A review by archytas
Thomas Cromwell: A Life by Diarmaid MacCulloch

3.0

Following the end of Mantel's trilogy, I really wanted a deep dive into the 'real' Cromwell, and enough background to understand the players and their alliances. Unfortunately, MacCulloch has written more of "how Cromwell influenced the history of the Anglican church" here, and while MacCulloch is always fascinating on topic of reformation history, it was irritating to be still looking so much up in a lengthy biography, and to finish with not much greater sense of the man.
On the positive side, the history of the slow/fast (perspective is everything) dissolution of the monastic system was fascinating, and MacCulloch is convincing in his argument for Cromwell's ongoing legacy in the nature of Anglicanism.