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The Anglo-Saxon World Hardcover – July 30, 2013

by Nicholas Higham (Author), M. J. Ryan (Author)

15 customer reviews

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The Anglo-Saxon period, stretching from the fifth to the late eleventh century, begins with the Roman retreat from the Western world and ends with the Norman takeover of England. Between these epochal events, many of the contours and patterns of English life that would endure for the next millennium were shaped. In this authoritative work, N. J. Higham and M. J. Ryan reexamine Anglo-Saxon England in the light of new research in disciplines as wide ranging as historical genetics, paleobotany, archaeology, literary studies, art history, and numismatics. The result is the definitive introduction to the Anglo-Saxon world, enhanced with a rich array of photographs, maps, genealogies, and other illustrations.

The Anglo-Saxon period witnessed the birth of the English people, the establishment of Christianity, and the development of the English language. With an extraordinary cast of characters (Alfred the Great, the Venerable Bede, King Cnut), a long list of artistic and cultural achievements (Beowulf, the Sutton Hoo ship-burial finds, the Bayeux Tapestry), and multiple dramatic events (the Viking invasions, the Battle of Hastings), the Anglo-Saxon era lays legitimate claim to having been one of the most important in Western history.

The Anglo-Saxon World

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Product Details

Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Yale University Press (July 30, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0300125348
ISBN-13: 978-0300125344
Product Dimensions: 1.5 x 8 x 10.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #530 in Books > History > Europe > Great Britain > England
- #1705 in Books > History > Ancient Civilizations

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Customer Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars

5 star		60%
4 star		7%
3 star		13%
2 star		7%
1 star		13%

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

Worth its weight in Saxon gold

By Gerard A. Proudfoot on August 7, 2013

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

This is a remarkable book, full stop. I was fortunate enough to order this book while on a research trip to England this June and it arrived in mid July. From the opening pages I was immediately struck and impressed by the authors approach. They present their book as being an introduction to the history of the Anglo-Saxon migration/invasion of Roman Britain and the evolution of the English nation-state up to its fall to the Normans. The authors sell themselves short. This book is far more than introduction and can be used by the merely interested as well as those with much deeper knowledge. Its a large beautifully produced tome.

"The Anglo-Saxon World" goes where many an author has failed to go in recent years - exploring the topic through an inter-disciplinary approach. Higham and Ryan give voice to the literary sources such as Gildas, Bede, Nennius and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. They examine the archaeology, the linguistics, the paleobotany, the genetics, even questionable theories such as much earlier German migration and acculturation, or the argument that the Saxon Shore forts were manned by the Saxons themselves, are given space even if to present counterpoints and set them aside.

The book is structured as a chronology but uses subchapters at the end of each main chapter to explore specific aspects of the period and/or expound further on specific points concerning archaeology, religion, place names and language. There will be those who will criticize the book for its lack of footnotes but the authors do provide copious (and I do mean copious) reference sources in the chapter notes to direct readers to further texts concerning specific topics.Read more ›

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

The Anglo-Saxon story updated

By FC Harris on August 22, 2014

Format: Hardcover

The authors provide a well illustrated and updated general account of the full Anglo-Saxon period, which will likely be of genuine interest and sound educational value to both the lay and student reader. For more advanced study, detailed sources are given in references and comprehensive bibliography at the end of the book.
In particular the latest archaeological, genetic, isotope analysis on burials, place-names, coin finds etc. evidence was examined and used to persuasively demonstrate the emergence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms after the departure of the Romans, including contrasting developments in near continental neighbors.
However like previous texts, the discussion dealing with the early 5/6th centuries still fundamentally relies on scant historical records and therefore seemingly remains inconclusive on the languages spoken across Britain and the scale of Germanic/Scandinavian settlement.
Indeed the possibility that the indigenous Britons (and the British language) faced with Saxons, Angles and other groups of raiders/settlers along the North Sea coasts as reported in the historical sources, were a pre-Roman resident Germanic-speaking people along with the Welsh, Gaels and Picts, could have been more thoroughly explored in the text. See for example http://fchknols.wordpress.com

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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful

Avoid the Kindle Edition, buy the book

By Richard H on October 25, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

I already had the book, very interesting, with great illustrations. After several chapters I found it way too heavy for easy reading. I thought I'd be smart and get the Kindle edition to actually read, I could always refer to the printed copy if a picture wasn't clear. The Kindle edition came with compatibility warnings, never seen those before, but I bought it and tried to open it on my iPad (mini). Utterly unreadable, lines of text overlapping each other, font sizes below legibility, a waste of time. Returned it. Back to the print copy and now searching for a lectern...

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

full of detail & research, yet accessible.

By NYer family on August 16, 2013

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

I have to admit that I'm only a short way into the volume--and it IS hefty--but what a treasure trove it promises to be. The most exciting aspect are the detailed illustrations, maps and photos scattered liberally throughout I love the obvious enthusiasm of the authors. As a layperson, I was not bogged down by overly academic writing that you sometimes find in publications. Loved the attention to small details like the use of an old-english font in some of the graphics.

Despite my almost exclusive use of Kindles for reading, I would not attempt this book on such a device--I don't think the format would work. The current hardcover price on Amazon is a bargain, so just order it, heft it around and you'll be able to skip a session at the gym.

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Magnificent

By Jan Twardowski on March 21, 2014

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Dark Ages in Britain and the Anglo-Saxons. History, archeology, many color maps and photographs, legends, all explained coherently and modestly, with due regard for 'things we just don't know'. Well written with near-perfect editing (rare these days). Slightly academic in language and tone, but that's to be expected and it doesn't detract from the narrative. Well done!

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beautiful and authoritative

By Mortimer Wheeler on October 10, 2013

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

Richly illustrated; well-written and accessible prose by the chapter-identified authors; much recent multidisciplinary information and analysis. As currently authoritative as a single volume for the lay-reader could be on this subject. Buy the printed book, as it is beautiful.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Good history of an intriguing period.

Just a basic history of the period and very well-done.

Published 1 month ago by Judith N. Alger

Disappointing

Low quality paper and printing. Pages warp nearly immediately. This is a poorly made book.

Published 4 months ago by Tegen de Wereld

Five Stars

Pretty!

Published 8 months ago by Angela Brett

Beautiful book with wonderful paper

Beautiful book with wonderful paper, beautifully bound, lots of maps and color prints. This is a work of fact, not fiction, and there is a lot of information ... Read more

Published 13 months ago by Wallace E. McCormick

Very informational

Many pictures and maps, very in depth writing covering all the subjects you had questions about and some you didn't even know existed. Read more

Published 19 months ago by craig meeks

Fascinating book...in hard copy!

The kindle version is nearly illegible!!! The font was illegible, the maps so small they were nearly useless, the photos not much better. Read more

Published 22 months ago by M. Person

Update. Things fixed!!This is about the kindle version only,

Update: the Kindle version is now readable on both Fire and iPad. I had to call customer service to get the update which made it so, which seems rather convoluted and I hope that... Read more

Published 23 months ago by hanger on cliffs

Doesn't Work on Kindle

This book looks amazing. Would love to have read it. Unfortunately, the formatting is completely unreadable on Kindle. No matter what hardware you are using you can't read it. Read more

Published 23 months ago by S. Kaiser

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