Life in a Medieval City (Paperback)

by Joseph Gies (Author), Frances Gies (Author) "In the first week of July, dust clouds rise along the roads that crisscross the broad plain of Champagne..." (more)
Key Phrases: master glazier, les foires, wealthy burgher, Middle Ages, Champagne Fairs, Chartres Cathedral (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
For students, researchers, and history lovers, a look at day-to-day life in a rarely explored era. "About life and death, midwives and funerals, business, books and authors, and town government."--Choice

About the Author
Frances and Joseph Gies have been writing books about medieval history for thirty years. Together and separately, they are the authors of more than twenty books, including Life in a Medieval City, Life in a Medieval Castle, Life in a Medieval Village, The Knight in History, and Cathedral, Forge, and Waterwheel. They live near Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; Later Printing edition (September 30, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060908807
• ISBN-13: 978-0060908805
• Product Dimensions: 8 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 (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #204,566 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best on subject., May 16, 1999

By	Jean Nava (Mountain Grove, MO United States) - See all my reviews

I have been researching the Middle Ages for a number of years and this is one of the most even -handed books I have come across. The authors are researchers par excellence, and have presented their findings in an imminently readable form. If I were not already a student of the Middle Ages, however, I might have found the wealth of detail somewhat overwhelming and some of the terms and references obscure. This is a book for people who really want to know.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History made accessible, April 21, 2004

By	James K. Hoffman "Book Addict" (Jersey Village, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First of all, the authors set out to simply enlighten the modern reader as to the daily life of a Medieval city-dweller. They had no hidden agenda, just the report of the facts, as best as they could determine from existing documents and sources. Their work represents a fairly accurate representation of what life might have been like for the average city dweller during the Middle Ages.
Second, they focus on one, particular city, namely Troyes. But, what they discuss can be generalized to other cities. Also, they compare Troyes to other cities of similar size and time periods, as examples of how standard, or not, Troyes was.
Thirdly, they use easy to understand language without talking down to the reader. They don't try to make their historical personages talk to the reader, but, instead, let the occasional quote do their talking for them. They speculate only a little bit about what the people might have been thinking, focusing instead on what they actually did.

All in all, a very enjoyable book. I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the whys and hows of life in early cities.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing book about life in the middle-ages., January 17, 1998

By	Spiros Papadimitriou ([e-mail]) (Crete, Greece) - See all my reviews

I read this book out of curiosity and I am glad I picked it up. The book's description of Troyes is quite detailed, complete and at times truly engrossing. The authors cover most aspects of life in the middle-ages and provide some insight in the developments during that time, as well as their significance (although this isn't the book to read if you are mostly interested in detaileed, scholarly historical analyses of the time). To sum up, a very pleasant book to read, full of interesting information about everyday life in another era. Recommended!