Guilty Pleasures

I have been reading through English, Welsh, and Irish history over the break. The last one was Tipperary by Frank Delaney. I did not like it at first; the way it switched between voices seemed choppy and made it tough for me to pick up the story of Charles O’Brien. As the sections got longer and then the narrator was revealed, I found myself drawn into the story. It’s funny…it has the same theme as Stonehenge (Bernard Cornwell) did in terms of people dedicating their lives to creating a monument.

So, at least I could say I was learning about history. Then, I opened iTunes, and there was the Showtime series, The Tudors. I bought the first episode and was absolutely hooked. I was warned about the sex, and it got sexier throughout the season. But, don’t skip to the last episode because it is improved by following it as it builds to the climax both literally and figuratively (sorry for that) throughout the other episodes. We’re lured in along with Henry. Love the costumes and the intrigue.

And, I also read that the series played pretty fast and loose with history. So, I used the Web to do some fact checking. I figured out that the character of Margaret was a combination of Henry’s two sisters: Mary and Margaret. The King of Portugal was a complete fabrication. In poking around the discussion forums sponsored by Showtime, I found a table listing historical inaccuracies. So, at least they know they rewrote history. And, does it matter? Not to me. I was entertained. So, now I wait for the second season to go on sale. Maybe they will stream it on the web.