A great Companion, 02 Sep 2007
I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their way around the wealth of info available on the web to the amateur genealogist. There is info on where to start and on the whole aray of online sources. A great book, worth the money.

The second book you should buy, 27 Nov 2006
Once you begin to understand how to tackle mapping your family tree, you will quickly realise that you need to use the Internet.

This book is your invaluable guide - it tells you what is there, how to get it, what it costs and gives a very unbiased view as to quality.

I was very impressed by the range of material and the style of review - you do not see the author's preferences unless they made explicit, instead you get a sensible appraisal of the pros and cons of various sites and the options you need to consider before embarking on subscriptions that may end up not justifying their purchase.

I have found this a great companion on my journey into the past.

A Genealogists Must Have On The Book Shelf!!!, 30 Apr 2006
There are many books on the subject of genealogy reference, so much so, it is a nightmare and a daunting experience as to which reference books to plumb for. Peter Christian, has produced such a book, that is written in plain English, for the beginner and more advanced genealogist. The book is chronological in format with the most uptodate references of internet resources and the record offices/agencies available. The book is non biased towards any agencies, but does point out the pitfalls of information submitted to the various sites, as not being accurate without being verified manually from record offices. Such information apparently goes unchecked and therefore, inaccuracies, occur in the compilation of genealogical compilations. This is something Peter Christian, quite rightly, points out. This in mind, Peter Christian has covered all aspects of the science of researching family history. A very well written reference book and one that every researcher of genealogy should have. I certainly recommend this book for persons looking to purchase on this subject!!

A Goldmine of Information, 16 Feb 2006
Superb. Packed absolutely full of information on Internet resources fo rthe genealogist. The author even has a website containing updates to links that have changed since being printed in the book. Highly recommended.

Well-judged, helpful and very authoritative, 11 Nov 2001
It's hard to imagine a more compendious or useful book for the intelligent beginner or the established Family Historian with ambitions to extend his or her knowledge through the enormous (but potentially bewildering) resources of the web.

The author is a Fellow of London's Society of Geneaologists but does not blind with science: the book is a well-paced primer, but completely unpatronising. It will prove enlightening even to hardened net-users, and it contains a huge number of tips about exploring British Genealogy online that will be indispensible to Family Historians all over the world.

The book is fully-illustrated and nicely-presented. A specially valuable section concerns the practicalities, and the netiquette, of putting your own Family Tree online, thereby getting the attention of, and swapping information with, remote relations and fellow researchers.

The web is revolutionising the already-absorbing study of Genealogy and this excellent volume smooths and illuminates any would-be explorer's path through it.

A great Companion, 02 Sep 2007
I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their way around the wealth of info available on the web to the amateur genealogist. There is info on where to start and on the whole aray of online sources. A great book, worth the money.

The second book you should buy, 27 Nov 2006
Once you begin to understand how to tackle mapping your family tree, you will quickly realise that you need to use the Internet.

This book is your invaluable guide - it tells you what is there, how to get it, what it costs and gives a very unbiased view as to quality.

I was very impressed by the range of material and the style of review - you do not see the author's preferences unless they made explicit, instead you get a sensible appraisal of the pros and cons of various sites and the options you need to consider before embarking on subscriptions that may end up not justifying their purchase.

I have found this a great companion on my journey into the past.

A Genealogists Must Have On The Book Shelf!!!, 30 Apr 2006
There are many books on the subject of genealogy reference, so much so, it is a nightmare and a daunting experience as to which reference books to plumb for. Peter Christian, has produced such a book, that is written in plain English, for the beginner and more advanced genealogist. The book is chronological in format with the most uptodate references of internet resources and the record offices/agencies available. The book is non biased towards any agencies, but does point out the pitfalls of information submitted to the various sites, as not being accurate without being verified manually from record offices. Such information apparently goes unchecked and therefore, inaccuracies, occur in the compilation of genealogical compilations. This is something Peter Christian, quite rightly, points out. This in mind, Peter Christian has covered all aspects of the science of researching family history. A very well written reference book and one that every researcher of genealogy should have. I certainly recommend this book for persons looking to purchase on this subject!!

A Goldmine of Information, 16 Feb 2006
Superb. Packed absolutely full of information on Internet resources fo rthe genealogist. The author even has a website containing updates to links that have changed since being printed in the book. Highly recommended.

Well-judged, helpful and very authoritative, 11 Nov 2001
It's hard to imagine a more compendious or useful book for the intelligent beginner or the established Family Historian with ambitions to extend his or her knowledge through the enormous (but potentially bewildering) resources of the web.

The author is a Fellow of London's Society of Geneaologists but does not blind with science: the book is a well-paced primer, but completely unpatronising. It will prove enlightening even to hardened net-users, and it contains a huge number of tips about exploring British Genealogy online that will be indispensible to Family Historians all over the world.

The book is fully-illustrated and nicely-presented. A specially valuable section concerns the practicalities, and the netiquette, of putting your own Family Tree online, thereby getting the attention of, and swapping information with, remote relations and fellow researchers.

The web is revolutionising the already-absorbing study of Genealogy and this excellent volume smooths and illuminates any would-be explorer's path through it.

Happy customer, 25 Jul 2008
Very, very happy with this book. Spent ages looking at all the different titles then took a chance by ordering this one. Made the right decision. Format is fresh, easy to glance through or read in more detail depending on how much time you have. Plenty of names to choose from, modern, traditional, trendy, a few foreign names but not too many. Ideal for naming baby without having to trawl through crazy names or a multitude of American names. Within ten minutes of reading this i'd found a few good names. Perfect.

Intelligent and entertaining, 18 Apr 2008
There are so, so many rubbish name books out there. This is one of a very few gems (the only other one I'd recommend is the Oxford Dictionary of First Names).

It's full of interesting, and accurate tidbits about the names, which the author sometimes groups together in themes - for example, Alfred and Aubrey might be talked about in the same entry because both have meanings about elves. This doesn't mean the names are hard to find, though, as they are all ordered alphabetically. Just don't be put off if some of them say "See 'X'"; it doesn't mean they've been lumped in with another name, but that they will be discussed with them. This gives the book an almost conversational feel, as if you were listening to someone really well-informed talk about names. The introduction, too, is very interesting and makes it obvious she has done her research (she even provides a bibliography). I really enjoyed reading it and haven't spotted a single factual inaccuracy of the kind that other name books are riddled with. The only strange thing is that there are lots of typos in my edition. It's a shame that such a good book clearly hasn't been proofread to do it justice.

A great Companion, 02 Sep 2007
I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their way around the wealth of info available on the web to the amateur genealogist. There is info on where to start and on the whole aray of online sources. A great book, worth the money.

The second book you should buy, 27 Nov 2006
Once you begin to understand how to tackle mapping your family tree, you will quickly realise that you need to use the Internet.

This book is your invaluable guide - it tells you what is there, how to get it, what it costs and gives a very unbiased view as to quality.

I was very impressed by the range of material and the style of review - you do not see the author's preferences unless they made explicit, instead you get a sensible appraisal of the pros and cons of various sites and the options you need to consider before embarking on subscriptions that may end up not justifying their purchase.

I have found this a great companion on my journey into the past.

A Genealogists Must Have On The Book Shelf!!!, 30 Apr 2006
There are many books on the subject of genealogy reference, so much so, it is a nightmare and a daunting experience as to which reference books to plumb for. Peter Christian, has produced such a book, that is written in plain English, for the beginner and more advanced genealogist. The book is chronological in format with the most uptodate references of internet resources and the record offices/agencies available. The book is non biased towards any agencies, but does point out the pitfalls of information submitted to the various sites, as not being accurate without being verified manually from record offices. Such information apparently goes unchecked and therefore, inaccuracies, occur in the compilation of genealogical compilations. This is something Peter Christian, quite rightly, points out. This in mind, Peter Christian has covered all aspects of the science of researching family history. A very well written reference book and one that every researcher of genealogy should have. I certainly recommend this book for persons looking to purchase on this subject!!

A Goldmine of Information, 16 Feb 2006
Superb. Packed absolutely full of information on Internet resources fo rthe genealogist. The author even has a website containing updates to links that have changed since being printed in the book. Highly recommended.

Well-judged, helpful and very authoritative, 11 Nov 2001
It's hard to imagine a more compendious or useful book for the intelligent beginner or the established Family Historian with ambitions to extend his or her knowledge through the enormous (but potentially bewildering) resources of the web.

The author is a Fellow of London's Society of Geneaologists but does not blind with science: the book is a well-paced primer, but completely unpatronising. It will prove enlightening even to hardened net-users, and it contains a huge number of tips about exploring British Genealogy online that will be indispensible to Family Historians all over the world.

The book is fully-illustrated and nicely-presented. A specially valuable section concerns the practicalities, and the netiquette, of putting your own Family Tree online, thereby getting the attention of, and swapping information with, remote relations and fellow researchers.

