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Dec 16, 2009

Susan rated it:

I have the audio book (abridged) which I've listened to through the state of Nevada, a state in which to listen to audio books.

I picked up the book thinking that I didn't know much about the Middle Ages, but as I listened, Cahill reintroduced me to some of my favorite historical figures: Hildegard, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Roger Bacon, Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, Dante, Giotto. I realized that I knew more about the Middle Ages than I thought.

Cahill talks of the More...

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Nov 07, 2007

Pamela rated it:

This is the Reader's Digest take on history. Like any good digest, Cahill draws on the Middle Ages' most interesting topics and presents said topics very accessibly. Despite being disappointingly low on cults and mysteries (false advertising!), this book was a great introduction to religious art and philosophy. Never before have I found the two to be more accessibly presented. However the whimsical illustrations (not the photos, but the gargoyles littering every other page) and riffing tange More...

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Sep 22, 2008

Katie rated it:

This was a pretty book, generous with maps, photos, illustrations, and set in a beautiful typeface. Sadly, that's the best I can say for it. This was a superficial, chatty waste of money and time. I absolutely need to get better at playing the "Five minutes in an airport bookstall without a taste for mysteries, political nonsense, or LOSE ALL YOUR FATS NOW women's magazines - find a book and GO!" game. I felt crankier after reading this in flight than I imagine I would have if I'd just More...

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Oct 11, 2010

Siobhan rated it:

Mysteries of the Middle Ages is a joy to read, and not just because of the author’s pleasant writing style or his choice of a fascinating, little-touched topic. The first surprise about the book is its design. Of course, one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, and in this case, that’s very true. The cover is no great shakes; the treasures are all inside, from the way footnotes are presented to the typeface on the first page of each chapter. Medieval works of are depicted and explained, to suppo More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Sep 16, 2010

Alex rated it:

MYSTERIES OF THE MIDDLE AGES: AND THE BEGINNING OF THE MODERN WORLD BY THOMAS CAHILL: In the fifth book in his Hinges of History series, Thomas Cahill takes on the period of the middle ages, going into depth on the important people of the era and what effect they had on the history. Regardless of the actual content of the book, Mysteries of the Middles Ages deserves an award for excellence in design and layout. It is one of the most ornate and beautifully designed books I’ve ever read. As soo More...

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Jul 08, 2008

Ian rated it:

The central thesis that Mr. Cahill sets forth in Mysteries of the Middle Ages certainly intrigued me from the outset. I was very curious to see the threads of modern thinking rising from the ashes of the Roman Empire, and how the Catholic Church facilitated this remarkable transition. Unfortunately, I never felt that the author completely proved his main argument. While I enjoyed the examples provided by Francis of Assisi, Francis Bacon, Hildegard, etc. I never really felt that this book came to More...

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Aug 04, 2011

Jacob added it

Cahill argues that those terrible dark ages actually sparked movements that elevated women and anticipated science.

Cahill is always worth reading. He is very interesting and is a good writer. He brings up many topics that modern academics ignore.

The bad parts:
1) While he gets the general overview of history correct, his specific analyses are usually wrong--and wrong by a long shot. For example, he said that the Greek Orthodox were not as concerned with the Incarnation as the Romans. Thi More...

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Jan 14, 2012

Sallie rated it:

It is so much fun to read a book where there's a fairly routine need to stop and look up a word. Cahill's approach to history is so lively and intellectual (at least for this old brain) that I feel entirely enlivened just realizing I read the book. To highlight several illustrious historic figures (Francis of Assisi, Hildegard of Bingen, and Dante Alighieri--to name a few)instead of using a linear way of covering the same ground is brilliant, not to mention fresh and stimulating, both.

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Oct 18, 2011

William rated it:

Cahill does one thing tremendously well in this text: present the Middle Ages as a patchwork quilt of many different characters and movements. He also shows how each stacks on top of another rather than leaving each isolated on their own terms. Although some of the pairings were unexpected (Francis of Assisi along with Eleanor of Aquitane did not fit my image of lovers before.), others were spot on (Giotto and Dante make perfect sense.).

The rants that Cahill writes on our modern More...

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Jul 27, 2011

James added it

In Cahill's words, this work is a patchwork quilt of the Middle Ages, instead of an expertly summarized one. Despite this acknowledgment, the book is far too flighty. A roller coaster ride from Hildegard to Eleanor, St. Francis, Peter Abilard, Roger Bacon, Giotto and Dante.

