The Civilization of the Middle Ages: A Completely Revised and Expanded Edition of Medieval History |
Buy The Civilization of the Middle Ages: A Completely Revised and Expanded Edition of Medieval History here, one of 1499 Holland History books offered for sale at discount prices here in the history books section at R bookshop. There are currently 88551 history books in our history books section, and over 1,000,000 books listed in our book store. We greatly appreciate your patronage at R bookshop and look forward to offering you a large selection of great books at discount prices now and in the future. Thank you for shopping at R Bookshop!
|
You Are Here: Home > History Books > Holland History > Item 72
|
The Civilization of the Middle Ages: A Completely Revised and Expanded Edition of Medieval History
|
by Norman F. Cantor
Sales Rank: 28076
|
List Price: $18.95
$12.89
At Amazon
on 9-12-2008.
|
|
|
|
Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 624 pages
Published by: Harper Perennial June 3, 1994
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0060925531
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0060925536
Book Dimensions:
7.9 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
Weighs: 1 pounds
Reader Reviews
This is a book you should buy if you wish to understand the Middle Ages. But I must tell you that I was very nearly put off it by the author's tragically flawed understanding of Greek and Roman society. Greek and Roman culture are my areas of interest so I do feel I have some basis upon which to offer this critique. The fact that his understanding of ancient society is flawed is rather frightening, because, as Cantor himself says, "...the heritage of the ancient world set the conditions for medieval society." So as I waded further into his book it was with considerable trepidation. If he got Greece and Rome so very, very wrong, how on earth could he get the Middle Ages right? For example, reflect upon this near polemical attack on the Roman educational system (which seems to be to blame for a lot if Cantor is to be believed): "The Romans were psychologically damaged by their educational system, as evidenced by their violence, aggression, sadism, hostility to women, and other unattractive characteristics. Children were treated badly, indeed, and many of them grew up to be sadomasochists." It gets better. He goes on to remark that "...vestiges of this system have lived on into the twentieth century. The educational system of the medieval church was based on the Roman, and there were a good many neurotic educated adults within the medieval church." And what exactly are the characteristics of the Roman educational system that produced this race of monsters? "It is a natural system for an aristocratic society, which needs to train its young people only to accept power handed on to them." The men who taught these benighted children were, and I QUOTE: "often slaves and frequently frustrated, sadistic men." Wow!!! When you read something as novel and outlandish as this, you really want to see some source documentation. But you will be disappointed here. These remarks are not foot-noted and indeed one of the GRAVE failings of this book is that despite the fact Cantor re-edited and updated the entire text, he does not offer foot-notes. Having said that, his bibliography is quite good -- it is organized around a sort of top ten list format. But, curiously, the bibliography is placed AFTER a list of the best movies (!) on the Middle Ages. I suppose like many scholars, he is a "man of his period" so to speak. His understanding of the Middle Ages is fluent and masterful, but his knowledge of the epochs that preceded it scanty and ill founded. Still I find it breath taking that he could be so wrong in places. Having said this, my patience was rewarded. And my reading on the Middle Ages that I undertook as a result of this book have affirmed my faith in Cantor: he does, after all, get most of it right! What was revolutionary about Cantor's book is that, as the jacket says, his was the "first comprehensive general history of the Middle Ages to centre on medieval culture and religion rather than political history." A vital companion to this would be John Julius Norwich's three volume series on Byzantium and Marcia Colish's "Medieval Foundations of the Western Intellectual Tradition 400-1400 (Yale Intellectual History of the West)". Do not, under any circumstances bother with William Manchester's gravely flawed: "A World Lit Only By Fire" (for why I say that, see my review of that book).
Comment | |
(Report this)
Back To Top
|
The Civilization of the Middle Ages: A Completely Revised and Expanded Edition of Medieval History
Available from Amazon
Price: $12.89
Updated on 9-12-2008.
|
NOTICE: All prices, availability, and specifications
are subject to verification by their respective retailers.
| We offer The Civilization of the Middle Ages: A Completely Revised and Expanded Edition of Medieval History and other related Holland History Books here at Rbookshop.com. To view more books about Holland History please use the previous and next buttons near the top of this page.
|
|
Search for books at