The web is revolutionising the already-absorbing study of Genealogy and this excellent volume smooths and illuminates any would-be explorer's path through it.

Happy customer, 25 Jul 2008
Very, very happy with this book. Spent ages looking at all the different titles then took a chance by ordering this one. Made the right decision. Format is fresh, easy to glance through or read in more detail depending on how much time you have. Plenty of names to choose from, modern, traditional, trendy, a few foreign names but not too many. Ideal for naming baby without having to trawl through crazy names or a multitude of American names. Within ten minutes of reading this i'd found a few good names. Perfect.

Intelligent and entertaining, 18 Apr 2008
There are so, so many rubbish name books out there. This is one of a very few gems (the only other one I'd recommend is the Oxford Dictionary of First Names).

It's full of interesting, and accurate tidbits about the names, which the author sometimes groups together in themes - for example, Alfred and Aubrey might be talked about in the same entry because both have meanings about elves. This doesn't mean the names are hard to find, though, as they are all ordered alphabetically. Just don't be put off if some of them say "See 'X'"; it doesn't mean they've been lumped in with another name, but that they will be discussed with them. This gives the book an almost conversational feel, as if you were listening to someone really well-informed talk about names. The introduction, too, is very interesting and makes it obvious she has done her research (she even provides a bibliography). I really enjoyed reading it and haven't spotted a single factual inaccuracy of the kind that other name books are riddled with. The only strange thing is that there are lots of typos in my edition. It's a shame that such a good book clearly hasn't been proofread to do it justice.

An extremely interesting and refreshing approach to a well known story. , 19 Aug 2007
David Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is a unique biography on these six women. Starkey, unlike some other historians who have approached the same subject, has not reiterated an already well known story, but instead has set out to question the common conceptions of these women whilst also rejecting the need to become too revisionist. This mixture is best observed in the portrayal of the first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine's virtuous position that has been rewarded to her by her devoted fans is questioned and Starkey reveals a more pragmatic and human perception of her. She was a woman of faults, capable of lying (as highlighted in her letter to her father Ferdinand after her first failed pregnancy), capable of immense pride and stubbornness and he accept the traditional idea that Catherine believed her position to be the rightful one.

Starkey goes on to challenge more misconceptions, for example the portrayal of Catherine Parr. Was she really this nurse figure that Victorian historian Agnes Strickland loved to promote? Oddly enough, she wasn't in the sense that Strickland meant. Parr was an intelligent woman, so intelligent that when she realised Henry's jealousy over her cleverness and the conservative's factions plot to overthrow her, she played the `submissive wife' card, declared that as a woman she didn't know better and submitted to Henry. Starkey manages to describe this change without making Katherine appear as a woman who compromised her intelligence, but as a woman who know how to survive.

The portrayal which I couldn't completely agree on was Starkey's view of Anne Boleyn. He certainly highlighted her intelligence, and unlike some other biographies in the six wives (like Weir's), he notes her level of knowledge about the divorce proceedings and her political achievements. However his views on Anne's relationship with the Princess Mary are questionable. Instead of showing how Anne and Mary equally despised each other, both made poor comments towards one another and how it was understandable why both disliked each other, he places more blame on Anne and relies far too much on Chapuy's accounts for her relationship with Mary. Chapuys, the Spanish ambassador, whose contemporary accounts are very valuable to us, was undoubtedly biased and hated Anne. His accusations have often proven to be false (like how he liked to declare that Anne and Henry's marriage had broken up long before it had and suspecting Anne of poisoning Catherine in Jan 1536), so relying on his claims of what Anne was doing to Mary is unfair and of course does not highlight what Mary was saying back at Anne.

Starkey does come up with several interesting and probable theories, one of which is the issue of Henry and Anne's first marriage. Starkey argues that Anne, who had denied Henry sexual intercourse throughout the duration of their courtship, would not have given in to his demands unless she and undergone some form of a binding ceremony with him. And Edward Hall, the councillor mentions that Anne and Henry were married in Dover on the 14th Nov 1532 and later again in the same month. This goes against the traditional idea that Henry and Anne married after she became pregnant sometime in Dec 1532. It's a very plausible argument and it makes sense that Anne would only give in to him once they had married.

Starkey's work on the downfall of Katherine Howard is excellent, especially his work on the testimony of Thomas Culpepper, who was accused of committing adultery with Katherine whilst she was Queen. Starkey's conclusion as to their relationship is brilliant and I completely agree that whilst Katherine led an indiscreet life before marriage, the possibility of her committing adultery with Culpepper were slim and even they were found guilty on intent to commit adultery rather than actual committing the act.
Anne of Cleves is dealt with briefly as is Jane Seymour, although in both cases their different personal faiths and their importance to the conservative or reformist factions in court is well examined.

Personally, I think that Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is the best I have read so far on these well documented and unfortunate women. Starkey like Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser wishes to tell us this important story, but unlike the other two, he is not attempting to merely reiterate the already known and is prepared to make excellent theories and back them up with careful researched evidence. Unlike Weir, he does not attempt to show an overwhelming bias towards one wife and attempts to show their respected faults and qualities. The main problem of the book is that it would have been nice to have had more on the last four wives, yet in fairness Starkey has identified that the beginning of the remarkable, dramatic changes within sixteenth century English society and in Henry VIII himself, occurred under his first two marriages and therefore much more observance needs to be paid to them. Henry also had longer relationships with Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn and as this book wishes to focus on the women at the time when they were in Henry VIII's life, then again it makes sense more time is allocated to the first two. Overall it's a superb piece of work that is accessible for all and if you are going to read one piece of work on the six wives, then I really recommend you pick this one!

Well-researched but too compartmentalised, 13 Apr 2007
I found this hard going. While Starkey's research is admittedly admirable, what I found very strange about this book is that he completely compartmentalises each of the wives, as though they existed entirely separately from each other. For instance, in the section on Catherine of Aragon, there is NO mention of Anne Boleyn, even once you get to the parts about the divorce, etc. I found this frankly peculiar, and more than a little frustrating and irritating. Anne was a member of Catherine's court; Catherine knew exactly who she was, and that she was the one her husband was leaving her for. I don't see how you can explore Catherine's story with any humanity and depth without going into these relationships, which were of such wrenching impact at the time.

Similarly, I felt that while the political aspects of each wife's reign were gone into in great detail, there was a lack of the personal which for me made the book much duller and dryer than expected. I greatly preferred Antonia Fraser's treatment of this subject.

A book for new-comers and experts, 05 Aug 2004
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Tudor dynasty, and pride myself on having read most books currently available on the subject. I was somewhat apprehensive about reading Starkey's examination of the six fascinating women who were married (however briefly) to Henry VIII. But I needn't have been. This was historical scholarship at its best.

Starkey cannot be accused of romanticising history, and he successfully blows apart some of the more cherished romantic anecdotes surrounding Henry's queens. It transpires that Henry probably didn't nickname his fifth wife his "rose without a thorn" and that Catherine Parr, his sixth, certainly didn't act as a nurse to her ailing husband. Starkey is similarly unprepared to prop-up misconceptions and stereotypes. He refuses to present Catherine of Aragon as a saint, despite the best efforts of numerous other historians and novelists to present Henry's first wife as a perfect wife, mother, queen and Christian. Rather, Starkey shows Catherine to have been admirable, politically-important and dignified; but he also shows that she could be deceitful, incalcitrant and naive.

Anne Boleyn (to whom most of the book is devoted) emerges as a more likeable individual than she does in Alison Weir's narratives. Anne's political and religious impact is the main focus of Starkey's narrative but he also reveals Anne's charisma, intelligence and style (even if he also relates how she could be a temperamental drama queen when she wanted to be!) Starkey also manages to construct a new (and more convincing) timetable for Henry's affair with Anne, and persuasively argues that Henry had a much larger part to play in Lord Percy's enforced marriage than previously believed.

Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves do not occupy an inordinate a mount of space in this book (Starkey admits as much himself in the introduction, claiming that space is going to be given according to each wife's importance.) Jane emerges as a somewhat pretentious, haughty, cold and uninteresting individual; whilst Anne of Cleves seems pleasant but none too bright.

The weakest section is probably that on Catherine Howard. Although the book does shed new light on Catherine's legendary "romance" with Thomas Culpepper, it can at times become a bit silly in its attempts to react against Victorian values culminating in Starkey's view that we can see a kind of "virtue in promiscuity." It also seems that too much intelligence and cunning is accredited to Catherine who was, essentially, an ordinary if thoughtless young woman.

The section on Catherine Parr is illuminating and enjoyable to read. Catherine is shown to have been religiously-motivated, courageous and quick-witted; not the dull bluestocking of popular myth.

