Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2012 Bring Up The Bodies chronicles the downfall of Anne Boleyn through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to Henry VIII. Sir Peter Stothard, chairman of the judges, hailed Mantel as 'the greatest English prose writer of modern times'.
By 1535 Thomas Cromwell, the blacksmith's son, is far from his humble origins. Chief Minister to Henry VIII, his fortunes have risen with those of Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife, for whose sake Henry has broken with Rome and created his own church. But Henry's actions have forced England into dangerous isolation, and Anne has failed to do what she promised: bear a son to secure the Tudor line.
In Bring up the Bodies Hilary Mantel explores one of the most mystifying and frightening episodes in English history: the destruction of Anne Boleyn. This new novel is an audacious vision of Tudor England that sheds its light on the modern world.
Hilary Mantel describes the audio version of Bring Up The Bodies, narrated by Simon Vance:
'Bring Up The Bodies is a text which sets out to multiply ambiguities... This version deploys a large cast of characters with skill and clarity. Simon Vance is expert in differentiating the men and women of the Tudor court and capturing their personalities. His reading is both tender and energetic. As if by telepathy, he has preserved the rhythm of the text as I heard it when I wrote it. No author could hope for a more faithful and imaginative audio version.'
By 1535 Thomas Cromwell, the blacksmith's son, is far from his humble origins. Chief Minister to Henry VIII, his fortunes have risen with those of Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife, for whose sake Henry has broken with Rome and created his own church. But Henry's actions have forced England into dangerous isolation, and Anne has failed to do what she promised: bear a son to secure the Tudor line.
In Bring up the Bodies Hilary Mantel explores one of the most mystifying and frightening episodes in English history: the destruction of Anne Boleyn. This new novel is an audacious vision of Tudor England that sheds its light on the modern world.
Hilary Mantel describes the audio version of Bring Up The Bodies, narrated by Simon Vance:
'Bring Up The Bodies is a text which sets out to multiply ambiguities... This version deploys a large cast of characters with skill and clarity. Simon Vance is expert in differentiating the men and women of the Tudor court and capturing their personalities. His reading is both tender and energetic. As if by telepathy, he has preserved the rhythm of the text as I heard it when I wrote it. No author could hope for a more faithful and imaginative audio version.'
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