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The_Lady_Alicia
The_Lady_Alicia
Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 3:25 AM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 3:25 AM EST
I'm currently reading Joanna Denny's biography of Anne Boleyn and I am shocked at the way she has such a bee in her bonnet over KOA.!! I admire both Katherine and Anne for different reasons but the way Denny is going on Anne was the darling of the Protestant reformation and KOA was just a spiteful vindictive bitter old crone! I don't think i have read a more biased biography. Has anyone read it and what were your thoughts?

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howardfan
howardfan
1. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 4:33 AM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 4:33 AM EST
you are not the first to complain on her retelling of history in that book Denny wrote on anne and koa
however her kathryn howard book is marvellous and unbaised, with fascinating facts about other members of history in the kathyrn howard era while she was queen, so in conclusion, joanna dennys anne book isnt good but the general notion on her kitty howard book is positive
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The_Lady_Alicia
The_Lady_Alicia
2. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 5:12 AM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 5:12 AM EST
"you are not the first to complain on her retelling of history in that book Denny wrote on anne and koa
however her kathryn howard book is marvellous and unbaised, with fascinating facts about other members of history in the kathyrn howard era while she was queen, so in conclusion, joanna dennys anne book isnt good but the general notion on her kitty howard book is positive"
I would be really interested to read the Kitty Howard one as I haven't really read much about her. I will get that one next I think. The only thing I like about this one is its fairly easy to read its not hard going like a lot of historical non-fiction.
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lettice
lettice
3. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 8:32 AM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 8:32 AM EST
"I'm currently reading Joanna Denny's biography of Anne Boleyn and I am shocked at the way she has such a bee in her bonnet over KOA.!! I admire both Katherine and Anne for different reasons but the way Denny is going on Anne was the darling of the Protestant reformation and KOA was just a spiteful vindictive bitter old crone! I don't think i have read a more biased biography. Has anyone read it and what were your thoughts?

"
I've read Denny's book and she is obviously biased towards Anne. Keeping that in mind, it's intersting to see another viewpoint as Anne is usually villified and K of A is looked at in a more positive light. Conclusion? We're all human and have our good points and our faults as I'm sure both Anne & Katherine did.
I'll be looking for Denny's book on KH.
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angelosdaughter
angelosdaughter
4. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 8:59 AM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 8:59 AM EST
"I've read Denny's book and she is obviously biased towards Anne. Keeping that in mind, it's intersting to see another viewpoint as Anne is usually villified and K of A is looked at in a more positive light. Conclusion? We're all human and have our good points and our faults as I'm sure both Anne & Katherine did.
I'll be looking for Denny's book on KH."
I found my Katharine Howard book by Denny at Borders.
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Boudica
Boudica
5. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 10:26 AM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 10:26 AM EST
Oh yeah, you're definately not alone! Not only are there several members on this wiki and elsewhere that detest Denny's bio on Anne, I haven't read a single positive professional review on her book. Not only is she perception of KoA very distorted, she's blatantly anti-Catholic and very dismissive of the hardships of Katherine's daughter Mary. Denny dismisses the claims that Mary was in fear of her life while Anne was in power. While many debate the actual degree of danger Mary was in most historians that I've read agree that Mary was NOT acting like a egocentric teenager (which is how Denny describes her) when she voiced her concern of being poisoned by Anne's supporters. I don't know why Denny has this kind of vendetta against those she believes "wronged" Anne, but writting another subpar biography isn't going to do her any justice.

