This is an oldie but goodie. When I requested this I didn't realise it was a republication but I am still not disappointed, I really enjoyed it the first time and really enjoyed it this time.
I love how this book focuses on Henry as a young man and how all aspects of his life made him who he was, from his tutors, his parents and his friends.
This is a wonderful insight into the young man who would become the most famous king of England.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I am really into this period of history and this was very informative. I have read everything I can get my hands on so when I saw this new book coming out I was just too excited! Thank you for gifting me!

I didn’t originally realise that this was first printed in 1977, I found it a little dated in places and lacking in analysis of more recent findings. Having said that the research and narrative is excellent taking a look at the early years of Henry VIII - before he became the monster we all think of. Very interesting.

Loved it ! I have always been fascinated with history and even more the stories surrounding Henry the VIII. Well written and keeps your attention . It is interesting to see what made him the way selfish, overbearing, ruthless man he was. His father payed a huge role in him becoming who he was. I have read many novels about Henry the VIII and by far this is one of the best I have read. Thank you net galley for the electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good for those wanting a book on his younger years rather than him after his brothers death. A look into his life and events and people around him that influenced or went around him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this richly descriptive of the early life of the boy who was to become Henry VIII. It was unfailingly interesting and well- written and thew a light on the circumstances of Henry's birth, childhood and adolescence and how these factors contributed to his development into an infamous figure. I particularly enjoyed the section which dealt with the pretender to the throne, Perkin Warbeck, and how this unknown young man came to occupy such a significant role within European politics.
Thank you tothe publishers and to Netgalley for an ARC.

This well-researched book aims to ask how Henry's childhood influenced his adult personality.. Life

in the royal family was immensely different but Henry was also part of a dysfunctional family. . He was raised in

an atmosphere of state decisions, for example as a baby, being sent away to Eltham. with a wet nurse.

He grew up within violence, rebellion, and family deaths. and was tutored in courtesy and became a fine

sportsman.. As the spare, after Arthur, the heir we find Henry spoilt, largely unchecked. and egoistic.

An interesting, detailed read.

The book gives an overview of the early beginning of Henry VIII and what kind of impact it had on his reign.
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Positives? It was a fast-paced book with great descriptions of medieval monarchal life. The writer gave a great insight into the psychological impact royal life had on a young boy. She also gave broad explanations on events that happened during his life that were important. While it's a nonfiction book to read like fiction at times which was pleasant.
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Negatives? I would have loved a glossary on the main people who were mentioned in the book.
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Recommend? If you like:
• history
• psychology
• Tudor dynasty
• Game of Thrones

Henry VIII is one of England's most memorable kings. Not just for his marriages, although those certainly helped, but also for his ruthlessness and tyrannical nature. He is the king who popularized the address of "Your Majesty" instead of the older "My Lord" or "Your Grace." He's the king who sacked the monasteries. The king who executed those most loyal to him when they failed to meet his unreasonable demands -- More, Wolsey, Cromwell, and more.

This book seeks to ferret out the causes of Henry's personality and temperament. And it does so quite well for a book originally published in the 1970s.

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The making of Henry VIII takes a primarily chronological view at explaining why Henry was the way he was. Why he was so insistent on a male heir and would go to any lengths to get one. Why he was so ruthless and fickle. And why he was so quick to turn on those most loyal to him at the slightest hint of scandal.

The book covers the events leading up to his birth as well as how his father, Henry VII, came to the throne. It covers the how Henry for most of his life was seen as the spare -- not good enough to have been the heir and how resentful he was of that fact. The book delves into what it was like to be raised as royal child in the late 15th century -- from diet to clothing to education to care. This book goes into it and then applies the knowledge to child psychology to help explain how Henry became the way he was.

One of my favorite parts is the ongoing saga of the pretender, Perkin Warbeck, and his probable influence on Henry. Perkin Warbeck claimed to be Richard the Duke of York and Henry's Uncle and also rightful king of England. Other monarchs from around Europe supported him, much to Henry VII's annoyance. And the rebellions that sprung up around him lead Henry and his siblings to have a very uneasy life. The way the author presents it is well done. She lays out the facts and then applies logic to how it could be interpreted.

But it is an interpretation, and the author admits as much. While the facts are accurate as of the date the book was originally written, the conclusions she draws are opinion. I could see this book being valuable to the casual historian as well as the author looking to add color and context to a historical novel. The book included some events that aren't well known in her exploration which was nice.

