Middle Ages Books

Spectacular photography and a friendly, easy-to-read style make this selection a great choice. As a frequent visitor to Cape May in the past, I have seen most of the sites pictured and described, but there are a few that I'll have to seek out on my next visit. For me, the book is a great memento of a place where I have many fond memories. I wish it had been available 20 years or so ago in time for my first visit! It is a great guide to introduce a first-timer to a fascinating town, and a tool for a seasoned visitor to focus on a little more detail of the unique surroundings. The pictures will keep the visit fresh in your memory. Nicely done!

As the author I admit, I have bias. However, I want to talk about the photographs. The photographers did an incredibly wonderful job in not only capturing views but capturing the essence of Cape May.
If you look at the cover, the main shot which is the sunset, is really what it looks like. It's an expansive and endless scope of color that is deep and strong.

I enjoyed researching and writing about Cape May, and the book is really a great way to experience this historic beach city either from your living room or from the streets of Cape May as you walk the tours.
All of the tours are "mini" tours so it doesn't feel like a kids field trip; and it is easy on the legs while embracing the visuals and history.

You really should visit Cape May, New Jersey. It is more than a beach or city, it is an experience.

I met Dr. Coulson at the parish church in Nonington several weeks ago and have since had one of the staff at the Center for Kentish Studies recommend his book so I'm really looking forward to getting it. Coulson is history staff at the University of Kent. The recommendation I received was based on his attention to daily life and the social implications of what we might call "Castle culture" in the localities. We will see......I will post again after the book arrives.

Coulson seeks to revise the understanding of castles as basically military structures to an understanding of them as images of the primary factors and the complexity of European society in the time from the fall of Rome to the late Middle Ages. This society was basically hierarchical and aristocratic. Today's conventional conception of a castle as more or less a fortification is a largely romantic notion bearing little relation to the true place of castles in medieval society. In medieval Europe, towns, ecclesiastical areas, estates and mansions, and even temporary earthworks of a traveling army were regarded as castles. The word "fortalicium" originally used for "castle" meant "element" or "sign" of fortification more than strictly a military fortification. In the medieval society, this was understood to mean above all "a symbolism of aristocratic armed power." As symbols of this power, castles were also social centers where most of the interaction of the different social classes took place. As Coulson remarks, there is no military history associated with most castles. In his revision of the conception of castles, the author elaborates on the presence of high-rankng women in many of them. Coulson is a research fellow at England's U. of Kent. He does not undercut the significance of castles in medieval society; rather, he shifts the understanding of what their significance was.

This book is very well written and stays interesting throughout. My five year old daughter recieved this as a gift from a family member who lives in Michigan and once we started reading it we couldn't put it down. It was a great starting point for my daughter to learn about different areas of the united states as well. Great book, perfect for all ages.

This is an excellent historical fiction book for young adults. It tells a tale of adventure, family, and values. The characters are interesting people that share their love of the outdoors and the lifestyle of the rural Lake Superior shores.

I found this book at our public library. After renting it, I purchased 3 copies to give to my children and godchildren! It is full of short, easy to understand descriptions and illustrations of many Catholic words, prayers, sacraments, etc. A very valuable book, even for the parents who are still learning if they are new to the faith!

As a catechist teacher I come across alot of text books. Thisis one of the better ones. Especially for those first and secondgraders just beginning to understand their faith and its traditions. Thank goodness our RE director chose this dictionary over others. The colorful pictures and clear explanations give valuable meaning to things that aren't always addressed during mass or other religious instruction. I highly recommend it.

My 7 year old (son) is interested in much more sophisticated stories than he can read on his own, yet he doesn't always have the patience to sit and listen to a book with absolutely no pictures. This story captivated him, as did the pictures, which helped him visualize the story. My older son has read a number of Nancy Farmer books (House of the Scorpion, Sea of Trolls) and I was pleased to find a book suitable for reading to younger children. I enjoyed this story of a boy who gets himself in trouble by not following directions, but is clever enough to get himself out of trouble. There is a dungeon in this story (oubliette) so beware.

