Henry VIII: The Quest For Fame

by John Guy

Charismatic, insatiable and cruel, Henry VIII was, as John Guy shows, a king who became mesmerized by his own legend - and in the process destroyed and remade England. Said to be a 'pillager of the commonwealth', this most instantly recognizable of kings remains a figure of extreme contradictions: magnificent and vengeful; a devout traditionalist who oversaw a cataclysmic rupture with the church in Rome; a talented, towering figure who nevertheless could not bear to meet people's eyes when he talked to them. In this revealing new account, John Guy looks behind the mask into Henry's mind to explore how he understood the world and his place in it - from his isolated upbringing and the blazing glory of his accession, to his desperate quest for fame and an heir and the terrifying paranoia of his last, agonising, 54-inch-waisted years.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Tudor Period, European History, Royalty, British Literature

141 pages, Hardcover

First published December 4, 2014

About the author

John Guy is recognised as one of Britain's most exciting and scholarly historians, bringing the past to life with the written word and on the broadcast media with accomplished ease. He's a very modern face of history.

His ability for first class story-telling and books that read as thrillingly as a detective story makes John Guy a Chandleresque writer of the history world. Guy hunts down facts with forensic skill, he doesn't just recite historical moments as they stand; he brings names and faces to life in all their human achievements and weaknesses. He looks for the killer clues so we can see how history unfolded. Like a detective on the trail of a crime, he teases out what makes his subjects tick. With his intimate knowledge of the archives, his speciality is uncovering completely fresh lines of enquiry. He's never content to repeat what we already know but rather, he goes that extra step to solve history's riddles. He takes you on a journey to the heart of the matter. Forget notions of musty academics, when Guy takes hold of history the case he states is always utterly compelling. Whether it's Thomas More or Mary Queen of Scots, Guy makes these people so real you suddenly realize you are hearing them speak to you. You enter into their world. You feel you can almost reach out and touch them.

Born in Australia in 1949, John Guy grew up in England and by the age of 16 he knew he wanted to be a historian. In 2001 he made an accomplished debut as a presenter for the television programme Timewatch, on the life of Thomas More. Today he's turning history books on their head as he wins universal praise and the 2004 Whitbread Prize for biography for his thrilling account of the life of Mary Queen of Scots.

As well as presenting five documentaries for BBC 2 television, including the Timewatch film The King's Servant and the four-part Renaissance Secrets (Series 2), he has contributed to Meet the Ancestors (BBC 2), and to Channel 4's Time Team and Royal Deaths and Diseases. Wolsey's Lost Palace of Hampton Court was a short-listed finalist for the 2002 Channel 4 television awards.

John Guy also appears regularly on BBC Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, BBC World Service and BBC Scotland. In print he currently writes or reviews for The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Economist, the Times Literary Supplement, BBC History Magazine and History Today.

His broadcast and journalism experience builds upon his impeccable CV as an academic and author.

Having read History under the supervision of Professor Sir Geoffrey Elton, the pre-eminent Tudor scholar of the late-twentieth century, John Guy took a First and became a Research Fellow of Selwyn College in 1970. Awarded a Greene Cup by Clare College in 1970, he completed his PhD on Cardinal Wolsey in 1973 and won the Yorke Prize of the University of Cambridge in 1976.

John Guy has lectured extensively on Early Modern British History and Renaissance Political Thought in both Britain and the United States. He has published 16 books and numerous academic articles.

John Guy lives in North London. He is a Fellow of Clare College, University of Cambridge, where he teaches part-time so he can devote more time to his writing and broadcasting career.

Reviews

[Matthew Devereux ∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I studied history for A level back when I was 18 (about 472,439 years ago) we had a book called “Tudor England” by John Guy which was massive and heavy to carry around but which I only read about ten pages of. If only I had had this one instead which is a far more manageable just over 100 pages. It is an interesting take on Henry VIII who was, in my books, a ghastly tyrant and is a more balanced view of him than I would produce. The only thing missing in it from my view is the attitude of everyday people to the caprices of Henry’s reign as it tends to focus on elites. I feel sorry for chaps like Wolsey, More and Cromwell who fell foul of Henry and wonder what was attractive about high office or indeed marriage under a fellow who could suddenly lose patience with you and have you executed.

[Geevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this lively and interesting account John Guy provides a good overview of Henry's life as prince and king. Given the books in this series are deliberately concise the author packs much about Henry into just 114 pages, and he is able to give readers a solid insight into the world and mind of a monarch who shaped his own time and thereafter. Alongside the sovereign John Guy weaves in those key players such as Cromwell, Cranmer and More alongside European royalty and others.

The epilogue provides judgement on Henry with the author coming firmly down on Henry's side as a strong king who changed England and beyond, although he does not dismiss his hard and, indeed fatal to some, firm attitude and mindset.

