The Last Divine Office: Henry VIII and the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Geoffrey Moorhouse takes on the dissolution of the monasteries of England through the prism of Durham Abbey. (This just happens to be one of my favorite places in the world.) If you were ever inclined to a moment’s sympathy for Henry VIII or Thomas Cromwell, you’ll be cured by the time you finish the book. Rapacious, cruel, and thuggish are three words that come to mind.
Moorhouse also paints a fascinating picture of late medieval English religion, both the good and the bad points. So it’s a nice book to put on your shelf with Eamon Duffy. Not too long and hard to put down. Highly recommended.
(Can you guess that I used to write library book reviews in another life?)
