My favorite books to help you survive in Tudor England

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve studied and written about the Tudors for many years including a monthly article in Tudor Life magazine, plus I’ve written several successful books looking at the lives of ordinary people in history and now, my first full scale look at the Tudors. The Tudor period is one of the best known in our history and is dominated by so many well-known and fascinating characters but my interest rests with the ordinary folk and how their lives changed so fundamentally in this time. The dissolution of the monasteries changed everyday life for many and marked the end of the medieval period and the beginning of a more enlightened time. 


I wrote...

How to Survive in Tudor England

By Toni Mount,

Book cover of How to Survive in Tudor England

What is my book about?

Imagine you were transported back to Tudor England, and had to start a new life there, without mobile phones; sat-nav, or social media. How would you know where you are or where to go? How would you get there? And how would you tell your friends where you had been?  

My book answers all these questions, and many more: What should you wear, and who will help you if you fall ill or are mugged in the street? Where will you live, and what is there to eat? And how do you avoid upsetting the authorities so you can keep your head when people all around you are losing theirs?

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of How to Be a Tudor

Toni Mount Why did I love this book?

This is a guide to being a Tudor, everything from getting up in the morning to going to bed at night. Ruth Goodman gives us all the details of everyday life.

History very often concentrates on the lives of the rich and famous, the kings and queens, but it's the life of the ordinary person that always interests me. And this book fully illuminates that.

Known to many as a TV presenter, Ruth writes in an easily readable style.

By Ruth Goodman,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked How to Be a Tudor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

On the heels of her triumphant How to Be a Victorian, Ruth Goodman travels even further back in English history to the era closest to her heart, the dramatic period from the crowning of Henry VII to the death of Elizabeth I. A celebrated master of British social and domestic history, Ruth Goodman draws on her own adventures living in re-created Tudor conditions to serve as our intrepid guide to sixteenth-century living. Proceeding from daybreak to bedtime, this "immersive, engrossing" (Slate) work pays tribute to the lives of those who labored through the era. From using soot from candle wax…


Book cover of A Visitor's Companion to Tudor England

Toni Mount Why did I love this book?

I enjoyed this study of all the many places of interest with a Tudor connection, from sumptuous palaces to the new theatres, and from forbidding castles to ruined abbeys.

Professor Lipscomb takes us on a journey revealing some hidden treasures and details of fascinating characters that won’t be known to everyone.

By Suzannah Lipscomb,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Visitor's Companion to Tudor England as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Join historian Suzannah Lipscomb as she reveals the hidden secrets of palaces, castles, theatres and abbeys to uncover the stories of Tudor England. From the famous palace at Hampton Court where dangerous court intrigue was rife, to less well-known houses, such as Anne Boleyn's childhood home at Hever Castle or Tutbury Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned, follow in the footsteps of the Tudors in the places that they knew.

In the corridors of power and the courtyards of country houses we meet the passionate but tragic Kateryn Parr, Henry VIII's last wife, Lady Jane Grey the nine-day…


Book cover of The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England

Toni Mount Why did I love this book?

Ian Mortimer gives us a fascinating insight into Elizabethan life, and I think this edition of his Time-Traveller’s Guide is as entertaining and informative as the others in the series.

I really enjoyed the details of everyday life, such as what would be in the kitchen or larder, although sometimes the lists were a little long. I enjoy the format of this type of book being written as a travel guide, it is educational as well as easy to read.

By Ian Mortimer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A fresh and funny book that wears its learning lightly' Independent

Discover the era of William Shakespeare and Elizabeth I through the sharp, informative and hilarious eyes of Ian Mortimer.

We think of Queen Elizabeth I's reign (1558-1603) as a golden age. But what was it actually like to live in Elizabethan England? If you could travel to the past and walk the streets of London in the 1590s, where would you stay? What would you eat? What would you wear? Would you really have a sense of it being a glorious age? And if so, how would that glory…


Book cover of The Tudors: A Very Short Introduction

Toni Mount Why did I love this book?

This is an indispensable summary of sixteenth-century English history, but it’s not as short as you might expect (the second edition actually includes greater content). The facts are well-researched, and the details are concise.

If you know nothing of the Tudors this is a good place to start, but being ‘very short’ it will leave you wanting to know more.

By John Guy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Tudors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The monarchs of the Tudor period are among some of the most well-known figures in British history. John Guy presents a compelling and fascinating exploration of the Tudors in the new edition of this Very Short Introduction.

Looking at all aspects of the period, from beginning to end, he considers Tudor politics, religion, and economics, as well as issues relating to gender and minority rule, and the art, architecture, and social and material culture of the time. Introducing all of the key Tudor monarchs, Guy considers the impact the Tudor period had not only at the time, but also the…


Book cover of Terrifying Tudors

Toni Mount Why did I love this book?

This entertaining book is aimed at children but could really be enjoyed by everybody as a light-hearted introduction to the Tudors.

I think the whole Horrible Histories series shows that history can be fun and is a great place for children to start to look into the past. I enjoy looking at history from another perspective: how horrible can it be?

By Terry Deary, Martin Brown (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Terrifying Tudors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Discover all the foul facts about the Terrifying Tudors with
history's most horrible headlines.
All the foul facts about the Terrifying Tudors are
ready to uncover, including:



who invited Queen Lizzie to visit his brand new toilet

and what you get when you sew the front of a chicken to the back
of a pig





Fully illustrated throughout and packed with horrible
stories - with all the horribly hilarious bits included



with a fresh take on the classic Horrible Histories
style, perfect for fans old and new

the perfect series for anyone looking for a fun
and informative read

Horrible…


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Interested in Tudor, 16th century, and Elizabeth I?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about Tudor, 16th century, and Elizabeth I.

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