Life in a Medieval Castle (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Author) "ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 28, 1066, nearly a thousand double-ended, open longboats, each mounting a single square sail, suddenly appeared off the coast of..." (more)
Key Phrases: great medieval castles, rectangular keep, forest eyre, William Marshal, Matthew Paris, Middle Ages (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Gieses succeed in making a remote and unfamiliar world accessible." -- Kirkus Reviews

Product Description

"The authors allow medieval man and woman to speak for themselves through selections from past journals, songs, even account books."--Time

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1st Edition in this form. edition (April 25, 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006090674X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060906740
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #233,587 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What Life in a Castle Hopefully Was Like, January 11, 2001

By	L. Sabin (Hudson Valley NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This short book on life in a medieval castle centers around the history of one fortress on the border between England and Wales, and then relates that story to castles across Western Europe. The passages are divided into chapters on all facets of castle life, and are written in a clear, almost "novel" like way.

Some of the facts presented are well-known, but there were enough fresh tidbits and interesting anecdotes that I never found myself bored.

In addition, at the end of the book, is a list of historically important castles, ranging in construction from the 9th century to the 15th century, that can be useful if the reader is planning a trip to England, France, Spain or elsewhere in Europe.

All in all, an entertaining and well written book.

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How many of your History 101 books do you read again?, March 25, 1998

By	A Reader (New York City, USA) - See all my reviews

As a 17 year old freshman, I expected to have to force my way through the assigned chapters of what I expected to be a mega-boring dose of medieval torture. I was delighted enough to read the whole book in a weekend, and have picked it, and its sequels (which were not required reading), up again and again throughout the years.

What makes it unique is that its painstaking research is concisely and vividly presented, focusing on specific people within the strata of life within a medieval castle. It doesn't glorify, get bogged down in details, pity or condescend to its subject. There's dirt, disease and war along with everyday chores, pastimes, dining and amusement. It's a must read for anyone interested in an accurate and unembellished picture of the gamut of medieval society. I'm glad to see that it is still in print.

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and useful, May 20, 2000

By	Sarah E. Morin (Shelbyville, Indiana) - See all my reviews

Researching? Expanding your horizons just for kicks? This book is excellent by either account. Perhaps what I appreciated most about this book was that it covered a little bit of everything - from history to architecture to military engagements to domestic uses to the people who actually lived in castles. Castles really come to life in this book - as well as the people housed within. There's enough detail in here to satisfy the researcher - but the prose moves along at a trim pace so you won't get bogged down. If you're interested in a specific facet of castles or castle life, you may have to supplement your knowledge elsewhere, but this is a fine overview of castles and their history.