Customer Reviews

The Middle Ages

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For most of my adult life, I have been interested in learning about the medieval era. I've been frustrated by the books I have read in the past because I either could not keep track of all the unfamiliar names and places thrown at me, or because they spoke only of political events and gave no information about what it was like to "be alive" back then.

This book is the best I have read for allowing me to wrap my arms around the Middle Ages. The first and final chapters cover the political history in brief summary. It is written for the layman and does not assume that you already know your Pippen's from your Louis'. It broadly sketches the major events that occurred and why they were important, and it also tells why the Middle Ages differed from what came earlier (Antiquity) and what followed later (Early Modern era).

The intervening chapters (the bulk of the book) describes each of the different social groups (nobility, peasantry, clergy, merchants, etc) and what it would have been like to have lived as a member of each class. It also describes the major institutions and how they functioned (Church, kingship, demesnes, free cities). Finally, the book gives a lot of solid and interesting information about medieval art, letters, and architecture.

Those who are fairly advanced in knowledge about the Middle Ages will probably find little in this work that they don't already know. It is, after all, a relatively short book that covers almost 1,000 years in short, broad strokes. However, for those like me, who are interested in the period but really don't know much about it, this book is a wonderful place to begin your study.

_The Middle Ages_ by Morris Bishop is an enjoyable and witty overview of the history, culture, and society of Medieval Europe. The first chapter, "The Long Dark," looks at the beginning of the medieval period, the author arguing that the Middle Ages should be seen as both a continuation of the language, institutions, and artistry of not only old Rome but also of cultures independent of it, such as that of the Franks and Saxons and a formation, the beginning of our modern world, the end of pagan classical civilization. Charlemagne is a major figure in this chapter; his coronation as the first Roman emperor in the West in more than 300 years (in the year 800) marked a major shift in power, from the East to the West, the development of a culture that was not a satellite of Byzantium but rather firmly European, and the very birth of European civilization.

Chapter two focused on the history of the High Middle Ages, focusing in large part on the year 1000 as a major turning point, that despite Viking threats "one could point to certain gains, to certain justifications for hope," as the West was in generally a better shape and the broad outline of the major modern states had begun to take form. Technology continued to advance, with the advent of the spinning wheel, mechanical weight-driven clock, compass, and fixed rudder. Notable in the chapter is King Henry II (who laid the foundations of English common law and the institution of limited monarchy).

The next chapter focused on knights and the crusades. Bishop noted that the crusades were "the first wars fought for an ideal" and that they were promoted with all the tools of the propagandist, among them atrocity stories, lies, and inflammatory speeches. Also interesting was his coverage of Saladin (the "pet enemy" of the West), the description of crusade battles (Richard the Lion-Hearted took Acre in 1191 with the help of a catapult known as Bad Neighbor), and why the crusades ultimately failed (they did not correspond to any temporal aim, as Europe had no need for Jerusalem or Syria, and Europe would have benefited more from a stronger Byzantine Empire though the crusades achieved in fact quite the opposite).

Chapter four focused on the life of the noble, on what in fact feudalism really was, the bloody nature of the family feuds of the nobles, the "bundle of paradoxes" that was the noble (he could be both gallant and bloodthirsty, charitable and immoral), and many of the elements of their daily lives. We learn for instance that window glass was rare for centuries and for long time was treated with great care, as Bishop tells of some nobles who removed and wrapped window glass before long journeys. Throughout much of the Middle Ages pockets were unknown, blonde hair was much prized in Italy (ladies spent a great deal of time bleaching it), hard soap was a luxury item and did not appear until the 12th century, and dinner guests were provided with spoons but had to bring their own knives (forks were a rarity).

Chapter five looked at Christianity, arguing that the church, in many senses, was more than merely the patron of medieval culture, that it was medieval culture. He argued that the pope's involvement in political affairs blunted church authority, laying the papacy open to "mockery and shame" by overuse of crusades and excommunication for temporal gains. The coverage of the cult of relics was fascinating (so morbid was this that Saint Romuald of Ravenna, visiting France, heard people propose he was more valuable dead than alive and barely escaped). The life of the monastery was well covered, as well as St. Francis and the Franciscans, Dominic of Caleruega and the Dominicans, the Waldenses (early evangelical, almost Protestant, Christians), and the Cathari (dualistic heretics).

