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☆ C.J. Sansom, Mystery Novelist Drawn to Tudor England, Dies at 71
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Trip Gabriel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An 800-page novel about the peasant uprisings of 1549!” Marilyn Stasio, the longtime mystery and crime reviewer for The New York Times Book Review, began a column in 2019. It was an assessment of “Tombland,” the seventh work of historical fiction by C.J. Sansom to feature Matthew Shardlake, a hunchbacked lawyer-turned-detective whose exploits solving chilling murders in Tudor England come steeped in suspense and granular historical detail. Readers are made privy to the court intrigues of Thomas Cromwell and King Henry VIII, eavesdrop on women arguing in a market stall, and inhale the stench of London streets. “Sansom describes 16th-century events in the crisply realistic style of someone watching them transpire right outside his window,” she wrote.

Persons: goody, Marilyn Stasio, C.J . Sansom, Matthew Shardlake, Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII, eavesdrop, “ Sansom, ”, . Sansom Organizations: The New York Locations: Tudor England, London

☆ Audience Snapshot: Four Years After Shutdown, a Mixed Recovery
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The pandemic brought live events and big gatherings to a halt, silencing orchestras, shutting museums and movie theaters and leaving sports teams playing to empty stadiums dotted with cardboard cutouts. Now, four years later, audiences are coming back, but the recovery has been uneven. Here is a snapshot of where things stand now:Broadway audiences are still down 17 percent from prepandemic levels. Box office grosses are down, too: Broadway shows have grossed $1.2 billion so far this season, 14 percent below the level in early March of 2020. The industry is looking with some trepidation toward next month, when a large crop of new shows is set to open.

Persons: King Henry VIII, “, Michael Jackson, — Organizations: Broadway

☆ How Azzi Glasser uses fragrance to help Hollywood celebrities tell a story
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Susan Griffin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Her character was a chain-smoking alcoholic psychiatrist, but Bonham Carter hadn’t gone “method”; she had simply spritzed herself with a bespoke fragrance created specifically for her by fragrance designer Azzi Glasser. Now, a bespoke fragrance from Glasser can cost up to £15,000 ($19,000), though she also offers a lower-priced collection of fragrances to enable people to discover their own fragrance DNA. To play King Henry VIII in upcoming movie Firebrand, actor Jude Law told Azzi Glasser he wanted to smell exactly like the king would have, despite knowing it would be repulsive. “As actors know, fragrance can transform you and take you on a journey. It opens up passages and doors in the brain, working through the olfactory system to bring out emotions,” noted Glasser.

Persons: Helena Bonham Carter, Bonham Carter hadn’t, Azzi Glasser, Enid, Glasser, ”, Bonham Carter, Enid Blyton, Harry Potter ”, “ Alice, Miss Havisham, Azzi “ Helena couldn’t, Alicia Vikander, Noomi Rapace, Damian Lewis, Orlando Bloom, Stephen Fry, Kylie Minogue, Adam Lambert, Johnny Depp, ” Depp, Barnabas, “ Azzi, “ We’ll, I’ll, Jude Law’s, ulcerated Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Jude Law, Jude, “, Pope, ‘, Henry, ’, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Austin Butler, Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, David Linley, Princess Margaret, Antony Armstrong, Jones — Glasser, Cindy Crawford's, Azzi “ David Organizations: CNN, Azzi Locations: London, ”, Wonderland, India

☆ Britain’s Royal Mail can’t deliver letters and parcels on time
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —An entire museum in London is dedicated to celebrating the 500-year-long history of British postal services. Royal Mail, the official postal service of the United Kingdom, cannot deliver letters and parcels on time, according to the country’s communications regulator. Royal Mail has struggled with falling demand for parcel deliveries as hard-pressed consumers cut spending and as a surge in online shopping during the Covid-19 pandemic has faded. “Last year was uniquely challenging for Royal Mail,” the postal and delivery services group said in a statement Monday. It’s the second time in three-and-a-half years that Ofcom has fined Royal Mail for late deliveries.

