Monthly book reccomendation: December

Becoming Anne by Dr Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey

I am reccomending this book because I recently got the pleasure of meeting the authors of this book, and they highlighted the importance of Anne Boleyns upbringing. When thinking of Anne Boleyn, we only think of her once Henry VIII has taken interest in her. However, Anne became the woman she was because of influential figures, cultures and politics.

The book highlights how Anne became so outspoken, and lets be frank wilful to a T!

Anne was the epitome of the renaissance, she was for the new religion, she was a patron of the arts, she liked music and many more things.

In the book, it includes people that heavily influenced Anne Boleyn in her formative years. For example, Margaret of Austria, Louise of Savoy, Queen Claude and Marguerite of Angouleme. These extraordinary ladies showed Anne women could be in power, and be very successful. They also introduced Anne to the new religion, which would eventually shape the fate of England, because of Anne. 

Researching Anne's life is very difficult as there is not as many sourcers of her younger life, but then again there is not many sources of Annes life as Henry VIII wanted to elimante Anne as much as possible.

The book also includes how Thomas Boleyn very much shaped his familys future, and that he was not the power hungry man he is portrayed in televison and film today. Thomas was very much a man of the new arts, and he was very up and coming in Henry VIII's court. Thomas believed his daughters should be educated as it could be of use, Thomas was one of the very few that believed this. This did also mean he had a hand in having such a strong willed daughter.

Anne Boleyn grew up around people that were forward thinking, they weren't stuck in the past.

This book highlights some of the stigma of Anne Boleyn, and to really judge Anne Boleyn, you need to start from the beginning, to get the full picture. Owen and Kate have put their heart and souls into this book and it shows. The research they have put into this book is outstanding.

And that fellow nerds is my book reccomendation for the month! 

 Au revoir, Unholy Tudor