And it is biased. As a historian, Cahill should stick to historical fact and reasonable extrapolation. Instead, we are treated to his abhorrence of the modern death penalty, his disagreement with Bush's "mindless" More...

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Aug 17, 2009

Steven rated it:

This is a well written book that illustrates some of the major advances toward a more modern world that occurred during the middle ages. This is largely accomplished through a detailed examination of several key people (and one could surely quibble with these selections, although they are pretty reasonable to me): Hildegarde of Bingen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Francis of Assisi, Peter Abelard, Henry II (Plantagenet), Roger Bacon, Dante, Giotto, and a handful of others.

One issue that bo More...

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Feb 11, 2012

Kate rated it:

I listened to this book and enjoyed it. I really enjoyed liked hearing about St. Francis of Assisi and I recalled visiting there with my mom. I enjoyed hearing about the rise of some of the artists and monarchs of that time. I like his writing style and he adds humor and some punchy comments to the way people lived. The copyright of the book is 2006, so its fairly recent. In the end, he wraps it all up and tries to relate the middle ages to our current time. In so doing, he gets a few digs in More...

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Mar 15, 2010

Hester rated it:

A beautiful set of short biographies of medieval thinkers, published as a modern version of an illuminated manuscript, that could have used an editor. Some sections of this book educate in truly impressive ways. I studied art history and saw Giotto in person, but this book taught me why Giotto mattered. That is an impressive achievement. On the other hand, Cahill's thoughts on the world(and Catholicism) today intrude far too often on his reflections of earlier Catholic thought and institutio More...

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Jun 13, 2010

Carmen rated it:

Great read! Thomas Cahill makes history so understandable and interesting. In the course of the book he describes many women. One of them is Hildegard of Bingen. I had always wanted to learn more about her. He also describes Eleanor of Aquitaine, and even though I have read about her, I learned more in the reading of this book. She was a strong woman who was not afraid to grab what she wanted. This I had known, but what I didn't know is that she became more religious as she aged and did wor More...

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Sep 16, 2011

Darcy rated it:

Overall loved it and gave me a lot of food for thought. The writing was somewhat uneven, where some chapters were a straight history lesson and some had thoughtful analyses of advances of the expression of the human spirit. I didn't buy the chapter on feminism. I don't believe that feminism arose from the middle ages because of the social acceptance of fabulous, unique women such as Hildegard and Eleanor. Women were never viewed as more than chattel until Jesus said all were equal in God--wo More...

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Oct 11, 2010

B. rated it:

I enjoyed the book, yet I felt the author injected a little more of his personal preferences than I would have expected in a history. I gained some knowledge of the period that I might not have otherwise, but I would only buy it in paperback.

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Aug 25, 2011

Amber ~Geektastic~ is currently reading it

Mysteries of the Middle Ages is history told through biography and anecdote. While it covers grand themes, as the title implies, it does so in an immediate, small scale way that makes the transitions of time more accessible to lay readers (i.e.: me).

I picked Mysteries up somewhat by chance; I was reading Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, and wanted to supplement my meager knowledge of the period. Originally, I passed this over because it was too expensive at my local Borders (it h More...

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Feb 22, 2010

Laura rated it:

I really did like this book. First of all, I liked the physicality of the book, with all the beautiful pictures, and the dramatic text. Cahill is a story-teller, and writes as he might speak. If we catch sight of his occasional embroideries or his forceful opinions, we forgive them for being so charmingly and frankly wrot. And what is history if not a story, informed and shaped by the teller? This book is the 5th in his series of seven about the “hinges of history”, “How the Irish Saved Civ More...

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Feb 13, 2010

Megan rated it:

Few historians, aside from Will and Ariel Durant, have the ability to make history read like literature. Thomas Cahill is one such storyteller with his civilization series, and Mysteries of the Middle Ages has a way of bringing it all full circle. Filled with wonderfully lush illustrations, along with fascinating insights into the lives of such female giants in Medieval Europe as Eleanor of Acquitaine. I was particularly intrigued to learn more of Hildegard von Bingen, the German nun who may hav More...

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Mar 16, 2009

Jackie rated it:

This is the first book in a long time that I've stopped reading mid-way through. I appreciated the pictures. I like pictures. But they could not compensate for the otherwise amateur composition of this book.

The frequent plugs for Cahill's other books in the text are arrogant, but understandable. The idiot-friendly comparisons between medieval troubadors and the Rolling Stones are annoying, but tolerable. But the fact that he makes judgments which are not only out-of-context, but More...