In all this is an easy to read, well-researched deep dive into the early life of Henry VIII.

Five Stars

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.

As HIstory go, this is rather impressive and incredibly enjoyable. Much is known about Henry VIII, his penchant for beheadings. a multitude of marriages and the rotund fiery redhead of the 15th century. Less is known about his childhood, and this is where this book comes in. Originally published in 1977, the text reads like most history books, less narrative and just straight up facts, however, it's quite exciting stuff. Today's royal family seem relatively tame compared to the Tudors, and without any comparison, I think the lineage is still quite clear. This book could be a definitive account of Henry VIII and one could easily see this as some kind of BBC costume drama. A fantastical story and one that still has resonance in modern Britain.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. A well written step by step book about shaping Henry VIII. A must read for Tudor fans.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in advance for an honest review.

This was very well researched but a little too dense for me to enjoy reading.

Princess Fuzzypants here: There are numerous dichotomies in history that seem almost inexplicable- how one thing or person could begin one way and end up so completely different. When it comes to rulers, perhaps the biggest question mark is how a handsome, nay almost beautiful, young man polite, educated and full of health and vigour could morph into the cruel, obscene disease of a man upon his death. The change is almost so dramatic that one could posture they must have been two different people.

But, as we know now, there is nature and nurture at work in the evolution of all of us, kings included. This book goes a long way to providing clues to future repugnant behaviours that were formed and finessed throughout Henry’s life. It begins with a history of his antecedents and how the experiences of each generation went a long way towards the attitudes and beliefs of the next generation. Part of the problem is the rather intense and complicated history of one branch or the family tree or another being less than kind in their ascendancy, an ascendancy more often bathed in blood than anything else.

When Henry VII seized the throne from Richard III, his “right” to be king was far from crystal clear. There would be threats from usurpers all this life and he passed on the paranoia to his son. Both Henry VIII’s mother and grandmother could attest to the dangerous waters in which they swam. But this was not by far the only trait that was shaped by his family. His belief in his own pre-eminence no matter what he did and confidence in his status would assist and hamstring him often. His cruelty and dismissal of women for the purpose of pleasure and procreation only was taught at an early age. His cunning and duplicity and his overarching caprice when it served his purpose were well taught lessons.

The author says some of his character was formed by a rather poor choice for his tutor but he learned many of his habits only after he became Prince of Wales. We are all endowed with both good traits and bad ones. But for some of these to flourish, the basic flaw had to be there to grow. Once Henry was crowned all restraints and balances were removed and the ogre evolved.

It is an interesting and compelling argument, well documented and written. Even though the reader knows the “end”, one cannot help but be caught up in the machinations of the Tudor court. I would not want to live there but it is fascinating reading. Five purrs and two paws up.

This is a fascinating and insightful book about one of Britain's most notorious kings.
This book is well written and factual without coming across as dry or overwhelming. This is a historical must read for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of Heney VIII's behaviour. This book looks deeper into Henry's influences around him as a young boy and is a engrossing discovery.
I would highly recommend this book to all readers with an historical interest in our most scandalous king who changed history.

Most of us probably feel we have some knowledge of Henry VIII. He is undoubtedly one of Britain’s most famous and notorious rulers; a fat, greedy tyrant who divorced two of his six wives and beheaded two more. The second Tudor King was a man so stubborn that he broke with Rome rather than agree to remain married to his first spouse and who killed anyone (for example, Thomas Moore or Cromwell) who seriously got in this way.
For once, this crude caricature actually turns out to be true. But how did he get that way? What forces conspired to create such a monstrous and yet fascinating figure?
In truth, Henry’s personality was forged in the 1490s and 1500s, growing up during the reign of his father, Henry VII. Having won power largely as a result of his victory over Richard III in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, the first Tudor King’s hold on power often seemed very precarious indeed as his reign came under constant threat from a series of challenges and rebellions from those who like the Pretenders to the Throne, Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck sought to usurp him. Henry VII ruled at the end of a century which had already seen four kings (Richard II, Henry VI, Edward V and Richard III) meet violent ends. In the circumstances, Henry VII did very well to make it to die of natural causes in his fifties, just as Henry VIII would.
Initially in the even more precarious position of being the brother to the heir to the throne, the future Henry VIII outshone his older brother, Prince Arthur even in childhood, quickly becoming supremely accomplished as both a sportsman (his obesity came later) and a scholar. Like many royals he was starved of natural affection, however, and became arrogant, stubborn and greedy. Losing his mother, Elizabeth of York, at a time when he barely got to really know her, he soon elevated her to such a lofty standard of perfection in his own mind, that none of his own six subsequent wives would ever really be able to live up to her.
First published in 1977, Marie Louise Bruce’s well-written and thorough history about the boy who would be King ends where most books about Henry VIII begin: with the 17 year old Henry’s accession to the throne and prompt marriage to his brother’s widow, Catherine of Aragon. It is as impressive and well-rounded a portrait as one of the great paintings by the legendary Tudor artist, Hans Holbein the Younger himself.

