What do you think?
Rate this book
Anne Boleyn
A biography of the woman whose marriage to King Henry VIII of England resulted in an irreversible break between the Church of England and the Papacy, the birth of the future Queen Elizabeth I, and in her own beheading.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
16 people are currently reading
1438 people want to read
About the author
Norah Lofts
106 books309 followersNorah Ethel Robinson Lofts Jorisch (27 August 1904–10 September 1983) was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote over fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories. Many of her novels, including her Suffolk Trilogy, follow the history of a specific house and the residents that lived in it.
Lofts was born in Shipdham, Norfolk in England. She also published using the pseudonyms Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic Norah Lofts elements. Most of her historical novels fall into two general categories: biographical novels about queens, among them Anne Boleyn, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine of Aragon; and novels set in East Anglia centered around the fictitious town of Baildon (patterned largely on Bury St. Edmunds). Her creation of this fictitious area of England is reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's creation of "Wessex"; and her use of recurring characters such that the protagonist of one novel appears as a secondary character in others is even more reminiscent of William Faulkner's work set in "Yoknapatawpha County," Mississippi. Norah Lofts' work set in East Anglia in the 1930s and 1940s shows great concern with the very poor in society and their inability to change their conditions. Her approach suggests an interest in the social reformism that became a feature of British post-war society.
Several of her novels were turned into films. Jassy was filmed as Jassy (1947) starring Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Price. You're Best Alone was filmed as Guilt is My Shadow (1950). The Devil's Own (also known as The Little Wax Doll and Catch As Catch Can) was filmed as The Witches (1966). The film 7 Women was directed by John Ford and based on the story Chinese Finale by Norah Lofts.
Lofts was born in Shipdham, Norfolk in England. She also published using the pseudonyms Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic Norah Lofts elements. Most of her historical novels fall into two general categories: biographical novels about queens, among them Anne Boleyn, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine of Aragon; and novels set in East Anglia centered around the fictitious town of Baildon (patterned largely on Bury St. Edmunds). Her creation of this fictitious area of England is reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's creation of "Wessex"; and her use of recurring characters such that the protagonist of one novel appears as a secondary character in others is even more reminiscent of William Faulkner's work set in "Yoknapatawpha County," Mississippi. Norah Lofts' work set in East Anglia in the 1930s and 1940s shows great concern with the very poor in society and their inability to change their conditions. Her approach suggests an interest in the social reformism that became a feature of British post-war society.
Several of her novels were turned into films. Jassy was filmed as Jassy (1947) starring Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Price. You're Best Alone was filmed as Guilt is My Shadow (1950). The Devil's Own (also known as The Little Wax Doll and Catch As Catch Can) was filmed as The Witches (1966). The film 7 Women was directed by John Ford and based on the story Chinese Finale by Norah Lofts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 15, 2014
This book was very well written. Sadly questions are left unanswered because of poor record keeping in that time period. Thank God I was not living then. Life must have been so very difficult and we think we have it bad now with our rules and regulations. It is amazing that civilization has come as far as it has, however, that same greed that drove generations before us, still causes problems in this generation, not to mention............lust.
June 7, 2014
Comprehensive, and up to date for its time, biography on Anne Boleyn. Norah Lofts is very sympathetic in her account on the famous queen of Tudor times. I enjoyed reading her fiction on Anne, Katherine and other English queens so when I saw she had a biography on one of them, I immediately picked it up. It's not boring and it doesn't boggle you down with too many details you won't remember but sticks to the facts that were relevant to Anne and her complicated relationship with Henry and what led her to fall.
January 8, 2010
I don't know why I'm so fascinated with British monarch history. This was the most honest account I've read. This is history, not historical fiction, but still very interesting. I thought it was written well. And is a quick read, with pictures. oooohh. :)
February 14, 2015
What you would expect.
Norah Lofts does her research with totally believable results. Keeps getting more interesting page after page. I would have been happy with more.
Norah Lofts does her research with totally believable results. Keeps getting more interesting page after page. I would have been happy with more.
March 10, 2011
I found this book very frustrating. Ms. Lofts seems to believe that it is a foregone conclusion that Anne "tricked" Henry with her charms and never loved him... the whole "evil woman" thing. I can't say that that is not indeed the case, but I don't believe that it has been proven one way or the other. Is there evidence that her father was complicit in setting her up? If so, where is it? Lofts actually spends quite a bit of space giving credence to the theory that Anne was a witch who used her powers to lure in the king (and mentions several times that witchcraft is handed down through maternal lines, making Elisabeth a witch as well). It's understandable that this issue should be addressed, as it was a popular theory at the time; however, discussing it as a real explanation of the very complex situation between Anne and Henry is a bit weak. Additionally, the book was poorly referenced and contained a lot of, what seem to be, Ms. Lofts' personal opinions on Anne. The saving grace for this book is the wonderful group of images collected here... many Holbein sketches and paintings. The End.
