TORCH Book Series: ‘Thomas Wyatt - The Heart’s Forest’ by Susan Brigden

David Starkey, Chris Stamatakis and Diarmaid MacCulloch discuss
‘Thomas Wyatt - The Heart’s Forest’ by Susan Brigden as part of the
TORCH Book Series Winner of the 2012 Wolfson History Prize, 'The
Heart’s Forest' is a biography of renaissance poet Thomas Wyatt,
which reveals the fascinating history of his life in Henry VIII's
court. His poetry held a mirror to this secret, capricious world,
and alluded darkly to events which it was dangerous for him to
mention. Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) was the first modern voice in
English poetry. His poetry holds a mirror to the secret, capricious
world of Henry VIII's court, and alludes darkly to events which it
might be death to describe. In the Tower, twice, Wyatt was betrayed
and betrayer. But this original biography is much more than a
conventional life. It is an evocation of Wyatt among his friends
and his enemies, at princely courts in England, Italy, France and
Spain, or alone in contemplative retreat. Using new research, Susan
Brigden aims to show Wyatt in all his diversity, exploring his
love, faith and politics and the beginnings of Reformation England.
Above all, this new biography is attuned to Wyatt's dissonant voice
and broken lyre, his paradoxical inwardness and will to 'make
plain' his heart, revealing a complex, elusive, endlessly
fascinating figure.