Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant

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This book was just what I wanted, as it set out the historical basis for Hilary Mantel''s novels and continued with his life until his death. It is very entertaining and easy to read for a pure history as opposed to a novel, and continues his story to his untimely end. I look forward to seeing what Ms Mantel makes of the rest of his life also, as I feel these books complement each other, and he was a fascinating man.

I have read several Books of Thomas Cromwell and This is one of the best! Good language,reliable facts and fine drive in the story!I have compared the story and people he met wilth Diarmaid Mccullen,Hillary Mantell and history from the tudor times and Italy andThomas Cromwell must have Been a very gifted person,intelligent,brave and cunning!He was a statesman,did much for England andDeveloped New areas in the stategovernment!Had he met another king or queen he had done more,but fate is cruel!

I found this an excellent read. I had read much about Cromwell and I thought this very well researched and well written. On the whole it is pretty very balanced. Although the author makes reference to Hilary Mantel's factional works both at the introduction and in the acknowledgements at the end, and even implies being inspired to write this book on the strength of those novels, she is not quite so forgiving of Cromwell as Mantel is.Whilst I can claim no academic prowess, I am always left with the sense that most of those from our shores, who write about Cromwell, and Tudor history in general, mainly do so from a Protestant perspective (with a few exceptions that I have found refreshing). Consequently the weight of argument always tends to be in Cromwell's favour especially where there is much emphasis on his role in the reformation. It is hard for some to imagine perhaps, but not everyone sees the reformation as a positive thing and, once historians accept that, they are able to be more balanced. I know that Cromwell did much more than this and I agree he was not a tyrant, as Borman asserts, but for me he was not a very nice man. Despite being almost as balanced as any work I have read on the man, I gained the impression that Borman does not take the same view.I have one minor criticism. I could find no reasoning behind the fact that most quotes from sources were written with original spellings but not all. This may be to do with the source but if they were all changed to modern spellings it would be consistent and easier to follow. Personally I find it very waring to have to trawl through these extracts and "translate" them into something more easily understood. No doubt purists will accuse me of Philistinism but frankly I don't much care. I find it jolly annoying and is either lazy or an unnecessary intellectual affectation. I am not sure which. It was also annoying that some such references were written in separate paragraphs in a slightly smaller font whilst others were written, in quotes, as part of the main narrative. If there had been some explanation of why there were these different treatments I could perhaps have accepted it more readily but as it was there was none. I should add I have no argument with the old English grammar, sentence construction, or use of old words. I love that wonderfully descriptive language. It is just the old spellings I find annoying and absolutely unnecessary. It adds nothing.

This gives a very good, warts and all review of his life. Cromwell was a fascinating character. He did some very questionable things, but this book has to be considered in the historical frame of reference.His religious beliefs and disdain for men of the aristocracy and nobility earned him enemies.