Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Life in a Medieval Castle

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 427 ratings · 30 reviews

The authors allow medieval man and woman to speak for themselves through selections from past journals, songs, even account books."-- "Time" "The authors allow medieval man and woman to speak for themselves through selections from past journals, songs, even account books." "--Time" "The Gieses succeed in making a remote and unfamiliar world accessible." "--Kirkus Reviews

Paperback, 288 pages

Published April 25th 1979 by Harper Perennial (first published 1974)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Castles on the Cover

60th out of 167 books — 38 voters

The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

The Valley of Unknowing by Philip Sington

The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

De Profundis and Other Writings by Oscar Wilde

The Ballad of Reading Gaol and Other Poems by Oscar Wilde

Walls

111th out of 121 books — 20 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 808)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

May 21, 2011 Karen Brooks rated it 5 of 5 stars

A funny thing happened to me with this book. I was reading it on a plane when the gentleman next to me exclaimed, 'That would have to be the most boring book I have ever read!' Having been so engrossed in the book, I'd failed to notice he was reading over my shoulder and first assumed he must be referring to the novel he'd fallen asleep reading. But when he continued with, 'why, there's no torture or dungeons in it or anything!' I realised he WAS reading my book. I was so lost in the narrative,...more A funny thing happened to me with this book. I was reading it on a plane when the gentleman next to me exclaimed, 'That would have to be the most boring book I have ever read!' Having been so engrossed in the book, I'd failed to notice he was reading over my shoulder and first assumed he must be referring to the novel he'd fallen asleep reading. But when he continued with, 'why, there's no torture or dungeons in it or anything!' I realised he WAS reading my book. I was so lost in the narrative, in the unfolding of history, of the way Joseph and Frances Gies bring life in a medieval castle to... well, life,that I'd forgotten my recent surgeon's appointment (reason I was on the plane), the take-off, fellow passengers, and ride, because I was utterly captivated. All of which just goes to demonstrate how subjective the reading experience is - this man's pain was my pleasure. (I should add, I quickly dispelled him of the idea it was boring and he could only have read a few pages anyhow. The reason I know this is because up until a short period before he spoke to me, he'd been snoring like a roadside drill).

The Gies' compelling non-fiction work takes the reader back in time, depositing us firmly in the midst of the life and times of the castle - not the ones you see on television or in too many films, all scrupulously clean and with everyone tidy and far too accomplished with weapons, food preparation and all sorts of other duties; or the type filled to the brim with aristocrats and where servants are largely absent or so in the background you barely notice them. No, these castles, mainly in England, but also abroad, are filled with pantlers, bottlers (where the term 'butler' originates from), slaughterers, smiths, grooms, carters, brewers and all manner of servants. There are also the requisite lord and lady, squires and knights, but also seneschals and other administrative people. Taking us through the various roles - within the castle and village surrounds, what people ate, wore, celebrated - from Lammas to tournaments, how the castles were built, altered, the manner in which they were defended or attacked as well as simply lived in and around, this book is a fascinating and beautifully written (and translated) insight into a period of time that's all too easily misrepresented and romanticised in popular culture (not that there's anything wrong with that, unless you're a dinky-di history buff and want more than constant spit and polish). It also explains why the castle declined and provides a comprehensive list of castles to visit throughout the UK and Europe as well as a terrific glossary at the back.

Far from boring, I devoured this book and am looking forward to tackling the others in the series. (less)

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2013 Kaesa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-mine, history

I really enjoyed this book. I've been reading a lot of medieval nonfiction lately to capture the flavor of the era in my writing, and so this series, which is filled with interesting little details and stories about medieval people, has been really helpful.

