Henry VIII: A History of his Most Important Places and Events Book Review

Not many historical figures fascinate us as much as Henry VIII and his wives and children. He was a complicated man who made decisions that still impact the world today. So all the places that felt his touch are also very interesting.

The author pulls together all the places that were a part of Henry’s life even as a babe. He mentions the places he stayed at and those he visited only a short time. Because there are so many places, this book covers a lot of ground.

Each place is individually discussed which means this is not presented in a chronological manner. This led to several moments were I was confused and had to reorient myself as I read. I thought that maybe shifting to discussing the sites as he visited would work better, but dismissed that as I saw how many times many of the sites were visited over and over again with a different wife.

Pictures and drawings were laid out to help the reader see the sites as they are today. Most of the locations have been built over or have a just a portion of them standing. Anyone passing by would not know their significance unless it was pointed out to them. This book would be very handy if you were visiting the areas and wanted to know more about the individual sites. Reading it and then going there would be more confusing as…