Thomas Cromwell by Tracy Borman

There are two books that I read recently which made me want to share something from it every few pages with my husband (sleeping or not, poor man). One was From Holmes to Sherlock (January's Book talk), and the other was the biography of Thomas Cromwell by Tracy Borman.

I got into a HUGE, like megalodon, obsession with Thomas Cromwell and Tudor England last year. Pretty much the only time I have to watch something entertaining is in the morning during my workout session and I happened upon PBS's Wolf Hall. I had never heard of this story before, let alone Hilary Mantel's brilliant trilogy about Thomas Cromwell (Wolf Hall book talk was March). After watching the mini series I was hooked, shocked, and wanted more information about this man who rose to power during the reign of King Henry VIII.

QUICK SUMMARY

Tracy Borman salutes Hilary Mantel with giving her the inspiration to research Thomas Cromwell and give him more a historically accurate telling. Borman goes through Cromwell's entire life, as best as she can, from being a blacksmith's son to becoming Henry VIII's most trusted advisor. She adds letters in Cromwell's own hand to the biography where Old English does not overwhelm the reader. She gives us accounts from others at court to round out the telling of Thomas Cromwell, and we start to develop a picture of this incredible determined man. By the end of the biography, you may have a better picture of who Thomas Cromwell really was, or you might have more questions.

INTIAL THOUGHTS

My literary friends, I was shocked. I read this autobiography before I read the Wolf Hall series, and oh my goodness was this man incredible. Did he do some things I don't agree with? Yes. Did he have to make impossible choices to keep himself and his family alive? Yes. Is he worth learning about? Yes!

One of my favorite things about Thomas Cromwell is that he just kept going. No matter what. He had a vision for what England could be, and he began to put into motion a tidal wave for reforming the English church, how we keep family records, divorce, etc. For most of his rise to power he was unstoppable.

I also love that on the other side of courtier life, Thomas Cromwell was incredibly generous to his city, neighbors, and the people who worked for him. Coming into power initially under Cardinal Wolsey, who loved pomp and the good life, you might think that Cromwell would follow in his foot steps. However, after watching his former master fall from grace, it seems like this was a huge lesson for Thomas. No matter how wealthy he became, and he became one of the richest under the king, he was a champion of the poor, widows, and women in general.

MOST SURPRISING THING

The thing that struck me hardest was his downfall. After attempting to get Henry VIII married, again, to wife number 4 (which turns out to be a disaster) Thomas Cromwell is basically dragged to the tower without warning and eventually beheaded. Even now after reading the biography twice I am still shocked at Henry VIII's mistrust in his closest advisor. After everything they went through together and everything Cromwell changed for England, Henry gives the OK to have him whisked away as a traitor on trumped up charges. Reading this part of the book is shocking, scary, and leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

STILL THINKING ABOUT

The big idea that I am still thinking about is what do we really know about Thomas Cromwell. Even with all this new research being poured into figuring out this enigma of a man, what do we really know about him. Unfortunately, when Henry VIII is done with you he wants all evidence of you wiped from the face of the Earth. Luckily, Thomas Cromwell had a few supporters who really fought for his after his death. Otherwise, I'm not sure we would have any evidence of him at all. It makes me pause and think what kind of a legacy am I leaving behind. If someone was looking at only a few pieces of my life and trying to figure me out, what conclusions would they make? Would they be right, wrong, or somewhere in between.

RECOMMEND?

100%. Thomas Cromwell is someone worth getting to know. The story of court life, class struggle, and becoming more than what everyone has deemed for you is an incredible story. Even if you know nothing about Cromwell or the Tudor court, it is worth getting to know. These are real people dealing with real problems in a Renaissance world where violence is allowed on a brutal level. You can't make this stuff up. These were real people. Get to know them.