It also good to remind one's self too that we judge late medieval/Tudor men and their deeds through our modern eyes, yet for good or bad through our lens, a strong king had to secure his lineage through male heirs and having a strong unwavering grasp on his kingdom, the church, his country's international allies and enemies was one who stayed put to try and achieve that aim.

A worthy edition to the series.

[Lois · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded down

The information is largely accurate and accepted. However the author treats Anne Boleyn with a ton of sexism and most of the statements regarding her are exaggerated or taken from her known enemies and treated as gospel.
The biographer will point out some of Henry's failings but fails to really own what a nightmare this man was.
Henry VIII is a figure much mythologized and romanticized and I expect his biographer to go beyond & beneath that. To my disappointment I found this biographer was primarily interested in upholding the myth while applying few unavoidable consequences of our current slightly less sexist view of history.
Painfully out of touch🤷🏾‍♀️

[Simon Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the first batch of the 'Penguin Monarchs' series of brisk biographies (around 100 pages) of English kings and queens that Penguin has published, with dozens more to follow over the next few years, taking us from Athelstan to Elizabeth II.

It's worth mentioning that these books are really nice objects - neat little hardbacks with the relevant royal signature embossed in gold, wrapped in a short illustrated dust jacket (this one has Henry as depicted by Peter Blake, no less). The paper is good quality with a well-chosen set of colour plates in the middle. You can read about the cover design here.

I chose Henry VIII in particular because it's written by John Guy, whose great Tudor England I referred to when studying the period for A-level History (a long time ago now!). I really enjoyed this new book. Guy's main thrust here is that Henry was particularly obsessed with his fame and his legacy, and that this goes some way to explain the impatient and destructive character that he's become notorious for. This line of analysis throws some fresh insights, as well as many familiar facts that pleasantly jogged my memory.

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balanced introduction to King Henry VIII's reign that includes both Henry's strengths and his "deadly impatience." Guy incorporates the latest research concerning Henry and his reign including medical analysis of his health problems and difficulty fathering surviving children. The book provides an especially detailed analysis of Henry's public image and the contrast between Henry's "delusions of grandeur" and his comparatively marginal significance in continental European politics. I have to disagree, however, with Guy's conclusion that Henry was "the most remarkable ruler ever to sit on the English throne" - I would give that distinction to his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I.

[Bookwormandtheatremouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly fascinating way to find out about Henry VIII but without so much detail that you lose focus or interest. As a historian I often struggle to read books about History as they are often dry (terrible thing to say I know) but this has the balance right - you have the key information and different academic views (when needed) but you can follow the events and fully understand it too. Can't wait to try more.

[Jamilla Smith-Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I occasionally found Guy’s writing style abrasive, but otherwise a perfectly readable and interesting overview of Henry VIII. Certainly not the most in-depth or interesting take, but what more can you expect from about 100 pages?

[Helene Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review - I've been wanting to try these Penguin Monarchs books for a while, and I thought I'd start with a monarch I know fairly well: Henry VIII. This book, although fairly short by historical standards, really delves into the world of the Tudors, discussing the events, people and places that made Henry VIII who he was. Although there is a lack of detail on the six wives, there is plenty of information on Cromwell, Wolsey, and others who helped to shape policy. It is also short on Henry's overseas adventures, but it is more than made up for by Guy's astute comments on Henry VIII as a man and a king.

General Subject/s? - History / Biography / Henry VIII / Tudors

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 17/20

[SuzieQ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book three stars because it turned out to be what I expected. I had just finished Diarmaid MacCulloch’s excellent biography of Thomas Cromwell and wanted a quick reminder of Henry VIII’s reign and some insight into his character. At only 136 pages including bibliography and notes, it hits the broad strokes and sufficiently contextualized MacCulloch’s work for my purposes.

I did not rate it higher because I agree with another reviewer about the misogyny of the septuagenarian author. His description of women objectifies them; my jaw dropped in one of his references to Katherine of Aragon. This was expected in the 16th century but is backward and out-of-touch for a book published in 2014. A reader in the 21st century expects an enlightened outlook and not the absorption of early 1500’s values. Mr. Guy is a respected Tudor scholar who seems to have lost his perspective in the 16th century. I’m glad I bought a used copy.

This book is part of a large Penguin series called Monarchs, ergo, its very short form. For a serious historical biography or rigorous study of Henry VIII’s reign, look elsewhere.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A biography of Henry VIII that stays closely focused on him and how he acted and reacted throughout his life, examining everything through the lens of how much Henry wanted/expected to be revered.

I was especially intrigued by the focus on his childhood, pointing out both how distant he was to his brother Arthur and how close he was to his mother, Elizabeth. Their deaths both had a huge impact on him, but in very different ways, as Guy shows here.

