Peter Ackroyd's The Life of Thomas More is a masterful reconstruction of the life and imagination of one of the most remarkable figures of history. Morton enthusiastically supported the "New Learning" (scholarship which was later k… Given More's brilliant intellect and career, understanding his story requires commitment. More, a noted humanist whose friendship with Erasmus and authorship of Utopia earned him great fame in Europe, succeeded Cardinal Wolsey as Lord Chancellor of London at the time of the English Reformation. Sir Thomas More’s Execution. It felt like it was at this point in the book that Thomas More became somewhat of a different man. Took me three pages to acclimatize to Ackroyds writing style, then once I got into his style and flow I thoroughly enjoyed this intense biography that covers everything possible on the life of the controversial Thomas More. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2019. Symbolizing that collapse was Henry VIII's defiance of the pope in the "great matter" of his much-desired divorce of Catherine of Aragon. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2017, Enjoyable and Mr A. writes so well. As a biographer of More (the first since 1984), Ackroyd is also an effective novelist. He was educated at St Anthony's School in London. According to Ackroyd (Blake; Hawksmoor), More "embodied the old order of hierarchy and authority at the very moment when it began to collapse all around him." Eliot, 1984; etc.) Like plodding through the muck at low tide, it is exhausting. Thomas More was born in Milk Street, London on February 7, 1478, son of Sir John More, a prominent judge. Let's face it, no biography of Thomas More is ever really going to explain the mind that worked inside the man's head - he just was never the kind of person that is so easily or readily explained. As a youth he served as a page in the household of Archbishop Morton, who anticipated More would become a "marvellous man." You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. Far from it. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Thomas More was born into a wealthy London family in 1478. After an awkward, conditional start ("But it might be more fruitful to recognise... "/ "...but it might be worth rehearsing certain of its aspects... "/ "It has in the past been noticed... "), Ackroyd's clotted language metamorphoses into elegant English, and the nobility of More's demise will move readers who persist to the end. So I found a More properly placed in his time and surroundings free from unecessary predjudice and critical pomp with a certain twist that surfaces More's personality and conscience in an age of importance and transition. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2020. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2019. The author examines More's evolution from avid humanist to persecuting polemic to his final integrity-inspired stand against the Act of Royal Supremacy. All was well with Sir Thomas as he served King and Country as lawyer, judge, diplomat, Steward of Oxford and Cambridge, pious Christian layperson and author. I consider myself educated and am used to reading dense legal texts and foreign languages, but the amount of Latin and medieval language throughout practically every paragraph make this a tough slog and obscure rather than elucidate. Scenes from "A Man For All Seasons" provided courtesy of Columbia Pictures. He was a believing ironist and a politician who chose death over the splitting of legalisms. I appreciated the unbiased yet empathetic view Ackroyd presents. I had previously read much about the Tudor period, some light, some serious, before this demanding biography. Introductory Note [Harvard Classics] Please try again. Not that he impugns More's faith. The author examines More's evolution from avid humanist to persecuting polemic to his final integrity-inspired stand against the Act of Royal Supremacy. Please try again. Ackroyd makes him a man--with all the paradoxes, ironies, and complexities that mortality entails. A life long Londoner, More earned his way into a rarefied world of legends. I bought this as a gift for my husband. "The Life Of Thomas More" introduces the reader, not only to his life story, but also to the world of the Upper Class Englishman of his day. More's upbringing and education, Ackroyd shows, left their permanent imprint upon him: His extensive training in dialectical logic served him well at the bar and on the bench, his time with Archbishop Morton made him familiar with the world of prelates and statecraft, and his Latin and literary training fitted him for his career as a humanist. This book requires focus. Unable to add item to List. He also paints a wonderful picture of the piety pre-reformation England was akin to and describes the "common faith" all Londoner's held without trying to stigmatize anything and everything possible as other authors who write their histories out a reformation lense tend to do. Keeps me informed and enthralled. His father, Sir John More, was a lawyer and judge who rose to prominence during the reign of Edward IV. This doesn't suprise me since Akroyd is a Londoner himself. Please try again. Well worth the £2.99. A good book for anyone interested in this subject. It's a thorough and detailed book. This is his type of literature and he enjoyed reading it. I bought this as a gift for my husband. It is not surprising that the award the author earned for this