I keep trying to pick a favorite part of the book, but I can't decide between the descriptions of feasts and celebrations (including the necessity of storing and shipping lampreys for very distinguished feasters), the discussion of the practic...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2011 Pat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful history of the European, British and Irish castles. It explains how and why they were built,beginning with William the Conqueror from Normandy. It explains building methods, the feudal system, how family life developed in the castle, how the castle evolved to be more easily defended, why the castles were so important in warfare, the Knights and their lives and the peasants/workers lives. Explained was also how that war using gun powder and centralized government brought the end of the...more

like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: medieval-history, non-fiction, popular-history, social-history, kings, military-history-of-warfare

This was the first and thus far the only book I have read by these authors (though I own several others I have yet to find the time to read) – it is a fascinating exploration of socio-political history the authors help to put flesh on the ‘bare bones’ of the crumbling stone ruins and empty shells which are all that sadly remains of castles today. They go beyond examining only the political or military function of castles (though this is covered) to explore castles in their roles as homes, and th...more This was the first and thus far the only book I have read by these authors (though I own several others I have yet to find the time to read) – it is a fascinating exploration of socio-political history the authors help to put flesh on the ‘bare bones’ of the crumbling stone ruins and empty shells which are all that sadly remains of castles today. They go beyond examining only the political or military function of castles (though this is covered) to explore castles in their roles as homes, and the ‘headquarters’ of estates with the central focus on Chepstow on the Welsh borders, but also other castles.

In chapters under titles such as ‘The Lord of the Castle’ ‘The Lady’ and the ‘The Household’ the inhabitants of castles are vividly bought to life, from the highest to the lowest, and the society in which castles played such an important role is examined. Along the way there are many gems of information, useful, enlightening and entertaining. One of my personal favourites was the section on table manners and dining etiquette which belies the popular misconception that medieval people were uncouth, uncivilised and vulgar- and reveals striking parallels between the etiquette of the middle ages and today. The sections on hunting, which reveal its roles as a social activity, ‘The Making of a Knight’ and ‘The Castle as a House’ are also fascinating.

My only complaint was that some of the information the first chapter did seem a little over simplified in some parts, and the claim that the Normans beat the English and Hastings because they were ‘better’ than them seemed represent a rather outdated interpretation- although this may be a reflection of the fact that the book was written in the 70s. As a result of the nationality of the authors there are some Americanisms (such as Richard the Lionhearted) which may prove a slight annoyance to British readers, and some might find the numerous photographs peppered throughout a history book distracting or irksome. Personally I had to problem with these, and felt they illustrated some of the themes and points made rather well.

The writing style of the authors makes the book accessible and not too high-brow or scholarly but not at the expense of primary source material which is used and included throughout the book. This said, those looking for a more detailed and in-depth examination of some of the subject matter with and academic slant which analysis and some of the sources won’t find much of it here. Although written by Medievalist Historians, ‘Life in a Medieval Castle’ is very much popular history- and very good popular history too.
(less)

like · see review

Sep 24, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, in-english, non-fiction, medieval, read-in-2012

This book was interesting, a quick exposition of the history of the Medieval Castle and everything we know about it. The book promised to tell you how people lived back in the day, and it definitely tries to sell you that picture. But the problem is, we just know too little about every day life in this era, and therefore the information in the book was ultimately unsatisfying.

Through combining different sources however, it does try to give as full a picture as is possible, tackling issues that...more This book was interesting, a quick exposition of the history of the Medieval Castle and everything we know about it. The book promised to tell you how people lived back in the day, and it definitely tries to sell you that picture. But the problem is, we just know too little about every day life in this era, and therefore the information in the book was ultimately unsatisfying.

