Tudor Binge

We’re not afraid to admit we’re late to the party that is everything Tudor. After binging every show and movie we could find (some of them very questionable- do better Hollywood) we were thrilled to discover AudiobookSTORE.com’s treasure trove of Elizabethan listens. What’s even better is the list we’ve compiled is made up of historical fiction and some actual historically accurate non-fiction. You know, so we might actually learn something real about our newest hyper fixation.

Young and Damned and Fair – Gareth Russell 

Catherine Howard. The second Catherine Henry VII married since apparently there were like 3 girl names back in the day. We didn’t know much about Catherine Howard at the start of all of this, frankly, we couldn’t even remember her name. Russell makes the case this is partly because no one ever really knew her; she’s one of the most misunderstood players in the saga which was the 6 wives of Henry VII. Let’s find out why…

My Contrary Mary – Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows

Oh goodness. Just hear us out, this one has rave reviews in the YA historical fiction world (emphasis on the fiction part)- so uh. How to put this? This one follows the infamous Scot and rival of Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots. It’s actually a fairly accurate account of her time married to the Dauphin of France except in this spin she’s also a…shapeshifting mouse? It’s certainly an original approach…we’re gonna go for it.

How to Be a Tudor – Ruth Goodman

To really understand a period of history, it’s important to garner an understanding of the range of society. Enter, “How to Be a Tudor”, and its glimpses of not only royalty but the part that royalty and their policies played in society. And peek inside the lives of the everyday rustics that lived under a turbulent and chaotic monarchy, as they farmed, bartered, found ways to entertain themselves, and more in this revelation of a book; a true glimpse into the past.

Fatal Throne – M. T. Anderson, Candace Fleming, Stephanie Hemphill, Lisa Ann Sandell, Jennifer Donnelly, Linda Sue Park, Deborah Hopkinson

Holy name list, Batman. While it might seem like too long of a list for a singular title, it makes a tad more sense when you learn that each wife is told from the perspective of a different author. Again we’ve got some fiction that feels real, told from a perspective we rarely see when it comes to history- the women who lived it. 

Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel

We all know Henry and his multiple wives- the whole saga just goes to show, we’ve always had a thing for scandal (think of the reality show it would have made if tv had been a thing). But what a lot of people fail to consider is the sheer amount of people executed or killed at the hands of a king who liked weddings but not his marriages; turns out he was just as changeable when it came to his friends and confidants. “Wolf Hall” chronicles the rise and fall of a man behind the scenes, an aid who helped Henry secure certain marriages because of the political leverage he thought it would gain him (Cromwell), and his relentless pursuit and power. (Spoiler: dude is beheaded).

Well, there you have it- become a Tudor expert and have a little fun while you do it with any of these listens available on AudiobookSTORE.com! And make sure to check out our FlexPass Membership for the ultimate roster of podcasts, savings on audiobooks, and more!