Originally published on July 2, 2025 (Episode 413)
Introduction
His friend Erasmus called him “a man for all seasons.” But which season—and which man?
In this conversation, Joanne Paul joins us to discuss Thomas More: A Life (Pegasus, 2024), her compelling biography of one of the most revered—and reviled—figures of Tudor England. We examine More’s upbringing in a humanist household, his mercurial career under Henry VIII, and his long afterlife as both saint and political symbol.
Along the way, we confront the contradictions in More’s legacy: champion of conscience or persecutor of heretics? Devout Catholic or political operator? Martyr or manipulator? Often these turn out to be misunderstandings of his context and the complexity of his time.
This is not the Thomas More of hagiography—or of convenient modern myth-making. It’s a more complex, more fascinating, and (perhaps) more troubling figure, whom Joanne Paul brings vividly to life through careful scholarship, hard thinking, and thoughtful prose.
About the Guest
Joanne Paul is a historian, writer, and broadcaster specializing in the political, cultural, and intellectual history of the Renaissance and early modern period.
For Further Investigation
Joanne Paul, Thomas More: A Life (Pegasus, 2024)
Thomas More, Utopia, edited by Joanne Paul (OUP, 2025)
John Guy, Thomas More: A Very Brief History (SPCK, 2017)
Related Episodes
Lucy Wooding on “Tudor England”
Ron Rittgers on “Protestant Reformation”
Merry Wiesner-Hanks on “Women and the Reformations”
Listen & Discuss
Was Thomas More a principled humanist, defender of conscience, or a ruthless enforcer of orthodoxy? Share your thoughts in the comments, or share this episode with a friend who still thinks Utopia was about the future.
