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567 reviews for:
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century
Ian Mortimer
4.02 AVERAGE
567 reviews for:
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century
Ian Mortimer
4.02 AVERAGE
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
funny
informative
medium-paced
funny
informative
Each chapter focused on a different aspect of medieval life — 14th century specifically.
I thought this was a well-written and engaging read. As somebody who has a fascination with history, it was fun to walk through Medieval England and take a look at food, houses, mannerisms, beliefs, clothing etc. I thought the writing was quite interesting and accessible and overall I enjoyed this one!
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
This is a short and simple guidebook to 14th century England. Mortimer approaches this century topically: the landscape, the people, the medieval character, what to wear, health and hygiene, law.... Not surprisingly, he's also very sympathetic to medieval people. We're keen on looking at them smugly, but Mortimer reflects that "We might eat differently, be taller,* and live longer, and we might look at jousting as being unspeakably dangerous and not at all a sport, but we know what grief is and what love, fear, pain, ambition, enmity and hunger are. We should always remember that what we have in common with the past is just as important, real, and as essential to our lives as those things which make us different."
*I'm certain that I'm not taller than anybody, in any time.
I learned a lot from this book. I learned that the population was much, much younger than we are today, which would account for the impetuous violence of the time. I learned that a man may have beat his wife, but not too harshly lest he be punished by the law, but a woman need not fear prosecution for beating her husband. I learned that heels and garters were worn by men alone, and the women loved it, so much so that the monks were scandalized. I want to learn more about the Peasant's Revolt, which was mentioned in the two medieval history books that I read this year.
Mortimer is a good guide for the Middle Ages. His [b:Henry IV: The Righteous King|21939281|Henry IV The Righteous King|Ian Mortimer|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397686035s/21939281.jpg|1093000] was one of the first medieval histories that I read, and I was hooked.
*I'm certain that I'm not taller than anybody, in any time.
I learned a lot from this book. I learned that the population was much, much younger than we are today, which would account for the impetuous violence of the time. I learned that a man may have beat his wife, but not too harshly lest he be punished by the law, but a woman need not fear prosecution for beating her husband. I learned that heels and garters were worn by men alone, and the women loved it, so much so that the monks were scandalized. I want to learn more about the Peasant's Revolt, which was mentioned in the two medieval history books that I read this year.
Mortimer is a good guide for the Middle Ages. His [b:Henry IV: The Righteous King|21939281|Henry IV The Righteous King|Ian Mortimer|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397686035s/21939281.jpg|1093000] was one of the first medieval histories that I read, and I was hooked.
This was a very entertaining non-fiction book. I know very little about the Middle Ages, and it was very interesting to hear about the very different system back then.
What specifically interested me was the commentary on cleanliness and how it differed because germ theory wasn't invented yet.
The only thing that was kinda missing for me as a female reader was a bit more of a discussion on how my journey or life would've looked like. I understand that this wasn't exactly a welcoming time period, but since it's written from the point of view of a time traveller, I would've appreciated a bit more discussion on that point.
What specifically interested me was the commentary on cleanliness and how it differed because germ theory wasn't invented yet.
The only thing that was kinda missing for me as a female reader was a bit more of a discussion on how my journey or life would've looked like. I understand that this wasn't exactly a welcoming time period, but since it's written from the point of view of a time traveller, I would've appreciated a bit more discussion on that point.
informative
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced