Very, very interesting - highly recommended

Decided to purchase this after several very enjoyable listens to Barbara W Tuchmann's - A Distant Mirror. While this is written / read in the same style - it was more... juicy. Almost like a 'Rough Guide' to the Middle Ages. Had two listens already - one after the other!

53 people found this helpful

Very enjoyable

I'm enjoying this enormously. Once I'd left school I always enjoyed historical fiction more than the history I'd been taught at grammar school for 'O' levels (oops, showing my age!) because I was much more interested in 'bringing the past to life' than in bare facts and figures.

The 14th century, which this book focuses on rather than any of the other 'medieval' centuries, was one of fundamental change, radical new ideas, tumultuous events - the Black Death, the Peasants' Revolt - and yet a lot of things stayed basically the same.

I was fascinated by the way fashions changed, and yet the people could be doing exactly the same jobs, dressed differently, from their grandparents. The prosperous villein driving his plough-team of oxen is dressed differently from his grandfather earlier in the century, but he's still driving a team of oxen, scowling at the man guiding the plough! People's jobs did not change. The sumptuary laws meant that you had to dress according to your 'station in life', not just whether you could afford better, or not. It reminded me of that hymn that goes 'The rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate. God made them high or lowly, and ordered their estate'.

Those earlier times are where that thinking came from. It has lasted until quite recent times.

This book really does go into the basic minutiae of life and brings it all vividly into focus. More please, other centuries!

32 people found this helpful

A fascinating listen

As someone who has an interest (albeit fairly 'amateur') in medieval history, I found listening to this audiobook both fascinating and informative. It is very well written and read out and a must for all those interested in social history.

44 people found this helpful

Excellent and informative

So many history books only focus on the major events in their given time. This book takes you down to the nitty gritty of every day life in Medieval England. It is well written and beautifully narrated. I would thoroughly recommend it.

23 people found this helpful

Hitchhikers Guide + Lonely Planet for Dr Who!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I's recommend this book for anyone with an interest in medieval social history.

What did you like best about this story?

Its not a story and so it puzzles me why Audible ask this stupid bloody question about factual books, especially when it goes on to ask who your favourite character is!!! Book up your ideas Audible you sell the books, sort out a review system tailored to the specific book. As the world's largest online retailer you shouldn't find it hard. Pay some tax whilst your at it....

What does Jonathan Keeble bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Good informative reading. I couldn't help but be reminded of the calm, authoritative tones of the Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy on the BBC excellent adaptation of Douglas Adam's classics.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Found a TARDIS? Going to medieval times? You need this book in your life!

Any additional comments?

A great way to garner an understanding of life in medieval England. It deals with a myriad of different subjects from latrine cleaners to Kings, food, medicine, agricultural in a warm, witty educational way!

8 people found this helpful

Signposts would have been helpful to find the way

This is certainly a very worthy listen and I know that I have learned a lot of facts but it was not what I had expected. I had anticipated a more experiential journey through the homes and lives of the people, both rich and poor. And this book does give glimpse, but so stuffed with dates, names, place and time changes that the text became, for me, incoherent. I would far rather, for example, have visited a fairly typical small village , for example, and been shown the homes the food, the daily routines, customs, health, religious feelings etc of the villagers there before moving into the towns or talking about the more wealthy and the aristocracy. But all tended to segue into each other. This was not helped by the lack of chapter titles and even the numbered sections didn't seem to conform to any specific subject area.
Overall, Jonathan Keeble did well as a narrator but even he seemed to tire beneath the relentless lists of dates and titles at times. His finest reading also coincided with my favourite part of the book : the last 15 minutes - not because of relief that it was almost at an end but because, at last the author started to talk freely about the meaning of the past. Would that the rest of the book had flowed as easily.
Possibly the fault lies in this being an audio book and a written version would be more accessible.

26 people found this helpful

Totally unputdownable - recommend 100%

I really didn't know much about this period in history (I had very poor history teachers at school) and being a sci-fi fan the title appealed to me. There wasn't much more behind my decision to purchase this book than that.

What I got was a really well structured book taking me through everyday life and society of the 14th century - town planning, fashion, travel, food and drink, humour, battle and war, chivalry, family life, medicine and health, well every part of life. Also I found it interesting how things changed over 100 years.

I almost felt prepared for my time travel journey to 14th century England but think I'd like to listen to it again before going to make sure I'm aware of all the customs and have noted the hints and tips to make sure I'm not swindled.

I had trouble pausing this audio book as I didn't want to stop listening! This is a complete surprise as I wouldn't have considered myself a history fan before listening to this.

It is definitely the one I recommend most highly of all the books I've listened to so far.

45 people found this helpful

Very enjoyable.

Brings to life the era in an entertaining and refreshing way.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys History - this one is a little out of the ordinary and well worth a listen.

28 people found this helpful

A stroll through history

This is an excellent book, and the narrator remains engaging and informative throughout.

What is striking is how very similar life in the medaevil time was to life today. People still worked for bosses who kept the lion's share of any profit, took trips to see famous sights where they bought souvenirs, saw doctors who were basically making it up as they went along, and if accused of a crime, found the burden of proof to be upon themselves to prove their innocence.

I especially enjoyed the chapters on travelling around the country and the sights and people you were likely to meet, and the way the book explodes many long-held myths about life in the 14th Century.

Highly recommended.

11 people found this helpful

Superb in every way !

As I am interested in this era of British history, I decided to purchase it. The book is superbly written by Ian Mortimer, close your Eyes and listen, it's almost like being there living it. The book is excellently narrated, I wish other books from different times in our history were written in the same way as Ian Mortimer has done this book.

16 people found this helpful