| Title | : | The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0670100110 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780670100118 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 448 |
| Publication | : | First published June 1, 1999 |
From the fall of Rome to the beginning of the Renaissance, this comprehensive work presents the full pageant of medieval times across the entire Old World, with articles on the New World, Africa, and the Far East as well. Twenty major essays anchor the text while more than 600 entries written by a coterie of the world's best medieval historians and writers provide specific information on everything from the Abbadid Dynasty to the Seal of Zug. Interspersed throughout are maps, diagrams, and more than 250 color and black-and-white illustrations detailing all the elements of everyday life: dress, locales, edifices, ceremonies, customs, military tactics, travel, home life, commerce, religion, and royalty. And at every opportunity, material is compared with the modern life through "then and now" images, an ingenious tool that sheds new light on the origins of modern social and political phenomena.
Interest in the Middle Ages is stronger than ever as it becomes more and more evident that the modern period has much more in common with the medieval world than previously imagined. Authoritative, entertaining, and full of the excitement and grandeur of a remarkable period in human history, The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages is an indispensable home reference work that will---with every page---deliver readers into the heart of the Middle Ages.
The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages Reviews
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This book was published in 1999, just before the explosion of that newfangled internet thing arguably began to make reference books of the sort somewhat obsolete. I'm old school, though, in most respects--to the degree that's practical or permissible these days--and I'm glad I digested The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages in its original form. It seems most appropriate that an archaic paper book should have been responsible for invigorating and extending my knowledge of this immense, multifaceted, misnamed, and misunderstood epoch of world and western history.
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This is a beautiful book that I just like to sit and flip through randomly from time to time.
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This book is not worth reading because it contains inaccurate information. Just one example, in the entry for Waldensians it says that only small numbers of the group remained in an isolated region only through the 17th century. My great-grandparents came from a Waldensian community in what is now Italy and I can attest that they still exist since I have been to the “Valli Valdesi” and met many in the 21st century. There are still Waldensian churches not just in Italy but also in a handful of other countries. Also the section on Jews was strange, it went very in depth on the social inequality within the community but didn’t talk about much else.
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Yes, it really took me over a year to read this---one article at a time. :) But I learned a lot, even in one article segments.
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Have you ever wondered how the English Parliament started, or when William the Conqueror (or William the Bastard as he was also known) was born and died, or how about when writing tools were invented? For once all these answers and so many more are contained within one impressive, colorful book.
The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages works just like any other encyclopedia or dictionary: if you want to look something up, just turn to the corresponding letter. This book has it all, as well as facts and figures up the wazoo. And if you’ve ever thought about competing on Jeopardy and didn’t know which source to turn to and study for the Middle Ages, well here’s your answer.
Originally published on November 12th 2001.
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BookBanter. -
Not particularly nuanced, but fun to flip through. I especially enjoy the lavish color illustrations. (And I got my copy for just five dollars.)
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A good general encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. Although I cannot tell which came first, this is almost an exact match for Cantor's Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages.
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A good general encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. Although I cannot tell which came first, this is almost an exact match for Cantor's Pimilco Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages.
