Katherine Howard: A New History by Conor Byrne Read Free Book Online

theories concerning Katherine’s downfall in 1541-2, having interpreted evidence in a new light. Some of my essays on Katherine’s life can be accessed online at my blog (http://www.conorbyrnex.blogspot.co.uk), which has received a wide reading since its beginning.
    The reader might find the picture presented of Katherine in this book to be contrary to what they think they know of her. It has been an immensely exciting and enlightening journey, from initial research to publication. I owe many thanks. Firstly, I wish to thank my history tutors at the Sixth Form College, Farnborough - Diana Laffin and Jo Chambers - who encouraged my passion for history, read my essays on Katherine, and offered helpful insights, while also delivering fascinating and thought-provoking lessons. They fully supported my research, and I am very grateful. I especially wish to thank Jo Chambers for putting me in touch with Dr Helen King of the Open University, whose assistance concerning this project has been important and encouraged me to reconsider the experiences of Katherine in line with medical customs and beliefs about fertility and hysteria. I wish to pay tribute and offer warm thanks to Dr Retha Warnicke of Arizona State University, who generously emailed me her chapter of Katherine’s life from her 2012 book Wicked Women of Tudor England , and provided invaluable and helpful assistance. I warmly recommend Dr Warnicke’s book and praise her for her original insights into Katherine’s career that, it will be clear, have greatly informed my own conclusions.
    I would also like to thank Una McIlvenna, Marilyn Roberts and additionally Claire Ridgway of The Anne Boleyn Files, all of whom assisted me in my research and encouraged me to consider new possibilities of studying both Katherine and the Tudors more widely. In particular, Claire’s support has been phenomenal. I wish to thank her and her husband Tim Ridgway for deciding to take on my book in the first place, and by extension I thank MadeGlobal Publishing for a fine job. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Claire on her deserved success.
    I wish to offer thanks and acknowledgement: to Susan Bordo, who generously allowed me to write numerous articles for her compelling and entertaining blog “The Creation of Anne Boleyn” (thecreationofanneboleyn.wordpress.com), and who has supported my research warmly and fully.
    To Alison Weir, a historian I admire very much, who I have had the privilege of corresponding with over the years and who has facilitated my love for Tudor history, and to Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb, whose work I continue to highly enjoy.
    I also wish to thank Natalie Grueninger from “On The Tudor Trail”, who, similarly to Susan, generously published my research, and to Gareth Russell, who I have had the pleasure of corresponding with in recent years and whose blog I admire deeply.
    Twitter has proven fantastic in allowing me to engage with a number of intelligent, bright and thoughtful individuals who share my love for history and with whom I correspond with regularly: you know who you are. As a piece of self-promotion, anyone interested in following my insights can find me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ConorByrnex.
    My research has profited immensely from visiting the National Archives and other local libraries, including that of Fleet and the University of Exeter; I wish to thank the staff for providing me with invaluable research assistance. The staff at Lambeth Archives and the Surrey History Centre have both also been very receptive to my queries.
    I wish to pay tribute to particular writers: Lacey Baldwin Smith, Joanna Denny, Retha Warnicke, David Starkey, and Elisabeth Wheeler. While I do not agree with some of their conclusions, these authors have been instrumental in challenging me (and others) to think differently about Katherine and the experiences of the Tudors more broadly.
    Lastly I wish to thank my friends who have supported me every