Source The Books

This book is a wonderful read for those interested in the background of the numerous ancient annals of Ireland. It contains a number of photographs of these rare illuminated scripts, but little or nothing of the translations. It also deals less with the content of the ancient texts or it's contribution to our knowledge of the early history of the island, than it does with the provenance of the original documents and their early copies. But this is to be expected as the author is an antiquarian, not a historian.

This is an excellent resource for the study of Greek democracy, because of/despite the course textbook format, which doesn't intrude at all. With selections from ancient Greek writers, and essays, recent or classic, by scholars in the field it gives acomprehensive update on a subject that is too little studied or known. Especially useful is the detailed bibliographical essays on the recent scholarly books on the subject which non-specialists would never have heard of or can't locate.
That democracy was a broader Greek phenomenon that the Athenian, and its persistence somewhat latter than one thought (many of the city states of Alexanders empire became 'democracies' of a sort)is brought out in the text, that and much else from recent research. It is important to see and understand the history of democracy (and empire) for obvious contemporary reasons, especially as we see the Roman juggernaut slowly overtaking this unique and not long enduring birth.
Great resource.

In ancient Ireland, it took a thirty year apprenticeship for an individual to learn from a Brehon (judge) the Laws of Ancient Ireland contained in The Brehon Code, to be able to stand at the Hill of Tara and be examined by the population of the Island on one day of the year to see if that individual was qualified to become a Brehon, himself. If only one person within that daylong examination thought an answer not to be just, the apprentice would then have to give up his dream of becoming a Brehon and would have to find some other means of work. Law and justice were taken that seriously in ancient Ireland. The Ancient Laws of Ireland, (which contain The Brehon Code) is an early, classic body of early justice, decency, respect and altruism from which, we derive much of our modern day western system of jurisprudence. (It was in ancient Ireland that the basics of the jury system that we employ today were created).

Until this 2000 Edition, only a handful of copies of The Ancient Laws of Ireland were in existence worldwide. This edition is indeed historic and deserves to be cherished and read by lovers of Freedom and our heritage of Justice.

These volumes, written by a distinguished American Egyptologist, were first published in 1906 and 1907. In his introduction to this re-edition, Egyptologist Peter Piccione provides a short biography of the author as well as a historical account of the 5 tomes. Volume 1 discusses the First through the Seventeenth Dynasties; Volume 2, the Eighteenth Dynasty; Volume 3, the Nineteenth Dynasty; and Volume 4, the Twentieth through Twenty-Sixth Dynasties. Volume 5 contains supplementary bibliographies and indices for the previous volumes; Piccione has added a more recent bibliography that proves to be quite useful. Each book offers a description of texts along with comments on historicity and significance, before continuing onto easy-to-understand translations. Many of the texts included are never-before-seen passages, while others are quite popular: the Palermo Stone, Letter of Pepi II, Tale of Sinuhe, Tomb of Rekhmire, Capture of Kadesh, Papyrus Harris, Adoption Stela of Nitocris, and so on. This is the most complete, easy-to-consult translation of Egyptian historical texts ever available in the field of Egyptology. A highly recommended resource for students and scholars.

The book gives an impressive amount of information on early Roman society, culture, history and economics. It is a well-organised collection of brief readings from the works of many ancient authors, intended as a supplementary source for students of ancient history.

The organisation of the book is innovative. Instead of the usual long extracts from early writers' works, short passages are grouped under different headings: religion, social issues, economy and the like. It makes for easier reading, which should mean that more of it will actually be read and understood by more students than is usually the case.

Amazing! He proves that true communism is alive, well and as dangerous to oppressors as ever! Economics never made so much sense!

Walter Map (1130s-1209?) was a Medieval Welsh writer and clergyman who wrote in Latin. The only work we can most definitely attest to him is the De Nugis Curialium (Courtiers' Trifles) which is present in Latin and English in this volume. Walter Map was for some time in the 1160s a member of Henry II of England's court. The contents of De Nugis Curialium is vast and seemingly disconnected. It is composed of stories (including some of the earliest werewolf stories, tales of demonic infanticide, great hunts), historical tidbits (the section on the Byzantine empire is entirely incomprehensible), and diatribes against religious orders and women. The Dissuasio Valerii, one of the most important anti-women tracts in Medieval Europe, was the only section of this work published and disseminated while the rest of the broad ranging satire was not.