Chapter six looked at towns and trade. Interesting tidbits include the fact that the last name Walker comes from the cloth trade (walkers stamped on cloth to shrink and compact it), that bankers first appeared in medieval trade fairs (money changers or "bankers" got the name from the banks or benches that they laid out their coins), artisans kept virtually no stock in stores (they worked only on orders), and our hook-and-ladder companies comes from the hooks supplied in medieval cities to pull burning thatch from roofs to the street.

Chapter seven looked at the life of labor. Bishop looked at how the manorial system functioned, the daily life of the peasant, leprosy, and the state of medieval medicine.

The eighth chapter focused on the life of thought, the author examining how schools worked and what it was like to have been a student, the origins of medieval science and secular scholarship (as scholars realized that the physical world was "no mere ugly training camp for the soul" but worthy of study in its own right), and famous medieval writers like Dante and Boccaccio.

Chapter nine dealt with medieval art, architecture, and music. Fascinating coverage of the evolution of building styles, the construction of cathedrals, the use of stained glass (which told the stories of the Christian faith through "colored sunshine", though Bishop felt the term stained glass was incorrect, as it was not stained with color but rather infused with it), the work and role of artisans in society, and the origins of musical notation (developed during the eleventh century into our recognizably modern form, which was also when our notes were named - ut, re, mi, fa, so, la - from the opening syllables of the successive lines of a familiar hymn).

The final chapter dealt with the end of the Middle Ages. Major topics include papal conflicts such as the Babylonian Captivity and the Great Schism, the challenges posed by John Wycliffe and John Hus, the "greatest calamity" to befall the Western world (the Black Death), the Hundred Years War (a "futile war,...it achieved little except destruction, misery, and death"), and Joan of Arc.

This is unbeatable value! Whether you want to know more about the feudal system, monastic life, the merchant class, courtly love, the Crusades - social, political, military, cultural, church history, of both England and mainland Europe - it's all here. All delivered in easy, accessible language.

As a teacher, I find this an indispensable reference source. As a student, always learning, it's a revelation for me.

A must-have for any bookshelf.

Arguably the best survey on the Middle Ages (my favorite time period).

Bishop includes just the right amount of anecdotes and eyewitness accounts to keep the reader's interest.

A terrific resource to have -- I've read my copy so many times, the pages are coming apart!

A must for any history buff's library.

Morris Bishop's concise survey of medieval Europe covers nearly everthing of primary importance that may be found in the Middle Ages. Bishop's work is an introduction to the general themes of the Middle Ages, and will be a useful resource for beginners. One will discover an excellent representation of every day life in medieval times - the art of war and politics, thought and religion, are treated with uncanny precision. This book is better than most for its clarity and general grasp of the times.

I was inspired to learn more about the middle ages from a fiction book I had read. I am very lucky to have found this book. In my opinion, it is a great survey of the middle ages, but more importantly, to those of us who are not historians, it reads more like a novel than a history text. Indeed very well written and a delight to read!

This book is not an all inclusive history of the middle ages, but rather an overview of most of the different aspects of this time. A lot of detail is skipped over in order to include such a variety of topics, but the finished product is worth the effort. If you are looking for an introduction to the middle ages, or are just a little curious about this time period, this book is the ticket.

The Middle Ages is a very good introduction to the period, and I thought it was a great book overall. In nearly every paragraph there's a little kernel of knowledge that caused me to go "Wow!". Bishop explains everything from medieval outhouses, the origin of the word "bank", the origin of European last names, to the average day for a monk. There is a lot missing (the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim empire are barely mentioned for example) but there is enough to keep a historical novice interested. I heartily recommend it.

I was not sure what book to buy to read on the middle ages. But I seen this one and the reviews and bought it. I was not disappointed at all.

I am no historian by any means but I always had an interest in medieval history. This book was very, very easy to read and enjoyable. Bishop reminded me of a funny uncle telling a story. His wit and humor were used well and his writing made you want to continue on to see what else he had to say.

I will not claim I can debate middle age history now but I learned enough to dispel many myths and misinformation I had collected over time and a desire to read more about the era and learn much more then I currently know of the period.

For 12 dollars if a person even has a mild interest in the middle ages it would be a shame to pass up such a wonderful piece of work. The book is funny, easy to read and keep reading and rather astonishing amount of information in so few pages.

This book combines thorough research and knowledge of subject with a fluid and clear writing style. Very informative and stimulating for both the scholar and the casual reader. I found it especially interesting how the author explained how customs and expressions in our language got their start in the culture of the middle ages. I'm sure I will reread this book. It was that good.