April 23, 2015
What I liked best about this book about Anne Boleyn is that it was condensed, yet hit all the highlights and low times of her life. Also included were photographs I'd never seen before and pictures of some of Anne and Henry's belongings that were new to me as well. I also enjoyed a fresh opinion on why Henry lost interest in Anne once they married. A really quick, yet totally absorbing, read!
August 15, 2009
very good research material on Anne Boleyn including some amazing portraits.
August 19, 2014
Great informational book did not realize her age at the time of marriage. I am so happy to be alive during this century. Marriage customs and gender roles are drastically different!
January 28, 2022
Lofts does a good job of mixing history with drama to give the reader Anne Boleyn's story. The first chapter (maybe first two) are more intro and less Anne, but sometimes it's necessary to have that insight of 'before Anne' to better see how 'after Anne' is so important.
Overall, the story is quite brilliant and exciting and Lofts makes sure the reader rides with Boleyn through all the ups and downs. This is well done.
Overall, the story is quite brilliant and exciting and Lofts makes sure the reader rides with Boleyn through all the ups and downs. This is well done.
December 13, 2015
Norah Lofts writes a brief biography, which is easy to read, about the unfortunate life of Anne Boleyn. A young woman wanting popularity and status, catches the eye of Henry VIII, a charming and handsome young king. He was also a man that was unforgiving and if his needs weren't met heads would roll (pun intended). The Tudor King had a very clever counsel that sought to meet the king's needs or their own selfish agenda (vengeance, power, etc. & not evaluated in the novel). Henry VIII's main concern was to spawn a male heir, which neither Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn produced, thus he had to battle the papacy for a divorce or annulment. In the end, he created his own church and expected everyone in England to follow his Act of Supremacy, an area that sparked much debate and ire. So, in the end, Anne is accused of immoral acts of adultery, and pays the treason with the penalty of death. I often wonder if she was as composed and gentile as many eyewitnesses claimed.
Much of Lofts' short novel fails to mention the intricacies involved in the plotting to crown & dethrone Anne Boleyn, however this is a well written story for those beginning their reading on the Tudors of the 16th century. My favorite elements in the book were the quotes leading into the chapter, several were Shakespearean, & the speculations of where Anne Boleyn was put to rest & her possible hauntings at cemeteries and/or estates.
3/5 stars
Much of Lofts' short novel fails to mention the intricacies involved in the plotting to crown & dethrone Anne Boleyn, however this is a well written story for those beginning their reading on the Tudors of the 16th century. My favorite elements in the book were the quotes leading into the chapter, several were Shakespearean, & the speculations of where Anne Boleyn was put to rest & her possible hauntings at cemeteries and/or estates.
3/5 stars
July 24, 2013
This was my first Kindle book and my first non-fiction by Norah Lofts. Having recently completed Hillary Mantel's two novels about Thomas Cromwell and his role in Anne's life, I found this version provided me an intriguing comparison of perspectives on these two historical figures and their intertwining lives.
November 17, 2014
A fascinating coffee table sort of book with lots of interesting pictures, photographs of documents and letters from the time. It is very informative, telling the events of Anne's life in a most readable way. It gives the reader much to think about and creates a rounded picture of Anne as a human being, but not only Anne, Henry too! It doesn't allow us to glibly condemn either of them.
June 10, 2018
Nice introductory biography on Anne Boleyn.
Keep in mind than if you’ve already done extensive research on Anne or the Tudor Dynasty you won’t find anything new in this text. It’s basically a short summation of her life for those unfamiliar with one of history’s most famous monarchs. I’ve also used it as a helpful “refresher” from time to time.
Keep in mind than if you’ve already done extensive research on Anne or the Tudor Dynasty you won’t find anything new in this text. It’s basically a short summation of her life for those unfamiliar with one of history’s most famous monarchs. I’ve also used it as a helpful “refresher” from time to time.
December 2, 2015
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
November 14, 2023
Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry VII back during the Tudor period and this book follows her journey from being a companion to the Queen of England and her eventual downfall mere three years later.
