Thomas Cromwell

A Revolutionary Life

By: Diarmaid MacCulloch

Narrated by: David Rintoul

The long-awaited biography of the genius who masterminded Henry VIII's bloody revolution in the English government, which reveals at last Cromwell's role in the downfall of Anne Boleyn.

"This a book that - and it's not often you can say this - we have been awaiting for 400 years." (Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall)

Since the 16th century we have been fascinated by Henry VIII and the man who stood beside him, guiding him, enriching him, and enduring the king's insatiable appetites and violent outbursts until Henry ordered his beheading in July 1540. After a decade of sleuthing in the royal archives, Diarmaid MacCulloch has emerged with a tantalizing new understanding of Henry's mercurial chief minister, the inscrutable and utterly compelling Thomas Cromwell.

History has not been kind to the son of a Putney brewer who became the architect of England's split with Rome. Where past biographies portrayed him as a scheming operator with blood on his hands, Hilary Mantel reimagined him as a far more sympathetic figure buffered by the whims of his master. So which was he - the villain of history or the victim of her creation? MacCulloch sifted through letters and court records for answers and found Cromwell's fingerprints on some of the most transformative decisions of Henry's turbulent reign. But he also found Cromwell the man, an administrative genius, rescuing him from myth and slander.

The real Cromwell was a deeply loving father who took his biggest risks to secure the future of his son, Gregory. He was also a man of faith and a quiet revolutionary. In the end, he could not appease or control the man whose humors were so violent and unpredictable. But he made his mark on England, setting her on the path to religious awakening and indelibly transforming the system of government of the English-speaking world.

©2018 Diarmaid MacCulloch (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Thomas Cromwell is a wonderfully rich, detailed and demanding account of an extraordinary career....It’s a book to satisfy academic historians and the general reader alike. Nothing so dramatically and persuasively conveys the reality of life in these blood-soaked years.” (Wall Street Journal)

"MacCulloch threads Cromwell’s notes and other contemporary sources along with modern historians’ work to recreate his motivations. This comprehensive biography is ideal for passionate devotees of Hilary Mantel’s historical novels." (Publishers Weekly)

“Thomas Cromwell has famously defied his biographers, but no more. Diarmaid MacCulloch’s book is subtle, witty and precisely constructed. He has sifted the vast archive to clear away the accumulated error, muddle and propaganda of centuries, allowing us to see this clever and fascinating man better than ever before, and in the mirror of his times.” (Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies)

Detailed Biography

Wonderful narration. Incredibly well researched. However, the book includes myriad side trips to lesser known Cromwell contemporaries which distracted me from getting a sense of who Cromwell was. Overall it is well worth the time and effort to read.

Just Wonderful!

I loved this book because I find the life of Thomas Cromwell just as intriguing as the Tudor dynasty and to listen to what is uncovered in his papers, letters and dynastic records is very revealing. David Rintoul does an outstanding job keeping what could have been tedious reading ( records can get a bit TMI! ) lively and interesting. Diarmaid MacCulloch has written an outstanding biography of one of the real powers in KH8’s time. It’s also very nice to get a balanced assessment of TC’s rise and fall instead of the written for drama versions of the man!

Maintaining focus on Cromwell

Too much on friares and monasteries, drowning the reader in far too much seeming less relevant detail.

Thomas Cromwell: Beyond Hilary Mantel’s Novels

Wow! Cromwell comes alive as a pivotal player in the Tudor reign. He also becomes so powerful that not only must he be physically restrained, but perceived as a threat to king and the lynchpins of Henry VIII’s jealous and slanderous coterie. This book lays the ground work for the Wolf Hall series. I’m so glad I’m listening to this book before even Wolf Hall. Cromwell gives necessary details in order to follow the trail of Thomas and his many intrigues with the famous and infamous. Another side note: do not purchase The Mirror and the Light (Wolf Hall Book 3) unless it becomes available unabridged—I believe you may be disappointed as I was. Still listening to Cromwell, but loving the texture and nuance of this wonderful history brought to life!

Excellent Book and Narration.

This is a book I have listened to multiple times. I find the subject matter fascinating and the narration, for me adds to the mood when listening.

INTRIGUING ACCOUNT OF CRUCIAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND

The author does an excellent job of explaining and dissecting the complex political, religious, and social forces surrounding the Protestant Revolution and the establishment of the Church of England. Thomas Cromwell turns out to be, like many notable men, a mix of high ability, deviuosness, and greed. MacCulloch does a fine job in presenting this amazing personage in a nuanced manner. Parts of the presentation, however, get too long-winded and unneccessarily detailed. But on the whole, well worth the effort for a serious reader of history.
Regrettabky, the narration is less compelling. Rintoul does his best, but his diction is both muddy and unclear in many places. At one point in listening I stopped and startef looking for another version of this account with a better narrator, to no avail. With patience, I did manage to get through the entire book, but stkill wish it had been with a much better speaker. I urge potential buyers to listen to the sample bevore proceding.
David Evan Glasser, Datca, Turkey

Sir Thomas Cromwell's Morals

Love the story based on many primary sources. Presented the times he lived in the all the upheaval and change going on. Reminded me humanity somehow has survived its self-importance.

Fantastic

Amazing book. I love learning about Thomas Cromwell. I would love to learn more about him during his mercenary/soldier days and his time in Italy.

Audible Excellence Made Visible

I loved all the detail. I loved the author’s care for historical exactitude and for his subject, Thomas Cromwell. I love the book’s dedication to GR Elton, a Cambridge historian I greatly admire. Listening has been a great experience. I’ve been in the England of 500 years ago. Now back to the present now, perhaps with some enlightenment.

Cromwell's Legacy

Brilliantly researched, written and beautifully read, I found it a balancing listen after Hillary Mantel's Wolf Hall Trilogy which I also loved in Audible form. What Cromwell accomplished in 10 years for that moron Henry was remarkable..and we live with the repercussions of those accomplishments and that skill today!