Even though Dr. Joanne Paul had wanted to be a writer for a long time, she had lost sight of that identity and had to find her way back to it. But now, she has embraced creativity and imagination as a historian, and is here to encourage you to do the same. I was thrilled to be joined in this episode by Dr. Joanna Paul. Joanne is a historian of the Renaissance and Early modern periods, especially of their political, intellectual, and cultural histories. In addition to two academic books, she is the author of two books for a general audience. The first The House of Dudley, was published in 2022. It follows the Dudley family’s history alongside that of the Tudors, telling the story of the family’s proximity to the throne and, as she puts it, “revealing some of the period’s most talented, intelligent, and cunning individuals.” Her most recent book, out this year, is Thomas More: A Life and Death in Tudor England. In it, she tells the story of one of the most infamous figures in English history in a fascinating biography on this complicated man. I can tell you that both of these books are genuine page-turners, and I loved getting to ask Joanne more about how she wrote them.

For links to the books and other subjects mentioned in this episode and a complete transcript, visit draftingthepast.com.