The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century

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The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century

by Ian Mortimer (Goodreads Author)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 3,029 ratings · 434 reviews

The past is a foreign country. This is your guidebook. Imagine you could get into a time machine and travel back to the fourteenth century. What would you see? What would you smell? More to the point, where are you going to stay? Should you go to a castle or a monastic guest house? And what are you going to eat? What sort of food are you going to be offered by a peasant or...more

Hardcover, first edition, 319 pages

Published October 2nd 2008 by The Bodley Head Ltd (first published January 1st 2008)

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Community Reviews

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Jan 15, 2012 Tracey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 14th-century, england, history

Obviously, A Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England was a title calculated to gain my attention. The premise: a different take on presenting an overview of a period of time, using the format of a travel guide – something of a Fodor's England 1320 that might be found in the TARDIS. Exploring the experience of all the senses, this should be a gem of a resource to the writer of historical fiction or fantasy.

From the introduction:

We might eat differently, be taller, and live longer, and we mig

...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Rio (Lynne) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book, non-fiction

What an interesting read. Even for those of us who know the basic medieval customs, this book will definitely teach you something new. Trust me, some parts will make you laugh and some squirm. Mortimer starts with you being transported to England and as you work your way into London you will learn about the landscape, people, customs and basic essentials. What you would wear (according to your rank of course). How to travel and where you'd stay. Will it be on a straw mattress at an inn or in the...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Orsolya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, history, medieval-times, wishlist, favorites

Most of us who read history or historical fiction set in Medieval (or even Tudor) England, can agree on one thing: we can’t understand the ways of life “back then” properly because we tend to apply modern morals and standards to history. However, with the “The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England”, readers can finally understand Medieval times. I guarantee you will never look at a history book the same again…

Divided into main sections such as the landscape, people, medieval character, what...more Most of us who read history or historical fiction set in Medieval (or even Tudor) England, can agree on one thing: we can’t understand the ways of life “back then” properly because we tend to apply modern morals and standards to history. However, with the “The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England”, readers can finally understand Medieval times. I guarantee you will never look at a history book the same again…

Divided into main sections such as the landscape, people, medieval character, what to eat/drink, etc; Ian Mortimer dives deep into medieval life. His depth of information is staggering (but never boring or overwhelming) and allows the reader to fully understand medieval life which extends beyond knights and jousts. Consider it a ‘Medieval Times 101’ crash course, as Mortimer focuses on the macro view of life versus individual kings or events (although he does touch upon specifics) as we are used to reading. Although academic in topic, Mortimer’s writing style is anything but; as it is easy to understand, descriptive, and witty.

The Time Traveler’s Guide cleared up so much information in my mind which has been swimming around from the countless history books I have figuratively consumed. The ranks of clergy, description of the privy seal (and other seals), and even “fun” factoids such as the inception of “acres”, the defining term “o’clock”, and even surnames (John Ilbertson used to be John, son of Ilbert) are included and explained in a clear and rational way. The reader truly feels like he or she is visiting the past (sort of like Scrooge with the Ghost of Christmas Past), observing life and almost being apart of it. Mortimer is rich, colorful, and very informative. There ARE some moments of overwhelming presentations, but that is due to the lack of standardization in England during that time and not due to Mortimer’s writing style or expertise. My favorite realization? I FINALLY understood the differences between pennies, shillings, marks, and pounds. In the past, my eyes have always glazed over during money talks in other history books.

One qualm was the constant references to Chaucer and “The Canterbury Tales”. Although Mortimer used a medium amount of sources for the book; Chaucer is readily quoted and referred to. If Chaucer was a brand and this book was a TV show, it would scream, “product placement”. Also, the chapter regarding laws and court systems was confusing, but admittedly, I’m not even interested in those topics in modern times so perhaps it just wasn’t my cup of tea, personally.

