A World Lit Only by Fire
The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance Portrait of an Age

This was a fantastic book that is highly readable for fans of art and history alike. It describes the way the world was on the cusp of modernity as we moved from the Middle Ages towards the Renaissance. It is similar to other books on the subject (Panofksy comes to mind), but this one is written a b......more

Magellan in Context Manchester starts off writing a biography of Magellan, but in his attempt to put a context to his life, motivations and adventures, ends up expanding his scope until some six centuries of the medieval period are swallowed up by the story. Manchester then repackages the book as a b......more

If you are looking for a well researched and reasoned history of the Dark Ages and the Renaissance do not read this book. If you are looking for a starting point for the Intellectual History of Europe during the Dark Ages and Renaissance; this book might be a good way to go. The historical accuracy o......more

"If I were to teach a history course for highschoolers, I'd use this book." "It describes how people lived, ate, took care of personal hygiene, worked, and played to compare (not criticize) live in 1500. For those who are jut getting into history it engages on the social aspects of history and create......more

I studied History of Art so spent many years looking at the Renaissance, not just the paintings themselves but the cultural context, the political and religious events at the time. That does not make me an expert but I know a fair bit. What I know less about is the Middle Ages before this rebirth. I......more