Hilary Mantel, known mainly for her historical fiction novels, especially for her trilogy centering on Thomas Cromwell, brilliant fixer for Henry VIII, died in 2022 at age 70. My reviews of the trilogy can be found here: Wolf Hall (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/wolf-hall-by-hilary-mantel?rq=hilary%20mantel) , Bring Up the Bodies (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/bring-up-the-bodies-by-hilary-mantel?rq=hilary%20mantel), and The Mirror and the Light (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/the-mirror-and-the-light-by-hilary-mantel?rq=hilary%20mantel). Wolf Hall became a mini-series on PBS, which is well worth your time. Mantel wrote a number of essays and reviews over the years, with a selection collected in this volume.

The book is divided into five parts: 1. “Once Upon a Life”, a group of mostly autobiographical essays; 2. “Writing in the Dark”, consisting of movie reviews; 3. “Turn the Page”, a series of book reviews; 4. “The Reith Lectures”, a series of lectures about the art and craft of historical fiction writing, delivered in 2017 for the BBC, which can be viewed as videos online; and 5. “The Moon Was a Tender Crescent”, mostly reflections on the historical figures she wrote about, but also commentary on individuals of recent vintage.

As I enjoy Mantel’s voice and style, subtle humor, often dry and dark, with keen observation of small, critical details, and memorable turns of phrase, these essays were by turns instructive and often a delight. So many memorable essays to choose from, but “Last Morning in Al Hamra” and “Once Upon a Life” describe the time when Mantel and her husband lived as expatriates in Saudi Arabia, due to his job. Mantel was deep into her novel writing during this period. Her descriptions of living as a white English woman, an outsider in every way, are chilling. She attempts friendships with women living in her apartment complex, Arab wives of wealthy Saudi businessmen who read English novels and wished to understand them more deeply, engaging in casual conversations. Mantel describes always feeling watched, with the risks of making an apparel mistake carrying dangerous penalties. Working women from the Philippines, those who cleaned and cared for rich families’ children, were at greatest risk. Husbands felt free to sexually abuse or rape them, giving the women no legal recourse, and sometimes these women would be the victims of murders that were never explained or investigated. It was obvious that Mantel felt ill at ease most of the time, in spite of her attempts to engage with local women. The couple’s relief at leaving was obvious and enormous.

The Reith Lectures were filled with interesting reflections on a career of living in the past, imagining conversations between royalty and those who work for them, moments of daily living, and imaging the reader into the scene of Ann Boleyn’s beheading. Mantel’s challenge, and success, was in bringing historical persons to life, imagining their conversations and personal thoughts, filling in the gaps where the historical record falls short, not simply dressing present day actors in Tudor costume, but having the reader understand and appreciate what life felt like at that time.

In the last section, the essay, “Royal Bodies” is a fascinating reflection on the role of British royalty in the present age. Observations on Kate Middleton, Charles Prince of Wales, viewed during an event Mantel attended, and finally seeing Queen Elizabeth at two different events that she and Mantel attended, we get point of view only Mantel would offer. When asked to suggest a book for a royal, Mantel chooses Middleton and “Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution.” This is her jumping-off point for discussing how royalty are largely symbolic bodies, good for breeding and bloodlines, breathing symbols of the nation. Not a desirable career choice, as described by Mantel.

If you haven’t already read the Cromwell trilogy, it is must reading. Since this book appears to be her last print appearance, it is worth spending some time with a gifted author.