Thomas Cromwell

A Revolutionary Life

By: Diarmaid MacCulloch

Narrated by: David Rintoul

The long-awaited biography of the genius who masterminded Henry VIII's bloody revolution in the English government, which reveals at last Cromwell's role in the downfall of Anne Boleyn

"This a book that - and it's not often you can say this - we have been awaiting for four hundred years." --Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall

Since the sixteenth century we have been fascinated by Henry VIII and the man who stood beside him, guiding him, enriching him, and enduring the king's insatiable appetites and violent outbursts until Henry ordered his beheading in July 1540. After a decade of sleuthing in the royal archives, Diarmaid MacCulloch has emerged with a tantalizing new understanding of Henry's mercurial chief minister, the inscrutable and utterly compelling Thomas Cromwell.

History has not been kind to the son of a Putney brewer who became the architect of England's split with Rome. Where past biographies portrayed him as a scheming operator with blood on his hands, Hilary Mantel reimagined him as a far more sympathetic figure buffered by the whims of his master. So which was he--the villain of history or the victim of her creation? MacCulloch sifted through letters and court records for answers and found Cromwell's fingerprints on some of the most transformative decisions of Henry's turbulent reign. But he also found Cromwell the man, an administrative genius, rescuing him from myth and slander.

The real Cromwell was a deeply loving father who took his biggest risks to secure the future of his son, Gregory. He was also a man of faith and a quiet revolutionary. In the end, he could not appease or control the man whose humors were so violent and unpredictable. But he made his mark on England, setting her on the path to religious awakening and indelibly transforming the system of government of the English-speaking world.

Detailed Biography

Wonderful narration. Incredibly well researched. However, the book includes myriad side trips to lesser known Cromwell contemporaries which distracted me from getting a sense of who Cromwell was. Overall it is well worth the time and effort to read.

Made me stop and think

I’ve read a number of books about Henry VIII and court and had drawn some conclusions about Thomas Cromwell. Most of those conclusions were unflattering to say the least. This book made me stop and consider not just the deeds he had purportedly done but also the values of the times, expectations of an often cruel and heartless master, and the very base need to get ahead and leave a legacy for his family. In this book Thomas Cromwell became a flesh and blood man not just a player in the king’s court. I learned a lot….😊

Not about the Tudors

This book is not what one expects in past readings about Thomas Cromwell, and his relationship with the King Henry VIII. When one envisions this story, one sees Cromwell and the great English break from Rome, which enabled Henry to remarry 5 times all told. And the execution of Anne Boleyn being his working. This is just one example.

Well this book has little to do with these events. In fact, the layout of the book is one that makes events hard to follow. At one point, the reader thinks Anne is surely executed. And then in the next chapter Henry is still married to her. An outline is desperately need to keep up.

This book is about the legal career of Cromwell, deeds, the dismantling of monasteries, etc. It’s geared for the legal mind. A person interested in Tudor law would love this. There is so much interesting information in this book, it’s just not what one expects. The narration is strong and sufficient. Overall it’s an enlightening and unexpected read.

Amazingly Brilliant

A brilliantly written historical biography about one of the most influential early English Reformers, and Statesman of the Tudor Court. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Tudor Court, English Reformation, and English History.

Just Wonderful!

I loved this book because I find the life of Thomas Cromwell just as intriguing as the Tudor dynasty and to listen to what is uncovered in his papers, letters and dynastic records is very revealing. David Rintoul does an outstanding job keeping what could have been tedious reading ( records can get a bit TMI! ) lively and interesting. Diarmaid MacCulloch has written an outstanding biography of one of the real powers in KH8’s time. It’s also very nice to get a balanced assessment of TC’s rise and fall instead of the written for drama versions of the man!