Tracy Borman Private Lives of the Tudors

Annotation

A history focused on the monarchs' intimate daily lives that ';furnishes readers with a ';Hey, did you know?' on almost every page' (The New York Times Book Review). England's Tudor monarchsHenry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth Iare perhaps the most celebrated of history's royal families. But for all we know about them, their lives away from the public eye remain largely beyond our grasp. Here, an acclaimed historian delves deep behind the public facade of the monarchs, showing us what their lives were like beyond the stage of the court. Drawing on original material from those closest to themcourtiers like the ';groom of the stool,' a much-coveted position, surprisinglyTracy Borman examines Tudor life in fine detail. What did the monarchs eat? What clothes did they wear, and how were they designed, bought, and cared for? How did they wield power? When sick, how were they treated? What games did they play? How did they practice their faith? And whom did they love, and how did they give birth to the all-important heirs? Exploring their education, upbringing, and sexual lives, and taking us into the kitchens, bathrooms, schoolrooms, and bedrooms at court,The Private Lives of the Tudorscharts the course of the entire dynasty, surfacing new and fascinating insights into these celebrated figures. ';No royal family is better knownBut there's still much to learn fromThe Private Lives of the Tudorsthanks to the expertise and persistence of BormanThe most captivating moments ofPrivate Lives, and there are plenty of them, bring the reader into other personal Tudor moments of strength, weakness, and heartache.'?Christian Science Monitor ';Comprehensively researched and compulsively readablethoroughly entertaining.'?Minneapolis Star Tribune