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  • Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I

  • The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History
  • By: Tracy Borman
  • Narrated by: Tracy Borman
  • Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (157 ratings)
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Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I

By: Tracy Borman
Narrated by: Tracy Borman
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Summary

One of the most extraordinary mother and daughter stories of all time - Anne Boleyn, the most famous of Henry VIII's wives and her daughter Elizabeth, the 'Virgin Queen'.

Anne Boleyn is a subject of enduring fascination. By far the most famous of Henry VIII's six wives, she has inspired books, documentaries and films, and is the subject of intense debate even today, almost 500 years after her violent death. For the most part, she is considered in the context of her relationship with Tudor England's much-married monarch. Dramatic though this story is, of even greater interest - and significance - is the relationship between Anne and her daughter, the future Elizabeth I.

Elizabeth was less than three years old when her mother was executed. Given that she could have held precious few memories of Anne, it is often assumed that her mother exerted little influence over her.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Elizabeth knew that she had to be discreet about Anne, but there is compelling evidence that her mother had a profound impact on her character, beliefs and reign. Anne's radical religious views shaped those of her daughter, and as a woman who wielded power over a male-dominated court, she provided an inspiring role model for Elizabeth's queenship. Even during Henry's lifetime, Elizabeth dared to express her sympathy for her late mother by secretly wearing Anne's famous 'A' pendant when she sat for a painting with her father and siblings.

Piecing together evidence from original documents and artefacts, this audiobook tells the fascinating, often surprising story of Anne Boleyn's relationship with, and influence over her daughter Elizabeth. In so doing, it sheds new light on two of the most famous women in history and how they changed England forever.

©2023 Tracy Borman (P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

What listeners say about Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Much ado about nothing?

I enjoyed this listen, well, the latter half of it at least. The material from Elizabeth’s reign and after was enlightening, although I was forced to question how self-consciously Elizabeth pursued the pro-Boleyn agenda the author argues for. The first half of the book is a flit through the life of Anne Boleyn and offers nothing that isn’t well known. Borman tries to elaborate on Anne’s maternal bond with her daughter, but the evidence is not really there to suggest more than that Elizabeth was cared for in a suitably royal manner until the moment came when she wasn’t.
I wish Borman had spent more time analysing the more interesting materials in the second part of the book. Much of this was new and some of it worth much fuller investigation. I particularly wanted to know more about the churchmen who served Elizabeth and who had served Anne Boleyn too. Now THERE is something that warrants further research.
Still, imbalance aside, I thought this an interesting slice of Tudor history from a historian whose work I rate highly. It was clearly narrated.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Nothing to dislike

Tracey Borman is a brilliant historian and writes so well. Thought I knew everything about Elizabeth but I was definitely wrong. Nice to know the subtle ways she remembered her mother and the way Anne was as a mother herself.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyed this audio book.

Let me say I have been waiting for this book to become available and I was delighted to see it appear in my library after such a long wait.
I am genuinely fascinated by Tudor history and it’s always a delight to see beyond Henry to the women who made him at all memorable.
As a Scot by birth there are always aspects of history which are somewhat of an illusion.
Elizabeth was and was only a Queen of England.
Her mother’s story is one I thought I understood but it’s so refreshing when a historian looks beyond her supposed infamy as a harlot.
As noted she was far too savvy for this tale and her end shows to this day that monarchy is not glorious! It’s cut throat and for Elizabeth, her murder of Marie Stuart means I can never love her or view her reign as a “ golden age”
She was however possessed with the heart and stomach of her mother which held her above all those males around her.
The joining of the Crowns, an act of a dictator rather than a constitutional anything and one under which ma nation Scotland labours today.
So having said all of that, I’ll now get back to more complimentary observations.
I enjoy books by this author/historians and this was no different.
It’s well researched, it’s never dull or routine and it brings the lives of a mother and daughter who changed history together in a manner in which so few historians have attempted.
I think in this case the author reading their own work enhances the overall experience.
I’m more than delighted this is now a book I’ll refer to regularly if only to critique the more Anglo British tone as is my want.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent, insightful and informative

This is an excellent, insightful and informative assessment of Elizabeth I’s homage to her her mother and maternal lineage. Well sourced and delivered a very entertaining read.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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An interesting book

This is an interesting book read by the author who is entertaining and easy to listen to. The period in question has "been done to death" and anyone with historical knowledge of the period will not find anything new here.
I feel that there is too much romanticism regarding the reasoning behind Elizabeth 1's not marrying. The beheading of her mother and one stepmother's death and the risk of childbirth and infant mortality really being the only issues brought up. The political and religious reasons that would have made a marriage to anyone massively problematic were not referenced nor was it pointed out that whilst her subject's loved her, Elizabeth 1 reign was constantly threatened by foreign and Catholic plotters. For her to marry anyone would have likely caused her to have taken on a Queen Consort role, would have divided her Privy Counsel and could have resulted in war and loss of the crown.
I feel it wasn't brought in to the narrative because the author was pushing the similarities, bond and the influence of the mother over the daughter. I think such things could have been acknowledged with the view that Elizabeth the 1, who was politically astute and realised her Mother was vilified globally and internally still began to reference her and introduce her spirit back in to her court even whilst some disputed her parentage and claim to the throne.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Fi
  • 13-09-23

Interesting and easy to listen to.

Great listen for fans of the tudor period of history. Interesting insight into how Elizabeth I was influenced by and honoured her mother, Anne Boleyn.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Stunning

Absolutely Loved it, riveting from beginning to end highly recommend will be looking for other titles from same author

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Life in history.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book especially as the historical information appeared to be accurate. It is fascinating to be able to follow the last steps that the people in history followed. It is so good to be able to go back in time. I would not want to have been alive then as life was very precarious. The story shows how hard life was for both rich and poor people. There was no certainty for anyone

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Well narrated and I threshing.

it's great to have an audible book while doing chores, but this one had me so interested, I gave up on the chores to concentrate on the excellent, well put together tale of Anne Boleyn and her daughter Elizabeth.

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1 person found this helpful

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Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I

Fascinating , what a tragic existence Ann Boleyn endured. Used by her family for status and elevation in society and then abused by the monster Henry VIII . Provides an interesting insight to why Elizabeth Tudor remain single throughout her long reign

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