Politically, there hasn't been a study which explores the six wives' role better. Neither Weir, Loades, Lindsey or Fraser's books explore the impact Henry's wives had on society, religion and government to the same extent as Starkey does. Furthermore, Starkey also has a real feel for personality and the six queens are liberated from their stereotypes and emerge as far more believable human beings than they do in many other historical books. Starkey's narrative cannot be faulted on bias either, unlike the works of Weir or slipshod scholarship, like those of Carolly Erickson. The book is enjoyable, superbly written and illuminating. Both experts and new-comers to the Tudor era should read Starkey's wonderful "Six Wives".

The women behind one of the most well known British Kings, 29 Mar 2004
I'm a student of Ancient History and Egyptology rather than British History. However, it is British History which has always been my first 'love'.

The first account I ever read about Henry and his wives was in the Horrible History series (Cruel Kings and Mean Queens - which, by the way, I would recommend to everyone, child or adult), when I was quite young (perhaps about 8yrs?). It was, by no mean, my favourite aspect at the time. I didn't have a favourite British monarch back then.

And I don't now.

However, I came across this recently and decided to buy it. I was intrigued by these women (amongst others in history) and thought to myself "why not learn more?"

I'm glad I made that decision, for while I have not read anything else other than this and some brief articles about Henry's queens, I found it very thorough. It deals with everything, from the personal intimate details to the fully political (and public) aspects of their lives.

It begins with Catherine of Aragon (I've decided to use the spelling in the book for all the names!), a strong Catholic woman (who you can't help but have some admiration for). Anne Boleyn follows - an equally strong 'Protestant' (who I really didn't like at first for her treatment of Catherine, but I did eventually). You may find yourself thinking of Anne's downfall before you get there in a kind of smug way, but then feeling a little ashamed when it comes to the crunch. These personalities and characteristics are reflected in their daughters (Mary and Elizabeth respectively). Starkey devotes over half of the book to Catherine and Anne.

Poor Jane who follows seems a bit boring in comparison to her striking predecessors, as does Anne of Cleves (who becomes Henry's 'sister'). Catherine Howard livens things up a bit as does Catherine Parr after her (who also goes a bit too far with her religious views for Henry's liking).

Starkey also peppers his work with eerie comments, such as "in a few months, she would be dead". (I don't know if that one is actually there, but you get the picture!)

I would thoroughly recommend this book to absolutely anyone who is even remotely interested in Henry's wives - you will not be disappointed!

A great Companion, 02 Sep 2007
I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their way around the wealth of info available on the web to the amateur genealogist. There is info on where to start and on the whole aray of online sources. A great book, worth the money.

The second book you should buy, 27 Nov 2006
Once you begin to understand how to tackle mapping your family tree, you will quickly realise that you need to use the Internet.

This book is your invaluable guide - it tells you what is there, how to get it, what it costs and gives a very unbiased view as to quality.

I was very impressed by the range of material and the style of review - you do not see the author's preferences unless they made explicit, instead you get a sensible appraisal of the pros and cons of various sites and the options you need to consider before embarking on subscriptions that may end up not justifying their purchase.

I have found this a great companion on my journey into the past.

A Genealogists Must Have On The Book Shelf!!!, 30 Apr 2006
There are many books on the subject of genealogy reference, so much so, it is a nightmare and a daunting experience as to which reference books to plumb for. Peter Christian, has produced such a book, that is written in plain English, for the beginner and more advanced genealogist. The book is chronological in format with the most uptodate references of internet resources and the record offices/agencies available. The book is non biased towards any agencies, but does point out the pitfalls of information submitted to the various sites, as not being accurate without being verified manually from record offices. Such information apparently goes unchecked and therefore, inaccuracies, occur in the compilation of genealogical compilations. This is something Peter Christian, quite rightly, points out. This in mind, Peter Christian has covered all aspects of the science of researching family history. A very well written reference book and one that every researcher of genealogy should have. I certainly recommend this book for persons looking to purchase on this subject!!

A Goldmine of Information, 16 Feb 2006
Superb. Packed absolutely full of information on Internet resources fo rthe genealogist. The author even has a website containing updates to links that have changed since being printed in the book. Highly recommended.

Well-judged, helpful and very authoritative, 11 Nov 2001
It's hard to imagine a more compendious or useful book for the intelligent beginner or the established Family Historian with ambitions to extend his or her knowledge through the enormous (but potentially bewildering) resources of the web.

The author is a Fellow of London's Society of Geneaologists but does not blind with science: the book is a well-paced primer, but completely unpatronising. It will prove enlightening even to hardened net-users, and it contains a huge number of tips about exploring British Genealogy online that will be indispensible to Family Historians all over the world.

The book is fully-illustrated and nicely-presented. A specially valuable section concerns the practicalities, and the netiquette, of putting your own Family Tree online, thereby getting the attention of, and swapping information with, remote relations and fellow researchers.

The web is revolutionising the already-absorbing study of Genealogy and this excellent volume smooths and illuminates any would-be explorer's path through it.

Happy customer, 25 Jul 2008
Very, very happy with this book. Spent ages looking at all the different titles then took a chance by ordering this one. Made the right decision. Format is fresh, easy to glance through or read in more detail depending on how much time you have. Plenty of names to choose from, modern, traditional, trendy, a few foreign names but not too many. Ideal for naming baby without having to trawl through crazy names or a multitude of American names. Within ten minutes of reading this i'd found a few good names. Perfect.

Intelligent and entertaining, 18 Apr 2008
There are so, so many rubbish name books out there. This is one of a very few gems (the only other one I'd recommend is the Oxford Dictionary of First Names).

It's full of interesting, and accurate tidbits about the names, which the author sometimes groups together in themes - for example, Alfred and Aubrey might be talked about in the same entry because both have meanings about elves. This doesn't mean the names are hard to find, though, as they are all ordered alphabetically. Just don't be put off if some of them say "See 'X'"; it doesn't mean they've been lumped in with another name, but that they will be discussed with them. This gives the book an almost conversational feel, as if you were listening to someone really well-informed talk about names. The introduction, too, is very interesting and makes it obvious she has done her research (she even provides a bibliography). I really enjoyed reading it and haven't spotted a single factual inaccuracy of the kind that other name books are riddled with. The only strange thing is that there are lots of typos in my edition. It's a shame that such a good book clearly hasn't been proofread to do it justice.

An extremely interesting and refreshing approach to a well known story. , 19 Aug 2007
David Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is a unique biography on these six women. Starkey, unlike some other historians who have approached the same subject, has not reiterated an already well known story, but instead has set out to question the common conceptions of these women whilst also rejecting the need to become too revisionist. This mixture is best observed in the portrayal of the first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine's virtuous position that has been rewarded to her by her devoted fans is questioned and Starkey reveals a more pragmatic and human perception of her. She was a woman of faults, capable of lying (as highlighted in her letter to her father Ferdinand after her first failed pregnancy), capable of immense pride and stubbornness and he accept the traditional idea that Catherine believed her position to be the rightful one.

Starkey goes on to challenge more misconceptions, for example the portrayal of Catherine Parr. Was she really this nurse figure that Victorian historian Agnes Strickland loved to promote? Oddly enough, she wasn't in the sense that Strickland meant. Parr was an intelligent woman, so intelligent that when she realised Henry's jealousy over her cleverness and the conservative's factions plot to overthrow her, she played the `submissive wife' card, declared that as a woman she didn't know better and submitted to Henry. Starkey manages to describe this change without making Katherine appear as a woman who compromised her intelligence, but as a woman who know how to survive.

The portrayal which I couldn't completely agree on was Starkey's view of Anne Boleyn. He certainly highlighted her intelligence, and unlike some other biographies in the six wives (like Weir's), he notes her level of knowledge about the divorce proceedings and her political achievements. However his views on Anne's relationship with the Princess Mary are questionable. Instead of showing how Anne and Mary equally despised each other, both made poor comments towards one another and how it was understandable why both disliked each other, he places more blame on Anne and relies far too much on Chapuy's accounts for her relationship with Mary. Chapuys, the Spanish ambassador, whose contemporary accounts are very valuable to us, was undoubtedly biased and hated Anne. His accusations have often proven to be false (like how he liked to declare that Anne and Henry's marriage had broken up long before it had and suspecting Anne of poisoning Catherine in Jan 1536), so relying on his claims of what Anne was doing to Mary is unfair and of course does not highlight what Mary was saying back at Anne.

Starkey does come up with several interesting and probable theories, one of which is the issue of Henry and Anne's first marriage. Starkey argues that Anne, who had denied Henry sexual intercourse throughout the duration of their courtship, would not have given in to his demands unless she and undergone some form of a binding ceremony with him. And Edward Hall, the councillor mentions that Anne and Henry were married in Dover on the 14th Nov 1532 and later again in the same month. This goes against the traditional idea that Henry and Anne married after she became pregnant sometime in Dec 1532. It's a very plausible argument and it makes sense that Anne would only give in to him once they had married.