When Ali turns seven he goes to work with his father, who keeps pigeons for the wicked sultan of Cairo, and learns all kinds of rules about their care - which he disobeys. He overfeeds one greedy pigeon who runs a bowl of the Sultan's rare cherries - and is given only three days to replace them or his father will suffer. Kids in grades 2-4 will appreciate Gail De Marcken's lovely ethnic drawings which are perfect pairings for an Arabian story of adventure.

The only autobiography ever written by a reigning Pope (r.1458-1464), it is very entertaining and well written. It offers a window on a Renaissance man and his life and world written in his own words. This recent 2003 Harvard University translation is modern and easy to read, with the original Latin text on each facing page (ie. the amount of actual English translation is about 188 pages). It is mostly about current political events of the day (a time of great conflict and strife) and memorable scenes from his life, written with great artistic skill by a master of rhetoric.

Some of the more memorable scenes including his trip to Scotland where he stays the night in a hay-loft with two Scottish women.. the incredible set-piece when he is elected Pope, the drama of which is nothing short of some of the best I've read in a while, his entire life leading up to this scene: "All sat in their seats, pale and silent, thunderstruck, as if in a trance. For some time no one spoke, no one opened his lips, no one moved any part of his body except his eyes, which kept darting about." And the travel from Rome northward to meet with the Holy Roman Emperor to discuss what to do about the Turks and the recent Fall of Constantinople - in particular some of the accounts of lords and the tortures and sexual abuses they committed were really very shocking - a window on the world as it was.

Excerpted from a book review published in "Bryn Mawr Classical Review" (2004.11.08):

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Margaret Meserve, Marcello Simonetta, Pius II: Commentaries (Volume 1). I Tatti Renaissance Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-674-01164-3.

Reviewed by Dr. Dustin A. Gish, John Cabot University and The American University of Rome


"These are the labors of the night, for we have borrowed the hours owed to sleep and spent the better part of them on our writing. Another man, it is true, might have used his watch better, but I felt an obligation to my mind, which took such delight in the task."

Thus writes Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini (1405-64; Pope Pius II, r. 1458-64), in 1462, one of the tensest years of his papacy, regarding the completion of his treatise on Asia, part of an ambitious, yet unfinished Cosmographia. These lines serve as a fitting epigram for Aeneas Sylvius [hereafter, AS] and open the Introduction to the first of five projected volumes of Pius II: Commentaries from the I Tatti Renaissance Library, edited and translated by Margaret Meserve and Marcello Simonetta.

In this volume we have the first two books of AS's Commentaries: a monumental work (thirteen books in all) of literature, historiography, and autobiography, authored by one of the most intriguing characters in the humanist movement. It is the only autobiography ever written by a reigning pope, and the fitting culmination and keystone of a Renaissance career which may be called 'typical' only in the sense of being truly exemplary. AS excelled as a humanist scholar and diplomat, and was an accomplished Latin poet (crowned 'Poet Laureate' in 1442: I.11.1); held the post of secretary to two bishops, three cardinals, an anti-pope, and the Holy Roman Emperor (by his own admission, "an extraordinary distinction": I.14.1); served as ambassador and vice-chancellor to the Emperor as well as papal legate and apostolic secretary to two popes; was made bishop of Trieste, and later of his native Siena; finally, in 1456, was created cardinal and -- only two years later -- elected pope.

The present volume reflects AS's education and ascent as poet, orator, secretary, and statesman (I.1-32); the circumstances surrounding his membership in the College of cardinals and elevation as Pius II, following the death of Pope Calixtus III (I.33-37); and events of his papacy leading up to his convocation of the Congress of Mantua in 1459 to meet the gathering threat to Europe posed by the Ottoman Turks, interspersed with AS's orations and observations during his travel from Rome to Mantua (II.1-44).

Overall, in the classically-inspired pages of AS's Commentaries, "composed in elegant humanistic Latin modeled on Caesar and Cicero,"we discover the highly-polished mirror of a Renaissance man amid the splendor and tumult of his times.2 Fittingly, the first two books of AS's Commentaries (and this volume) conclude with his praise of the noble young orator who had addressed the pope on his arrival in Mantua (II.44.1).3 Speaking of the beautiful young lady, only thirteen years of age, who on that occasion composed and delivered an oration in Latin worthy of her illustrious and eloquent host, AS remarked: "her style was so elegant that all who heard her were lost in wonder and admiration." (II.44.4) No small praise from the poet laureate and pope who in his younger days had himself held the courts and potentates of Europe captive with his eloquence.