I also loved how Guy dug into the historical record and showed the sheer amount of clothes and accessories Henry was constantly buying for himself. Everyone focuses on the wardrobe of His daughter Elizabeth I, but clearly Henry was also always blinged out, just like his daughter would, both out of vanity and political policy.

Guy does a great job not letting himself get distracted by the propaganda, as so many historians still do, and makes it clear Henry was [redacted] monster, who would order the murder of anyone, no matter how close or useful or innocent, if they did anything he perceived as disloyal.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biography of one of the most famous monarchs in English history. This is part of a new series by Penguin, short books giving an overview of the life and reign of English rulers. This was good, well-written and concise.

[Owen Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for those wishing to gain an insight into the character of Henry VIII, behind the tyranny and avarice that coincided his reign. An accessible read, great for students, and an encapsulating doorway into the mind of England's most notorious monarch.

[Beta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short. But detailed. Perhaps as much as there is to know about Henry VIII. Now moving on to the Thomases, Moore and Cromwell.

[Dez Van Der Voort · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing: 5/5
Knowledge Gained: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5

A quick introduction to Henry VIII, not too long, not too short, just right, around 150-200 pages. Able to quickly finish in a day's time.

A good intro to Henry VIII's life, his 6 wives, quarrels with Rome which led to the Anglican church, life in Tudor England, money spent on the arts (especially tapestries), as well as his chief ministers Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and add in Thomas Cranmer. Wolsey was the lucky one, More and Cromwell not so. Usually the trend we see in absolute monarchs, is that punishment is light in the beginning, and once they age, punishment gets heavier, it's really not a wise choice to be a minister of an absolute monarch in his late age, I would recommend going with the heir & spare.

Henry VIII's life could be summed up as, 6 wives, 4 Thomas's, 3 heirs, 2 churches, 1 brother, and contrary to general opinions, 0 STD's.

England was never at its zenith under Henry VIII, but with lack of wars within the nation, and stripping the catholic church of income and riches, it was in ascension.

[Ivan Monckton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent volume in the Penguin Monarchs series. There can be few inhabitants of Britain who have not picked up basic information on Henry VIII, both from school and TV/ cinema adaptions (Wolf Hall being the latest), but this short book contains vastly more about a king whom the author claims in the final chapter was not a tyrant, but which everything that went before appears to show he was. A ghastly man who basically murdered friends, family and foes for fun, who supposedly considered himself the true leader of Christianity whist on his killing sprees, his fornications, his thefts and his self glorification projects. One can’t help but compare him with other dictators of history, with his portrayal of himself as some sort of heroic figure whilst amassing treasure, palaces, tapestries and clothing (Imelda Marcos comes to mind…).
Ghastly man.

[Callum Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice short and interesting overview of Henry VIII. It has also been my first in the series of penguin monarch books and has helped me recap a large majority of the major events of Henry's reign which I learned about last year in history. While some of the descriptions and explanations are limited in this book, it must be acknowledged that its purpose is, as I have already mentioned it does well, to summarise the events of his reign. Whilst all the events of the reign are obviously not mentioned in the compact book I particularly enjoyed the epilogue as it is essentially John Guy trying to sum up and show his views on the legacy and effectiveness of this famous Monarch which I would argue he did well.

[Harald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry VIII by John Guy is a book which outlines the reign of one of the most tyrannical rulers that England hath e’er known.

The book outlines and details how Henry ascended the throne and the reasons behind why he got through so many wives. Whilst Henry is one of the most well known monarchs in British history, his reign was full of fallbacks and contributed to the founding to the Church of England

(Much prefer his father)

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief but thorough overview of Henry VIII’s reign. I realized as I read that although I’ve read a lot about his reign (his wives, his children, Cromwell, etc), I’d never really read anything about him specifically. Fascinating fella.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, easy introduction.

[Wilte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Afte reading Mantel’s Wolf Hall, I wanted to know some more about Henry VIII, and this concise book provided it.

[Jade Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice concise overview of Henry's life. Easy to read and hard to put down once you start. Would personally prefer more detail but great for a first book on the topic

[Vicki Crabtree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting.

[Mădălina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the presentantion that John Guy gives us about Henry VIII's reign, but I thought that it was just too short for my own personal taste.

[Clare Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excelle toy introduction to Henry and his times. The bibliography is superb, giving many ideas for further reading.

[Susanna Robertson-Sheath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting & straightforward to read. Would recommend if you’d like to learn more about Henry VIII’s reign although I must say that it’s more of an overview than an in depth analysis.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

good

An interesting and well written concise history of Henry VIII , covers some parts of his life better than some other ,eg Katherine Howard only gets a couple of lines .

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but more sketchy than some of the series. Plus Guy goes a little too easy on Henry who was clearly a monster.

[Alison Petersen]

I loved this book . It provides an excellent overview of the life and work of Henry without overwhelming the casual reader with too many facts and figures.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a narrative retelling of Henry's life