Starkey's work on the downfall of Katherine Howard is excellent, especially his work on the testimony of Thomas Culpepper, who was accused of committing adultery with Katherine whilst she was Queen. Starkey's conclusion as to their relationship is brilliant and I completely agree that whilst Katherine led an indiscreet life before marriage, the possibility of her committing adultery with Culpepper were slim and even they were found guilty on intent to commit adultery rather than actual committing the act.
Anne of Cleves is dealt with briefly as is Jane Seymour, although in both cases their different personal faiths and their importance to the conservative or reformist factions in court is well examined.

Personally, I think that Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is the best I have read so far on these well documented and unfortunate women. Starkey like Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser wishes to tell us this important story, but unlike the other two, he is not attempting to merely reiterate the already known and is prepared to make excellent theories and back them up with careful researched evidence. Unlike Weir, he does not attempt to show an overwhelming bias towards one wife and attempts to show their respected faults and qualities. The main problem of the book is that it would have been nice to have had more on the last four wives, yet in fairness Starkey has identified that the beginning of the remarkable, dramatic changes within sixteenth century English society and in Henry VIII himself, occurred under his first two marriages and therefore much more observance needs to be paid to them. Henry also had longer relationships with Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn and as this book wishes to focus on the women at the time when they were in Henry VIII's life, then again it makes sense more time is allocated to the first two. Overall it's a superb piece of work that is accessible for all and if you are going to read one piece of work on the six wives, then I really recommend you pick this one!

Well-researched but too compartmentalised, 13 Apr 2007
I found this hard going. While Starkey's research is admittedly admirable, what I found very strange about this book is that he completely compartmentalises each of the wives, as though they existed entirely separately from each other. For instance, in the section on Catherine of Aragon, there is NO mention of Anne Boleyn, even once you get to the parts about the divorce, etc. I found this frankly peculiar, and more than a little frustrating and irritating. Anne was a member of Catherine's court; Catherine knew exactly who she was, and that she was the one her husband was leaving her for. I don't see how you can explore Catherine's story with any humanity and depth without going into these relationships, which were of such wrenching impact at the time.

Similarly, I felt that while the political aspects of each wife's reign were gone into in great detail, there was a lack of the personal which for me made the book much duller and dryer than expected. I greatly preferred Antonia Fraser's treatment of this subject.

A book for new-comers and experts, 05 Aug 2004
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Tudor dynasty, and pride myself on having read most books currently available on the subject. I was somewhat apprehensive about reading Starkey's examination of the six fascinating women who were married (however briefly) to Henry VIII. But I needn't have been. This was historical scholarship at its best.

Starkey cannot be accused of romanticising history, and he successfully blows apart some of the more cherished romantic anecdotes surrounding Henry's queens. It transpires that Henry probably didn't nickname his fifth wife his "rose without a thorn" and that Catherine Parr, his sixth, certainly didn't act as a nurse to her ailing husband. Starkey is similarly unprepared to prop-up misconceptions and stereotypes. He refuses to present Catherine of Aragon as a saint, despite the best efforts of numerous other historians and novelists to present Henry's first wife as a perfect wife, mother, queen and Christian. Rather, Starkey shows Catherine to have been admirable, politically-important and dignified; but he also shows that she could be deceitful, incalcitrant and naive.

Anne Boleyn (to whom most of the book is devoted) emerges as a more likeable individual than she does in Alison Weir's narratives. Anne's political and religious impact is the main focus of Starkey's narrative but he also reveals Anne's charisma, intelligence and style (even if he also relates how she could be a temperamental drama queen when she wanted to be!) Starkey also manages to construct a new (and more convincing) timetable for Henry's affair with Anne, and persuasively argues that Henry had a much larger part to play in Lord Percy's enforced marriage than previously believed.

Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves do not occupy an inordinate a mount of space in this book (Starkey admits as much himself in the introduction, claiming that space is going to be given according to each wife's importance.) Jane emerges as a somewhat pretentious, haughty, cold and uninteresting individual; whilst Anne of Cleves seems pleasant but none too bright.

The weakest section is probably that on Catherine Howard. Although the book does shed new light on Catherine's legendary "romance" with Thomas Culpepper, it can at times become a bit silly in its attempts to react against Victorian values culminating in Starkey's view that we can see a kind of "virtue in promiscuity." It also seems that too much intelligence and cunning is accredited to Catherine who was, essentially, an ordinary if thoughtless young woman.

The section on Catherine Parr is illuminating and enjoyable to read. Catherine is shown to have been religiously-motivated, courageous and quick-witted; not the dull bluestocking of popular myth.

Politically, there hasn't been a study which explores the six wives' role better. Neither Weir, Loades, Lindsey or Fraser's books explore the impact Henry's wives had on society, religion and government to the same extent as Starkey does. Furthermore, Starkey also has a real feel for personality and the six queens are liberated from their stereotypes and emerge as far more believable human beings than they do in many other historical books. Starkey's narrative cannot be faulted on bias either, unlike the works of Weir or slipshod scholarship, like those of Carolly Erickson. The book is enjoyable, superbly written and illuminating. Both experts and new-comers to the Tudor era should read Starkey's wonderful "Six Wives".

The women behind one of the most well known British Kings, 29 Mar 2004
I'm a student of Ancient History and Egyptology rather than British History. However, it is British History which has always been my first 'love'.

The first account I ever read about Henry and his wives was in the Horrible History series (Cruel Kings and Mean Queens - which, by the way, I would recommend to everyone, child or adult), when I was quite young (perhaps about 8yrs?). It was, by no mean, my favourite aspect at the time. I didn't have a favourite British monarch back then.

And I don't now.

However, I came across this recently and decided to buy it. I was intrigued by these women (amongst others in history) and thought to myself "why not learn more?"

I'm glad I made that decision, for while I have not read anything else other than this and some brief articles about Henry's queens, I found it very thorough. It deals with everything, from the personal intimate details to the fully political (and public) aspects of their lives.

It begins with Catherine of Aragon (I've decided to use the spelling in the book for all the names!), a strong Catholic woman (who you can't help but have some admiration for). Anne Boleyn follows - an equally strong 'Protestant' (who I really didn't like at first for her treatment of Catherine, but I did eventually). You may find yourself thinking of Anne's downfall before you get there in a kind of smug way, but then feeling a little ashamed when it comes to the crunch. These personalities and characteristics are reflected in their daughters (Mary and Elizabeth respectively). Starkey devotes over half of the book to Catherine and Anne.

Poor Jane who follows seems a bit boring in comparison to her striking predecessors, as does Anne of Cleves (who becomes Henry's 'sister'). Catherine Howard livens things up a bit as does Catherine Parr after her (who also goes a bit too far with her religious views for Henry's liking).

Starkey also peppers his work with eerie comments, such as "in a few months, she would be dead". (I don't know if that one is actually there, but you get the picture!)

I would thoroughly recommend this book to absolutely anyone who is even remotely interested in Henry's wives - you will not be disappointed!

Great Book for any starter genealogist!!!, 11 May 1999
I truly enjoyed this book. My daughters been trying to buy it for me for quite some time. Of course that was the previous version...I didn't think I needed it AND then I hit a brick wall. I asked her to get it for me for Mother's Day, sure enough, it helped! Matthew and April, Thanks!!!

This book is great and easy to use !, 12 Oct 1998
This book was very easy to use as a guide to online genealogy. I recomend it highly.

A great Companion, 02 Sep 2007
I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their way around the wealth of info available on the web to the amateur genealogist. There is info on where to start and on the whole aray of online sources. A great book, worth the money.

The second book you should buy, 27 Nov 2006
Once you begin to understand how to tackle mapping your family tree, you will quickly realise that you need to use the Internet.

This book is your invaluable guide - it tells you what is there, how to get it, what it costs and gives a very unbiased view as to quality.

I was very impressed by the range of material and the style of review - you do not see the author's preferences unless they made explicit, instead you get a sensible appraisal of the pros and cons of various sites and the options you need to consider before embarking on subscriptions that may end up not justifying their purchase.

I have found this a great companion on my journey into the past.

A Genealogists Must Have On The Book Shelf!!!, 30 Apr 2006
There are many books on the subject of genealogy reference, so much so, it is a nightmare and a daunting experience as to which reference books to plumb for. Peter Christian, has produced such a book, that is written in plain English, for the beginner and more advanced genealogist. The book is chronological in format with the most uptodate references of internet resources and the record offices/agencies available. The book is non biased towards any agencies, but does point out the pitfalls of information submitted to the various sites, as not being accurate without being verified manually from record offices. Such information apparently goes unchecked and therefore, inaccuracies, occur in the compilation of genealogical compilations. This is something Peter Christian, quite rightly, points out. This in mind, Peter Christian has covered all aspects of the science of researching family history. A very well written reference book and one that every researcher of genealogy should have. I certainly recommend this book for persons looking to purchase on this subject!!

A Goldmine of Information, 16 Feb 2006
Superb. Packed absolutely full of information on Internet resources fo rthe genealogist. The author even has a website containing updates to links that have changed since being printed in the book. Highly recommended.

