A World Lit Only by Fire and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more



or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Start reading A World Lit Only by Fire on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age [Paperback]

William Manchester
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (276 customer reviews)

List Price: $15.99
Price: $12.91 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $3.08 (19%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock but may require an extra 1-2 days to process.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $8.89  
Hardcover $26.00  
Paperback $12.91  
Audio, CD $21.47  
Multimedia CD $26.96  
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged $17.95 or Free with Audible 30-day free trial
Image
Save on Popular Books This Summer
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more.

Book Description

June 1, 1993
From tales of chivalrous knights to the barbarity of trial by ordeal, no era has been a greater source of awe, horror, and wonder than the Middle Ages. In handsomely crafted prose, and with the grace and authority of his extraordinary gift for narrative history, William Manchester leads us from a civilization tottering on the brink of collapse to the grandeur of its rebirth-the dense explosion of energy that spawned some of history's greatest poets, philosophers, painters, adventurers, and reformers, as well as some of its most spectacular villains- the Renaissance.

Frequently Bought Together

A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age + A Distant Mirror:  The Calamitous 14th Century
Price for both: $27.63

One of these items ships sooner than the other.

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It speaks to the failure of medieval Europe, writes popular historian William Manchester, that "in the year 1500, after a thousand years of neglect, the roads built by the Romans were still the best on the continent." European powers were so absorbed in destroying each other and in suppressing peasant revolts and religious reform that they never quite got around to realizing the possibilities of contemporary innovations in public health, civil engineering, and other peaceful pursuits. Instead, they waged war in faraway lands, created and lost fortunes, and squandered millions of lives. For all the wastefulness of medieval societies, however, Manchester notes, the era created the foundation for the extraordinary creative explosion of the Renaissance. Drawing on a cast of characters numbering in the hundreds, Manchester does a solid job of reconstructing the medieval world, although some scholars may disagree with his interpretations.

From Publishers Weekly

Manchester's marvelously vivid popular history humanizes the tumultuous span from the Dark Ages to the Renaissance. A one-week PW bestseller in cloth. Illustrations.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 322 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (June 1, 1993)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0316545562
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316545563
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (276 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William Manchester is Professor of History Emeritus at Wesleyan University. His bestselling books include The Last Lion, a multi-volume biography of Winston Churchill; American Caesar, a biography of Douglas MacArthur; The Death of a President, The Arms of Krupp, and A World Lit Only by Fire. He lives in Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Manchester's book reads like a novel. cupcake  |  40 reviewers made a similar statement
It seems Manchester's claims are not supported, in many cases. A. Reader  |  27 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
64 of 71 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars A book lit only by fame May 22, 2008
Format:Paperback
I read this book when it first appeared, and have since carried pleasant if rather vague memories of it. Rereading it some 16 years later, I'm horrified by how bad it is in places, and wonder what in the world I saw in it the first time around.

The opening section entitled "The Medieval Mind" is especially, embarrassingly, bad. In it, Manchester reduces an entire millennium to a quick and spotty sketch (this must account in part for the vagueness of my memories) which is full of over-generalizations (the medieval world wasn't a bona fide "civilization"), simplifications ("there was no room in the medieval mind for doubt; the possibility of skepticism simply did not exist"), and absolute howlers (medieval peasants went naked in the summer; the medieval mind had no spatial and temporal awareness or self-consciousness).

Less bad--but still bad--are the succeeding two sections, both much longer than the opening one on the medieval period (this, despite the book's subtitle). One of the sections is on the Renaissance and Reformation, the other focuses on Magellan and the European "discovery" of the New World (which Manchester tells us was the germ from which the entire book grew). There are some interesting biographical vignettes in the Renaissance section that probably account for my pleasant memories--Savonarola, da Vinci, and Erasmus in particular--but there's no real effort on Manchester's part to wrestle with the meaning of the new humanism that fueled the Renaissance or to explore the intricacies of the Reform revolt against Rome. Instead, he falls back on tired stereotypes; his long account of Martin Luther is especially hackneyed.
... Read more ›
Was this review helpful to you?
257 of 301 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars European history as tabloid cover story July 31, 2001
Format:Paperback
Having enjoyed William Manchester's works in the past, and being interested in the material supposedly covered in this book, I was prepared to enjoy A World Lit Only by Fire when I sat down with it. But, as much as I would have liked to, I couldn't.

