Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon my Darlings. Today’s post is a list of five books about Anne Boleyn to read in remembrance of her death. Anne Boleyn was executed on May 19, 1536, making today the 488th anniversary of that tragic day! As Anne Boleyn is my favorite historical Queen, I do like marking the anniversary of her death, and this year I am giving you my list of five different books to read depending on what you want to learn about Anne Boleyn. Without further ado, let’s get to the list!
Read if you want a full biography of Anne Boleyn:
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ANNE BOLEYN by Eric Ives
~The first book I am recommending is the full-length biography of Anne, largely considered to be the best book about her life. It is certainly one of my favorite biographies of Anne, covering the whole of her life! That is why I have to recommend the Eric Ives biography if you are looking for an in-depth biography about the life and death of Anne Boleyn!
Read if you want a book focused on the end of Anne Boleyn’s life:
THE LADY IN THE TOWER by Alison Weir
~For the second book I am recommending, I thought it would be a good idea to recommend a book focused on the downfall of Anne Boleyn and her death. There is no better book about Anne’s downfall and the weeks leading up to her death than this book by the great historian Alison Weir!
Read if you want a collection of primary source documents about Anne Boleyn:
THE ANNE BOLEYN PAPERS by Elizabeth Norton
~The third book I am recommending is for those who want to do some in-depth research about Anne Boleyn from her own lifetime and through the lifetime of her daughter. I am talking about the primary and near-primary source literature available about the doomed Queen. This collection edited by Elizabeth Norton is a favorite source of mine when I feel like diving down a rabbit hole into what people had to say about Anne during and just after her own lifetime!
Read if you want an analysis of the pop culture and legend of Anne Boleyn:
THE CREATION OF ANNE BOLEYN by Susan Bordo
~The fourth book I am recommending is the most unique book on this list. As I stated above, the book is an exploration of Anne Boleyn as she has appeared in pop culture and the evolution of how Anne Boleyn has become a nearly legendary figure with many strong opinions about her! Anne Boleyn has become a true icon in the centuries after her death and it is incredibly intriguing to read this book about the evolution of the way her life story has been interpreted in various generations!
Read if you want a historical fiction book about Anne Boleyn:
BRIEF GAUDY HOUR by Margaret Campbell Barnes
~The final book I am recommending is a favorite historical fiction book about the life of Anne Boleyn. This one is a classic of the historical fiction canon of literature, being originally released in 1949. It is my favorite of the classic historical fiction books about her, but I do find each one intriguing as you can see how the author and the time period of the publication of the fiction books impacted the way that Anne Boleyn is portrayed!
Bonus: ANNE BOLEYN: A KING’S OBSESSION by Alison Weir
~I am listing this one as an alternative to Brief Gaudy Hour. For those who want a modern historical fiction book about Anne Boleyn, and as a bonus one written by a historian, this is one of my very favorite historical fiction books of all time!
~I hope you have enjoyed this list of book recommendations to read in remembrance of Anne Boleyn. What is your favorite Anne Boleyn book? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is beautiful artwork depicting the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn as a Queen on a playing card! I found the artwork on https://www.behance.net/gallery/67305817/Anne-Boleyn.
Tarot Note: I have a page offering tarot and oracle readings for those interested in these services! I am very happy to be offering these readings to my treasured readers at White Rose of Avalon! Link to page: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/tarot-and-oracle-readings/
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