The Burning Time

September 4, 2017
British biographer and critic Rounding (Alix and Nicky) delves into the tumultuous Tudor era, ably recounting the hunt for heretics who failed to change their beliefs in accordance with the change of monarch. Numerous innocents were killed and there were cases of powerful persecutors becoming the persecuted. Rounding complements her gift for storytelling with letters and official records to flesh out stories of specific victims (such as Protestant martyr Anne Askew), noting how many underwent a process of first trying to avoid self-incrimination but then gained a near fearlessness once they realized the futility of resistance. Descriptions of executioners’ preparations and the physical process of burning human flesh prevent the long list of lives lost from becoming mundane; instead, the burned victims serve as examples of how the Tudors feared religious dissent could devolve into treason. Rounding shows that Henry VIII’s actions kept Catholics and Protestant reformers off balance, while “Bloody” Mary I channeled her grandmother Isabella’s inquisitorial passions into her own constant—if ineffective—persecutions. Edward VI’s truncated reign receives less attention, comparatively. Rounding closes with an extended—some readers might say misguided—consideration of 21st-century terrorism and religiosity. The end aside, it’s an excellent account of 16th-century religious persecution and martyrdom. Illus. Agent: Clare Alexander, Aitken Alexander Associates.

August 15, 2017
Rounding (Alix and Nicky: The Passion of the Last Tsar and Tsarina, 2012, etc.) explores the depth of the differences and the dangers of life under Henry VIII and his daughter, Queen Mary.Henry did not jump wildly into the Protestant camp; he fought to protect traditional beliefs and Catholic doctrine, particularly transubstantiation. His greatest fear was usurpation of his authority, which he felt to be fairly total. The pope, obviously, had to go, and, as head of the church, that left Henry to divorce his wife. Next was the submission of the clergy, the cause of Sir Thomas More's resignation as Lord Chancellor. As More left power, he was replaced by Thomas Cromwell's man Sir Thomas Audley. Audley's closest aide, Richard Rich, was at first chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, dealing with the revenues of dissolved monasteries (certainly, a few properties slipped into his pocket). Rounding does a service by bringing Rich back into the spotlight, since he continued into Mary's reign and was integral in steering many to the stake. Confusion among Henry's subjects was rampant, as Edward VI turned toward Protestantism and Mary doubled back to Catholicism. One of the main difficulties was the availability of the Bible in the vernacular, which would allow everyone to direct their own faith. After many hours attempting to return a martyr to the flock, death was assured. Negotiation was impossible, even if the inquisitor was proven to have once believed the same as the condemned. Throughout the book, the author examines the mindsets of the martyrs and the strength of their consciences, which kept them from deserting their belief. The suppression of religious beliefs and executions proved to be failures of leadership, but Mary's convictions were stronger than her reason. An intriguing, astute look at this volatile period, though the author includes too many victim biographies, occasionally slowing the pace.

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September 15, 2017

With this latest work, Rounding (Catherine the Great) provides an in-depth look at the volatile conditions Catholics and Protestants alike experienced during the reigns of Henry VIII and Mary I as people were forced to test the strength of their faith against the constantly changing religious dogma that threatened their lives. Through stories of the Smithfield martyrs, Rounding comprehensively examines what brought about this dark period in history, while also making connections to the current religious climate and the possibility of learning from the past to end these conflicts. While many books exist on some of the major players featured in these pages, such as William Roper's The Life of Sir Thomas More, this work stands apart by delving into the lives of Lord Chancellor Richard Rich, a protege of Thomas Cromwell intent on gaining power, and John Deane, rector of the Anglican church St. Bartholomew's. VERDICT Recommended for history buffs interested in religious impacts on society, as well as those wishing to learn more about the Tudor dynasty. However, because of the many martyrs discussed, Rounding's descriptive writing may make it difficult for some readers to get hooked.--Katie McGaha, County of Los Angeles P.L.

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