Review
The Medieval Hall: The Basics of Secular Domestic Life, 600-1600 AD is the first general account of the history of the great hall in Britain and continental Europe from Anglo-Saxon times to the late middle ages. Using a wide range of literary and archaeological sources in combination with close examination of standing halls and remains, Michael Thompson describes and interprets the development of one of the dominant architectural features of medieval life. he also examines the social functions of the hall (the "hall-culture"), a way of life turning on the great room at the social and physical centre of secular and religious communities. The Medieval Hall is a broad, well-illustrated, ambitious review will be of great interest to medieval studies programs. The Medieval Hall is a benchmark publication in medieval studies that meets every test of scholarship and readability. -- Midwest Book Review
