Book review: The Boleyns: From the Tudors to the Windsors, by Amanda Harvey Purse

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Anne Boleyn and her family have an enduring place in history, and I hoped to discover some little known details from this new book from author and historical researcher Amanda Harvey Purse.

The subtitle, From the Tudors to the Windsors, makes it clear that the narrative soon moves on to increasingly distant (and actually not proven) descendants of Mary Boleyn, such as the ill-fated Elizabethan 'rebel' Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, culminating in an epilogue on Queen Elizabeth II. I was surprised that a book released this month makes no mention of the late queen's passing in September 2022 or the crowning of her son, another possible Boleyn descendant, King Charles III.

As a specialist in the history of the Tudors I am likely to be better informed than most readers about the Boleyn family, but  I like Amanda Harvey Purse's accessible writing style and am sure readers will find this a readable and informative series of prompts for further research. 

Her research skills shine through in every chapter, and historian Dr Owen Emmerson says in the foreword that this innovative and revealing book has significantly challenged his perception of of the Boleyns.

Tony Riches

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About the Author

Amanda Harvey Purse is an author and historical researcher for London-based museums. She has spent the last twenty-five years studying the Victorian period and is a member of The Royal Historical Society. She has studied the Tudors at the University of Roehampton and is the founder of Tudor Secrets and Myths Facebook Page.

Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by the publishers, Amberley Books.