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Feb 19, 2009

Cody rated it:

"Mysteries" is one in a series of Thomas Cahill books that he terms "the hinges of history". The series overall explores ancient cultures, individuals, and events that shape contemporary Western culture. In an attempt to expand my appreciation and understanding of the society I live in, I keep going back to the series. I'm drawn to it because of my desire to know, not because I find it particularly pleasurable to plow through! I do like this book but I can't say I enjoyed it. More...

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Jan 17, 2012

Brian rated it:

Sadly, this book did not have the academic tenor I was hoping for. While Cahill has a splendid knowledge of the time period, and focuses on some of its most influential people (from both stately and humble origins) whose lives merit books unto themselves, he unfortunately can't keep himself from sticking his sweaty thumb into the delicious pudding he'd otherwise been making, so to speak. That is, his writing gets way too informal at times, using slang as a way to dumb down (thanks for the insult More...

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Sep 04, 2011

djgalvan rated it:

This book was fascinating. I will certainly read more by Thomas Cahill. The long passages of latin and 14th century Italian, though read perfectly by the obviously learned author, got a bit much as I was listening to the book as an audiobook. However, Cahill treats a deep and challenging subject in an interesting fashion, without sacrificing the depth of knowledge he presents. He does not oversimplify, or talk down to the reader.

When I saw the title, I was expecting a read about t More...

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Oct 11, 2010

Jay rated it:

I was a little disappointed by this book. As the author explains--very belatedly, in the notes section that follows the 300-page text--he means "mysteries" in the sense of the secret rites of the ancient Greek worshippers of Demeter, not in the sense of things that are unexplained. Judge for yourself if his topics meet his own definition of "mysteries": How the Romans Became the Italians; the rise of the cult of the Virgin Mary; the origins of courtly love; the rise of univer More...

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May 07, 2010

Sue rated it:

I find some of the reviews here a bit harsh. This book isn't a college textbook on the middle ages--that wasn't its intent. It's an overview of several different aspects of the early church, occasionally going into more depth on significant characters that left a lasting affect that still touches us today, and he lists the reasons why and how. in that respect, I appreciate that he does state opinions on current events. Any author who says their work is unbiased is either naive or lying, so to cr More...

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Dec 10, 2009

Sarah rated it:

I love Cahill. I can just imagine us as bff's back in high school, before he got all fancy with his many languages and intimidating words, abandoning me sometime during college to travel with some far more interesting people and discuss art. With some of his previous books his familiar tone and quirky self-promoting asides have grated on my nerves and I've had to overcome that to enjoy the book. This time around I just found him delightful and entertaining. Must vary depending on my mood.
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Feb 14, 2009

Jennifer (JC-S) rated it:

‘The problem of universals’

This book manages to inform, illuminate and irritate: a good example of the process of educating. I enjoyed most aspects of the book: the information is well-presented and the language is clear and concise. Mr Cahill has provided some components of medieval history of which I was only vaguely aware, albeit with some interpretations and conclusions with which I may not fully agree. For me, the value of this particular book is the background information pro More...

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Aug 10, 2008

Melea rated it:

I find Thomas Cahill a historian who writes in a style that is easily understood, has an enriching vocabulary, and draws conclusions that make me think. This particular volume was fascinating to me. I do have one dispute, the last chapter (Postlude: Love in the Ruins: A Dantesque Reflection) was a vitriolic, assault on the Roman Catholic Church. Cahill draws the conclusion that the excesses of the medieval Church are continuing to this day in the current sexual abuse scandal. I have no problem w More...

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Feb 17, 2011

Snail in Danger (Sid) rated it:

Unfortunately, this book didn't really live up to the promise of its subtitle. The existence of Hildegard of Bingen doesn't really prove the existence of feminism or feminist thought at that time, though I concede that Roger Bacon has a place in scientific history. However, the author seems to have wildly exaggerated the importance of Francis of Assisi.

In general, this book seems to have been written for Catholics who are concerned about the leadership that Church is providing, thoug More...

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Sep 04, 2009

Jenny rated it:

This was a really pleasant book to listen to--Cahill reads it himself in his lilting accent. There's a great introduction about the classic world and how that influenced everything that followed, including church politics. There are great overviews of Dante, Eleanor of Aquitane, and Saint Francis of Assisi.

The best part about this book is that he explores complex issues--that still play a big part in our lives today--and describes them beautifully, artfully. Quite like Simon Winches More...

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