Through combining different sources however, it does try to give as full a picture as is possible, tackling issues that have become subject to misconceptions, for instance the role of the Lady of the Castle:

- It seems to have been bigger than generally believed, and it is believed that the Lady played a big part in the castle's politics once she was married, leading the estate and even armies when the husband was indisposed;
- Aka, some ladies also used to wear armour, yes!;
- Women are credited with having a bigger sexual libido than men, one that the men couldn't satisfy fully (compare that to today's notion of "men always have sex on their minds);
- Most marriages appear to have been happy;
- On education:

"The daughter of a great lord was typically brought up away from home, in the castle of another noble family, or in a convent, where she might spend her life if she did not marry. Education of girls evidently compared favorably with that of their brothers. The differences in the training of the two sexes were given a jocular exaggeration by the writers of romances, who pictured boys as learning “to feed a bird, to hawk, to know hunting dogs, to shoot bow and arrow, to play chess and backgammon,” or “fencing, horsemanship and jousting,” whereas girls learned “to work with needle and shuttle…read, write and speak Latin,” or to “sing songs, tell stories and embroider.” Ladies of rank were patrons of poets and wrote poetry themselves, and some devoted themselves to learning. Yet, like their husbands, ladies enjoyed hunting and hawking (on their seals they were often portrayed holding a falcon) and chess.";
- It implies peasant girls often picked their husbands themselves (marriage generally following pregnancy);
- "The bride brought a marriage portion and received in return a dower amounting to a third part of her husband’s estate", meaning ladies were not left without claim to wealth when their husbands passed;
- and more.

Every chapter is full of these little details, and though the book can't give us a complete picture of life in the Medieval castle, it has enough detail to keep you captivated, sometimes details that are quite funny too:

"The earliest English tournaments had been licensed by the king, but Henry III consistently opposed them. William Marshal forbade one in Henry’s name in 1217, and thereafter the prohibitions multiplied, but they were so ineffectual that according to the monastic chronicler of the Annals of Dunstable, 'tourneyers, their aiders and abettors, and those who carried merchandise or provisions to tournaments were ordered to be excommunicated, all together, regularly every Sunday.'"

It's a pleasantly written book that's easy to read, and therefore works quite brilliantly as either an introduction to Medieval (castle) life, or a quick reminder. Definitely recommended to people who want to understand the Middle Ages just that bit better.(less)

like · see review

Jun 22, 2009 Jan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Extensively researched, yet fascinating, this volume is a standard source for all Medieval writers. Delightful quotes from servants’ instruction manuals and journals of the time give a lively immediacy to the text. Black and white photos and illustrations. Ages high school through adult.

like · see review

Aug 03, 2012 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: architecture, history, non-fiction

Not a particularly deep read, but an enjoyable look at the architecture and life of the inhabitants of a medieval castle. Particulrly interesting to me was the difference between reality and the romantic notions of of 18th century on of what it was like to live in a drafty stone building.

like · see review

Mar 21, 2009 Annie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Like other books I have read by Joseph and Frances Gies, Life in a Medieval Castle is accessible and enjoyable. The Gies balance details of castle design and construction with stories of the people who inhabited them and fought over them.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 29, 2013 Tanner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Informative and written in earnest interest for the subject, but not organized enough to be a reference and at times unapologetic with its references and diction. Also the pictures are pretty murky and obscured.

like · see review

Nov 28, 2009 Sherry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: next-novel

Another good, well-written reference by the Gies couple -- but I'll need to read it twice to really figure out what those castles were like. Some of the descriptions are a bit obscure, and more illustrations are needed.

like · see review

Sep 11, 2012 Keith Leydon rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not a true book about castle life, it is more about government and politics of the medieval era, l found it slow and not what I wanted. Not the workings of a castle and people living there.

like · see review

Jul 05, 2011 JJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

I skipped a few (dozen) pages of this one. I thought it would be a story but it was more like a text book. It was good and detailed just a bit dry for my level of interest.

like · see review

Oct 23, 2008 Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

An interesting look at exactly what the title says: Life in a medieval castle, including chapters on basic castle architecture, how castles came to Europe and England, the life of the lord and lady, hunting, eating, sleeping, and making war. The authors take a look at Chepstow Castle near Wales as their prime example, and discuss how its owners enlarged it over the centuries from a simple tower castle, adding curtain walls and baileys and barbicans over the years. This is the second book I've re...more

like · see review

Jan 24, 2013 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book gives an insight of how life was in the olden days...it makes you appreciate what we have right now in the 21st Century!

