Pleasures and Pastimes in Tudor England

by Alison Sim

How did the Tudors enjoy themselves? For the men and women of Tudor England, there was, just as there is today, more to life than work. Four hundred years before the invention of television and radio, they did not lead a boring or mundane life. Indeed, in many ways the richness of Tudor entertainment shames us. While continuing the medieval tradition of tournament and pagentry, the Tudors also increasingly read and attended the theatre. Dancing and music were also popular, and were considered just as important as hunting and fighting for an ambitious Tudor's social skills. Church festivals provided the perfect excuse for revelry, and weddings and christenings were, as they are today, great social occasions. Here, Alison Sim explores the full range of entertainments enjoyed at this time, covering everything from card games and bear-baiting to interior design. The book should appeal to anyone interested in this rich period of history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Tudor Period, Renaissance

Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

read

[Deirdre · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've marked this as read because there is no option for given up in disgust! This is an appallingly badly written book. It is superficial and its generalisations and downright misinterpretations make it unreliable. In addition the style is that of a semi-literate GSCE student. The first sentence of the introduction states: "The sixteenth century in England was an age of change." Which century in the past two thousand years wasn't an "age of change" for heavens' sakes? Such clunking simplifications abound in this work. The intro hasn't progressed far when we find Ms Sim committing the basic howler of confusing the word flout with flaunt and she repeats this a chapter later. What, I ask, was her editor doing allowing such basic errors to pass? It makes me very angry that such stuff gets into print. Those who come to this without any real knowledge of the period are going to be horribly mislead.

I looked to see who the author is and it turns out she's one of those tour guides that wear period costume. Now, I'm no snob and I don't think that good history can only be produced by academics but, if this work, is the general standard of this author, she should stop writing. I was shocked to see that this is far from being her only work and I can only think she has a good trade going to uncritical tourists at Hampton Court.

This was not a pleasure and it is a waste of anyone's time.

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other books by this author, this is a good general overview of part Tudor life/society and how it (household and social life and recreation) evolved through the reigns of the monarchs from Henry VII through Elizabeth I. Sections include homes/furniture, clothing, tournaments/pageants, religion/the ritual year, christenings/weddings/funerals, dancing/music, theater, and sports/games. That being said, this book is EXTEMELY general, but it is an easy read. She is also, as always, good about suggesting primary source material and more detailed works that one can go to for a more in depth treatment on different aspects of Tudor life and recreation.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book...but the library due date came too quickly.

Hopefully I will have a chance to check it out again and finish it.

[Brittany]

A fantastic book that allows lovers of the Tudor era to get a better understanding of the lives of the common people and the nobles.

[Karen Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Will write a proper review shortly.

[Stephen Maxwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy read full of fascinating facts about Tudor life. A good superficial introduction.