On top of all of that, Denny comes off as quite arrogant when she claims her's is the first biography to be "for the first time...the truth about Anne Boleyn". *gag!* Nevermind the fact that there's tons of bios of Anne and written by far better historians than Denny (Eric Ives comes imediately to mind).
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coronation
coronation
6. IRE: Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 10:50 AM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 10:50 AM EST
I agree with everything Boudica said I detested this book! I found her to be arrogan in saying her bio was the first time the truth was told on Anne Boleyn! Maybe she got that from Phillippa Greggory who seems to think she discovered Mary Boleyn.lol Give me Eric Ives book anyday over Dennys. She is so obviously anti-catholic its unbelievable the stuff she said about Thomas More was laughable aswell and not in a good way. 3  out of 4 found this valuable. Do you?    
Boudica
Boudica
7. RE: IJoanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 12:08 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 12:08 PM EST
"She is so obviously anti-catholic its unbelievable the stuff she said about Thomas More was laughable aswell and not in a good way. "
Oh yes, I forgot about the stuff she says about More. Basically every bad rumour about him is taken as solid fact. There's no balance at all with Denny.
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The_Lady_Alicia
The_Lady_Alicia
8. RE: IJoanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 12:34 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 12:34 PM EST
Yeah im actually cringing in parts reading it. In other parts my jaw is literally dropping to the fllor with some of the statements she makes. The Ives one sounds good I will get that one. What is his stuff like to read is it quite hard going? 1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?    
lettice
lettice
9. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 1:24 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 1:24 PM EST
"I found my Katharine Howard book by Denny at Borders."
Thanks AD! I'm looking forward to picking it up.
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Boudica
Boudica
10. RE: IJoanna Denny
Nov 10 2008, 1:52 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 10 2008, 1:52 PM EST
"Yeah im actually cringing in parts reading it. In other parts my jaw is literally dropping to the fllor with some of the statements she makes. The Ives one sounds good I will get that one. What is his stuff like to read is it quite hard going? "
The latest reprint of his "Life and Death of Anne Boleyn" is 400+ pages but well worth the effort. I'd say he's not as gossipy as David Starkey but it's quite readable especially if you're interested in reading everything and anything about Anne Boleyn.
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bradyk123
11. RE: Joanna Denny
Jul 23 2009, 10:35 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 23 2009, 10:35 AM EDT
I am just in the middle of reading this book myself and totally agree with your opinions. I was quited shocked by some of the language used in the book and some of the statements made. The author is clearly very anti catholic. Her views on Katherine of Aragon and the Princess Mary are very unfair. I have just read Mary Tudor The First Queen by Linda Porter and I thought it was brilliant. Do you find this valuable?    
LNor19
LNor19
12. RE: Joanna Denny
Jul 23 2009, 12:48 PM EDT | Post edited: Nov 5 2009, 12:12 PM EST
"I'm currently reading Joanna Denny's biography of Anne Boleyn and I am shocked at the way she has such a bee in her bonnet over KOA.!! I admire both Katherine and Anne for different reasons but the way Denny is going on Anne was the darling of the Protestant reformation and KOA was just a spiteful vindictive bitter old crone! I don't think i have read a more biased biography. Has anyone read it and what were your thoughts?

"
As others, I can't stand Denny, especially how she reasons the since Katherine didn't tell her father the truth in a letter....it clearly means she lied and slept with Arthur.

