Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What an original idea. I dipped into this book as soon as I received it and it’s truly fascinating and completely original. The Tudors were an exciting and conflicted dynasty and so much has been written about not only the monarchs, but many of the key players, places and events. Looking back at that period it can be difficult to see a clear overview of how all was interlinked. Simon Sandys-Winsch has done a remarkable job in collating and presenting an invaluable reference for anyone interested in this era. I’m sure it will interest scholars and lay readers alike.

It’s a not a book to read from cover to cover; as the title suggests, it’s a dictionary and it does set out everything in alphabetical order. But it’s also encyclopaedic and inevitably, if something takes your interest, it leads to associated references and having intended to look up one thing, a couple of hours has flown by as other information has been followed up. The main body of the work has many illustrations and I particularly enjoyed a section at the end which is a huge portrait gallery of many of the main people. There’s an extensive reference of resources, mainly online, but of significant interest to anyone who wants to undertake further research. Each of the alphabetical entries is detailed and gives more than an overview of the subject. Absolutely fascinating.

It’s a sumptuous title. One I think best appreciated in paper format. The electronic version is very good but for me, I prefer to browse with a hard copy and I’ve added it to my Christmas wish list of books! I love this book and happily recommend it to anyone interested in the Tudors or social history.

NetGalley, Anita Wallas