Paul Friedmann originally released a two-piece biography of Anne Boleyn way back in 1884. Part of this biography has been reprinted in the ‘Great Tales of British History’ series. Anne Boley was, of course, the second wife of Henry VIII. Henry famously separated from Rome and founded the Church of England to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne in search of a son and heir. Anne gave birth to a daughter, who later became Elizabeth I of England and she had several miscarriages, though the exact number remains a source of debate.
I’ve read quite a bit about Anne over the years, but I’ve never read Paul Friedmann’s full biography of Anne and this republished part of the biography has really made me want to buy it. The Downfall of Anne Boleyn begins in 1533 and chronicles the reader all the way down to the bitter end. Though I am fascinated by the events that led to Anne’s death, reading about it or seeing it on TV, like in Wolfhall, fills me with dread and sadness. This book, however, disconnects from the emotion surrounding Anne’s downfall, which I guess can be both a good thing and bad thing. I suppose this is due to the time of the original printing and the writing of Paul Friedmann. I would highly recommend this though, for those wanting the facts, plain and simple. The Downfall of Anne Boleyn is available now on Amazon.co.uk and is due to be released on Amazon.com on 19 April 2015.
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