Well-judged, helpful and very authoritative, 11 Nov 2001
It's hard to imagine a more compendious or useful book for the intelligent beginner or the established Family Historian with ambitions to extend his or her knowledge through the enormous (but potentially bewildering) resources of the web.

The author is a Fellow of London's Society of Geneaologists but does not blind with science: the book is a well-paced primer, but completely unpatronising. It will prove enlightening even to hardened net-users, and it contains a huge number of tips about exploring British Genealogy online that will be indispensible to Family Historians all over the world.

The book is fully-illustrated and nicely-presented. A specially valuable section concerns the practicalities, and the netiquette, of putting your own Family Tree online, thereby getting the attention of, and swapping information with, remote relations and fellow researchers.

The web is revolutionising the already-absorbing study of Genealogy and this excellent volume smooths and illuminates any would-be explorer's path through it.

Happy customer, 25 Jul 2008
Very, very happy with this book. Spent ages looking at all the different titles then took a chance by ordering this one. Made the right decision. Format is fresh, easy to glance through or read in more detail depending on how much time you have. Plenty of names to choose from, modern, traditional, trendy, a few foreign names but not too many. Ideal for naming baby without having to trawl through crazy names or a multitude of American names. Within ten minutes of reading this i'd found a few good names. Perfect.

Intelligent and entertaining, 18 Apr 2008
There are so, so many rubbish name books out there. This is one of a very few gems (the only other one I'd recommend is the Oxford Dictionary of First Names).

It's full of interesting, and accurate tidbits about the names, which the author sometimes groups together in themes - for example, Alfred and Aubrey might be talked about in the same entry because both have meanings about elves. This doesn't mean the names are hard to find, though, as they are all ordered alphabetically. Just don't be put off if some of them say "See 'X'"; it doesn't mean they've been lumped in with another name, but that they will be discussed with them. This gives the book an almost conversational feel, as if you were listening to someone really well-informed talk about names. The introduction, too, is very interesting and makes it obvious she has done her research (she even provides a bibliography). I really enjoyed reading it and haven't spotted a single factual inaccuracy of the kind that other name books are riddled with. The only strange thing is that there are lots of typos in my edition. It's a shame that such a good book clearly hasn't been proofread to do it justice.

An extremely interesting and refreshing approach to a well known story. , 19 Aug 2007
David Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is a unique biography on these six women. Starkey, unlike some other historians who have approached the same subject, has not reiterated an already well known story, but instead has set out to question the common conceptions of these women whilst also rejecting the need to become too revisionist. This mixture is best observed in the portrayal of the first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine's virtuous position that has been rewarded to her by her devoted fans is questioned and Starkey reveals a more pragmatic and human perception of her. She was a woman of faults, capable of lying (as highlighted in her letter to her father Ferdinand after her first failed pregnancy), capable of immense pride and stubbornness and he accept the traditional idea that Catherine believed her position to be the rightful one.

Starkey goes on to challenge more misconceptions, for example the portrayal of Catherine Parr. Was she really this nurse figure that Victorian historian Agnes Strickland loved to promote? Oddly enough, she wasn't in the sense that Strickland meant. Parr was an intelligent woman, so intelligent that when she realised Henry's jealousy over her cleverness and the conservative's factions plot to overthrow her, she played the `submissive wife' card, declared that as a woman she didn't know better and submitted to Henry. Starkey manages to describe this change without making Katherine appear as a woman who compromised her intelligence, but as a woman who know how to survive.

The portrayal which I couldn't completely agree on was Starkey's view of Anne Boleyn. He certainly highlighted her intelligence, and unlike some other biographies in the six wives (like Weir's), he notes her level of knowledge about the divorce proceedings and her political achievements. However his views on Anne's relationship with the Princess Mary are questionable. Instead of showing how Anne and Mary equally despised each other, both made poor comments towards one another and how it was understandable why both disliked each other, he places more blame on Anne and relies far too much on Chapuy's accounts for her relationship with Mary. Chapuys, the Spanish ambassador, whose contemporary accounts are very valuable to us, was undoubtedly biased and hated Anne. His accusations have often proven to be false (like how he liked to declare that Anne and Henry's marriage had broken up long before it had and suspecting Anne of poisoning Catherine in Jan 1536), so relying on his claims of what Anne was doing to Mary is unfair and of course does not highlight what Mary was saying back at Anne.

Starkey does come up with several interesting and probable theories, one of which is the issue of Henry and Anne's first marriage. Starkey argues that Anne, who had denied Henry sexual intercourse throughout the duration of their courtship, would not have given in to his demands unless she and undergone some form of a binding ceremony with him. And Edward Hall, the councillor mentions that Anne and Henry were married in Dover on the 14th Nov 1532 and later again in the same month. This goes against the traditional idea that Henry and Anne married after she became pregnant sometime in Dec 1532. It's a very plausible argument and it makes sense that Anne would only give in to him once they had married.

Starkey's work on the downfall of Katherine Howard is excellent, especially his work on the testimony of Thomas Culpepper, who was accused of committing adultery with Katherine whilst she was Queen. Starkey's conclusion as to their relationship is brilliant and I completely agree that whilst Katherine led an indiscreet life before marriage, the possibility of her committing adultery with Culpepper were slim and even they were found guilty on intent to commit adultery rather than actual committing the act.
Anne of Cleves is dealt with briefly as is Jane Seymour, although in both cases their different personal faiths and their importance to the conservative or reformist factions in court is well examined.

Personally, I think that Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is the best I have read so far on these well documented and unfortunate women. Starkey like Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser wishes to tell us this important story, but unlike the other two, he is not attempting to merely reiterate the already known and is prepared to make excellent theories and back them up with careful researched evidence. Unlike Weir, he does not attempt to show an overwhelming bias towards one wife and attempts to show their respected faults and qualities. The main problem of the book is that it would have been nice to have had more on the last four wives, yet in fairness Starkey has identified that the beginning of the remarkable, dramatic changes within sixteenth century English society and in Henry VIII himself, occurred under his first two marriages and therefore much more observance needs to be paid to them. Henry also had longer relationships with Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn and as this book wishes to focus on the women at the time when they were in Henry VIII's life, then again it makes sense more time is allocated to the first two. Overall it's a superb piece of work that is accessible for all and if you are going to read one piece of work on the six wives, then I really recommend you pick this one!

Well-researched but too compartmentalised, 13 Apr 2007
I found this hard going. While Starkey's research is admittedly admirable, what I found very strange about this book is that he completely compartmentalises each of the wives, as though they existed entirely separately from each other. For instance, in the section on Catherine of Aragon, there is NO mention of Anne Boleyn, even once you get to the parts about the divorce, etc. I found this frankly peculiar, and more than a little frustrating and irritating. Anne was a member of Catherine's court; Catherine knew exactly who she was, and that she was the one her husband was leaving her for. I don't see how you can explore Catherine's story with any humanity and depth without going into these relationships, which were of such wrenching impact at the time.

Similarly, I felt that while the political aspects of each wife's reign were gone into in great detail, there was a lack of the personal which for me made the book much duller and dryer than expected. I greatly preferred Antonia Fraser's treatment of this subject.

A book for new-comers and experts, 05 Aug 2004
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Tudor dynasty, and pride myself on having read most books currently available on the subject. I was somewhat apprehensive about reading Starkey's examination of the six fascinating women who were married (however briefly) to Henry VIII. But I needn't have been. This was historical scholarship at its best.

Starkey cannot be accused of romanticising history, and he successfully blows apart some of the more cherished romantic anecdotes surrounding Henry's queens. It transpires that Henry probably didn't nickname his fifth wife his "rose without a thorn" and that Catherine Parr, his sixth, certainly didn't act as a nurse to her ailing husband. Starkey is similarly unprepared to prop-up misconceptions and stereotypes. He refuses to present Catherine of Aragon as a saint, despite the best efforts of numerous other historians and novelists to present Henry's first wife as a perfect wife, mother, queen and Christian. Rather, Starkey shows Catherine to have been admirable, politically-important and dignified; but he also shows that she could be deceitful, incalcitrant and naive.

Anne Boleyn (to whom most of the book is devoted) emerges as a more likeable individual than she does in Alison Weir's narratives. Anne's political and religious impact is the main focus of Starkey's narrative but he also reveals Anne's charisma, intelligence and style (even if he also relates how she could be a temperamental drama queen when she wanted to be!) Starkey also manages to construct a new (and more convincing) timetable for Henry's affair with Anne, and persuasively argues that Henry had a much larger part to play in Lord Percy's enforced marriage than previously believed.

Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves do not occupy an inordinate a mount of space in this book (Starkey admits as much himself in the introduction, claiming that space is going to be given according to each wife's importance.) Jane emerges as a somewhat pretentious, haughty, cold and uninteresting individual; whilst Anne of Cleves seems pleasant but none too bright.

