Bio has drama, history

KATHERINE THE QUEEN: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr, the Last Wife of Henry VIII. By Linda Porter. St. Martin's Press. 381 pages. $28.

When one thinks of the wives of Henry VIII, it's usually Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn who come to mind.

Linda Porter has written a biography of Henry's sixth wife, Katherine Parr.

Often portrayed as matronly, Katherine was 30 when she married the king, younger than Anne Boleyn had been. According to Porter, she was beautiful and intelligent. Twice widowed before she married Henry VIII, what makes Katherine so interesting is what was happening around her.

In "Katherine the Queen," Porter combines equal parts Tudor history and Parr biography. She establishes the context then weaves Parr's life through it like a ribbon in a tapestry. The result is a well-documented, compelling story filled with the intrigue and drama one has come to expect of the time period.

Katherine's second husband, Lord Latimer, became entangled in the northern uprising known as the Pilgrimage of Grace, placing his life and fortune in jeopardy. Her marriage to the king may have been warm and cordial, yet she came close to becoming the third of Henry's wives to place her neck on the executioner's block.

Shortly after the king's death, Katherine secretly married her old flame. Rumors of inappropriate behavior between her husband and stepdaughter, Princess Elizabeth, began circulating.

This is the stuff of a cable miniseries, but Porter tempers the narrative with Katherine's accomplishments, creating a balanced, satisfying read.