De Nugis shifts from straightforward satire and invective against the court and the Mirror of Princes genre to satire on the religious orders, especially the Cistercians. He certainly not the only contemporary writer of this period to lambaste monastic orders for their perceived hypocrisy, material goals, and abandoning earlier idealistic aims. Gerald of Wales, John of Salisbury, Nigel of Canterbury, Peter Blois, and others (most members of Henry II's court) wrote similar works if not less brutal. However, Map aims his attack primarily and most fiercely against the Cistercians while saying relatively nice things about the Grandimontines, Gilbertines, and Cathusians. He takes joy in pointing out how St. Bernard (one of the great voices of the Cistercian order) could not perform miracles he set out to do, how the Cistercians cannot "serve God without Mammom," and how they are told to live in deserts and deserted places so they create their uninhabited regions by burning down villages and other churches. The introduction cautions the reader by saying that "One does not go to map for a fair and balanced portrait of the Cistercian order" (xliv) however common criticisms can be found in the vast number of anti-Cistercian tracts written at the time.

Because of the vast area of topics that Map writes about (heretics, foundations of various monastic orders, apparitions, Gillescop the Scot, the Hospitality of the Welsh, the Haunted Shoemaker of Constantinople) it is impossible for me go into more depth besides in the topic that I am most interested in - the anti-Cistercian writings of the Late 12th Century. One gets the feeling that this compilation of stories and digressions was something read for others to discuss and laugh about, although, Map might have had a more serious purpose that is difficult (and argued about in academic circles) to uncover. The Introduction, by M. R. James, is scholarly, concise, and like my review focuses on the central points of the work (religious invective). This work is a challenge to understand. Firstly, the reader is tempted to take Map too seriously, and secondly, since this was not published Map's motives and reasons become more hidden. James' introduction provides similar cautions - with these statements in mind, Walter Map's De Nugis Curialium is a romp of a read chalk full with some absolutely delightful Medieval satire and invective! This is a must buy/read for the Medieval Historian.

This book provides researchers with invaluable access to the correspondence of the Anglican Prelates.

The compilers have assiduously examined the Lambeth Palace files to make these available to those requiring information regarding the formation of the Anglican Communion in the Pacific.

A great achievement.

Doris LeRoy, PhD candidate, Victoria University, Footscray Park, Victoria Australia.

This book is essential for any animation fan or scholar. It contains cross-referenced information which cannot be found anywhere else. In the week that I have owned it, I have used it at least ten times to find information I need. Now if only I had the budget to buy all of the animated films listed in the book! If you have any interest in animation at all, buy this book and become an expert!

The west in the tenth-century is poorly represented by narrative primary sources besides the Annals of Flodoard of Rheims. The ninth century, on the other hand is highlighted by The Annals of St-Bertin, the Annals of Fulda, etc... Tenth century Francia highlighted by the fragmentation of the Empire of Charlemagne and the confrontation between the Carolingians and the Robertians. Francia is divided into at least six individual kingdoms that sometimes unify under the power of a strong king.

Flodoard was born in the 890s and educated as a youth at the cathedral school at Rheims where he eventually became a priest and canon. Soon, under the tutelage of the archbishop, he was appointed the 'historian of the church.' This was not as safe as it seems for during the struggles over the archbishopric his possessions and benefices were twice confiscated. Flodoard was already well known in the intellectual circles for his hagiographic work for specific regions (which he continued while writing his Annals). Flodoard was also involved in politics (since Rheims was an important archbishopric of the period) and began a monumental work on the History of the Church of Rheims along with being appointed as chief archivist of the substantial archives of Rheims.

This work is an annual recording of current events in the model of those of Saint Bertin in the previous century. He is extremely well informed about northern Francia, as well as the south and occasionally the happenings in Rome (where he was sent as a diplomat) and northern Italy. He concentrates primarily on the political intrigue amongst the constantly changing lords, kings, and nobles in power. There is almost no discernable agenda in this work besides the desire to record the facts and occasionally the role of God. Although the work does center on the events concerning Rheims this is understandable since this is what he would have the most first hand experience and participation in. This is a very detailed, year by year account, with little tangential information.

The introduction to this volume is astoundingly detailed. This is vital since the politics of the time period is very complex and undergoes constant change. However, the editor could have included something about the Frankish culture as gathered from the text (the consecration of bishops etc). The maps are rather crude but the occasional illustrations and extensive genealogies (sadly without dates) add to the overall understanding. The introduction however, is almost worth the price alone.