Tag Archives: Medieval

Constantinople: the Forgotten Empire

Posted on September 19, 2009 by smellincoffee

Constantinople: the Forgotten Empire © Isaac Asimov 1970 289 pages The history of the eastern Roman empire, ruled from Constantinople, has long been a weak point in my own historical literacy. When I spotted a book on its history by … Continue reading →

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Aristotle’s Children

Posted on August 7, 2009 by smellincoffee

Aristotle’s Children: How Christians, Muslims, and Jews Rediscovered Ancient Wisdom and illuminated the Dark Ages © 2003 Richard Rubenstein 368 pages That title is a touch misleading. While Rubenstein will mention Christians, Muslims, and Jews rediscovering ancient wisdom, he only … Continue reading →

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The Great Warming

Posted on April 4, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Great Warming: Climate Change and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations© 2008 Brian Fagan282 pages Earlier this year, Dr. Brian M. Fagan visited my university to deliver a talk titled “Climate Change, the Flail of God, or the Elephant … Continue reading →

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How the Irish Saved Civilization

Posted on February 10, 2009 by smellincoffee

How the Irish Saved Civilization: the Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe© 1995 Thomas Cahill230 pages plus bibliography, chronology, and index. Last week I began the “Hinges of History” … Continue reading →

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Mysteries of the Middle Ages

Posted on February 6, 2009 by smellincoffee

Mysteries of the Middle Ages and the Beginnings of the Modern World© 2006 Thomas Cahill317 pages, plus notes and index A couple of weeks ago I met a friend for breakfast, and he brought with him an interesting-looking book. He … Continue reading →

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The Knight in History

Posted on December 10, 2008 by smellincoffee

The Knight in History254 pagesFrances Gies This week I read The Knight in History, written by France Gies. Typically she and her husband co-author novels, but not in this case. I was somewhat wary about this particular book because military … Continue reading →

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Women in the Middle Ages

Posted on December 2, 2008 by smellincoffee

Women in the Middle Ages© Frances and Joseph Gies 1978236 pages, plus index, notes, and bibliography. Again this week I read from Frances and Joseph Gies’ series on daily life in the medieval era. The book is divided smartly into … Continue reading →

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Life in a Medieval Village

Posted on November 24, 2008 by smellincoffee

Life in a Medieval Village© 1990 Frances and Joseph Gies207 pages, plus index, notes, and a bibliography This week I continued reading from the Gies’ excellent series on daily life in the medieval era. This book, like Life in a … Continue reading →

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Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages

Posted on November 4, 2008 by smellincoffee

Marriage and the Family in the Middle AgesJoseph and Frances Gies, © 1987Harper & Row, New York369 pages. This week I continued reading Gies, this time one of their books concerning changes in the family during the middle ages — … Continue reading →

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Life in a Medieval Castle

Posted on October 26, 2008 by smellincoffee

Life in a Medieval Castle© Frances and Joseph Gies 1974Harper & Row, NY261 Pages A few years ago while wandering aimlessly in a bookstore — a good way to spend one’s time, I might add — I happened upon a … Continue reading →

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