Persons: “, ”, Ian Strawhorne, King Henry VIII, “ rightsize, hasn’t, Strawhorne Organizations: London CNN, Mail, Ofcom, London, Royal Mail, Royal, International Distributions Services, Stansted Airport, Services Locations: London, United Kingdom, British

☆ Scholar finds doodles by Henry VIII in ancient prayer book
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Toward the end of his life, England’s King Henry VIII left a series of doodles in a prayer book, revealing his anguish over his health and his past actions, new research shows. The Trustees of The Wormsley FundWhite told CNN Tuesday that she found the marginalia “totally unexpectedly” while looking at the book, and recognized them from her previous work on Henry VIII. The manicules have a distinctive shape that matches others known to have been drawn by Henry. Parr gave the book, which is currently housed in the Wormsley Library in Stokenchurch, England, to Henry as a gift. One passage in the prayer book says that God’s punishment has left the narrator “feeble,” and Henry was himself in bad health at the time.

Persons: England’s King Henry VIII, Henry, Katherine Parr, Micheline White, White, Henry VIII, “, ”, ” Henry, doodles, Parr, King, Anne Boleyn, “ He’s, —, He’s Organizations: CNN, College of, Humanities, Department of, Carleton University Locations: Canada, Wormsley, Stokenchurch, England, France

☆ MLB: London Series takes over the UK
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The Cubs dominated the London Series opener storming home to a 9-1 victory. Daniel ShireyMLB Photos/Getty ImagesA UK twist“It’s a thrill to be here,” Cardinals fan Karen Asher-Relf told CNN Sport. “I think it’s awesome [the London Series], I love baseball and I’m slowly converting him,” said Karen. DeCap, a Cardinals fan, and Crain, a Cubs fan, flew over to the UK for a vacation that incorporated watching the game. Since the last London Series event, the MLB has introduced a pitch clock designed to make matches shorter – a far cry from the mammoth four hour and 42-minute game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox during the 2019 London Series.

Persons: Jack, it’s, Daniel ShireyMLB, Karen Asher, Relf, Paul, Karen, didn’t, “, ”, Paul’s, –, Jimmy Anderson, Nathan Lyon of, Winston Churchill, King Henry VIII, Freddie Mercury, Churchill, Caroline ”, Neil Diamond, Henry VIII, Andrew Couldridge, John DeCap, Scot Crain, Crain, “ We’ve, ” Crain, DeCap, We’ve, Hector Echevarria, Echevarria, Louis, Lars Nootbaar, ” Willson Contreras, Louis Cardinals, Nick Offerman, Swanson, Offerman, Ron Swanson, John Goodman, Kate Long, I’ve, Zac Goodwin, Sadiq Khan, Rob Manfred Organizations: London, London CNN, Major League Baseball, Chicago Cubs, Louis Cardinals, Premier League soccer, West Ham United, Cubs, Cardinals, CNN Sport, King’s Guard, Guard, Covid, MLB, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Soul Symphony, Recreation, Inc, ”, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets Locations: London, British, St, Louis , Missouri, Nathan Lyon of Australia, Toronto, Canada

☆ 'Firebrand' puts spotlight on Henry VIII's sixth and final wife
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Screening of the film "Firebrand" (Le jeu de la reine) in competition - Red Carpet Arrivals - Cannes, France, May 21, 2023. Cast member Jude Law poses. REUTERS/Sarah... Read moreCANNES, May 21 (Reuters) - For Brazilian director Karim Ainouz the prospect of making a film about King Henry VIII's court was particularly exciting, partly because it focuses on Catherine Parr, the wife who survived Henry. "Firebrand," which is competition for the Palme d'Or, stars Alicia Vikander as Catherine, Henry's sixth and last wife as she navigates Tudor court politics towards the end of his life. "The pain he was suffering was excruciating," said Jude Law, who plays the king.

☆ In the 'Garden of England', loss-making orchards are cut down
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Sarah Young | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The fruit that helped give the "Garden of England" its name hundreds of years ago no longer makes money so farmer James Smith is tearing down his orchards. Turning a profit from selling red apples to supermarkets has been a struggle for years, he said. In Kent, Smith is removing 80% of his orchards. Last year growing apples lost him 150,000 pounds ($186,000), a loss which would have been higher had it not been cushioned by other income streams from his land. He's also planting a vineyard and is growing small amounts of cherries, the fruit which legend has it prompted King Henry VIII to first call Kent the "Garden of England".

