The Tudors in 100 Objects by John Matusiak (9780750961806)

Description - The Tudors in 100 Objects by John Matusiak

An intimate portrait of Tudor England captured, revealed and explored in 100 defining objects. If actions speak louder than words, then so too at times do inanimate objects and never more than when a bygone age is involved. With this in mind, 'The Tudors in 100 Objects' sets out to examine the material remains of a seminal period in English history and thereby explore the values, hopes, achievements, fears and habits of the men and women who helped to make it what it was. The result is a compelling journey into a far-off world where limited life expectancy, back-breaking work, grinding poverty, violence, cruelty, inequality, intolerance, harsh justice, superstition and widespread illiteracy went hand-in-hand with untold opulence, intense religious faith, high moral principle, cultural refinement, bravery, tenacity, inventiveness and an unbridled zest for living. From birthing chairs and prosthetic arms to witches' stools, pocket watches, fuming pots, codpieces, ear scoops, flushing lavatories, bollock daggers and ducking stools, the whole vivid panorama of Tudor life is laid bare in a provocative and frequently myth-shattering narrative, firmly founded upon contemporary accounts and the most up-to-date results of modern scholarship. AUTHOR: John Matusiak was born in London's East End and studied at the universities of London and Sussex before embarking upon a teaching career that eventually spanned more than thirty years. For over a third of that time, he was Head of the History Department at Colchester Royal Grammar School, founded by Henry VIII in 1539. Throughout his career he has specialised mainly in the Tudor and Stuart periods, and eventually became a frequent contributor to the journal History Review before being invited to write the biography 'Henry V' (Routledge 2012) and further critically acclaimed biographies of Henry VIII, Thomas Wolsey and James I for The History Press. SELLING POINTS: . Novelty of approach. No equivalent book, employing contemporary artefacts alongside extended narrative, exists for this period . Breadth of appeal. This is a work that should be of equal interest to general readers and serious students . Rigorous scholarship. Though the book is aimed at the widest audience, it will also incorporate contemporary accounts, in- depth contextual discussion and the most up-to-date research . New perspectives. The aim is not only to bring Tudor England to life in the most evocative manner possible, but to challenge misconceptions and explode a number of long-standing myths

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