The weakest section is probably that on Catherine Howard. Although the book does shed new light on Catherine's legendary "romance" with Thomas Culpepper, it can at times become a bit silly in its attempts to react against Victorian values culminating in Starkey's view that we can see a kind of "virtue in promiscuity." It also seems that too much intelligence and cunning is accredited to Catherine who was, essentially, an ordinary if thoughtless young woman.

The section on Catherine Parr is illuminating and enjoyable to read. Catherine is shown to have been religiously-motivated, courageous and quick-witted; not the dull bluestocking of popular myth.

Politically, there hasn't been a study which explores the six wives' role better. Neither Weir, Loades, Lindsey or Fraser's books explore the impact Henry's wives had on society, religion and government to the same extent as Starkey does. Furthermore, Starkey also has a real feel for personality and the six queens are liberated from their stereotypes and emerge as far more believable human beings than they do in many other historical books. Starkey's narrative cannot be faulted on bias either, unlike the works of Weir or slipshod scholarship, like those of Carolly Erickson. The book is enjoyable, superbly written and illuminating. Both experts and new-comers to the Tudor era should read Starkey's wonderful "Six Wives".

The women behind one of the most well known British Kings, 29 Mar 2004
I'm a student of Ancient History and Egyptology rather than British History. However, it is British History which has always been my first 'love'.

The first account I ever read about Henry and his wives was in the Horrible History series (Cruel Kings and Mean Queens - which, by the way, I would recommend to everyone, child or adult), when I was quite young (perhaps about 8yrs?). It was, by no mean, my favourite aspect at the time. I didn't have a favourite British monarch back then.

And I don't now.

However, I came across this recently and decided to buy it. I was intrigued by these women (amongst others in history) and thought to myself "why not learn more?"

I'm glad I made that decision, for while I have not read anything else other than this and some brief articles about Henry's queens, I found it very thorough. It deals with everything, from the personal intimate details to the fully political (and public) aspects of their lives.

It begins with Catherine of Aragon (I've decided to use the spelling in the book for all the names!), a strong Catholic woman (who you can't help but have some admiration for). Anne Boleyn follows - an equally strong 'Protestant' (who I really didn't like at first for her treatment of Catherine, but I did eventually). You may find yourself thinking of Anne's downfall before you get there in a kind of smug way, but then feeling a little ashamed when it comes to the crunch. These personalities and characteristics are reflected in their daughters (Mary and Elizabeth respectively). Starkey devotes over half of the book to Catherine and Anne.

Poor Jane who follows seems a bit boring in comparison to her striking predecessors, as does Anne of Cleves (who becomes Henry's 'sister'). Catherine Howard livens things up a bit as does Catherine Parr after her (who also goes a bit too far with her religious views for Henry's liking).

Starkey also peppers his work with eerie comments, such as "in a few months, she would be dead". (I don't know if that one is actually there, but you get the picture!)

I would thoroughly recommend this book to absolutely anyone who is even remotely interested in Henry's wives - you will not be disappointed!

Great Book for any starter genealogist!!!, 11 May 1999
I truly enjoyed this book. My daughters been trying to buy it for me for quite some time. Of course that was the previous version...I didn't think I needed it AND then I hit a brick wall. I asked her to get it for me for Mother's Day, sure enough, it helped! Matthew and April, Thanks!!!

This book is great and easy to use !, 12 Oct 1998
This book was very easy to use as a guide to online genealogy. I recomend it highly.

I concur......, 24 Feb 2008
....with all of the previous reviews. This book is divided into girl and boy names which are then listed in alphabetical order. There are so many names, 5,000 according to the book itself, that reading through them all to create a shortlist is time consuming!

We purchased the book to help us decide the name of our newborn and there are so many names to choose from that it is inevitable that you will find one that you both agree on!

Mainly European and biblical names, with a smattering of hebrew, arabic and Indian. Generally gives the history behind and the meaning of the name also.

Fantastic - best name book I've seen, 05 Nov 2007
This book is great. It has so many names from so many different origins and even the variants of those. Within 10 minutes of picking it up I had found 2 great possible names for my new addition wheras I'd found none in the countless books I had studied so far. Well worth the £8.99 RRP.

Penguin Dictionary of First Names, 22 Jun 2007
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names is easily the most comprehensive compendium of names I have ever come across. It is peppered with historical background and little anecdotes making it a most enjoyable read even if you are not planning on having babies but have always been extremely curious as to the story behind the name .

Thorough, informative & inspiring, 28 Sep 2006
This is easily the best name book which I own (and I own several). It is arranged in alphabetical order (as one might expect from a dictionary, I suppose) but for all names rather than with the usual Girl/Boy division. The gender of the name is indicated in brackets with either m or f. Each name has a paragraph of information about its derivation, meaning and historic use. This is far more thorough than many others on the market and allows you to make a very informed choice about your son or daughter's future name. I have used this book to make many suggestions to my sister about my future niece/nephew and she is very impressed. Even if you aren't expecting a child, this is an extremely interesting book to leaf through and well worth the modest price tag.

A great Companion, 02 Sep 2007
I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their way around the wealth of info available on the web to the amateur genealogist. There is info on where to start and on the whole aray of online sources. A great book, worth the money.

The second book you should buy, 27 Nov 2006
Once you begin to understand how to tackle mapping your family tree, you will quickly realise that you need to use the Internet.

This book is your invaluable guide - it tells you what is there, how to get it, what it costs and gives a very unbiased view as to quality.

I was very impressed by the range of material and the style of review - you do not see the author's preferences unless they made explicit, instead you get a sensible appraisal of the pros and cons of various sites and the options you need to consider before embarking on subscriptions that may end up not justifying their purchase.

I have found this a great companion on my journey into the past.

A Genealogists Must Have On The Book Shelf!!!, 30 Apr 2006
There are many books on the subject of genealogy reference, so much so, it is a nightmare and a daunting experience as to which reference books to plumb for. Peter Christian, has produced such a book, that is written in plain English, for the beginner and more advanced genealogist. The book is chronological in format with the most uptodate references of internet resources and the record offices/agencies available. The book is non biased towards any agencies, but does point out the pitfalls of information submitted to the various sites, as not being accurate without being verified manually from record offices. Such information apparently goes unchecked and therefore, inaccuracies, occur in the compilation of genealogical compilations. This is something Peter Christian, quite rightly, points out. This in mind, Peter Christian has covered all aspects of the science of researching family history. A very well written reference book and one that every researcher of genealogy should have. I certainly recommend this book for persons looking to purchase on this subject!!

A Goldmine of Information, 16 Feb 2006
Superb. Packed absolutely full of information on Internet resources fo rthe genealogist. The author even has a website containing updates to links that have changed since being printed in the book. Highly recommended.

Well-judged, helpful and very authoritative, 11 Nov 2001
It's hard to imagine a more compendious or useful book for the intelligent beginner or the established Family Historian with ambitions to extend his or her knowledge through the enormous (but potentially bewildering) resources of the web.

The author is a Fellow of London's Society of Geneaologists but does not blind with science: the book is a well-paced primer, but completely unpatronising. It will prove enlightening even to hardened net-users, and it contains a huge number of tips about exploring British Genealogy online that will be indispensible to Family Historians all over the world.

The book is fully-illustrated and nicely-presented. A specially valuable section concerns the practicalities, and the netiquette, of putting your own Family Tree online, thereby getting the attention of, and swapping information with, remote relations and fellow researchers.

The web is revolutionising the already-absorbing study of Genealogy and this excellent volume smooths and illuminates any would-be explorer's path through it.

Happy customer, 25 Jul 2008
Very, very happy with this book. Spent ages looking at all the different titles then took a chance by ordering this one. Made the right decision. Format is fresh, easy to glance through or read in more detail depending on how much time you have. Plenty of names to choose from, modern, traditional, trendy, a few foreign names but not too many. Ideal for naming baby without having to trawl through crazy names or a multitude of American names. Within ten minutes of reading this i'd found a few good names. Perfect.

Intelligent and entertaining, 18 Apr 2008
There are so, so many rubbish name books out there. This is one of a very few gems (the only other one I'd recommend is the Oxford Dictionary of First Names).

It's full of interesting, and accurate tidbits about the names, which the author sometimes groups together in themes - for example, Alfred and Aubrey might be talked about in the same entry because both have meanings about elves. This doesn't mean the names are hard to find, though, as they are all ordered alphabetically. Just don't be put off if some of them say "See 'X'"; it doesn't mean they've been lumped in with another name, but that they will be discussed with them. This gives the book an almost conversational feel, as if you were listening to someone really well-informed talk about names. The introduction, too, is very interesting and makes it obvious she has done her research (she even provides a bibliography). I really enjoyed reading it and haven't spotted a single factual inaccuracy of the kind that other name books are riddled with. The only strange thing is that there are lots of typos in my edition. It's a shame that such a good book clearly hasn't been proofread to do it justice.

