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| The following are books I have read on Anne of Cleves. They are rated according to "roses", five being the highest, based on information on Anne in the books. These books can be purchased on Amazon.com, and some are available used. Click on the book cover to be taken to the ordering page. I highly recommend going with used books because it can often times save a lot of money (I've saved $100 alone on 3 books I bought for $40). However, do read the feedback on your seller before you purchase. By the way, the links are provided for YOUR convience, to make purchasing them easier. I get NO commission by linking to Amazon! |
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| Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir |
| Divorced Beheaded Survived by Karen Lindsey |
| Bloody Mary by Caroly Erickson |
| ***** |
| ***** |
| ** |
| Weir's book gives a wonderful, unbiased look at Anne's life in Enland. The entire book is a great read about this six extraordinary women. The events of her meeting with Henry, marriage, and annullment are vividly descriptive. Little is said about her life before her marriage to Henry, but there are great details of her life after the annullment. It is a very matter-of-fact account of Anne, with contemorary commentaries, and Henry's point of view being told. I have found this source to be very accurate and helpful. |
| Lindsay's book is a more sympathetic look at Anne and her marriage to Henry. She disputes that Anne was ever ugly, and judging by her portraits, she was certainly no "flanders mare" as Henry called her. Her descriptions of Anne are more personal and maybe a little biased. Then again, her book is telling the story of the wives from a feminist point of view, Little is said of her life pre-Henry. It goes into some decent detail of her life after Henry. The facts check out with Weir's book. I have found this source to be very accurate and helpful. |
| This book is a great read on Mary I, but with what it tells about Anne, it is not an ideal source. In EVERY reference and webpage I have looked at, Anne's birthdate is in September, 1515, making her 24 at the time of her marriage. However, Erickson says Anne was 34, and she was a drunkard, more or less, overindulging in wine and beer. It must be remembered that in Tudor England, the water was not safe to drink, and everyone drank beer. It also says that when Catherine Howard was executed, Anne tried to get Henry to take her back. That is also false. It was her brother and the ambassadors, and Anne was quite content with her life as the King's sister and her own mistress. I would not suggest this as a resource on Anne. It must also be remembered that the focus on the book is MARY, not Anne, and everything I have read about Mary has been concluded as being accurate. |
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| The Marrying of Anne of Cleves by Retha M. Warnicke |
| This book just arrived at my door today. Hope to have a review up soon! |
| The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser |
| This book by has the best descriptions of Anne's life in Cleves as well as her life after Henry VIII died. Life wasn't as rosy as it may have seemed, as she was treated poorly by the councils of Edward VI and Mary I. I was very pleased in reading about Anne's relationship with her family prior to leaving England, as well as more detail about how the annullment was taken by her brother. It also goes into detail about the end of her life. Highly recommended as a research guide. |
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| ***** |
| Anne of Cleves by Julia Hamilton |
| *** |
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| This was not a biography as I hoped, but a bionovel along the lines of what I am hoping to create. However, it is a little different. Some of the facts are not terribly accurate. However, it does give an interesting look on how one portrays Anne and her family. Though I would not suggest it for research, it does make a very interesting read. It tells Mary, Elizabeth, Cromwell, and Henry's thoughts on the upcoming marriage, and how Mary and Elizabeth feel about Anne after the marriage on their coronation days. |