'Medieval World' strong graphically, weak contextually
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This book is beautifully and lavishly illustrated with period art, architecture, documents, maps, artifacts and sculpture, as well as photographs of specific locations.
Special articles highlight themes of medieval thought, significant people and events and important cities of each century. Additional page spreads show what was happening in the world beyond Europe during each century between the years 400 and 1500. The graphical layout and colors are gorgeous.
This book then is a feast for the eyes. If only it were a pleasure to read.
The text scrapes the surface of history in much the same way that a medieval plow scraped the earth. Events are skimmed over and given lackluster descriptions. Little of the feel of the period comes to life. The read is harder going in the early medieval period, when less documentation exists.
Occasionally, author John M. Thompson, tries to spice things up with a modern turn of phrase, such as "kept tabs on" or so-and-so's "little brother," which only lends a jarring note to the narrative. Things pick up as the Middle Ages progress and more data becomes known. However, throughout the book, the author favors the colorless description over the vivid.
The book also contains some small errors of fact. To give two examples, Harold Godwinson was Edward the Confessor's brother-in-law, not his son.
Harold is traditionally described as dying from an arrow shot to the eye, not to the brain, although technically the latter might be correct. These errors, though small, help underscore the flabbiness of the text.
Still, to read the whole book does provide the framework of what happened during this violent and unstable period of world history. The reader does get an introduction to key ideas and people of the period. In so doing, the books throws light on current news events.
Given the scope and the beauty of its pages, this book would be ideal for the historian in the family.
First Published December 27, 2010 12:00 am