Overall, The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England is an absolutely terrific book: one of those works which you are sad to see end. The crux of it all is Mortimer’s passion for history. There is no escaping it and it bleeds through his work. More importantly, he views history in a different manner than the average person passing this ardor onto the reader, who will never view history or Medieval England the same again. The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England should be used as the sourcebook for every subsequent medieval-themed historical fiction book, play, TV show, commercial, etc. Where was this book over 15 years ago when I was a school child partaking in our school’s “Medieval Faire”? Perhaps, I should travel back into that time...
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Dec 10, 2012 Elvet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, owned-and-read

Thanks to Caroline for bringing this book to my attention. I'm not much of a history buff, but I love fantasy - most of which is in medieval like settings. This look at the ins and outs of daily life in the 1300's is fascinating.
The book had quite a few revelations for me (origins of o'clock and the British pound to name a few). Even though it was written like a guide book, it was more about how people live their everyday lives. The author was able to give it perspective, so that you could under...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't tend to read much about Medieval England anymore; despite my obsession with the plague as an undergrad, I now tend to lean more towards the Georgian and Victorian eras. However, this book caught my eye when I was browsing through Hatchard's, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad that I did. Unlike the usual dry, humourless approach to history that I so often bemoan, Mortimer's style is personal and engaging, which I think is enabled by his unorthodox approach. Writing under the guise of a "tim...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Karen Brooks rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Historian Ian Mortimer does something really interesting with this book: he sets out to recreate the period (the Twelfth Century) as if he were writing a travel book for tourists as opposed to researching and explaining a forgotten time. In other words, he places the reader in the moment, advising you where to go, what to see, how to behave, speak, dress and what to expect should you happen to have the good fortune to be transported back to not-so-merry old England in the 1300s.
After my second...more Historian Ian Mortimer does something really interesting with this book: he sets out to recreate the period (the Twelfth Century) as if he were writing a travel book for tourists as opposed to researching and explaining a forgotten time. In other words, he places the reader in the moment, advising you where to go, what to see, how to behave, speak, dress and what to expect should you happen to have the good fortune to be transported back to not-so-merry old England in the 1300s.
After my second reading of this book in less than a year, I wish I had access to Dr Who’s Tardis because, with Mortimer’s well-thumbed book under my arm, I would head straight for Exeter, where the book opens, prepared for the ordure of the aptly named, Shitbrook, the breath-taking sight of the cathedral, avert my eyes from the remains of criminals clinging to the gallows, and be careful not to stare at the bright and strange clothes the people are wearing, while tripping along the cobbles, one hand firmly on my money so a cut-purse does not take it.
Like many contemporary historians, Mortimer believes in social history, reconstructing the past in order to understand how it was lived and not simply by kings, queens, monks, lawyers and nobles, those who have left records of their deeds and desires for us to absorb and through which we judge them. Instead, Mortimer turns to all classes and all experiences and takes the reader on a magnificent and fascinating journey back to a character-filled society with its own delights and dangers. It was so good the first time, I did it again and liked it even better.
Explaining where to stay, how to tell the time, greet people (Eg. “fellow or friend, ye be welcome”), about the sumptuary laws, what certain coins look like and what you might be able to buy and where, what diseases we might succumb to if we’re not careful, what we might be served and how to eat it whether it be in an inn, a peasant’s house or a king’s castle (all of which are thoroughly described as if you’re on a guided tour), Mortimer runs the gamut of class and place in this vivid recreation that is at once hugely informative and always vastly entertaining.
Even how to avoid running foul of the law and what punishment might be meted out is made clear as well as the significance of religious observances. Medieval humour is also explored as well as, for those so inclined, where you might find the best er hum, sexual services (Southwark, the Stews, in London, in case you wanted to know). He also discusses how to entertain ourselves while we’re there (the Stews aside) and who, among the great figures known to us now, we might expect to encounter on our journey – Geoffrey Chaucer anyone? He has rooms above Aldgate.
Just when you think you’ve stepped back into the present, Mortimer will remind you to take a deep breath and stop. Listen, he advises. What do we hear? Very little. Maybe some bells, the sounds of birds and animals and, above all, the chatter and clutter of people should we be near a town or city. Or, if present at a joust, the thunder of hooves. The medieval world is a very quiet place, something I hadn’t considered, along with many of the other preconceptions and yes, prejudices I had about this period and which Mortimer’s grandest of tours manages to overturn.
If you’re looking for a book that will literally transport you to another time and place, than I cannot recommend this one highly enough. A fabulous read.
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Dec 11, 2012 Cleo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, review-copy

