Thanks for Phillipa Gregory, I found a new genre to love. I am looking for recommendations of other books to read about the Tudors (and for that matter, books to avoid). "Innocent Traitor" by Alison Weir is on my list, but that's about it. Thanks!

I enjoyed The Autobiography of King Henry the VIII and Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, both by Margaret George.

Jean Plaidy has a series about the six wives of Henry VIII. I like Antonia Fraser's The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Margaret George's The Autobiography of Henry VIII is pretty good as well. I'm working on Cynthia Harrold-Eagle's Moreland Series, and my current one The Dark Rose is about the Tudor period. I also really like Philippa Carr's (who is Jean Plaidy and Victoria Holt) series that starts with Miracle at St. Bruno's. Robin Maxwell has a book about Anne Boelyn that I have in my TBR pile, and there's one called The Concubine by Norah Lofts that is pretty good too.

Not Tudors, but Plantagenets. Still, I'd recommend Sharon Kay Penman. She tends to romanticize history, which makes her books a great place to start. They're not dry. Here Be Dragons is a good starting point.

A little bit harder to track down (but getting easier) are books by Elizabeth Chadwick. Her history's more reliable, but she also adds a touch of romance. You might start with The Greatest Knight or The Scarlet Lion. These are about William Marshal, a knight and important government leader toward the end of his life, during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I, King John and Henry III.

Just finished Jane Boleyn, a bio of the sister in law of Anne. It was excellent:

http://www.amazon.com/review/R2W0BTX3TJBBHA/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

I second Jean Plaidy!  Alison Weir has also written non-fiction about the Tudors.  Robert Hutchinson's The Last Days of Henry VIII was an awesome non fiction book, too, if interested.

The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn was good. Robin Maxwell has written a few others about the Tudors.

Alison Weir also wrote a collective biography of Henry VIII's six wives, which is one of my favorite Tudor books.

One of my favorite books about Elizabeth I was "Legacy" by Susan Kay. 

Carolly Erickson writes wonderful bios of the Tudor family and many other royal families like Nicholas and Alexandra, Queen Victoria, Empress Josephine, and more recently the current Queen Elizabeth. 

The Margaret George books suggested in the above post are very good reads too.

You might like "Queen Of Subtleties", a hist. fiction book told by a dessert cook in King Henry VIII's kitchen when Anne Boleyn was queen.   Sorry I can't remember the author offhand!

Although not in Tudor times, Rose Tremain has written a few great hist. fiction books:  "The Colour", "Music And Silence", and "Restoration".  I haven't read "Restoration", but it's set during Charles II's reign. 

Just finished Anne Easter Smith's "A Rose For A Crown"-EXCELLENT book!  This story is set just after the War Of The Roses and ends with King Richard III's death.  I highly recommend this one!

Anything by Alison Weir.  Her books are excellent.  I am currently finishing up Henry VIII: the King and his Court.  Her writing is so fluid.

Philippa Carr's (who is Jean Plaidy and Victoria Holt)

who knew? I love my friends on theHF thread, I learn something all the time!