Manchester states that he's no expert on the period, and neither am I, but even I could see the glaring and seemingly endless number of factual errors throughout the book, not to mention the myths (such as that of "la belle Ferroniere" and Francis I) he presents as fact. The book isn't really even about the Middle Ages, aside from twenty or so pages Manchester devotes to outlining that thousand years of European history. The majority of the book is dedicated to Renaissance and post-Renaissance Europe, and a sizable chunk of that is solely concerned with the career of Magellan.

This would be acceptable, of course, if Manchester's "history" wasn't just a rehash of 19th (!) century clichés and stereotypes about the Middle Ages: that is, a Europe composed wholly of mud, blood, sex, torture and ridiculous superstition, utterly worthless and depraved. And although I'm certainly not a fan of the Catholic Church, Manchester's endless cavalcade of largely unsubstantiated potshots at that institution is particularly annoying. If this book was someone's sole source of information on the time period, they'd be excused for thinking that Europe from the fall of Rome to the rediscovery of Classical culture in the Renaissance was pretty much composed of people expiring from sexually transmitted diseases... when they weren't poisoning popes and burning witches, that is.

So, why two stars and not one? A World Lit Only by Fire may be tabloid history, but it could be considered a guilty pleasure if you keep in mind that it's utter nonsense....

If you want to read about the time period covered in this book without sacrificing facts for readability (or vice versa), try A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman, the appropriate volumes of The Story of Civilization by Will Durant (The Age of Faith, The Renaissance, and The Reformation) or The Civilization of the Middle Ages by Norman Cantor. They show that reading about this period can be both entertaining and informative, even if there isn't a bloodthirsty, syphilitic twelve year-old bishop on every page. Read more ›

Was this review helpful to you?
102 of 125 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Manchester's Reign of Error October 19, 1999
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Any work of history is bound to have a few errors of fact or interpretation, but "A World Lit Only By Fire" is riddled with astonishing inaccuracies. At one point, Manchester claims that Copernicus was burned at the stake by the Inquisition. In fact, Copernicus died of natural causes (cerebral haemorrhage) in 1543! Publication of his "Book of Revolutions" was actually encouraged by certain Church officials during his lifetime, and the book was not proscribed by the Church until 73 years after it was published. Perhaps Manchester was thinking of Giordano Bruno, or perhaps he was not thinking at all. Another example: His description of John Calvin's bloodthirsty doings relies on heavily biased secondary sources, many of which have been discredited by serious historians. There's no need to bring up further examples, since Manchester himself claims in his introduction that a historian who read the manuscript disagreed with statements on almost every page of this book. It seems safe to assume that Manchester's unwillingness to correct or qualify these statements was the result of his having an axe to grind. If you have even a glancing acquaintance with medieval history, you'll be shocked by Manchester's willful disregard for basic facts. If you're new to the subject and want a good introduction, try Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror" or Norman Cohn's "Pursuit of the Millennium."
Was this review helpful to you?
198 of 251 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A colorful presentation of life in the Middle Ages. March 6, 2004
By Monika
Format:Paperback
One reviewer here, the author of a rather scathing evalutaion, asked that high school students submit their reviews of this book. I'll happily comply (I'm currently a college student, but read 'A World Lit Only By Fire' for the fist time while in high school), though I doubt my review will please her, as I found this book absolutely fascinating, highly enjoyable, and very easy to read. As far as I'm aware, no one else in my AP European History class had trouble with it either.

Rather than detailing events in chronological order as many historical books do, Manchester takes us through subject by subject. Beginning with an explanation of the Medieval mind and how it came to be, Manchester goes on to address every possible aspect of life in the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. In addition to recounting events of historic significance and discussing prominent people of the times, he takes us to the very core of Medieval being, describing in vivid detail the dress, eating habits, beliefs, and living conditions of all classes, from peasantry to nobility. The book closes with a section devoted to the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, telling of his voyage to circumnavigate the globe by which he inadvertantly helped bring about the twilight of an age.

There are some things which set this book apart from the bulk of scholarly historical texts I have read. Perhaps the most unique is its organization. Most historical texts begin at one point in time and continue on, year by year, until they reach the end of the period they are covering. Manchester has done things differently. He does not stick to a chronological line in his writing, but rather begins with one aspect of Medieval life and winds his way back and forth through each topic until everything has been told to satisfaction....

The organization and fluency of the writing makes this book easy and pleasurable to read, but there is yet another feature which makes 'A World Lit Only By Fire' special. Manchester's tone brings the author to life. It is plain to see that he has his own opinions on what he is writing, and lets them come through with an easy humor that pokes fun at history's idiosyncrasies without being vicious. While one can see that he has some biases (and everyone does), he covers all aspects of an issue without letting his feelings distort it, but still managing to make his opinion known.

It is these characteristics, and a meticulous attention to detail, that separate Manchester's work from the ordinary, cut-and-dried textbook writing we see so often. It draws the reader in just as a novel might. The book is thorough and comprehensive, but the presentation makes it seem almost as if a story is being told. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about life in Medieval Europe. Read more ›

Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Too good to just check out from the library.
For anyone interested in Medieval and early Renaissance history, here's a book you'll want in your permanent collection. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Marianne N.
5.0 out of 5 stars I've never given five stars to any book until I read world lit only by...
I'm never learned so much about so many things in such a short time. I was surprised how the Bible came about the Renaissance and everything in between. Read more
Published 16 days ago by ron
5.0 out of 5 stars Perspective Changing and Fantastically Entertaining
I read this book in high school as homework for my European History class. I enjoyed it so much I immediately read it again. Read more
Published 19 days ago by W. Christian
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT
One of the most interesting books on the medieval times ever written. Even youngsters would appreciate this well written novel
Published 23 days ago by jlschuett
5.0 out of 5 stars One to re-read
Purchased it for my Kindle in order to re-read it on the road; this is one text on the medieval period that never fails to reward. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Aureliano B
5.0 out of 5 stars Great history of the life we used to live.
This was a readable book that would help many of us put our daily lives in a different perspective (not better or worse, just different.
Published 3 months ago by Cole Hawkins
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book
I'll add my voice to others who find favor with the writings of William Manchester. The is a great book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by MarkSLC
4.0 out of 5 stars a small dose of Manchester
William Manchester is my longtime favorite writer of history and biography. You can see more detail on him elsewhere and his magnum opus on Churchill needed to be finished... Read more
Published 4 months ago by De Plume
5.0 out of 5 stars VIOLENCE IN THE NAME OF GOD
A remarkable and vivid account of the horrible slaughter of Christians against Christians at the time of the 16th century Reformation against the corrupt Catholic Church. Read more
Published 4 months ago by sasha
5.0 out of 5 stars gift
I bought this for a personal gift. I am pleased and so is the person I gave it to. Enjoy!
Published 4 months ago by Mary
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews



Books on Related Topics (learn more)

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Forums

Topic From this Discussion
Why all the controversy?
Manchester puts together a masterful compendium of how-not-to-write-a-history-book errors. He throws every cliche plus the kitchen sink, then compounds the error by assuming an unchanging monotony of primitive ignorance for a thousand years, from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance.

He likes... Read more
Sep 12, 2008 by gerold firl |  See all 7 posts
Have something you'd like to share about this product?
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions


So You'd Like to...

Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category