An extremely interesting and refreshing approach to a well known story. , 19 Aug 2007
David Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is a unique biography on these six women. Starkey, unlike some other historians who have approached the same subject, has not reiterated an already well known story, but instead has set out to question the common conceptions of these women whilst also rejecting the need to become too revisionist. This mixture is best observed in the portrayal of the first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine's virtuous position that has been rewarded to her by her devoted fans is questioned and Starkey reveals a more pragmatic and human perception of her. She was a woman of faults, capable of lying (as highlighted in her letter to her father Ferdinand after her first failed pregnancy), capable of immense pride and stubbornness and he accept the traditional idea that Catherine believed her position to be the rightful one.

Starkey goes on to challenge more misconceptions, for example the portrayal of Catherine Parr. Was she really this nurse figure that Victorian historian Agnes Strickland loved to promote? Oddly enough, she wasn't in the sense that Strickland meant. Parr was an intelligent woman, so intelligent that when she realised Henry's jealousy over her cleverness and the conservative's factions plot to overthrow her, she played the `submissive wife' card, declared that as a woman she didn't know better and submitted to Henry. Starkey manages to describe this change without making Katherine appear as a woman who compromised her intelligence, but as a woman who know how to survive.

The portrayal which I couldn't completely agree on was Starkey's view of Anne Boleyn. He certainly highlighted her intelligence, and unlike some other biographies in the six wives (like Weir's), he notes her level of knowledge about the divorce proceedings and her political achievements. However his views on Anne's relationship with the Princess Mary are questionable. Instead of showing how Anne and Mary equally despised each other, both made poor comments towards one another and how it was understandable why both disliked each other, he places more blame on Anne and relies far too much on Chapuy's accounts for her relationship with Mary. Chapuys, the Spanish ambassador, whose contemporary accounts are very valuable to us, was undoubtedly biased and hated Anne. His accusations have often proven to be false (like how he liked to declare that Anne and Henry's marriage had broken up long before it had and suspecting Anne of poisoning Catherine in Jan 1536), so relying on his claims of what Anne was doing to Mary is unfair and of course does not highlight what Mary was saying back at Anne.

Starkey does come up with several interesting and probable theories, one of which is the issue of Henry and Anne's first marriage. Starkey argues that Anne, who had denied Henry sexual intercourse throughout the duration of their courtship, would not have given in to his demands unless she and undergone some form of a binding ceremony with him. And Edward Hall, the councillor mentions that Anne and Henry were married in Dover on the 14th Nov 1532 and later again in the same month. This goes against the traditional idea that Henry and Anne married after she became pregnant sometime in Dec 1532. It's a very plausible argument and it makes sense that Anne would only give in to him once they had married.

Starkey's work on the downfall of Katherine Howard is excellent, especially his work on the testimony of Thomas Culpepper, who was accused of committing adultery with Katherine whilst she was Queen. Starkey's conclusion as to their relationship is brilliant and I completely agree that whilst Katherine led an indiscreet life before marriage, the possibility of her committing adultery with Culpepper were slim and even they were found guilty on intent to commit adultery rather than actual committing the act.
Anne of Cleves is dealt with briefly as is Jane Seymour, although in both cases their different personal faiths and their importance to the conservative or reformist factions in court is well examined.

Personally, I think that Starkey's work on the six wives of Henry VIII is the best I have read so far on these well documented and unfortunate women. Starkey like Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser wishes to tell us this important story, but unlike the other two, he is not attempting to merely reiterate the already known and is prepared to make excellent theories and back them up with careful researched evidence. Unlike Weir, he does not attempt to show an overwhelming bias towards one wife and attempts to show their respected faults and qualities. The main problem of the book is that it would have been nice to have had more on the last four wives, yet in fairness Starkey has identified that the beginning of the remarkable, dramatic changes within sixteenth century English society and in Henry VIII himself, occurred under his first two marriages and therefore much more observance needs to be paid to them. Henry also had longer relationships with Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn and as this book wishes to focus on the women at the time when they were in Henry VIII's life, then again it makes sense more time is allocated to the first two. Overall it's a superb piece of work that is accessible for all and if you are going to read one piece of work on the six wives, then I really recommend you pick this one!

Well-researched but too compartmentalised, 13 Apr 2007
I found this hard going. While Starkey's research is admittedly admirable, what I found very strange about this book is that he completely compartmentalises each of the wives, as though they existed entirely separately from each other. For instance, in the section on Catherine of Aragon, there is NO mention of Anne Boleyn, even once you get to the parts about the divorce, etc. I found this frankly peculiar, and more than a little frustrating and irritating. Anne was a member of Catherine's court; Catherine knew exactly who she was, and that she was the one her husband was leaving her for. I don't see how you can explore Catherine's story with any humanity and depth without going into these relationships, which were of such wrenching impact at the time.

Similarly, I felt that while the political aspects of each wife's reign were gone into in great detail, there was a lack of the personal which for me made the book much duller and dryer than expected. I greatly preferred Antonia Fraser's treatment of this subject.

A book for new-comers and experts, 05 Aug 2004
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Tudor dynasty, and pride myself on having read most books currently available on the subject. I was somewhat apprehensive about reading Starkey's examination of the six fascinating women who were married (however briefly) to Henry VIII. But I needn't have been. This was historical scholarship at its best.

Starkey cannot be accused of romanticising history, and he successfully blows apart some of the more cherished romantic anecdotes surrounding Henry's queens. It transpires that Henry probably didn't nickname his fifth wife his "rose without a thorn" and that Catherine Parr, his sixth, certainly didn't act as a nurse to her ailing husband. Starkey is similarly unprepared to prop-up misconceptions and stereotypes. He refuses to present Catherine of Aragon as a saint, despite the best efforts of numerous other historians and novelists to present Henry's first wife as a perfect wife, mother, queen and Christian. Rather, Starkey shows Catherine to have been admirable, politically-important and dignified; but he also shows that she could be deceitful, incalcitrant and naive.

Anne Boleyn (to whom most of the book is devoted) emerges as a more likeable individual than she does in Alison Weir's narratives. Anne's political and religious impact is the main focus of Starkey's narrative but he also reveals Anne's charisma, intelligence and style (even if he also relates how she could be a temperamental drama queen when she wanted to be!) Starkey also manages to construct a new (and more convincing) timetable for Henry's affair with Anne, and persuasively argues that Henry had a much larger part to play in Lord Percy's enforced marriage than previously believed.

Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves do not occupy an inordinate a mount of space in this book (Starkey admits as much himself in the introduction, claiming that space is going to be given according to each wife's importance.) Jane emerges as a somewhat pretentious, haughty, cold and uninteresting individual; whilst Anne of Cleves seems pleasant but none too bright.

The weakest section is probably that on Catherine Howard. Although the book does shed new light on Catherine's legendary "romance" with Thomas Culpepper, it can at times become a bit silly in its attempts to react against Victorian values culminating in Starkey's view that we can see a kind of "virtue in promiscuity." It also seems that too much intelligence and cunning is accredited to Catherine who was, essentially, an ordinary if thoughtless young woman.

The section on Catherine Parr is illuminating and enjoyable to read. Catherine is shown to have been religiously-motivated, courageous and quick-witted; not the dull bluestocking of popular myth.

Politically, there hasn't been a study which explores the six wives' role better. Neither Weir, Loades, Lindsey or Fraser's books explore the impact Henry's wives had on society, religion and government to the same extent as Starkey does. Furthermore, Starkey also has a real feel for personality and the six queens are liberated from their stereotypes and emerge as far more believable human beings than they do in many other historical books. Starkey's narrative cannot be faulted on bias either, unlike the works of Weir or slipshod scholarship, like those of Carolly Erickson. The book is enjoyable, superbly written and illuminating. Both experts and new-comers to the Tudor era should read Starkey's wonderful "Six Wives".

The women behind one of the most well known British Kings, 29 Mar 2004
I'm a student of Ancient History and Egyptology rather than British History. However, it is British History which has always been my first 'love'.

The first account I ever read about Henry and his wives was in the Horrible History series (Cruel Kings and Mean Queens - which, by the way, I would recommend to everyone, child or adult), when I was quite young (perhaps about 8yrs?). It was, by no mean, my favourite aspect at the time. I didn't have a favourite British monarch back then.

And I don't now.

However, I came across this recently and decided to buy it. I was intrigued by these women (amongst others in history) and thought to myself "why not learn more?"

I'm glad I made that decision, for while I have not read anything else other than this and some brief articles about Henry's queens, I found it very thorough. It deals with everything, from the personal intimate details to the fully political (and public) aspects of their lives.

It begins with Catherine of Aragon (I've decided to use the spelling in the book for all the names!), a strong Catholic woman (who you can't help but have some admiration for). Anne Boleyn follows - an equally strong 'Protestant' (who I really didn't like at first for her treatment of Catherine, but I did eventually). You may find yourself thinking of Anne's downfall before you get there in a kind of smug way, but then feeling a little ashamed when it comes to the crunch. These personalities and characteristics are reflected in their daughters (Mary and Elizabeth respectively). Starkey devotes over half of the book to Catherine and Anne.

