marriage to his first wife right up to his old age and health problems. The notes from Will Somers really give it an authentic feel and enable the narrative to continue during episodes in Henry's life that he wasn't actually present for (i.e. the executions of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard).

I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in the Tudors. ( )

Historical fiction can of course be very entertaining, but it can also have significant value in helping us recognize that past figures are just as multidimensional as people of today. Or any other era.

I really enjoyed this book, in large part because the author was able to make all of these historical figures three dimensional and real. The length of the book can be a little psychologically daunting, but you'll grow to appreciate every page.

Telling this story from an autobiographical perspective is a great device, especially in the case of Henry VIII.

Not sure where truth parts from conjecture from fabrication, but I feel fortunate to have read it because it gives me a new way of looking at a much discussed but poorly understood reign. ( )

This book was my first reading experience with historical fiction. Boy howdy, did I pick a good one to start off with!
Margaret George's work was the kickoff to a now lifelong interest in British history. ( )

I bought this in a book shop in Washington, D.C. to read on the train heading back to Chicago. I was looking for something that would last me the whole trip and keep me entertained. This book fit the bill perfectly. ( )

What a novel! Margaret George does a wonderful job of depicting King Henry the VIII as a fully dimensional man, motivated by his own insecurities, loves, fears, and hopes. This is not the villain we know from history books, in fact, Margaret gives the lie to much of what we think we "know" about King Henry. She paints instead a very spiritually motivated, painfully fearful, and overwhelmingly complicated figure. Her extensive research as identified in her commentary has been translated to a very real picture of a very real man, who, while we may still not understand his actions, we begin to see as a character we can empathize with and get our minds around.

I am very glad I read this novel, as with others Margaret has written she writes beautifully, and intelligently. This novel, as I saw in one other review, is a novel that one slowly absorbs, one page after one page, a little at a time.

Because of that quality in this novel, it is not for the faint of heart. There were times I was tempted to put the novel down and never pick it up again. I think that this was because it is truly a history, though it still maintains the continuity, and the spirit of a novel. This coupled with the truly epic length of the novel, began to weigh on me before I was done. Yet I could not, and did not, in the end, want to put it down, because of the strength and beauty of the writing, and my identification with Henry's character.

This novel is just about entirely from Henry's point of view. The few times when the author departs from this treatment are commentary from Will, who is relating information which enriches Henry's viewpoint. This I think also contributed to the "stately" nature of this novel.

If you are on the fence about reading this one, pick it up, and do it. It is well worth the effort, as it gives an entirely new dimension to a baffling era in history.

Overall, I highly recommend this book! ( )

I always enjoy Margaret George's books, especially her "Autobiography" series. While this one is my least favorite, it is still miles above most historical fiction novels out there. Henry VIII is probably in my top five most fascinating historical figures (no doubt spurred on by Rhys Myers's role on The Tudors), and so any novel that offers at least a fictional look into his emotions and motivations is engrossing.

The notes by his fool are a nice touch, since it is well-documented that during Henry's darkest time he did shut out everyone except his fool. It makes sense that his fool would therefore be privy to Henry's darkest and most intimate thoughts. ( )

This is a wonderful glimpse into Henry VIII's life, the court and Renaissance England. Surely, it is a novel but done with such attention to detail and great research, that it seems as believable as a scholarly historical work. So many biased and negative things have been written about this great Monarch; this give the other, more human point of view story on this great man.

What a wonderful book! At the beginning, Henry has died, and Will has found the diary he supposedly kept since his youth. He sends it to the daughter of Anne Boleyn's sister Mary, who he believes is in truth Henry's daughter. Will, whose father died when he was very young, does this because he believes that a child should know his or her father.

George has really done her research, but instead of ploddign through history, she gives Henry a realistic voice that is at time maddening, at other times sympathetic; in other words, she turns this huge historical figure into a man, like others, with both strengths and weaknesses. The interjections by Will, who, despite his cynical tone, obviously loved Henry, give us further insights into his character. Along the way, she gives us a delightful picture of life, love, and politics at the Tudor court.

I listened to the audiobook; the reader, David Case, was wonderful. It's a long one--over 41 hours--but never dull. I also have the book in print and know that I will be going back to it in the future. ( )

If only Margaret George could put out novels as quickly as Phillipa Gregory! I didn't so much read this book as absorb it slowly into my system like a strong narcotic. It's very lush and vibrant and you can almost pity the five-time loser in marriage(I can't say six because Cathering Parr left that marriage unscathed), the indomitable and boistorous Henry VIII.

I loved it! ( )

Margaret George's works are always intricate and well-developed. While long, she never makes it hard. The Autobiography of Henry VIII is a different look at the history and life of the man probably best known for his numerous wives. An intriguing fiction that also deals with the truth of the era. ( )

Another absolutely brilliant "fake" autobiography from Margaret George....This woman is very talented in her field, that's for sure. ( )

The most entertaining and enlightening history of Henry VIII that I've read. Will the Fool tells a compelling story. ( )

An outstanding work, well written, well researched and very entertaining. It's really that good.

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2009/02/autobiography-of-henry-viii-with-notes.html ( )

I've read so many Tudor books, both fiction and non-fiction. Most have been sympathetic to Henry VIII's wives, and a great deal focus on his being a cruel, womanizing, gluttonous man who bent the rules of his kingdom based on "conscience". Margaret George wrote this book from another perspective: what would Henry VIII say if he had put the time into composing an autobiography? This is her answer. Of course, much has to be speculation, but I was glad of it anyway. Basically he is here portrayed as someone who wanted to be loved, wanted to be a great king, and felt strongly yet confusedly of his relationship with God.

It was well written, though I had to put aside the nagging thought that all the intricate details and high sentiments would be missing from a true autobiography. All in all, it's worth it: somehow, the 900 pages run smoothly for the most part. ( )

Interesting concept. Historical fiction written under the guise of an autobiography. Educational and entertaining. ( )

I love Margaret George's version of Henry. This book was so good and entertaining, and racey. It was a fun way to acquaint with this famous Tutor King and his wives. It brought about a quest to know and learn more of King Henry and his wives, life and offspring. ( )