Biography: Mary Tudor: Princess, Bastard, Queen by Anna Whitelock

Just when you thought the world couldn’t possibly need yet another biography of “Bloody Mary Tudor,” (1516-1558), along comes a young, hotshot British historian who not only discovers aspects others before her have missed, she shares her new tidbits in a compelling and lucid manner in her debut work.

Mary Tudor: Princess, Bastard, Queen (Random House) is published in the U.S. today, but it’s been out in author Anna Whitelock’s native United Kingdom since 2009, where it has garnered kudos and respect for Whitelock’s fresh approach. From the Author’s Note:

So the Mary of this book is an unfamiliar queen, and hers is an incredibly thrilling and inspirational story. She broke tradition, she challenged precedent; she was a political pioneer who redefined the English monarchy.

Whitelock received a PhD in history from Cambridge in 2004 with a thesis on the court of Mary I. Just as important, for fans of historical works, Whitelock was recognized this year by Lady Antonia Fraser who awarded her the Arts Club Emerging Writer Award.