☆ Staying in British castles may be easier — and cheaper — than you think
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Lucy Handley | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Storied Collection is a travel website that lists heritage hotels and homes — including private castles — so vacationers who love history can easily find accommodations that suit them. The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa is located inside the Royal Crescent, a row of terraced houses built between 1767 and 1775. Hauge and Goldin, with the help of former CEO of Best Western UK Rob Paterson, launched Storied Collection in 2022. Surnames of previous owners include Cooper, Bingham and Synge, according to Storied Collection. The drawing room of the Sir Percy Blakeney Suite at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa in Bath, England.

☆ Britain's coronation throne gets revamp ahead of King Charles' crowning
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] The inside of Westminster Abbey in central London is seen in this general view taken April 20, 2011. Charles will follow some of his famous forebears, such as King Henry VIII, Queen Victoria and his own mother Elizabeth II, in being crowned on the chair. It has featured in coronation ceremonies since 1308, and has been the chair used to crown monarchs since Henry IV in 1399, the Abbey says. "The coronation chair is extremely fragile. It has a complex layer structure which means that the gilding layers on it often flake off," Blessley said.

☆ A heart-shaped pendant linked to Henry VIII was dug up on an English farm, pointing to a more romantic side to the Tudor king
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An amateur metal detectorist found a gold necklace linked to Henry VIII and his first wife. The locket is engraved with "H" and "K", the initials of the Tudor king and Katherine of Aragon. The heart-shaped locket is engraved with "H" and "K", the initials of the Tudor king and his first wife Katherine of Aragon. It is not known if the pendant belonged to Henry VIII, Katherine, or a courtier. Henry VIII is famous for his six marriages.

☆ These teachers think ChatGPT can help them spend less time on writing reports – and more time with their students
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tools such as ChatGPT could help teachers reduce the workload of grading and writing reports. They're still dealing with the educational fallout after the pandemic shuttered many schools and they say they're working long hours to help students catch up. He thinks ChatGPT could help teachers spend less time on tasks including grading papers, writing reports, and responding to emails, and spend more time actually teaching students. He also thinks ChatGPT could help answer students' questions and let help teachers "avoid getting bogged down in the infinite loop of late-night email exchanges." Ultimately, Cohen told Insider, "ChatGPT has the potential to support teachers' sanity and protect the sanctity of their time."

☆ Henry VIII military letter, handwritten Mozart music on offer at auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A person holds a rare signed letter from King Henry VIII to his Lieutenant-General in France before the English victory at the Battle of the Spurs and autograph music manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at Christie's in London, Britain December 7, 2022. REUTERS/Maja SmiejkowskaLONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - A military letter from King Henry VIII and a sheet of music written in Mozart's own hand at the age of 17 are among lots being offered at auction house Christie's "Valuable Books and Manuscripts" sale in London next week. The letter has an estimate of 25,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds ($30,702 - $42,983). "Whereas we do occasionally see Henry VIII letters coming up, what’s particularly rare about this one is that it’s a campaign letter, it’s about war, it’s about his strategy," Mark Wiltshire, specialist in the books and manuscripts department at Christie's London, told Reuters. It has an estimate of 80,000 pounds - 120,000 pounds.

☆ Guy Fawkes Night: What those fireworks and bonfires are all about
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Every year on November 5, skies across England, Scotland and Wales are illuminated by fireworks as Brits head out into the night to enjoy Guy Fawkes Night celebrations. Also called Fireworks Night or Bonfire Night, this autumn tradition has been a staple of the British calendar for the past 400 years. A photograph from 1955, depicting children at a school in Surrey, England, preparing the Guy Fawkes Night bonfire. What’s Guy Fawkes Night like today? Lewes Bonfire Night celebrationsEffigies of former UK prime minister Boris Johnson and fellow UK Conservative politician Jacob Rees-Mogg are paraded through the streets of Lewes during traditional Bonfire Night celebrations in 2019.

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☆ Hilary Mantel, Prizewinning ‘Wolf Hall’ Author, Dies at 70
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Sarah Ball | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The success of Hilary Mantel’s ‘Wolf Hall’ trilogy is often credited with reinvigorating sales and publisher interest in the historical-fiction genre. Booker Prize-winning author Hilary Mantel, whose acclaimed reconsideration of Tudor politics in “Wolf Hall” received major Broadway and television adaptations, died Thursday, her publisher HarperCollins said. She was 70 years old. King Henry VIII’s chief minister Thomas Cromwell, historically portrayed as an artless bully in the centuries before Ms. Mantel’s books, was reimagined in the “Wolf Hall” trilogy as perhaps the first great political power broker.

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