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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
One of my favorite history books.
If you have enjoyed a good history book by a recent writer you have Barbara Tuchman to thank. She showed historians how to make history readable, vivid and fun.
To me this is her best. If you are intersted in Medieval life and times you owe it to yourself to read (or reread) this book.
To me this is her best. If you are intersted in Medieval life and times you owe it to yourself to read (or reread) this book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
informative
slow-paced
I read this book primarily because Neil Gaiman namedropped it somewhere referencing it and why Crowley (from Good Omens) slept through the 14th Century. I can't say that I blame him.
But reading it these days? Wow
Let's just say that this book was published in 1978 and written about the 14th century but I read what happened then and it's not too far from what's happening right now. Plague? Yep. Leaders who care more for themselves and their money rather than, you know, everyone else? Check check. The only thing we don't have are crusades but you know, 2020's not over yet so who knows!
Anyway, the wheel of time continues to turn -- but the important thing that this book taught me is that yes, things will get better but things take time. A long time in some cases. And what brings it about is patience and hard work... and not being a complete asshole.
The book itself is engaging and interesting to read. I love that we follow the narrative of one particular historical figure because it gives great context to what is going on. I like her authorial voice and though I found it a bit judgy at times, I was more amused than anything.
On a further Good Omens note, because I'm basic, the author mentions a particular battle between the English and the French where brutal Welshman with long knives would go out and stab the dying on the field to hasten the process. And it's horrible and senseless and brutal-- and yet having watched GOmens and Prodigal Son-- I just can't help but picture a mad grinning Michael Sheen with his head of woolly hair stabbing someone out of pure freaking glee and my first reaction, terrible as it is, is:
'Aww, bless'
But yes. Anyway. I enjoyed it a lot! Would recommend!
But reading it these days? Wow
Let's just say that this book was published in 1978 and written about the 14th century but I read what happened then and it's not too far from what's happening right now. Plague? Yep. Leaders who care more for themselves and their money rather than, you know, everyone else? Check check. The only thing we don't have are crusades but you know, 2020's not over yet so who knows!
Anyway, the wheel of time continues to turn -- but the important thing that this book taught me is that yes, things will get better but things take time. A long time in some cases. And what brings it about is patience and hard work... and not being a complete asshole.
The book itself is engaging and interesting to read. I love that we follow the narrative of one particular historical figure because it gives great context to what is going on. I like her authorial voice and though I found it a bit judgy at times, I was more amused than anything.
On a further Good Omens note, because I'm basic, the author mentions a particular battle between the English and the French where brutal Welshman with long knives would go out and stab the dying on the field to hasten the process. And it's horrible and senseless and brutal-- and yet having watched GOmens and Prodigal Son-- I just can't help but picture a mad grinning Michael Sheen with his head of woolly hair stabbing someone out of pure freaking glee and my first reaction, terrible as it is, is:
'Aww, bless'
But yes. Anyway. I enjoyed it a lot! Would recommend!
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
Very thorough, engaging look at the 14th century. I found it much more readable than most history books, but it was long.
The world has always been awful. I get so frustrated when I hear people lament about the depravity of our current times, like it is some unique feature. There is no glorious past and Tuchman's book shows you this in spades.
I was really impressed with how sweeping the narrative is. It covers Europe from England/Scotland to Hungary. The only thing that knocked it down a bit was my dislike of military history and some sources I wondered if she had read a little to literally instead of an allegorical reading that a lot of medieval texts require.
The hugeness of the book made me wish I had an e-reader.
I was really impressed with how sweeping the narrative is. It covers Europe from England/Scotland to Hungary. The only thing that knocked it down a bit was my dislike of military history and some sources I wondered if she had read a little to literally instead of an allegorical reading that a lot of medieval texts require.
The hugeness of the book made me wish I had an e-reader.
I am always amazed at people who don't seem to enjoy or understand the relevance of history. Trying to understand the present without a knowledge of the past is like trying to figure out what's wrong with a clock by examining its face. It's like being a leaf that doesn't know it's part of a tree.