Anyways, Starkey is a good source on AB, along with Fraser & Weir for all of the Six. But Ives is the one you want for all the details on Anne. And Warnicke makes for a very interesting yet argumentive read on Anne.
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HaremGirl
HaremGirl
13. RE: Joanna Denny
Sep 23 2009, 7:38 AM EDT | Post edited: Sep 23 2009, 7:38 AM EDT
I'm glad I found this thread! I was looking through the history section at my local bookstore the other day and picked up this book without knowing anything about the author. I do have a healthy sense of wariness over what I read regarding Tudor history, as most of us do due to Phillipa Gregory. I enjoy Denny's style of writing, probably because she was a fiction writer and knows how to make non-fiction sound more like a story, but unfortunately I feel like I picked up a book about "why I should become Protestant." Very strange when you thought you were going to read about Tudor England and Anne Boleyn! I just typed in "Joanna Denny anti-Catholic" into google to see what came up and voila lots of stuff including this page. Of course, I think there is even a line in her own book that says something to the effect of "when you consider the history, consider the historian." I have definitely been surprised by many of the things she asserts in this book; it's probably a good lesson on taking what you read with a grain of salt until you fact check and consider the source. I am going to check out Ives' books as well; I think it's a really good idea to read and consider several sources.
The one thing I liked about the Denny book (I am about halfway through) was the appearance of so many things that were included in The Tudors. It was neat to say, "hey, I saw that!" Since we all know the things that the show did take some liberties with, it's cool to see some little things that they put in there that were from primary sources of the time.
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atlantaboleynbalfour
atlantaboleynbalfour
14. RE: Joanna Denny
Sep 23 2009, 12:29 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 23 2009, 12:29 PM EDT
mmmm....i dont no about this one!
I can understand why most peope dont like her biography on Anne she is very one sided.She paints Anne as total victim,and she comes cross in a very saintly manner...as much i love Anne she was nither of these.However before i read Denny i had only read Frazer and starkeys Henry viii wives and to be honest Anne was my least favorite wife,after reading Denny i saw Anne differently and upon further study shes my favorite and im completly obsessed by her.
But its gotta be said i dont think Denny likes Catherine, when reading the book i found myself not liking her very much and why? What did that poor women ever do apart from put up with Henry for 20 years,then up untill her death get treat like a door mat,all she did was mintain her dignity and stand up for what she belived in.Like Denny i am a Anne fan but even so you just canot hate catherine.And i agree with LNOR19 Ives is the one to read on Anne hes Fantastic.
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Maggie-AnneB.
Maggie-AnneB.
15. RE: Joanna Denny
Sep 23 2009, 3:18 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 23 2009, 3:18 PM EDT
"mmmm....i dont no about this one!
I can understand why most peope dont like her biography on Anne she is very one sided.She paints Anne as total victim,and she comes cross in a very saintly manner...as much i love Anne she was nither of these.However before i read Denny i had only read Frazer and starkeys Henry viii wives and to be honest Anne was my least favorite wife,after reading Denny i saw Anne differently and upon further study shes my favorite and im completly obsessed by her.
But its gotta be said i dont think Denny likes Catherine, when reading the book i found myself not liking her very much and why? What did that poor women ever do apart from put up with Henry for 20 years,then up untill her death get treat like a door mat,all she did was mintain her dignity and stand up for what she belived in.Like Denny i am a Anne fan but even so you just canot hate catherine.And i agree with LNOR19 Ives is the one to read on Anne hes Fantastic."
But I think it was a good book to read because you got to see the different sides of KOA and Anne, etc. Anne was painted as a total Angel, and KOA wasn't so much. Which is true. Anne had her good points and KOA had her bad ones and vice versa. We're human, They were human, We are all human! :D
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atlantaboleynbalfour
atlantaboleynbalfour
16. RE: Joanna Denny
Sep 24 2009, 4:46 AM EDT | Post edited: Sep 24 2009, 4:46 AM EDT
"But I think it was a good book to read because you got to see the different sides of KOA and Anne, etc. Anne was painted as a total Angel, and KOA wasn't so much. Which is true. Anne had her good points and KOA had her bad ones and vice versa. We're human, They were human, We are all human! :D"
well said maggie-anneb i totaly agree
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Caracama
17. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 4 2009, 10:49 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 4 2009, 10:49 PM EST
I found it particularly ridiculous that she wrote the book in order to set the record straight about Anne and debunk all the horrible stories about her, yet she blatantly maligns Catherine of Medici by saying she poisoned Jeanne of Navarre. Completely not true! A good read, but MADDENINGLY inaccurate and completely anti - Catholic. 1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?    
Elliemental
Elliemental
18. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 6 2009, 12:45 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 6 2009, 12:45 PM EST
I was seriously considering buying this book recently, quite glad I plumped for something completely different now! I`ll stick to Eric Ives` scholarly, and hugely enjoyable biography on Anne. I just wish that they were others like Ives, where the author doesn`t let their personal opinnion get in the way, and paint the subject up as either a ***** sent by the devil itself, or a sain beyond reproach.

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Reggie19
19. RE: Joanna Denny
Nov 6 2009, 1:01 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 6 2009, 1:01 PM EST
Unfortunately, i bought the bloody thing before i realized the unsatisfactory reviews it received. Made myself feel mush better though by ordering Linda Porter's book on Mary Tudor *happy sigh*! Do you find this valuable?    
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