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Review
"Lucidly written, clearly structured, stunningly comprehensive, and highly accessible, the new edition of Rosenwein's "A Short History of the Middle Ages" should be required reading in any course that surveys medieval culture. The book will provide much needed historical background to students in many disciplines, including medieval literature, theology, and art. The inclusion of sensitively chosen visual material, an excellent selection of maps, and the newly-added 'Seeing the Middle Ages' feature will appeal especially to students of art history, who will benefit immeasurably from using Rosenwein's book as a companion volume to any standard text on medieval art." - Elina Gertsman, Assistant Professor, Medieval Art, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
"Elegantly written and beautifully produced, Rosenwein's "A Short History of the Middle Ages" is a treat for teachers and students alike. Clear and concise, the volume offers a fresh approach to the history of medieval Europe which blends exciting new analysis with careful fidelity to the sources. Luxurious images, deftly incorporated into the book's narrative, bring the period alive and provide opportunities for deeper discussion and reflection. Rosenwein is a masterful storyteller; her book will inspire and delight." - Fiona Griffiths, New York University
"Non-medievalist and habitual scorner of textbooks, I have used, enjoyed, and appreciated this book in earlier editions. It is clear, thoughtful, deeply expert, and refreshingly ecumenical. The maps and charts are good and useful, and the illustrations gorgeous, splendidly legible, well captioned, and put to thorough use. The real, rare treasure, though, is the lovelyEnglish, at once limpid and graciously respectful of student intelligence." - Thomas V. Cohen, York University
Bonnie Wheeler, Southern Methodist University
"Rosenwein's feat of synthesizing the strongest new scholarship in the field while writing for the general reader is unparalleled."
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent introduction to the Middle Ages for the student or interested reader. It covers Europe and also Islam.
The scholorship is up to date and incisive. The colour pictures mean that the book is also attractive and colourful.
The scholorship is up to date and incisive. The colour pictures mean that the book is also attractive and colourful.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Great introduction to medieval history in the West
20 Dec 2006
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a great introduction to medieval history in Europe and the Near East. Rosenwein starts with the fall of the Roman Empire and takes us all the way to the start of the high middle ages. Along the way we get the meat of the dark ages - one of the most interesting periods in my book. This book is very short for such breadth. The pace is incredibly rapid yet the book never feels rushed. The brevity is an asset - the book is easy and quick to read. It actually lives in our bathroom (!) Yet the tone is scholarly and even handed.
There some very good content here. Focus is evenly split amongst Byzantine Greek, Islamic Arabia, North Africa & Al Andalus, and Europe. The most powerful insight Rosenwein gives us in that all these disparate cultures are the descendants of ancient Rome - each in their own unique but related ways. There are timelines and family trees with successions of kings. These listings are not comprehensive, but give you a good taste. The book is beautifully illustrated. This isn't the meal - but rather an exquisite appetizer. Recommended.
There some very good content here. Focus is evenly split amongst Byzantine Greek, Islamic Arabia, North Africa & Al Andalus, and Europe. The most powerful insight Rosenwein gives us in that all these disparate cultures are the descendants of ancient Rome - each in their own unique but related ways. There are timelines and family trees with successions of kings. These listings are not comprehensive, but give you a good taste. The book is beautifully illustrated. This isn't the meal - but rather an exquisite appetizer. Recommended.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
A very good introductory medieval text
7 Sep 2007
Format:Paperback
This is a wonderful introductory medieval text. No introductory text can be all things to all people, but this one is still remarkable in its ability to address the most pressing issues. If Amazon allowed half stars I might have gone with 4 1/2 instead of 5, but it is closer to 5 stars than 4. The things that Rosenwein does VERY well include:
1) Chapter one is background on the Classical/Roman era to give students some perspective on the origin of the Middle Ages.
2) Inclusion of cultures beyond Western Europe is a huge plus. There is adequate coverage of events in Byzantium, the Islamic World, and later, of the Ottomans.
3) Includes excellent discussion of the art of the times. This includes the excellent, full page, high quality color pictures of relevent art and architecture.
4) A quality book overall. The maps are also often in full color, with a few in black in white.
5) A very readable academic style. The edge between being "unacademic" and being so scholarly as to be unaccessable is a fine one. Rosenwein sticks to it very well, seldom falling to either side.
There are, of course, areas of interest where I wish that she would go into more detail, but as other reviewers and commenters have noted, this IS an intro text, designed to be "short" and also it is aimed at the average undergrad who may not have a strong background in history. Professors constantly struggle with finding good quality books that students will actually read! A good professor will be able to adequately augment in the places where more depth is needed.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book for the classroom, and for anyone who is interested in a broad view of 1200 years of history, this is an enjoyable introduction, although if military/political history of only Western Europe (France, England, Germany, Italy) is your only interest, this may not be the book for you.
1) Chapter one is background on the Classical/Roman era to give students some perspective on the origin of the Middle Ages.
2) Inclusion of cultures beyond Western Europe is a huge plus. There is adequate coverage of events in Byzantium, the Islamic World, and later, of the Ottomans.
3) Includes excellent discussion of the art of the times. This includes the excellent, full page, high quality color pictures of relevent art and architecture.
4) A quality book overall. The maps are also often in full color, with a few in black in white.
5) A very readable academic style. The edge between being "unacademic" and being so scholarly as to be unaccessable is a fine one. Rosenwein sticks to it very well, seldom falling to either side.
There are, of course, areas of interest where I wish that she would go into more detail, but as other reviewers and commenters have noted, this IS an intro text, designed to be "short" and also it is aimed at the average undergrad who may not have a strong background in history. Professors constantly struggle with finding good quality books that students will actually read! A good professor will be able to adequately augment in the places where more depth is needed.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book for the classroom, and for anyone who is interested in a broad view of 1200 years of history, this is an enjoyable introduction, although if military/political history of only Western Europe (France, England, Germany, Italy) is your only interest, this may not be the book for you.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
History Buff
25 Feb 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I appreciate this book more with each reading. It is good to start off with. As the author writes in the introduction, some people want a short history of the middle ages. After reading the book the first time, I wanted more, and so I read several other books. When I came back to review, I realize that every sentence is important. The author has done an amazing job of outlining the forest without getting tangled up in the trees.
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