book was from an academic institution. In the harrowing denouement in which More kisses and blesses his executioner, even the jaded cynic will glimpse something rare. Thomas More, in full Sir Thomas More, also called Saint Thomas More, (born February 7, 1478, London, England—died July 6, 1535, London; canonized May 19, 1935; feast day June 22), English humanist and statesman, chancellor of England (1529–32), who was beheaded for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2020. BOMC, History Book Club and QPB selections. Book for Academics Researchers and Students - Hard Going for Your General Reader. Born on Milk Street in the City of London, on 7 February 1478, Thomas More was the son of Sir John More, a successful lawyer and later a judge, and his wife Agnes (née Graunger). In 1535, More was martyred for his refusal to support Henry VIII's … Akroyd gives a vivid account of More's surroundings - his schools, were he lived, the churches and charter houses he frequented, and Catholic England in general. Less a man for all seasons, perhaps, than a tonic for ours.". We work hard to protect your security and privacy. I consider myself educated and am used to reading dense legal texts and foreign languages, but the amount of Latin and medieval language throughout practically every paragraph make this a tough slog and obscure rather than elucidate. Thomas More (1478-1535) was a renowned statesman; the author of a political fantasy that gave a name to a literary genre and a worldview ( Utopia ); and, most famously, a Catholic martyr and saint. Something went wrong. 6 Reviews Peter Ackroyd's The Life of Thomas More is a masterful reconstruction of the life and imagination of one of the most remarkable figures of history. This is his type of literature and he enjoyed reading it. The Life of Thomas More (Book) : Ackroyd, Peter. The Catholic Church made Thomas More a saint. The King's Good Servant but God's First : The Life and Writings of Saint Thomas More, A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation (Dover Thrift Editions), The Mirror of Virtue in Worldly Greatness, or the Life of Sir Thomas More, A Man for All Seasons: A Play in Two Acts, Tudors: The History of England from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I (The History of England, 2), First Principles: What America's Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How That Shaped Our Country, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation. He also gives an intimate picture of More's affectionate relations with his family and tells the familiar story of More's rise to favor in the court of Henry VIII, his friendship with Erasmus, his tenure as lord chancellor, and his fall from grace as the crisis of the king's divorce of Catherine of Aragon worsened. Sir Thomas More: Ackroyd's biography is a well done study of the Martyr for all seasons, Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2008. Henry VIII was his patron turned persecutor, Erasmus was his friend and St. John Fisher was his co-martyr. Peter Ackroyd is a bestselling writer of both fiction and nonfiction. Sir Thomas More was born in London in 1478, and died on Tower Hill in 1535, along with Bishop John Fisher of Rochester. Brilliant book about a troubling and troubled man, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2011. The author writes with clarity and energy. Sir Thomas More was a well-known Renaissance humanist, lawyer, author, philosopher and statesman, who lived from 1478 to 1535 and is particularly revered among Roman Catholics for his views on religion. An indispensable acquisition for any library. Perhaps the pressure of working so closely with the King made him more intransigent, or maybe the circumstances of his role now made his views so much more sharp and clearcut to the observer. Perhaps the pressure of working so closely with the King made him more intransigent, or maybe the circumstances of his role now made his views so much more sharp and clearcut to the observer. Thomas More (1478-1535) was a renowned statesman; the author of a political fantasy that gave a name to a literary genre and a worldview (Utopia); and, most famously, a Catholic martyr and saint. Please try again. Ackroyd vibrantly evokes the devout London in which More lived, where even successful lawyers meditated on life's transience and participated in endless rounds of prayer and ritual. Book for Academics Researchers and Students - Hard Going for Your General Reader. Obviously well researched but practically incomprehensible. There were times reading this book where the author made to many assumptions encased in intellectual snobbery with reference to Latin phrases and olde English where no translations were made for the benefit of the general reader. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. He also paints a wonderful picture of the piety pre-reformation England was akin to and describes the "common faith" all Londoner's held without trying to stigmatize anything and everything possible as other authors who write their histories out a reformation lense tend to do. Thomas More is known for his 1516 book 'Utopia' and for his untimely death in 1535, after refusing to acknowledge King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. Currently reading this book which I am finding extremely educational and informative - to say nothing of enjoyment! His connections and wealth would help his son, Thomas, rise in station as a young man. Thomas' mother was Agnes Graunger, the first wife of … On the 400th anniversary of his death he was canonized by the Roman Catholic church and has sometimes been known as … With references to philosophers and their writings, the assumption was continually made by the the author that the general reader had the necessary background knowledge to understand the points he was making based on who these people were and what the thrust of their specific writings contained. In Ackroyd's hands, this renowned "man for all seasons" emerges in the fullness of his complex humanity; we see the unexpected side of his character—such as his preference for bawdy humor—as well as his indisputable … Thomas More is one of the great figures in English history. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, No Import Fees Deposit & $12.72 Shipping to Japan. In 1588, the year of the Spanish Armada, Thomas Stapleton sat down to write the book Tres Thomae; his subject was the life and works of St. Thomas the Apostle, St. Thomas of Canterbury, and Sir Thomas More. He was the second of six children. The city, with itsprivileges and corporate procedures, was central to his formation andto the style of his political thought. Ultimately, More's constancy to his church outweighed his obeisance to the king: Ackroyd gives what amounts to a transcript of the trial in which More refused to endorse Henry's marriage to Anne Boleyn, and narrates his imprisonment in the Tower of London and execution in 1535. 27 b&w illustrations not seen by PW. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. He famously served as the Chancellor of England, being sentenced and beheaded for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. His most recent books include the biographies. Thomas More was born in 1479 in Milk Street, in what is now the center of Londons financial district, to Agnes and John More, a tradesman-turned-lawyer. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. More rose high and became Lord Chancellor of England under Henry VIII. Keeps me informed and enthralled. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. A good book for anyone interested in this subject. Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2008. Sir Thomas More was an English social philosopher and statesman who served as a councilor to King Henry VIII and Lord High Chancellor of England from 1529 to 1532. Refusing to compromise with the break from Rome, More willed his own death. In most cases, items shipped from Amazon.com may be returned for a full refund. Let's face it, no biography of Thomas More is ever really going to explain the mind that worked inside the man's head - he just was never the kind of person that is so easily or readily explained. There was a problem loading your book clubs. His father, whom he admired, was a very successful lawyer; Thomas followed him into the profession, apparently out of a great respect for the law and a sense that God was calling him to family life and active involvement in the world. A limpidly written and superbly wrought portrait of a complex hero who was truly, as his friend Erasmus stated, ``omnium horarum homo''a ``man for all seasons.'' Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Thomas More (1478-1535) was a renowned statesman; the author of a political fantasy that gave a name to a literary genre and a worldview ( Utopia ); and, most famously, a Catholic martyr and saint. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Here is a contemporary account of Sir Thomas More’s execution:- Some exit on their sick-bed, some on the battlefield, others, like Socrates and Thomas More, were executed by the state they had loved and served. This is a particularly interesting read, from the perspective that we get to know much more about Thomas More than we would from reading, say a history of Tudor times, or a history or Henry VIII. Something went wrong. "A Man for All Seasons", which is about Sir Thomas More's refusal to support King Henry VIII's separation from the Catholic Church, is my favorite movie, but I knew very little about More, who was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935. Would that more politicians were like this Man For All Seasons. A biography of Catholic martyr and saint, Thomas More, discussing his formidable intellect, political skill, and the steadfast faith that resulted in his beheading when he refused to follow King Henry VIII's lead in severing England's ties to the Catholic Church Please try again. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. More rose high and became Lord Chancellor of England under Henry VIII. Peter Ackroyd's The Life of Thomas More is a masterful reconstruction of the life and imagination of one of the most remarkable figures of history. We learn equally about More's flaws (superstitious, scathing, rigid, devious) and virtues (dutiful, discrete, skillful, loyal, pious). I had previously read much about the Tudor period, some light, some serious, before this demanding biography. Like plodding through the muck at low tide, it is exhausting. Born into the professional classes, Thomas More applied his formidable intellect and well-placed connections to become the most powerful man in England, second only to the king. More was born in London and studied at the elite St.Anthony’s School and then went on to study at the University of Oxford. Please try your request again later. We learn equally about More's flaws (superstitious, scathing, rigid, devious) and virtues (dutiful, discrete, skillful, loyal, pious). Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2008. "A Magnificent Read...Completes More in Context of His Time", Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2001. Unfortunately, and actually, there is far more information about Thomas revealed, in the last twenty years of his life, than is revealed about the life of Jesus. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. in the U.S.A edition (October 20, 1998). Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Other biographers are a bit more anachronistic in dealing with More's world and end up conjuring a sixteenth century "they" understand instead...Akroyd is far from this. I appreciated the unbiased yet empathetic view Ackroyd presents. Unable to add item to List. It's a thorough and detailed book. On the title-page of Utopia Thomas More identifies himself asa citizen of the renowned city of London. Nan A. Talese; 1st ed. It felt like it was at this point in the book that Thomas More became somewhat of a different man. This is because it was not until More was in his thirties that he became a councillor of Henry VIII, despite having worked closely with the Tudor government and law enforcement agencies since becoming a lawyer, under-sheriff and diplomat. He evokes late-medieval London in sight and in smell; sends More on his workaholic schedule of legal, political, diplomatic and courtly activities; exploits familial and hagiographic anecdotes for their story values; and repeats unscholarly untruths (as Luther's cloacal epiphanies) because fiction can be more colorful than fact. In 1935 he was canonized, along with Fisher, as a martyr for the Catholic faith. Peter Ackroyd's The Life of Thomas More is a masterful reconstruction of the life and imagination of one of the most remarkable figures of history. Ackroyd unfolds the fabric of More's life, from baptism to beheading, as a Renaissance tapestry, richly colored, intricately woven. Sir Thomas More: Ackroyd's biography is a well done study of the Martyr for all seasons, Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2008. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. So I found a More properly placed in his time and surroundings free from unecessary predjudice and critical pomp with a certain twist that surfaces More's personality and conscience in an age of importance and transition. By showing that More was no angel but fully human--tempted by sexual pleasure, amused by earthy jests, moved by political ambitions, and prey to common fears--Ackroyd makes the miracle of More's martyrdom all the more incandescent. He was born in 1478 in the last flowering of the late Middle Ages Roman Catholic world of that distant day. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation, A Daughter's Love: Thomas More and His Dearest Meg, Civil War Volume III (History of England), Dominion: A History of England Volume V (The History of England), A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation (Dover Thrift Editions), A Man for All Seasons: A Play in Two Acts, Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel, Victim: A 900-Year-Old Story Retold, "Superb....Ackroyd describes the London More knew, the ferment of humanism to which he contributed, and the contemporary appeal of Catholicism.". A great read. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! --, "Vibrant...inspired...Ackroyd successfully delineates the vast complexity of More's faith...[and] persuasively argues that...More was also more than a saint. Nearer the center of the tapestry we see the humanist scholar Erasmus, with whom More shared an enthusiasm for the New Learning; the Protestant iconoclast Martin Luther, against whom More hurled the fiercest invectives; the comic dramatist John Heywood, in whose facetious mirth More delighted; the adroit Cardinal Wolsey, whose fall from grace brought More to office as the lord chancellor; and, finally, the imperious monarch Henry VIII, to whom More pledged everything--except his soul. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. "A Magnificent Read...Completes More in Context of His Time", Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2001. Would that more politicians were like this Man For All Seasons. Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020. Prizewinning biographer/novelist Ackroyd reconstructs the life of Henry VIII's famed adversary. His book "Utopia" has become a deserved classic of satire. It is not surprising that the award the author earned for this book was from an academic institution. The Life of Sir Thomas More (1478-1535) "The King's good servant, but God's first."1. Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2016. Akroyd's work places Thomas More in context of the social, polictical, economical, eccelsiastical, and humanistic milieu of the sixteenth century Catholic England "More" knew. The student life office includes many functional areas, all of which, collectively, aim to support students as they grow and develop during their time at Thomas More University. to the man, it ought also to be noted that there were in London eight men with the name of Thomas More in the years from 1400 to 1550. From 1490 to 1492, More served John Morton, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor of England, as a household page. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Akroyd gives a vivid account of More's surroundings - his schools, were he lived, the churches and charter houses he frequented, and Catholic England in general. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Brilliant book about a troubling and troubled man, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2011. Akroyd's work places Thomas More in context of the social, polictical, economical, eccelsiastical, and humanistic milieu of the sixteenth century Catholic England "More" knew. Born into the professional classes, Thomas More applied his formidable intellect and well-placed connections to become the most powerful man in England, second only to the king.In reconstructing the life of Thomas More, Peter Ackroyd provides an unmatched portrait of the everyday, religious, and intellectual life of the early sixteenth century. (8 pages color, 8 pages black-and-white illustrations) (Book-of-the-Month Club/Quality Paperback Book Club/ History Book Club selection) --, ...a sensitive, well-informed work that will be of value to anyone seeking a deeper knowledge of More's personal history. As much a work of history as a biography, The Life of Thomas More gives an unmatched portrait of the everyday, religious, and intellectual life of the early sixteenth century. This book requires focus. His book "Utopia" has become a deserved classic of satire. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Currently reading this book which I am finding extremely educational and informative - to say nothing of enjoyment! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2021. Word Count: 763 Thomas More, son of a British lawyer and judge, was born in London on February 7, 1478. Peter Ackroyd's The Life of Thomas More is a masterful reconstruction of the life and imagination of one of the most remarkable figures of history. A noted Renaissance humanist and a staunch Catholic, he opposed the Protestant Reformation, in particular the … More was a brilliant student who studied at Oxford and at the law courts of Lincoln Inn. A vividly evocative portrait of the lawyer and statesman who was ``the King's good servant, but God's first,'' from award- winning biographer and novelist Ackroyd (Blake, 1996; T.S. The author writes with clarity and energy. A great read. There were times reading this book where the author made to many assumptions encased in intellectual snobbery with reference to Latin phrases and olde English where no translations were made for the benefit of the general reader. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. The internet is full of information regarding the life and death of Thomas. Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020. Took me three pages to acclimatize to Ackroyds writing style, then once I got into his style and flow I thoroughly enjoyed this intense biography that covers everything possible on the life of the controversial Thomas More. More was a brilliant student who studied at Oxford and at the law courts of Lincoln Inn. Given More's brilliant intellect and career, understanding his story requires commitment. The Life of Thomas More is Peter Ackroyd's biography--from baptism to beheading--of the lawyer who became a saint. One of the greatest minds to come out of a tumultuous times. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Well worth the £2.99. With references to philosophers and their writings, the assumption was continually made by the the author that the general reader had the necessary background knowledge to understand the points he was making based on who these people were and what the thrust of their specific writings contained. He was born in 1478 in the last flowering of the late Middle Ages Roman Catholic world of that distant day. Thomas would be one of the great intellects of his time, and Ackroyd gives particular attention to young More's rare and prolonged education: his apprenticeship at the court of the learned Archbishop and Chancellor John Morton of Canterbury, his grounding in the liberal arts at Oxford University, and his legal education at New Inn and Lincoln's Inn. All was well with Sir Thomas as he served King and Country as lawyer, judge, diplomat, Steward of Oxford and Cambridge, pious Christian layperson and author. He dies well in Ackroyd's narrative, but he does not live a life as saintly as he leaves it, piously amassing wealth and power, piously writing philosophical works as ambiguous as Utopia and as scatological as Responsio, piously harassing religious reformers and smugly condemning them to the stake. Thomas More was born in London on February 7, 1478. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2021. In reconstructing the life of Thomas More, Peter Ackroyd provides an unmatched portrait of the everyday, religious, and intellectual life of the early sixteenth century. Please try again. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Feast Day, June 22. This is a particularly interesting read, from the perspective that we get to know much more about Thomas More than we would from reading, say a history of Tudor times, or a history or Henry VIII. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. The Life of Thomas More shows that, given the right elements (e.g., Henry the Eighth on the throne, the Protestant Reformation in full swing, More's own faith), religion and politics can (and will) clash violently.Ackroyd's writing is, quite simply, wonderful.
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