I was fascinated by Anne back when I first read her account of 24 hours before the execution to reading this one which covered tge broader aspect of her life was an interesting experience. I was amazed to learn how shrewdly she pushed away Katharine from power and took the throne for herself. One begins to hate but then also sympathise with her at a later date through the course of this book.
There was no doubt that she had no love for Henry but wanted the power that came with his name. Her wrongful execution though tugged at my heart and it's a shame that Henry went to such lengths simply to save his face and did not think twice before ordering the execution of a woman he once claimed to love. This book managed to make me curious about their daughter Elizabeth and I am eager to learn more about her life as queen.
I was fascinated by Anne back when I first read her account of 24 hours before the execution to reading this one which covered tge broader aspect of her life was an interesting experience. I was amazed to learn how shrewdly she pushed away Katharine from power and took the throne for herself. One begins to hate but then also sympathise with her at a later date through the course of this book.
There was no doubt that she had no love for Henry but wanted the power that came with his name. Her wrongful execution though tugged at my heart and it's a shame that Henry went to such lengths simply to save his face and did not think twice before ordering the execution of a woman he once claimed to love. This book managed to make me curious about their daughter Elizabeth and I am eager to learn more about her life as queen.
January 31, 2018
Well written book about Anne Boleyn and her life at the court of King Henry VIII. It’s always hard to know with peoples accounts whether it is actual truth or someone’s opinion and many characters in this book had their opinions of Anne. A good story that shows how much influence a King’s Counsel and the church effects their decisions.
March 9, 2024
This book beautifully documented Anne Bolyen’s life from the birth of an intelligent and witty woman to a fallen queen who was brutally executed. I cannot help but feel for her as her fate was completely out of her control and am still in disbelief that she isn’t a character she was a real person who had to endure this.
November 26, 2021
While quite interesting I did think it strange the authors touching several times - most blatantly at the end - his belief that it could be in the realm of possibility for Anne Boleyn to have been actually a real witch! After all this was written near the end of the 20th century - not the 14th.
October 9, 2017
A good basic history
May 13, 2018
Interesting, well-written, and a quick read.
August 30, 2020
Love historic fiction and re-read The Concubine
January 7, 2023
A good and well written book
March 15, 2023
3.5 stars. Biography of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife. Very enjoyable.
December 31, 2025
After reading more scholarly books on Anne Boleyn, it is hard to read this book, that makes very old fashioned assumptions on the subject. I cringed often.
July 25, 2015
This is supposedly a factual history book that actually cites, and repeatedly does so to the point of tedium, that witchcraft and influence of Satan were possibly if not probably the reasons Anne Boleyn became Queen of England.
Witchcraft.
Several times I checked the publication date of the book to see if it'd been written when such a thing was a probable charge or if this was some kind of parody that I'd accidentally picked up in the history section of the book store. It wasn't.
Norah Lofts is so anti-Anne Boleyn it's almost funny. I expect some aspect of bias in a history book. It's inevitable that opinions will creep in when describing events, but when they colour things to the extent that Lofts is assigning every negative attribute to Anne that she can, it becomes ridiculous.
According to this Anne Boleyn was probably a Satan-worshipping witch who never cared for Henry but coveted his crown, was probably sleeping with Mark Smeaton and quite probably visits a church every year on the date of her execution in the form of a hare. Because that's what witches do, apparently.
Avoid this book like the plague. If you want to read about Anne Boleyn and actually get some decent history out of it, read David Loades, read Alison Weir, read Robert Hutchinson. Don't read this. It's not a history book, it's a fantasy novel.
Witchcraft.
Several times I checked the publication date of the book to see if it'd been written when such a thing was a probable charge or if this was some kind of parody that I'd accidentally picked up in the history section of the book store. It wasn't.
Norah Lofts is so anti-Anne Boleyn it's almost funny. I expect some aspect of bias in a history book. It's inevitable that opinions will creep in when describing events, but when they colour things to the extent that Lofts is assigning every negative attribute to Anne that she can, it becomes ridiculous.
According to this Anne Boleyn was probably a Satan-worshipping witch who never cared for Henry but coveted his crown, was probably sleeping with Mark Smeaton and quite probably visits a church every year on the date of her execution in the form of a hare. Because that's what witches do, apparently.
Avoid this book like the plague. If you want to read about Anne Boleyn and actually get some decent history out of it, read David Loades, read Alison Weir, read Robert Hutchinson. Don't read this. It's not a history book, it's a fantasy novel.