The title of this one is pretty self explanatory. The book is that; a guide to a virtual time traveler in 14th century England. Ian Mortimer explains in his introduction that rather than looking on history as something that happened, he will tell it as something that's happening, as if you were in the time period, breathing the sights (and often unpleasant smells). In this book, he discusses many aspects of what life was like for the various classes during the period, and also the various struct...more The title of this one is pretty self explanatory. The book is that; a guide to a virtual time traveler in 14th century England. Ian Mortimer explains in his introduction that rather than looking on history as something that happened, he will tell it as something that's happening, as if you were in the time period, breathing the sights (and often unpleasant smells). In this book, he discusses many aspects of what life was like for the various classes during the period, and also the various structures and laws in place. It is all very well to read a dry history book, but something like this is my favorite kind of nonfiction-history. He takes you there himself. There also 16 pages of color paintings from the time to illustrate various elements of life, and various charts and statistics, though some weren't that interesting.

This was quite a fascinating book, and the period itself is very complicated. On the one hand, there are lavish meals at lords' houses, and beautiful cities, but on the other hand, in other parts of the cities, there are just cesspools of debris and garbage, and harsh laws and punishments. And of course, the Black Death- the plague. Mortimer really breaths life into the period; I could almost imagine myself there. Some of the sections were more interesting than others (for example, I wasn't so interested in the one on clothing), some of my favorites being those on the people, the laws, entertainment, and the food. But all of them were written very well. A lot of things were introduced in this century, such as buttons, pockets, and differentiated shoes. And of course, from the beginning to the end of the 14th century, much changed. I was also struck by the mention of the "misericord" on pages 186-187, a dining room outside of the refectory where monks can eat the meat of four-legged animals (which is against the rules, but they found a loophole.) If you will remember, this term is used in Grave Mercy, which is set in the 15th century, to describe a weapon used by Ismae that can kill a person with one scratch. I'm not sure how these two uses related, but it was interesting.

I got this one from Touchstone (a division of Simon & Schuster), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a new take on interpreting and telling history, or particularly interested in the medieval era.

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Aug 20, 2012 Michelle Diener rated it 4 of 5 stars

This historical reference work is really tailor-made for writers. Ian Mortimer couldn’t be a more qualified source of information, as a member of the Royal Historical Society, and the recipient of their prestigeous Alexander Prize in 2004.

What I love most about this book is the way it’s written, as if you really were travelling back in time to the medieval period, with chapter headings like What to Wear, What to Eat and Drink, and most delightfully, What to Do.

Under the chapter heading of Landsc...more This historical reference work is really tailor-made for writers. Ian Mortimer couldn’t be a more qualified source of information, as a member of the Royal Historical Society, and the recipient of their prestigeous Alexander Prize in 2004.

What I love most about this book is the way it’s written, as if you really were travelling back in time to the medieval period, with chapter headings like What to Wear, What to Eat and Drink, and most delightfully, What to Do.

Under the chapter heading of Landscape, Mortimer discusses London in some detail, and includes a list of Ten Places to See in London. For example, Sight number 6 is The Strand. Apparently it affords the visiting time traveller, or just plain traveller, the best view of the river, and is were the most prestigious houses are located. Sight number 9 is Tyburn. It is THE PLACE to go if you want to see a good execution. Roll up, roll up, there is one nearly every day!

But Mortimer understands the curious time traveller may want to leave the stench and refuse-filled ditches of London behind him or her, and wander throught the countryside, stopping at the small towns and villages they pass along the way. He offers plenty of insight and advise to those wishing to experience the bucolic delights of the medieval countryside.

