This is a towering piece of scholarship, and one we have been waiting for (just as the blurb from Mantel states) for a long, long time. Painstakingly researched and written in typical MacCulloch style, this should be an addition to anyone's library who enjoys biography and anyone who enjoys history of political thought, the Reformation, and the modern world.

Utterly magisterial and thorough exploration into the life of Thomas Cromwell.

Based on voluminous research of all existing primary and secondary sources regarding Thomas Cromwell, the author sets forth his thesis of Cromwell as having developed a religious faith highly influenced by the Nicodemians he encountered in his youth in Italy, and in so doing was able to work to build Tudor England as not only a modern state but specifically a more "evangelical" one. The author buttresses the argument by focusing consistently on Cromwell's associations and endeavors.

We explore Cromwell's humble upbringing and youthful travels. We find him becoming a lawyer of some standing, and drafted into the service of the powerful and influential Cardinal Wolsey to whom he would prove well committed long after Wolsey's fall from grace. We see the surprising events of 1531-1533 which find Cromwell not ruined by Wolsey's fall but somehow elevated by it, now in the King's circle of influence. The author sets forth how Cromwell worked with Cranmer to provide adequate political solutions to the "King's Matter" of annulment of one marriage to justify another; we see him active in the elimination of monasteries to the betterment of the Crown's estates and finances; his foreign policy and domestic connections are described at length, and we learn of his exploits in facilitating connections between "evangelically" minded Englishmen and the Reformed luminaries of the day. We then see Cromwell's precipitous and quick fall and death, and the effects of his work in Tudor England and the world to this day.

The argument is dazzling, but even in the author's telling there are some points of disconnect, which may just involve the compromised nature of Cromwell in his work. I, as a reader, cannot adequately judge all of MacCulloch's claims about Cromwell, but can tell that any student of Tudor England will have to grapple with this work. There is much to commend the thesis, and to see Cromwell as not just one of the architects of what would become the modern English state but also as a pioneering champion to make sure that the Church of England would not be an exact imitation of Roman Catholicism.

And yet, with all the evidence, gaping holes remain. We know more about what people write to Cromwell than what Cromwell himself wrote; at key moments correspondence has been removed, either an attempt by his allies to purge more compromising information or taken by his enemies to justify the condemnation. Much remains hidden; but the story is well set forth by MacCulloch.

Recommended for those interested in Tudor England.

As is always the case with Diarmaid MacCulloch, this is a well-researched and painstakingly accurate portrayal of an important but often misunderstood historical figure. I doubt there will be many questions one could pose about Thomas Cromwell that this book could not answer.

I learned a lot of things that I wasn't aware of, and felt that this book clarified some grey area for me that had never quite made sense before. As a longtime researcher of Henry VIII, I have, of course, become quite familiar with Thomas Cromwell, but never felt as close to his real-life personage as I did whilst reading this book. Overall, it is an excellent book with a tremendous amount of rare information. I believe the conclusions the author draws are logical and interesting.

There were times in this book when it felt a little tedious. I enjoyed reading it for the most part, but sometimes there was so much information that it was hard to grasp all at once and I had to go back and reread certain sections again to see how they related to the life of Cromwell. Even so, this is a fantastic book for any Tudor period historian, or anyone who simply wants to know more about the real man vs. the fictional one.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

A masterpiece of both historical research and writing, explaining not only one of the most important figures of English history, but one of the most important and consequential figures in the history of the English-speaking world.

In his exhaustive portrait of Thomas Cromwell, the author focused largely on Cromwell’s overseeing and nudging the English Reformation in an Evangelical (i.e. Protestant) direction. The English branch of the Protestant Reformation was seemingly driven more by lust and greed than concern for godly living or doctrinal purity. However, Diarmaid MacCulloch’s thesis is that Cromwell was driven, at least in part, by real (but cautiously concealed) Evangelical leanings.

MacCulloch’s biography is built on an examination of what must have been reams and reams of correspondence and court documents. The whirl of names, titles, legislation, favors granted, animosities provoked, etc. can be a bit dry and confusing, but no one can accuse the author of not being thorough!

Throughout the book, MacCulloch assumes that the reader has a basic knowledge of the major events of the Tudor period especially ones relating to Henry VIII’s marriages and relationship with the church. His goal is to describe Cromwell’s role and motivations in this history, not to give an “entry level” summary of it.

Cromwell is treated fairly sympathetically throughout, though the author admits more than once to Cromwell having blood on his hands. I can’t help but wonder if in his effort to save Cromwell from being portrayed as a monstrous “mustache-twirling villain,” MacCulloch hasn’t gone a little too far in the other direction. Many of Cromwell’s actions (e.g. participation in the destruction of Anne Boleyn) seem to be more about personal vengeance and/or advancement rather than Protestant idealism. Whatever the case, this book filled in some gaps in my understanding of the Tudor period in general and the English Reformation in particular. I recommend it to anyone interested in the time period who appreciates (or at least doesn’t mind) painstaking detail derived from primary sources.