In Tuchman's comprehensive look at 14th century Europe, we see the beginnings of our modern market economy, the notion of romantic love, trade unions, urbanization, nationalism, anti-semitism (portents of the Holocaust), ideas of chivalry in warfare being torn down by advances in technology, and on and on. I found this book to be endlessly fascinating, told in a lively and engaging manner.
The title, A Distant Mirror, refers to our own calamitous 20th century, with its own ongoing wars, revolutions, genocides, famines, and plagues. While our 20th-century descents into madness were more efficiently devastating, Europe in the 14th century was an everyday kind of madness. Reading this sort of history makes me believe in an evolution of human civilization (distinct from human evolution, which I believe happens on a much longer timeline). Despite the sometimes eerie similarities between the 1300s and 1900s, I would still argue that this book will give you a new perspective on just how far we've come.
In Tuchman's comprehensive look at 14th century Europe, we see the beginnings of our modern market economy, the notion of romantic love, trade unions, urbanization, nationalism, anti-semitism (portents of the Holocaust), ideas of chivalry in warfare being torn down by advances in technology, and on and on. I found this book to be endlessly fascinating, told in a lively and engaging manner.
The title, A Distant Mirror, refers to our own calamitous 20th century, with its own ongoing wars, revolutions, genocides, famines, and plagues. While our 20th-century descents into madness were more efficiently devastating, Europe in the 14th century was an everyday kind of madness. Reading this sort of history makes me believe in an evolution of human civilization (distinct from human evolution, which I believe happens on a much longer timeline). Despite the sometimes eerie similarities between the 1300s and 1900s, I would still argue that this book will give you a new perspective on just how far we've come.
I’ll keep this short… I loved this book, as does most anyone who appreciates good historical writing. She won the Pulitzer twice for a reason (if not specifically for this book).
Starting with the idea that a book based around the century that contained:
- The Black Death wiping out 1/3rd to 1/2 of the entire population of Europe
- The bulk of The Hundred Year’s War between France and England
- A series of peasant rebellions that gave voice to the lowest members of society for effectively the first time ever (Narrator Voice: they did not end well for the peasants, but still)
- etc., and so on, through all of the other Horsemen of the Apocalypse…
might make for an interesting read, Tuchman then goes further by finding the one French aristocrat who somehow managed to be present for almost every important event that occurred during this time AND who left a thick enough documentary record to base a credible history on, AND THEN tops it all off by just writing the shit out of a book covering all of this in great but never-boring detail.
It’s a really great read that touches on all aspects of life for both the Royal Knight at the focus of it all, up to his lieges, Kings of France and England, the Popes of the era, all the way down to the roughest village peasant. She provides SUCH a wonderful sense of the era, rich in detail on how people lived, were fed, worked, worshiped, etc…
It’s a fuckin’ triumph, and anybody who’s interested in the slightest in medieval European history probably already has read this book. If you haven’t, get on it.
Starting with the idea that a book based around the century that contained:
- The Black Death wiping out 1/3rd to 1/2 of the entire population of Europe
- The bulk of The Hundred Year’s War between France and England
- A series of peasant rebellions that gave voice to the lowest members of society for effectively the first time ever (Narrator Voice: they did not end well for the peasants, but still)
- etc., and so on, through all of the other Horsemen of the Apocalypse…
might make for an interesting read, Tuchman then goes further by finding the one French aristocrat who somehow managed to be present for almost every important event that occurred during this time AND who left a thick enough documentary record to base a credible history on, AND THEN tops it all off by just writing the shit out of a book covering all of this in great but never-boring detail.
It’s a really great read that touches on all aspects of life for both the Royal Knight at the focus of it all, up to his lieges, Kings of France and England, the Popes of the era, all the way down to the roughest village peasant. She provides SUCH a wonderful sense of the era, rich in detail on how people lived, were fed, worked, worshiped, etc…
It’s a fuckin’ triumph, and anybody who’s interested in the slightest in medieval European history probably already has read this book. If you haven’t, get on it.