Poor Jane who follows seems a bit boring in comparison to her striking predecessors, as does Anne of Cleves (who becomes Henry's 'sister'). Catherine Howard livens things up a bit as does Catherine Parr after her (who also goes a bit too far with her religious views for Henry's liking).

Starkey also peppers his work with eerie comments, such as "in a few months, she would be dead". (I don't know if that one is actually there, but you get the picture!)

I would thoroughly recommend this book to absolutely anyone who is even remotely interested in Henry's wives - you will not be disappointed!

Great Book for any starter genealogist!!!, 11 May 1999
I truly enjoyed this book. My daughters been trying to buy it for me for quite some time. Of course that was the previous version...I didn't think I needed it AND then I hit a brick wall. I asked her to get it for me for Mother's Day, sure enough, it helped! Matthew and April, Thanks!!!

This book is great and easy to use !, 12 Oct 1998
This book was very easy to use as a guide to online genealogy. I recomend it highly.

I concur......, 24 Feb 2008
....with all of the previous reviews. This book is divided into girl and boy names which are then listed in alphabetical order. There are so many names, 5,000 according to the book itself, that reading through them all to create a shortlist is time consuming!

We purchased the book to help us decide the name of our newborn and there are so many names to choose from that it is inevitable that you will find one that you both agree on!

Mainly European and biblical names, with a smattering of hebrew, arabic and Indian. Generally gives the history behind and the meaning of the name also.

Fantastic - best name book I've seen, 05 Nov 2007
This book is great. It has so many names from so many different origins and even the variants of those. Within 10 minutes of picking it up I had found 2 great possible names for my new addition wheras I'd found none in the countless books I had studied so far. Well worth the £8.99 RRP.

Penguin Dictionary of First Names, 22 Jun 2007
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names is easily the most comprehensive compendium of names I have ever come across. It is peppered with historical background and little anecdotes making it a most enjoyable read even if you are not planning on having babies but have always been extremely curious as to the story behind the name .

Thorough, informative & inspiring, 28 Sep 2006
This is easily the best name book which I own (and I own several). It is arranged in alphabetical order (as one might expect from a dictionary, I suppose) but for all names rather than with the usual Girl/Boy division. The gender of the name is indicated in brackets with either m or f. Each name has a paragraph of information about its derivation, meaning and historic use. This is far more thorough than many others on the market and allows you to make a very informed choice about your son or daughter's future name. I have used this book to make many suggestions to my sister about my future niece/nephew and she is very impressed. Even if you aren't expecting a child, this is an extremely interesting book to leaf through and well worth the modest price tag.

Great overview of the politics of Henry VIII's reign, 10 Sep 2007
`The Reign of Henry VIII: Personalities and Politics' is a short examination into the various influential persons and factions that shaped the politics of Henry VIII's reign.

The book at first appears rather short, being only 145 pages long. Yet Starkey is able to chart the rise and decline of various notable figures in Henry's reign and of the groups that tried to exert their ideas upon the king and in official policy.

Starkey first examines the situation early on in Henry's reign, where he presents a young king who is more engrossed in image and in pastimes rather than absorbed in the meticulous running of the state. A comparison is created between Henry and his father Henry VII, who unlike his son, was concerned in curbing the power of he nobility rather than associating himself to much with them. Henry VIII enjoyed the company of aristocrats and soon become close to a group of young hot headed noblemen. In contrast his father, who was always carefully to get too dependant upon anyone, preferred to work with bureaucrats. Father and son could not be more different.

Starkey's examination of Henry VIII's `intimates' is excellent; in particular his focus on how Thomas Wolsey attempted to curb their power. Henry enjoyed hunting and jousting with his male friends, and whilst he certainly possessed the intellectual capabilities to conduct state affairs, he found them unappealing. Thomas Wolsey, Henry's leading minister and Lord Chancellor of England till 1529, encouraged Henry in his pursuits and readily took up the business of government. Yet simultaneously he continuously kept an eye on how Henry's friends influenced him. Hostility increased between Wolsey and the intimates, or `minions' as Starkey labels them, and Wolsey attempted to drive them from the Privy Chamber. Sometimes he is successful in driving his enemies away temporarily and maintaining the king's affections. But as Starkey observes, the rise of the Boleyn faction in the late 1520s, marked the end for Wolsey.

As the title of the book suggests, a large element of the work focuses upon personalities that shaped Henry's reign. Unsurprisingly three chapters are reserved to three remarkable individuals; Thomas Wolsey, Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell. Each played a significant role in their respective factions. Starkey covers them well and often referrers to other notable historian's views on each individual and/or situation. Anne Boleyn's level of influence and participation within her own faction and against her enemies is well examined. And Cromwell is presented in rather a balanced way; on one hand he was able to brilliantly put himself forward as Wolsey's successor, gained the loyalty of several, managed to orchestrate the downfall of several conservatives in 1539 whilst simultaneously pushing forward his reformist preferences. Yet he was also ruthless, particularly in his involvement in the bloody coup of April- May 1536, which saw the fall of Anne Boleyn and those closely affiliated to her.

One of the disappointing aspects is that Anne Boleyn's downfall is covered rather quickly even though this issue is one of controversial debate amongst several historians. There is something that doesn't quite fit about the assertion that Cromwell wished to overthrow Anne because of her foreign policy preferences. I think that was certainly his excuse to other people but Anne's pro-French attitude wasn't that evident months prior to her death. Instead when the Anglo-Spanish talks were renewed in 1535 she made no public protest about such actions and even is said to have made a statement in public against the French. Yet Starkey suggests that Cromwell was happy to see Anne fall on the grounds that she was pro-French and that he was more inclined to Spain, completely ignoring though her recent cool attitudes towards the French. Whilst he addresses well Cromwell's involvement in Anne's downfall, his reasons as to why Cromwell did this are debatable.

For much of Henry's reign, there was fierce conflict between two chief factions; the reformists and the conservatives. As their titles suggest, each faction were concerned with religion. Conservatives pressed for the continuation of traditional elements and practises of the Catholic Church, and some within this even desired a return to Rome, whilst reformers were engrossed with the new ideas from Germany and were dedicated to reforming the church of popish elements. Throughout the 1540s each group rose and fell in influence and Starkey is able to chart the progress of each faction in a comprehensible manner. Eventually we see the emergence of a conservative Council and a reformist Privy Chamber and Starkey excellently describes how the situation was able to change so by 1547 the king was surrounded by reformers who were able to profit by meddling with his will and exert their ideas in the next reign.

Overall Starkey's work on the politics and personalities of Henry VIII's reign is a fantastic study. This book is ideal for those with little knowledge on Henry's reign as it is written in an accessible manner. For those who already possess a good grasp of knowledge on this era, then you will probably not learn anything that new, however several interesting theories are proposed that are well worth a look. This is not a biography on Henry VIII or his six wives, and if you are particularly interested in the lives of these women then I really recommend Starkey's other work on that subject. Instead it focuses upon the changing structure of the Henrician court and the politics.


What leaves you thinking is Starkey's final comparison between Henry VIII's will, which was meddled with by his councillors, and with his reign. Was he a man of such power that he could make men rich and powerful with the intention of being able to control this power and removing them if they became over mighty? Or was he a monarch who was forever influenced by others and he could never control this confusing situation? It becomes apparent throughout the book that neither idea can be fully rejected. Which leaves the uncomfortable notion; if Henry was occasionally influenced by others and his reign was shaped by other personalities and factions, then can he still be seen as this all powerful tyrant? And bearing in mind the sheer level of backstabbing that went in throughout the years 1509-1547, who at court were really the villains and the victims? The great game of Tudor politics was exceedingly perilous and murky.

For nearly 200 years, the famed Rothschild banking family has weathered political revolutions, world wars and international financial crises. The House of Rothschild chronicles the family's rise and fall, and now its rise again, and describes the reasons for its lasting power. "Part of the secret of long-run success in banking is, of course, not to go bust; the Rothschilds' relative risk aversion is one reason for their financial longevity," writes author Niall Ferguson, who was surprised to discover during his research that the family had a return on capital as low as an average 3.9 percent from 1900-1909.

This book, the second of two volumes, is an authorised history. While members of the family read the manuscript, Ferguson said they did not censor his work. Ferguson details the Rothschilds' creation of the international bond market in the 1800s, through offices that stretched from London to Naples, and their eventual eclipse by American bankers like J. P. Morgan. He also explores the family's relationship to others in the Jewish community, the Rothschilds' climb up the social ranks and their role as adviser to kings and politicians during times of war and peace. The House of Rothschild is primarily an academic work with its footnotes, bibliography and quotations from Rothschild correspondence. The book is perhaps of most interest to fans of European political and economic history. But in the epilogue, where he describes the current resurgence of the House of Rothschild, Ferguson draws lessons about international finance that should interest those in the field today. --Dan Ring, Amazon.com

A great Companion, 02 Sep 2007
I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their w