like · see review

Dec 15, 2010 Garrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

The castle was central to the medieval power strtucture, this book explains their importance and details the lives of the castle-dwellers.

like · see review

Jun 10, 2011 Rebekah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, non-fiction, writing-research

Very well written and interesting book on the workings of a medieval castle. I highly recommend this to anyone who is writing a fantasy or historical fiction novel.

like · see review

May 16, 2012 Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Makes you really appreciate modern technology & human rights!

like · see review

Jan 05, 2010 Alyxandra Harvey rated it 5 of 5 stars

one of my favourite research books

like · see review

Sep 21, 2012 Lily rated it 4 of 5 stars

very interesting. Good book.

like · see review

Jul 14, 2012 Linda (Miss Greedybooks) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

I would keep these (all by Gies books) next to me while reading historical fiction books that I like. I would look up castles or other items of interest. fantastic books!

like · see review

Oct 03, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reference, language_english, written_20th-21st-century

This book is a brilliant book for the layman; but not so for the historian, who will notice that the evidence to support the conclusions presented aren't given.

All and all, it gives a great picture of life in the castle.

like · see review

Jul 28, 2008 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

A dense and informative little book. Vivid descriptions of medieval life, including excerpts from real medieval records and documents. Would benefit from diagrams/line drawings, clearer photos, and a more extensive glossary. Further or prior study necessary to sort out all the names thrown around in the book.

like · see review

Feb 23, 2011 Amyem added it

Shelves: own

For my Explorations summer class in Medieval somethingorothers (history?? Life?)

like · see review

Apr 16, 2011 Annemarie Donahue rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Good, factual. Not as interesting as Life In the Year 1000. I bought this for my dad because he likes compartmentalized history books, hey who doesn't? Easy to handle read, and you can really dice it up, walk away from it for a week come back and pick up where you left off.

like · see review

Aug 15, 2008 Joyce rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone interested in medieval research

Shelves: medieval-research

A wonderful starting point for research on castle life in the Middle Ages. Read my blog, Medieval Research with Joyce, for personal research tips to accompany this book.

http://medievalresearch.blogspot.com/...

1 like · like · see review

Jul 07, 2007 J.W rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: history buffs

History of how the castle became an important structure during the 11-13th century, including chapters on development of serfs, history of hunting (with birds), knights and the calendar year. Not exactly what I expected but still enjoyable. Glad I read it.

like · see review

Jun 30, 2011 Jana rated it 3 of 5 stars

These books are full of vignettes based on a room in the castle. They are just well written and absolutely full of tidbits that make you the life of the party, or at least of a party with people who like history.

like · see review

Jan 28, 2008 Bill Perkins rated it 3 of 5 stars

Really Interesting history of castles, how they were used, why they were created, how they evolved, and what life was like inside. The castle was at the center of midievel life.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 22, 2011 Fredrick Danysh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Describes what life may have been like in a medieval castle in Europe. Based on the ruins of several castles.

like · see review

Aug 25, 2012 Rick Davis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-biography

Absolutely delightful an with an amazing bibliography.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 26 27 next »

Non Fiction

37 users

Historical Fiction > Medieval

25 users

Reference > Research

4 users

Reference

4 users

See top shelves...

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Life in a Medieva...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Life in a Medieval Castle
avg rating	preview: Life in a Medieval Castle Goodreads rating: 3.68 (427 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218073.Life_in_a_Medieval_Castle?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348579353l/218073.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218073.Life_in_a_Medieval_Castle?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Life in a Medieval Castle by Frances Gies[/url]

Life in a Medieval Castle

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (7)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Frances Gies

Books by Frances Gies

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Life in a Medieva...