If you’ve listened to Episode 71 of Talking Tudors, the first instalment of our ‘All things Boleyn’ series, you would have heard the wonderful Sandra Vasoli announce that she’d like to give a Talking Tudors podcast listener the chance to win her three books! This fabulous book bundle includes book one and two in the Je Anne Boleyn series: Struck with the Dart of Love and Truth Endures, as well as Anne Boleyn’s Letter from the Tower: A New Assessment. I’ve read all of these and can honestly say, they’re brilliant! Please show Sandi your support by visiting her official website and following her on social media.
This giveaway is now closed.
To enter the giveaway, listen to Episode 71 and then leave a comment telling me about something you learned (or found interesting) from my conversation with Sandra Vasoli. It’s that easy!
Conditions of Entry
For your chance to win this Anne Boleyn book bundle, simply leave a comment after this post as detailed above, between now and 8 May 2020. Don’t forget to leave your name and a contact email. Please note that I have comment moderation activated and need to ‘approve’ comments before they appear. There is no need to submit your comment twice.
This giveaway is open internationally. (However, please note that there may be postage delays due to Covid19)
One winner will be selected and contacted by email shortly after the competition closes. Please ensure you’ve added natalie@onthetudortrail.com to your address book to avoid missing my email.
I would also really appreciate it if you’d subscribe to my podcast, and rate and review it on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. Thank you in advance, and good luck!
Nat x
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Thank you Natalie and Sandra – that was such an interesting podcast that I listed to during my walk in sunny Canberra (although the cold winter is soon coming)….I loved old and the new equally in this podcast. The new is represented by the explanation of Sandra’s journey to get to see the letters – it felt that we were taken along on the journey. The old was represented by the discussion around the man, not the king, that was evident on the words in the letter. To often we forget they were people just like us – and that kings are also people.
Hi everyone! I just wanted to send you all a BIG thanks for listening, and for engaging in such great comments about a really fascinating subject. I love these letters, and the other few we have from Anne and Henry because they give us a true glimpse into what they were like as humans – not just larger than life historical figures. I know it was a long time ago, but human emotions have never changed – joy, love, jealousy, pain, disappointment…all those things manifest themselves in behaviors just as they do today. And it’s in observing these traits that we can come to know them and perhaps piece together what may have actually happened centuries ago. Thank you again, bless you all, and be well! Xx Sandi Vasoli
Thank you for the wonderful and interesting podcast.a few uears ago I visited Hever Castle and since that time have been interested in Anne Boleyn and indeed have always asked myself how things could have gone so tragically wrong. That is why I quite agree with Sandra’s view that Cromwell was to blame.
So interesting! I didn’t realize there were letters in the Vatican. I’ve learned a lot from your podcasts and enjoy some of the books you recommend. Thank you!
It added an unrealized and critical understanding of Henry VIII’s letters to Anne Boleyn to hear your observations regarding their physical appearance, Ms. Vasoli. The letter when Anne had sweating sickness for instance, where his ardor was seen in the dark letters proffered by a heavy pen laden with emotion; the development of the relationship sensed in the way he fussed over the page only to have those concerns dissolve later from growing familiarity. The heart he drew: the context of its size compared to his! These are all details we lose in other accounts, but having seen the letters first hand, you make them vivid and alive. Thank you!!
First of all, I’d like to thank you, Natalie, and you, Sandra, for the extremely informative talk! There were so many interesting things said that it’ll be hard to mention them all so I’ll name only a few. I didn’t know that getting to see these letters was so complex, but due to the fact that they are in the Vatican it is pretty understandable. Also, I didn’t know about the change in Henry’s letters to Anne. Now I must read them all, so getting the prize would be an amazing opportunity to do it! Also, as a fan of Anne (if I may call myself that) I was very pleased to hear that she really loved the king. It gave me bigger, more colorful, better picture of what she was like for real. Thank you!
I would love to read
What an amazing episode! Thank you so much Natalie and Sandra for a wonderful & very informative discussion.
I find it interesting that a lot of people are sometimes shocked to realize that Henry truly did love Anne. She was young, new to court, a mystery to him, & she challenged him.
I didn’t know there were letters at the Vatican. It would be amazing to see them.
Thank you again!
I’ve been so consumed with your podcast. I ran upon it about a week ago so I’m quite behind but catching up quickly. Thank you for taking the time to put out a interesting source for people to listen and get information in such a convenient way. It’s made my drive to work something to look forward to, I mean I never thought I’d say that. Keep them coming, we appreciate them!
Thanks so much to Sandy for such a wonderful, informative, and enjoyable interview! I learned so much from hearing about the letters from Henry to Anne. I enjoyed learning about how the tone of the letters, the way the letters were written, the ink droplets, and other details could tell us so much about what he was thinking and feeling that time. What a fascinating treasure. It’s too bad that we don’t have access to Anne’s responses. These personal, first person artifacts are the closest we can get to the real people involved in the tutor dynasty. I am so excited to learn more and will definitely purchase Sandy’s books if I don’t win the contest! Thank you so much also to Natalie for a wonderful podcast series. With every interview, I want to delve even further into my own research!
*Tudor, not tutor. (That’s what I get for using voice activation to leave my comment!) ?
I loved her description of her reaction to the letters as “visceral “. It created a visceral reaction in me too, I could see in my mind’s eye the cloth covered book with the letters as she described it. I also loved the descriptions of Henry’s handwriting and drawings. What an amazing privilege to have been given access to these precious gems and thank you both for sharing this experience with all of us. The best story of all was the one of her husband waiting for her….can you imagine reading Henry’s words of love all afternoon then come out to your love waiting for you?! What a beautiful experience. Keep up the good work ladies, I’m just waiting for the day I can return to England for a visit to infuse my senses with all things Tudor?
Aww, thank you Carolyn. Both visits to the Archives were kind of out-of-body experiences for me. In fact, just the other night I watched Anne of the Thousand Days again, and I had this unbelievable experience afterward realizing that I’d actually read and touched articles of their great, tragic, epic love story! Kind of hard to believe!
What a fantastic prize!!! Would love to win ???
This was a fantastic episode, thank you Sandra! I felt like I was peering over your shoulder as you studied the letters in the Vatican collection! What a treat it would be win this amazing bundle!
I love learning about this period. It is so fascinating to really delve into the letters, to learn the context of love hearts and words and the symbolism that for them reads so easily as a language yet for us some delicate deciphering is needed.
So amazing! I love this website and the podcasts!
Thanks for this, i would love to tead them! Paula Moynihan, paulakole125@yahoo.com
Look like a great read!! Thank you for the chance to win!!