How did young, charming Henry Tudor turn into the paranoid King Henry VIII? Ms. Bruce presents the childhood of Henry and his siblings: how they travelled, what they ate, and where they lived. Like most of the children of the nobility, Henry did not live with his parents, so nurses and tutors had a significant impact on his personality. His mother, Elizabeth Plantagenet, daughter of King Edward IV, died when he was young and is not discussed very much, but readers get a sense of his father, Henry VII through his actions and surviving documents. By watching his father, Henry VIII learned how not to trust people and how to mistreat women, but he also learned how to use propaganda and to gain wealth without alienating the nobility and that clemency can come back to haunt a king.. Even though this is an older book, the psychological harm to a youthful Henry would be confirmed by psychologists of today. Ms. Bruce has included a useful bibliography and has a easy flow to her writing. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an electronic copy in exchange for a honest review.

Less boorish than his overrated father the unsophisticated Henri VII, less demure than his self effacing mother Elizabeth of York, but definitely lucky enough to be endowed with the intelligence and cunning of his paternal grandmother, Margaret Beaufort, the future Henri VIII wasn't destined at birth to seat one day on the English throne and thanks to his ebullient and colossal personality, he would have probably ended up becoming at one point down the road a major thorn on his brother Arthur's side if the latter had managed in 1509 to wear the crown. But ironically destiny decided otherwise.......
I greatly enjoyed Ms. Bruce's well researched biography about Henry's youth and his formative years. A captivating tapestry of the early Tudors'court and a compelling look at the education of a prince during the early part of Renaissance Europe. A lively and entertaining portrait of one of Britain's most celebrated monarchs and a worthy companion to Ms Bruce's marvellous Ann Boleyn previously (re) published last December. A great study to be enjoyed without moderation.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Sapere Books for this wonderful ARC.

264 pages

4 stars

I question whether one can inherit personality traits from one's ancestors, such as temper, obesity in middle age, or marrying for love. I rather think these traits are a product of one's environment. (and, in Henry's case), one's physical infirmities.

The author redeems herself when she mentions that in Henry VIII's case, he was primarily shaped by his formidable grandmother Margaret Beaufort, his somewhat paranoid father Henry VII and his mother, the passive Elizabeth, as well as the oppressive method of raising royal children and the political machinations going on at the time of his childhood.

Ms. Bruce goes to great lengths to examine all facets of Henry's childhood.

It seems to be a great leap that surmise that a part of Henry was glad that his brother died. It ascribes to Henry feelings that I doubt he had, even given his upbringing.

Following his elder brother's death, Henry became as astute observer of all that his father did, especially when it came to his beggardly behavior toward Catherine of Aragon.

Of course, the women were treated like so much chattel, as was the custom in that era.

The discussion of Henry's life from birth to coronation was very interesting and informative. Despite my minor reservations, I found the book to be a valuable source of discussion about why perhaps Henry was the way he was; what shaped his personality and aided his decisions – as seemingly abhorrent as they seem to modern people. Also included in the book is a bibliography for those who would like to further explore the subject and a list of notes and sources.

Well done, Ms. Bruce.

I want to thank NetGalley and Sapere Books for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The last fifteen years or so of the life of King Henry VIII, during which time he dissolved the monasteries and made his way through a succession of wives, comprise one of the most well known and written about periods in English history.

In the Making of Henry VIII, Marie Louise Bruce tackles a more obscure period in Henry’s life, from his birth in 1491 to his eventual ascension to the throne in 1509. Her mission: to explore how the events of his childhood resulted in one of the most tyrannical kings in European history. Thus Bruce explores the wider context of the England into which Henry was born in 1491, Henry’s place in court as the second son of Henry VII and the extraordinarily ruthless actions of his father. The writing is never less than engaging, impeccably researched and well argued.

Highly recommended for those interested in the period.

My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.