How to Be a Tudor

January 25, 2016
Utilizing substantial research and her own experiences as an occasional historical re-enactor, Goodman (How to Be a Victorian) delves into the nuances of the daily lives of the average English person living during the era of the flashy, fraught Tudor court. She matter-of-factly starts and ends the chronicle with the sleeping area, but includes surprising details about clothing, food production, education, and more as she navigates the course of one 24-hour period. Goodman offers simple but thorough explanations of how things work—whether rope-strung beds or common, reliable hygienic practices—while still entertaining readers, making note, for example, of how her knowledge of the era’s linguistics heightens her own enjoyment of Shakespeare’s bawdiness. In fact, her participation in 15th-century bread-baking and other period activities offers specific insight on where previous historians and popular depictions have erred, especially regarding long-held notions of poor hygiene and invariably sedate dancing scenes. Although there’s some discussion of the English Reformation’s impact or other court-led legal changes, the emphasis remains on the ordinary and very practical people often overlooked by other Tudor-centric historical examinations. Throughout, Goodman’s palpable enthusiasm and clear appreciation for the resourcefulness of the era’s people make these men and women entirely relatable and yet full of surprises. Illus.

April 15, 2016

Historian Goodman (How To Be a Victorian) specializes in the Tudor and Victorian periods of history, serving as a consultant to museums, heritage attractions, and screen productions such as the recent adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall. Additionally, she appeared in the BBC2 series Tudor Monastery Farm. Goodman meticulously researches primary documents (e.g., wills, cookbooks, public records) to reveal the intricacies of the daily life of the period, and if she doesn't understand how something specific worked in Tudor times, she re-creates the conditions and attempts to duplicate the situation. Goodman, who capably narrates, shares her experiments in activities ranging from bread baking to starching the huge ruffs that were so popular with men and women. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and listeners will be enthralled by her stories of different types of plows, irrigation, marriage rites, and other details, such as the mandatory possession of a bow and arrow by males from the age of seven, Sunday archery practice was a pastime akin to Sunday golf, and styles of clothing were dictated by law. VERDICT Highly recommended for those who love social history and England. ["Goodman describes lifestyles she's lived herself; that personal commentary is something readers will not find in other histories": LJ 2/1/16 review of the Liveright: Norton hc.]--Cheryl Youse, Moultrie, GA

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