August 8, 2014
I've had a fascination with Anne Boleyn since I was in 8th grade and while I enjoyed this book enough to finish it, the underlying implication that Anne Boleyn was somehow involved in witchcraft was rather frustrating. This is supposed to be a non-fiction biography of a historical figure and you wouldn't expect that an author writing in the 20th century would seriously consider witchcraft to be a plausible explanation for anything! Norah Lofts reinforces this notion by stating that Anne Boleyn had a sixth finger which was a mark associated with witchcraft. There is no evidence to suggest this and it seems highly unlikely that a man like Henry would've married a woman in hopes that she would bear his children if she had a physical deformity.
Furthermore, I found the book to have quite a few historical inaccuracies and statements that are not consistent with the works of other historians. The writing style was nice and the book contained some beautiful images but overall, the over-abundance of biased personal opinions is what ruined it for me. I like Norah Lofts' fiction works but this one I do not really recommend.
Furthermore, I found the book to have quite a few historical inaccuracies and statements that are not consistent with the works of other historians. The writing style was nice and the book contained some beautiful images but overall, the over-abundance of biased personal opinions is what ruined it for me. I like Norah Lofts' fiction works but this one I do not really recommend.
March 21, 2016
This book would be worth it for the illustrations alone. Holbiens in full color, anyone? But it's a good book on the story of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry the Eight.
Accomplished, attractive, intelligent, and determined, Anne set her sights on being Henry's queen rather than his mistress, and paid the price with her head. She was truly a woman who changed history, and this well-researched book does her justice.
England was the first country in western Europe to break the stranglehold of the Roman Catholic church on the lives of the people who lived there. If that was all Anne had done, it would be more than enough to secure her place in history. But she was also the mother of the child who later become Queen Elizabeth the First, who made England a player instead of a backwater in European politics. And that is also a powerful part of Anne's legacy.
Lavishly illustrated and well written, this is my favorite book on Anne: the capricious and the tenacious, brilliant and foolish, mother and whore, witch and queen, condemned and remembered. It is lot to pack in to one short(ened) lifetime!
Accomplished, attractive, intelligent, and determined, Anne set her sights on being Henry's queen rather than his mistress, and paid the price with her head. She was truly a woman who changed history, and this well-researched book does her justice.
England was the first country in western Europe to break the stranglehold of the Roman Catholic church on the lives of the people who lived there. If that was all Anne had done, it would be more than enough to secure her place in history. But she was also the mother of the child who later become Queen Elizabeth the First, who made England a player instead of a backwater in European politics. And that is also a powerful part of Anne's legacy.
Lavishly illustrated and well written, this is my favorite book on Anne: the capricious and the tenacious, brilliant and foolish, mother and whore, witch and queen, condemned and remembered. It is lot to pack in to one short(ened) lifetime!
November 23, 2012
Lofts' skill as a novelist comes to the fore and makes it an engaging read. However, it's lack of references makes some of her statements seem unsubstantiated if you are not familiar with the source material from other reading. For the most part, although this book offers nothing new to readers, it offers a remarkably balanced view of Anne and the other major players. It is only when Lofts tries to introduce serious consideration of Anne being a witch that the narrative stumbles and jars. She would have done better to leave that topic to her fictional books. Considering that Lofts devotes so much time to considering whether Anne could have been a witch, she omits to mention that this charge was never even mooted at Anne's trial. It does make a reader wonder whether the author has omitted anything else that did not fit her narrative as exactly? Not a bad book, but there are many better.
June 25, 2016
I had a vague knowledge about Henry VIII and the relatively high number of wives he had. I remembered he really wanted a son, and that he went through multiple marriages in hopes of begetting one. I also remembered he beheaded at least one of them. Honestly, my knowledge of history outside of the U.S. isn't great.
This book was fascinating, though I was not a huge fan on the writing itself. There were some instances where the information is repeated within a few pages.
My main complaint was that it was kind of short ... it didn't go as deep as I expected, but it was still really good because I did not know much about Anne Boleyn or her marriage to King Henry VIII. In the end, I did learn a great deal. It was easy to get through.
Nice illustrations, too.
This book was fascinating, though I was not a huge fan on the writing itself. There were some instances where the information is repeated within a few pages.
My main complaint was that it was kind of short ... it didn't go as deep as I expected, but it was still really good because I did not know much about Anne Boleyn or her marriage to King Henry VIII. In the end, I did learn a great deal. It was easy to get through.
Nice illustrations, too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews