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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Interesting subject matter. Fascinating historical tidbits. Could have done without the preachy references to current events, though. Cahill should trust his readers to make those (obvious) connections on their own.
Well done short vignettes of medieval history. Religion was so omnipresent in the Middle Ages that it's impossible to discuss it's history without discussing religion. So the modern discussion of the Catholic Church at the end does not taint the rest of the stories. The mid-2000s, post-9/11 islamophobia is evident. The book honestly has nothing to do with mysteries, but does set up the beginning of the modern world quite well.
Mysteries of the Middle Ages concerns the advance of European social, cultural, and scientific progress in the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries through the lens of Christianity. The author writes, persuasively, that this period set the stage for where we are today. Thomas Cahill’s writing style is engaging for the casual reader; but I suspect not well received by serious historians. Mysteries of the Middle Ages is a popular history. Cahill clearly and openly writes from a Catholic perspective, and at the end of this book launches a scathing indictment of the Vatican and the Church’s bishops over clerical child abuse. I don’t read much nonfiction, but I had previously read Cahill’s How the Irish Saved Civilization. Mysteries of the Middle Ages is just as good.
It's a good introduction to a range of topics, but mostly made me want to look up biographies of some historical figures I'd previously not known much about....and read the Divine Comedy.
Good place to start if you're looking for other interesting historical subjects to dig deeper into, I wouldn't suggest it as an Audio book as I can only assume many of the art discussed had accompanying pictures that I missed out on in that format.
Good place to start if you're looking for other interesting historical subjects to dig deeper into, I wouldn't suggest it as an Audio book as I can only assume many of the art discussed had accompanying pictures that I missed out on in that format.
I normally don't review books but as someone raised in the Greek Orthodox church and studying Islam and the Middle East, I thought his depictions of both of these religions was highly innacurate and, in the case of Islam, borderline bigoted. Looking at his bibliography, he has no sources about the Eastern Orthodox church or Islam, leading me to believe he's stating opinion. A simple Google search would show that Mohammad was NOT a camel driver and the reasons why Byzantine icons are styled they way they are. I'm disappointed in Cahill's descriptions of these religions because this book might be the only exposure some readers have to these belief systems, and they are not reading accurate information.
Cahill took on an ambitious task in this book to cover all of the Middle Ages 317 pages and in so doing, of course, must skip over a lot of material and instead covering subjects little written about in detail - which is admirable. What is not admirable is the frequent callousness of language Cahill chose. For some reason, I would imagine in an attempt to make the material more relatable, Cahill uses contemporary slang terminology that only comes across as uncomfortable and jarring. Cahill's callousness also extends to his treatment of Islam, which, while admirable to have written in such detail about it at all, the author obviously (and at times uncomfortably) has no love lost for the religion. Cahill also comes across as being dismissive of the medieval mindset and beliefs. And furthermore, this book is the only one of a series that I have read before in which the author so shamelessly 'plugs' his other works in the series.
This book was recommended to me by a friend, and is the first work I've read by Cahill. His rhetorical style is enjoyable to read and the narratives he weaves are engaging. I never lost interest and learned throughout.
That said, I might argue that one should take this book nearer to the side of infotainment than a primary source for historical fact. I am not a historian, so take the following commentary lightly, but I gathered the impression at times when reading that Cahill was oversimplifying and glossing over certain points for the sake of pacing and his narrative (his commentary on Hypatia's murder, for example). That is not to say that the book is riddled with errors, but I would argue that it should only ever be supplemental to one's knowledge, gathered primarily from texts written by degreed historians by trade rather than authors with an interest in history, as Cahill seems to be.
I looked up a few of the items from Cahill's book that I wasn't entirely familiar with. His information seemed to be generally accurate, but with some "there was more to it than that" upon further investigation from other sources. Nonetheless, with the above points in mind, I would recommend this book to others. Cautious analysis when reading anything is key, especially when it comes to history.
That said, I might argue that one should take this book nearer to the side of infotainment than a primary source for historical fact. I am not a historian, so take the following commentary lightly, but I gathered the impression at times when reading that Cahill was oversimplifying and glossing over certain points for the sake of pacing and his narrative (his commentary on Hypatia's murder, for example). That is not to say that the book is riddled with errors, but I would argue that it should only ever be supplemental to one's knowledge, gathered primarily from texts written by degreed historians by trade rather than authors with an interest in history, as Cahill seems to be.
I looked up a few of the items from Cahill's book that I wasn't entirely familiar with. His information seemed to be generally accurate, but with some "there was more to it than that" upon further investigation from other sources. Nonetheless, with the above points in mind, I would recommend this book to others. Cautious analysis when reading anything is key, especially when it comes to history.
For anyone who is moderately well-read in medieval Western history or the history of the Catholic Church, this book is a review of some of its highlights, and at times, a rambling one at that. There were tidbits of interesting factoids I had misssed in the past and I appreciated his attempts at reviewing the cultural context of the times which provides a better lense through which to view the people he highlights.
I haven't read his other works, and I still might try some of them but I didn't feel that this book offered either a cohesive summary of what the title promised nor a thorough one. If you have little or no previous exposure to the Middle Ages, you may get more from it as a primer. Maybe.
I haven't read his other works, and I still might try some of them but I didn't feel that this book offered either a cohesive summary of what the title promised nor a thorough one. If you have little or no previous exposure to the Middle Ages, you may get more from it as a primer. Maybe.
Not as easy a read as his others. It's a difficult topic to give it cohesiveness. Again I liked his perspective. He's definitely done the background research. Lots of pics of Middle Ages art which made it easier to follow.
"Mysteries of the Middle Ages: And the Beginning of the Modern World" is the fifth Thomas Cahill book I'm reading this month, and it's as revelatory as his others.
This volume on his series on Western history focuses on the Middle Ages, when the West was fighting back after the fall of Rome and just before the ravages of the Plague.
This one looks almost exclusively at Catholicism and how it kept Western ideas flowing. Along the way, the faith laid the groundwork for the changing role of women, the growth of art, reason and its relationship to faith, higher education, alchemy and the beginning of science.
That's a lot for a time often derided as "the Dark Ages," but Cahill doesn't buy that label. The Middle Ages was also a time for great thinkers and authors and figures, like Aquinas, Francis of Assissi, Augustine and Dante.
Cahill acknowledges that his book can't possibly cover all the important foundational events of this time, but he makes a good case for what he does include.
The drawback for me is the layout of the book itself. It features a large amount of marginalia, illustrations and calligraphy mimicking period documents, I imagine, but I found it distracting.
This volume on his series on Western history focuses on the Middle Ages, when the West was fighting back after the fall of Rome and just before the ravages of the Plague.
This one looks almost exclusively at Catholicism and how it kept Western ideas flowing. Along the way, the faith laid the groundwork for the changing role of women, the growth of art, reason and its relationship to faith, higher education, alchemy and the beginning of science.
That's a lot for a time often derided as "the Dark Ages," but Cahill doesn't buy that label. The Middle Ages was also a time for great thinkers and authors and figures, like Aquinas, Francis of Assissi, Augustine and Dante.
Cahill acknowledges that his book can't possibly cover all the important foundational events of this time, but he makes a good case for what he does include.
The drawback for me is the layout of the book itself. It features a large amount of marginalia, illustrations and calligraphy mimicking period documents, I imagine, but I found it distracting.