Tudor Era Resources

oldhousejunkie · 02-05-2013, 12:30 AM

Lord help me but I got an idea and it won't leave the Tudor time period (despite my best attempts). So now I'm looking for good books on the Tudor time period. Interesting non-fiction preferred...my attention wanders with really serious, "dry" non-fiction.

I've asked around a few of my other haunts and came up with "The Tudor Chronicles" and "Life in a Tudor Palace". Any others I'm missing? The plot will involve the upper class (no mistresses or wives to Henry VIII though...LOL) and middle class characters, so I'm especially interested in the social history surrounding these two classes. Any good websites would be welcome as well.

I might be interested in historical fiction from this time period as well, but I want it to be entertaining without sacrificing accuracy. I know Hilary Mantel is the big thing right now, but I'm not sure I would be interested in the subject matter.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

waylander · 02-05-2013, 02:26 AM

CJ Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series - very well researched and a good read too.

SpinningWheel · 02-25-2013, 01:33 AM

If you're still looking, I recommend:

Ian Mortimer - The Time Traveller's Guide To Elizabethan England
Jane Malcolm-Davies and Ninya Mikhaila - The Tudor Tailor
Alison Sim - The Tudor Housewife.
-Pleasures and Pastimes in Tudor England
Amy Licence - In Bed With The Tudors
Muriel StClair Byrne (ed) - The Lisle Letters.

I agree about Sansom - he's mostly very good with a few fairly obvious errors (like not knowing his pike from his halberd).

If you let me know when you're writing about or any particular themes you're looking for (eg food, religion) I might be able to help. I am writing a YA set in 1536 but I used to be a Tudor re-enactor.

There are also a couple of Facebook groups on Tudor dress (Elizabethan Costume, 16th and 17th Century Clothing) that are worth joining.

Deb Kinnard · 02-26-2013, 04:21 AM

Roberta Gellis wrote a romance some time back called THE SWORD AND THE SWAN, about Henry VII (not VIII, thanks very much) and Elizabeth of York. Probably OOP, but well worth the read if you can get your hands on a used copy.

I'm currently reading Thomas Penn's nonfic THE WINTER KING because of my WIP about two young 'uns just after the battle of Bosworth. I need detail and because I'm not familiar enough with early Tudor history, it's been rather a challenge to find.

Sunflowerrei · 02-28-2013, 01:53 AM

I enjoyed The Tudor Chronicles. Also, On This Day in Tudor History.

02-05-2013, 12:30 AM	#1
oldhousejunkie practical experience, FTW Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: South Carolina Posts: 165	Tudor Era Resources Lord help me but I got an idea and it won't leave the Tudor time period (despite my best attempts). So now I'm looking for good books on the Tudor time period. Interesting non-fiction preferred...my attention wanders with really serious, "dry" non-fiction. I've asked around a few of my other haunts and came up with "The Tudor Chronicles" and "Life in a Tudor Palace". Any others I'm missing? The plot will involve the upper class (no mistresses or wives to Henry VIII though...LOL) and middle class characters, so I'm especially interested in the social history surrounding these two classes. Any good websites would be welcome as well. I might be interested in historical fiction from this time period as well, but I want it to be entertaining without sacrificing accuracy. I know Hilary Mantel is the big thing right now, but I'm not sure I would be interested in the subject matter. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! __________________ My Writing Adventures Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads "Rebel Heart" Now Available! Amazon

02-05-2013, 02:26 AM	#2
waylander Who's going for a beer? Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 5,189	CJ Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series - very well researched and a good read too. __________________ Behind the smile, there's danger and a promise to be told.

02-26-2013, 04:21 AM	#4
Deb Kinnard A stormy day in Cornwall... Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Casa Chaos Posts: 1,777	Roberta Gellis wrote a romance some time back called THE SWORD AND THE SWAN, about Henry VII (not VIII, thanks very much) and Elizabeth of York. Probably OOP, but well worth the read if you can get your hands on a used copy. I'm currently reading Thomas Penn's nonfic THE WINTER KING because of my WIP about two young 'uns just after the battle of Bosworth. I need detail and because I'm not familiar enough with early Tudor history, it's been rather a challenge to find. __________________ THE FAITH BOX - three book series - book one, PEACEWEAVER, now available from Desert Breeze THE FAITH BOX, book two, THE HEALING TREE, now available from Desert Breeze THE FAITH BOX, book three, WHEN THE ROSES BLOOMED, coming November 2013 from Desert Breeze An inspiration... ...I have a serious case of Grobanosis

02-28-2013, 01:53 AM	#5
Sunflowerrei practical experience, FTW Join Date: May 2012 Location: Queens, New York Posts: 460	I enjoyed The Tudor Chronicles. Also, On This Day in Tudor History. __________________ Current WIP: Historical fiction, working title: The Keegan Inheritance. 86k. Third draft. Blog: The Sunflower's Scribbles Twitter: @Sunflowerrei

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02-25-2013, 01:33 AM	#3
SpinningWheel practical experience, FTW Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: darkest East Yorkshire Posts: 159	If you're still looking, I recommend: Ian Mortimer - The Time Traveller's Guide To Elizabethan England Jane Malcolm-Davies and Ninya Mikhaila - The Tudor Tailor Alison Sim - The Tudor Housewife. -Pleasures and Pastimes in Tudor England Amy Licence - In Bed With The Tudors Muriel StClair Byrne (ed) - The Lisle Letters. I agree about Sansom - he's mostly very good with a few fairly obvious errors (like not knowing his pike from his halberd). If you let me know when you're writing about or any particular themes you're looking for (eg food, religion) I might be able to help. I am writing a YA set in 1536 but I used to be a Tudor re-enactor. There are also a couple of Facebook groups on Tudor dress (Elizabethan Costume, 16th and 17th Century Clothing) that are worth joining.