Thimm's bibliography is one of the unique fencing related volumes of the nineteenth century. Along with Castle's "Schools and Masters of Fence," it should be in every fencing library. As the author of "The Art and Science of Fencing," "The Inner Game of Fencing," and "The Encyclopedia of the Sword;" and the Editor-in-Chief of FENCERS QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, I recommend it.

Thimm offers the most complete listing of historical fencing manuals and was one of the most thorough of Victorian era sword scholars. Most importnatly his material lists texts which actually still exist today and are being studied once again. - John Clements, HACA Director

It got to me on time and in good shape! It is a very well written book, great for anyone who is interested in Asiatic history, or borderland disputes.

"Crossed Histories" is a collection of articles written by competent scholars about cultural and subconscious meaning of the term 'Manchuria' in modern Asia. The multi-angled perspective of presenting japanese propaganda movies, utopian city planning, manchurian spy-turned princess and the fate of polish engineers and settlers - builders of the transsiberian railroad provides and interesting journey into the 1930s asian continent and serves as a starting point for anyone interested in that time period. The book hardly fills out the entire subject - rather is like a glimpse into the forgotten world of interwar Manchukuo and an array of cultural meanings it has for several eurasian nations. Becouse of being an inhabitant of Poland, I have my own specific understanding of that exotic realm, complaisant to images existing in my own national memory (the rule of Tsars over polish people, the career of polish intelligentsia on Siberia and our contribution in colonial exploration of Eurasia - which was completely accidental by the way) so it was great to see what 'Manchuria' means for Koreans, Chinese, Japanese and what feelings and memories it awakens in them. When I was in school, I had a friend who was born in a family repatriated from Mukden in 1949, and he posessed completely different mentality, than people that descended from families which have lived in Europe for centuries. In a way, Manchuria links many distant peoples of Eurasia - now they can just explore their interrelations and differences to try build real pan-asian understanding. To be frank, I seriously miss articles covering White Russians, jewish immigrants in Manchuria and indigenious Manchurians of course, they still existed in times of Manchukuo. I have a reason to think, howewer, that thanks to this book such articles will emerge in some time. Great as an intellectual stimulation for more complex studies of interwar Asia, which was undoubtly an ultimate goal of madam Mariko Tamanoi and her colleagues.

This book is a heart-warming, couragous story. I found myself smiling and by the end, shedding a few tears! What a great story about life, relationships, feelings and more. A must read for anyone!!

The thing about cancer is that only a person who has it knows how hard it really is to take care of the problem. It's not like you get to pick if you have it or not, it just happens.

In the book DEFIANCE a boy about 11 years old finds another lump on his side, He gets real scared, trust me if I had cancer and I found a lump on my side I would be worried too.

The one big mistake someone with cancer can do is not tell anyone and let it get worse. I know how hard it must be for the parents because they worry all the time. My grandma has lung cancer, and she dosn't even smoke. It's real hard to just leave them alone but you have to learn to and that is what this whole book is all about really, he wants his mom to leave him alone about his problem but is comes back and he just doesn't want to go through it agian. I wouldn't want to eather.

Toby meets someone who helps him make the right choices in the end so he soesn't make dumb ones, like not getting the treatment he needs for his cancer. he just wishes he could be a normal kid and that is what put this book together, the choices he made, and how he made them.

This text brings to surface the connection between philosophy and theology. The text includes some of Father Sweeney's previously published articles including:Was Augustine a Christian or a Neoplatonist? A great read for anyone wanting to better understand the link between theology and philosophy with empirical examples from some of the greatest thinkers.

It has been said that the starting point for the study of philosophy is a childlike sense of 'awe' at the universe and at existence itself. Fr. Sweeney certainly has that sense of awe and wonder at the world and at the ultimate reality: God. This wonder and awe has led him to contemplate God's nature, more specifically, the 'infinity'of His nature. Fr. Sweeney's brilliant work on the infinity of God spans four decades and is given a brilliant explicatio in this tome. I also recommend Fr. Sweeney's AUTHENTIC METAPHYSICS IN AN AGE OF UNREALITY and his recent CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY. Essential for students and scholars of the 'philosophia perennis.'