The extraordinary life of Thomas Cromwell & the real story of Wolf Hall. Thomas Cromwell chief architect of the English Reformation served as chief minister of Henry VIII from 1531 to 1540 the most tumultuous period in Henrys thirty-seven-year reign. Many of the momentous events of the 1530s are attributed to Cromwells agency the Reformation the dissolution of the monasteries & the fall of Henrys second wife the bewitching Anne Boleyn. Cromwell has been the subject of close & continuous attention for the last half century with positive appraisal of his work & achievements by historians this new biography shows the true face of a Machiavellian Tudor statesmans of no equal.

Includes:: 50 illustrations 40 in colour.

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The son of a brewer Cromwell rose from obscurity to become Earl of Essex Vice-Regent & High Chamberlain of England Keep of the Privy Seal & Chancellor of the Exchequer. He manoeuvred his way to the top by intrigue bribery & sheer force of personality in a court dominated by the malevolent King Henry. Cromwell pursued the interests of the king with single-minded energy & little subtlety. Tasked with engineering the judicial murder of Anne Boleyn when she had worn out her welcome in the royal chamber he tortured her servants & relations then organised a show trial of Stalinist efficiency. He orchestrated the greatest act of privatisation in English history: the seizure of the monasteries. Their enormous wealth was used to cement the loyalty of the English nobility & to enrich the crown. Cromwell made himself a fortune too soliciting colossal bribes & binding the noble families to him with easy loans. He came home from court literally weighed down with gold. ...

From outstanding new graduate talent Thomas Flintham this is a puzzle book with a difference. Beautifully rendered black-&-white intricate mazes will keep children absorbed for hours on end. Children can find their way through the fur of a great big bear help squirrels reach nuts at the top of a tall tree & aid a knight in his quest for the castle. Every child will find themselves delighted to discover the world of Super Amazing Mazes. ...

Thomas Hardy is one of the sacred figures in English writing a great poet & a novelist with a world reputation. His life was also extraordinary: from the poverty of rural Dorset he went on to become the Grand Old Man of English life & letters his last resting place in Westminster Abbey. This seminal biography by our leading biographer covers Hardys illegitimate birth his rural upbringing his escape to London in the 1860s his marriages his status as a bestselling novelist & in later life his supreme achievements as a poet. ...

Paradox ruled Thomas Hardys life. His birth was almost his death; he became one of the great Victorian novelists & reinvented himself as one of the twentieth-centurys greatest poets; he was an unhappy husband but a desolate widower; he wrote bitter attacks on the English class system yet prized the friendship of aristocrats. In the hands of Claire Tomalin Thomas Hardy the novelist poet neglectful husband & mourning lover all come intensely alive. ...

Packed full of analysis & interpretation historical background discussions & commentaries York Notes will help you get right to the heart of the text youre studying whether its poetry a play or a novel. Youll learn all about the historical context of the piece; find detailed discussions of key passages & characters; learn interesting facts about the text; & discover structures patterns & themes that you may never have known existed. In the Advanced Notes specific sections on critical thinking & advice on how to read critically yourself enable you to engage with the text in new & different ways. Full glossaries self-test questions & suggested reading lists will help you fully prepare for your exam while internet links & references to film TV theatre & the arts combine to fully immerse you in your chosen text. York Notes offer an exciting & accessible key to your text enabling you to develop your ideas & transform your studies! ...

An instant sellout on first publication this volume has been expanded to include Thomas Heatherwicks magnificent Olympic cauldron. Written in close collaboration with the designer himself the book offers a highly personal in-depth & behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of his creative design & manufacturing processes. Each of the more than 140 fully illustrated projects is accompanied by a text explaining in Heatherwicks words the design question it posed & the creative & practical processes used to address it. Projects are organized chronologically & bookended by an introduction setting out the studios philosophy & a reference section. ...

10 Thomas Story Time titles are brought together for the first time in this stunning box set. Young Thomas fans will love reading ...

Aimed at the 3-8 age group this innovative book applies the Haynes treatment to one of the most popular childrens characters. Inspired by the world-famous Haynes manuals this book explains how Thomas works how his driver operates him & how the engineers of the Sodor railway keep him in tip-top condition. Some of Thomas friends also feature with Henrys overhaul for example offering the chance for young readers to see how a steam engine is taken apart & refitted. This brightly designed book will delight children & parents alike. ...

This title helps you to learn all about Thomas & the Steam Team in this treasury of stories! This collection features six splendid stories featuring Thomas & the unbeatable Steam Team! It lets you journey through the Island of Sodor with these wonderfully vivid tales of Thomas Edward Percy & other favourite engines. From dangerous floods to exciting rescues these specially selected stories are sure to be Really Useful for playtime & bedtime. ...