About book A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind And The Renaissance: Portrait Of An Age (1993)
Until the last year or so, I had not often chosen to read books about history. I think I was just too put off by memorizing dates and names in high school. But I've been impressed with the books I've read recently and my interest is piqued. And this book came highly recommended to me by my hubby's professor, so I figured I'd check it out. Full of intrigue, treachery, lust and greed, it was almost as unbelievable and filled with subplots as a soap opera. They do say that truth is stranger than fiction, right? I have read that abuses in the name of religion have been rampant throughout the ages, but from what I read in this book, no other age was nearly as corrupt and devoid of principles and morality as this time period. Scandals abound and this book illustrates the axiom that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of life during these times. Many fictional tales about this time period overly romanticize the chivalry and courtliness and gloss over the ugly realities. But life 600 years ago was short, violent and dirty. It was fascinating to read how different members of society lived, what they ate, and even how they were (or weren't) named or clothed. I especially liked the background on some of the more familiar literary figures and where truth and fiction separate (like the Pied Piper, Lancelot, Leonardo da Vinci and Lucretia Borgia.)The section on Magellan and his adventure against all odds to attempt to circumnavigate the globe is very interesting, though a bit disjointed with the rest of the book. As an aviator and navigator, I am in awe of those who were able to travel so far and navigate so precisely without the tools, tables and computers we have available today. And they did it without an clock able to keep precise time at sea (they hadn't been invented yet,) which makes the task even more monumental! [For more information about that discovery, read [book:Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time|4806] by Dava Sobel.] Prior to reading this book I knew that Magellan's epic journey had accomplished something no one else had before - circumnavigating the globe and proving conclusively that the world is round - but I knew very little about the details of his trip. My only complaint would be that at times it was pretty dense reading and it took over a week to get through the book. It didn't help that the copy I was loaned was missing the last 14 pages, but luckily our local library had a copy so I was able to finish in a timely fashion. Finally, when I first read the title, my thoughts ran to the idea of the lack of electricity and the need for fire and torches to light the night. I shudder now to think about the underlying meaning of this title, the sheer number of people who were burned at the stake for heresy in this very brutal age. I am so fortunate to live in these times!new words: prurient, martinet, harquebus, meretricious,obloquy, exculpation
My daughter brought this book to my attention about 10 years ago. "WHAT?!? You haven't read this?!? Here!" with a forceful thrust, causing the book to thump into my chest rather painfully. (The bruises have since healed.) Since that copy, I have given to others eleven more; I seem to be able to keep the book for about six months before someone just *has* to read it and *now*, so out it goes again. Weeks go by, and I fretfully search the used bookeries for another copy; always one shows up, usually in very good to unread condition (philistines! Imagine having this book and not reading it!), and spend the buck or so to bring it home *for the last time* as I will keep *this* one forever.Uh-huh. As we see, that resolve is doomed. I'm sending this one to that soldier who wanted history books. He'll like this one, I bet!It's a leap of imagination that I feel 21st-century people have small success at making, but the time when the world was lit only by fire didn't end until late in the 19th century. No flipping switches for instant light. No reading lamp that just needs a little flick to provide bright, shadowless (unless you sited it in a funny place) light for as long as you like. No street illumination worth a damn.A world of shadows. A world of unseen details. A world that gave us fabulous artistic achievements, amazing literary joys, and most of our modern ideas about religion, which I for one could do without.Manchester makes this world shimmer into focus, bronze-gold candleflame coloring each and every idea, achievement, material object he describes. We really see what he's talking about through their eyes, if we possess even a hint of imagination.I love this book, and I think everyone in the least bit interested in history should read it because it's beautifully written and conceived. It's a pleasure to pass it on to another initiate. I hope he falls in love the way I did. Please try it. It's worth your time to sink without a ripple into a world long vanished.
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Firstly I must admit that I have very little knowledge of the Renaissance (I found it a boring subject at school!) but I found this book to be a very interesting and entertaining account of that period. The author makes clear at the start of the book that it was not going to be a scholarly masterpiece. Fair enough, he produced what I think was a good book that got you thinking about the subject he was presenting. Now that he has sparked your interest you can go and find some scholarly tome to get the rest of the story. This book was an easy to read and lively account of that period and I found it a joy to read.
—'Aussie Rick'
I didn't finish this book. As I basically study the middle ages, all the information was not new or its credibility was highly questionable. Seriously, this guy HATES the middle ages and this book is a one sided rant on how completely dumb and primitive the people were before the Rennaissance saved everyone.One such random fact that the author gets stuck on is that silverware wasn't introduced until the end of the 16th (maybe 15th...errr) century. Gasp! How can they be so uncivilized??? Using their hands to eat? There seem to be plenty of world cultures that get along fine today using their hands as utensils...Basically, a civilization that doesn't strive for progress for the sake of progress is not worthy of existing. Granted, lots of external things lead up to the supposed stoppage in progress...plagues, famines, the collapse of rome. Yet, most of Europe, while part of the Roman empire, never had the technology that Rome was known for.Most importantly, in his one sided attack, he gloriously praises people like Magellan for proving that the world was round (even though people had known this for centuries) while completely glossing over the nameless people of the middle ages who also strove for progress. Their namelessness, to him, makes them less worthy. Still, learning went on in monasteries if of a different kind than today. He even slights the great cathedrals built by these nameless workers despite the new discoveries in architecture that have kept them standing even today. Ok...I could go on...but I'm gonna stop.
—Sarah Fisher
William Manchester characterizes the Middle Ages as one of "obsession with strange myths and almost impenetrable mindlessness." In fact, this is a perfect description of the flaws of his book, which is among the worst works of history I have ever read. Full disclosure: I put it down in disgust after page 102 and did not pick it up again.Still, the book did contain the following favorite howlers, which made it so bad that at times it was almost good:• Medieval people had no sense of time: "Generations succeeded one another in a meaningless timeless blur." (I wonder how they figured out when to plant their crops or how to show up for church on the right day of the week?)• In summertime, peasants went about naked. (I don't remember seeing a lot of naked peasants in medieval art. Perhaps the author is thinking about cherubim and seraphim.)• Prostitutes were the cleanest people in Europe during the Middle Ages, because they had to expose their entire bodies. (It's nice to hear something good about the Middle Ages for a change.)• Teenage peasant girls were well-behaved on Sundays, but on weekdays "opened their blouses, hiked their skirts and romped the fields in search of phalli." (Apparently this was to avoid the dreaded fate of spinsterhood.)• The English of both sexes were known even then for their insolence. Their women were so foul-mouthed that Joan of Arc called them the "goddamns". (He's probably thinking of New Yorkers).• Adultery amongst the nobility was typical and usually took place with the agreement of both spouses. (Very civilized of them, no?)• The basic cause of the moral loosening of Europe during the early years of the Renaissance was the growth of wealth. During the early sixteenth century, lust seethed throughout Europe. Rome, the capital of Christendom, was the capital of sin. (I believe the author was raised in a stern Protestant New England household in the early part of the last century, although the mindset seems more 19th century than anything else.)
—Gordon
