Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies

Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies | Hayley Nolan

so-so

For the armchair historian who likes to dip into the controversial topic of Anne Boleyn biographies this clickbait/feminist title might just be the ticket.

I admit, I liked the breezy writing, including the #. Have I learned something new? Nope, it's all been written before. Anne Boleyn might have been slandered in fictional work, but most non-fiction actually doesn't depict her as the hussy who set out to ensnare the king with her sexuality. ⬇️

julesG From the point of view that one of my MA subjects was European history, I should hate the book, because Nolan lies about how Anne Boleyn has been treated by historians. Yet, coming from the same point of view, this book might attract more people to the study of history; ⬇️ 13mo

julesG to look at the historical figures and(!) events within the context of their time and look at the bigger picture rather than trust that fiction writers did their due diligence and portrait historical figures/events historically accurate. 13mo

julesG #52bookclub24 @BarbaraBB, @Kristy_K, @LaraReads, @KarenUK, @Hooked_on_books, @BarkingMadRead, @brittanyreads, @Magpiegem, @BookBelle84, @Larkken, @jenniferw88, @Deblovestoread, @MidnightBookGirl, @Librarybelle, @triplem80, @Tove_Reads, @Read4life, @Bluebird, @eeclayton, @hissingpotatoes, @Book_Lover95, @TheAromaofBooks, @Graciouswarriorprincess, @OriginalCyn620, @Crazeedi, @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick, @Branwen, @kwmg40, @Ruthiella 13mo

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julesG Thank you, @rachelsbrittain, for another interesting #AuldLangSpine book @monalyisha 13mo

Amiable Great review! 13mo

Librarybelle I‘ve been wondering about this one… 13mo

sarahbarnes Great review! 13mo

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rachelsbrittain

Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies | Hayley Nolan

pick

A brilliant feminist biography of Anne Boleyn that upends everything you thought you knew about Henry VIII's 2nd wife and reexamines her depection as a seductress. In actuality, Anne was a devout reformer educated in Hapsburg and French courts filled with the Reformation movement. And while diagnosing historical figures can be touchy (Nolan claims Henry had sociopathy), I do agree that romanticizing a relationship that ends in murder is troubling.

Branwen Oh wow! This looks absolutely amazing! 1y

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