And if you’re confused about who is who in the zoo when it comes to people, he gives the perplexed time traveller a nice little graph so you can see the social hierarchy at a glance. He also splits things up helpfully into those who work, those who fight, the clergy and then, of course, women. I found his information on how women were treated, discriminated against and how that situation was almost impossible to reverse because of the social order and conditions of the time very interesting.

He also gives an extremely interesting chapter on the character of the medieval person. How they thought, what their perceptions of the outside world and each other were. He also gives some handy information on the price of goods, and wages and salaries.

This is the kind of history text I love. Social history at its best, well-written, often amusing, and yet backed with a great deal of research. If you’re writing about the medieval period, and medieval England in particular, I highly recommend this book.(less)

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Jun 03, 2012 Christine Blachford rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After a mammoth Harry Potter marathon, I wanted something completely different to read. Non-fiction, check. Historical, check. Time-travelling? Sold! It started off well, and I thought the idea of approaching history from the perspective of living it, rather than blandly discussing what it might have been like, was a great one.

Unfortunately, it didn't quite sustain itself across the entire book. There were moments where it felt great - the author guides you through the streets of the city, and y...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Anton Caldwell marked it as to-read

Shelves: reference-collection

Mortimer, Ian (2009) The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century
ISBN-10: 1439112894, $17.16
Content/Scope: Through the use of chronicles, various letters and accounts, and poems of the day, Mortimer transports the reader back in time, providing answers to questions typically ignored by traditional historians. His scope is medieval England, from the 14th century.
Accuracy/Authority: While Mortimer does take some poetic liberty with the smaller d...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Spaghettitoes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is fantastic. I'd been looking for something that gave me the details of what it was like living in the medieval era; not a historical text on battles and royal alliances that tells you nothing about what it would mean to be a person around at the time *cough-book-research-cough* but something informative. That's this book.

I actually feel bad only giving this four stars because while it really was amazing at times I can't equal it to a fiction that I'd give an 'Amazing' (just FYI - Gaw...more This book is fantastic. I'd been looking for something that gave me the details of what it was like living in the medieval era; not a historical text on battles and royal alliances that tells you nothing about what it would mean to be a person around at the time *cough-book-research-cough* but something informative. That's this book.

I actually feel bad only giving this four stars because while it really was amazing at times I can't equal it to a fiction that I'd give an 'Amazing' (just FYI - Gawain and the Green Knight, very good story! Fangirl approved. It should be made into a movie). But this book relays historically significant information in an interesting and engaging way. It's set out nicely in sections that both make sense and flow into one another. It even relays information on things like fighting, church hierarchy etc without being arse-achingly dull (gorey or overly exact details are not entertainment IMO). Quite interestingly, the perspective on women's roles is fascinating because he adopts a yes some of it was shit but sometimes the shitness worked in your favour attitude. He recognises that women may have had a hard time but no one was particularly well-done for so it would be unfair to champion the suffering of women over men. I liked it, it was very honest.

My only complaint is that he feels the need to justify his style. I can understand it in terms of a reference piece within the greater collection of historic reference material, it's not your usual history book that's for sure. And Mortimer has this need, beginning and end, to tell you why he's writing it the way he is and focusing on the aspects he is. Since all of these are things that I wanted and sought out - the reasons I bought - the book it was slightly tiring. But of course, his argument was still well written.

Oh yes, another complaint - there's a huge list of references at the back. I didn't realise this and thought I had a lot more book to read than I did as I approached the end while going to see wifey. Basically - more, I want more! And I want books like this on a lot more subjects and eras, not only are they good resources for writers but they make history more than dates and names, making it more real, relevant and engaging for people in general.

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Dec 14, 2011 John Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love learning new things about places and peoples, even if it’s a place I’ve “been” to before, which is why Ian Mortimer’s The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England intrigued me. The first page convinced me to buy to book. And I’m so happy I did.

I’ve read my fair share of interesting and well-written texts on this subject, including, among others, Life in a Medieval City and Life in a Medieval Village by Frances and Joseph Gies, Standards of Living in the later Middle Ages by Christopher D...more I love learning new things about places and peoples, even if it’s a place I’ve “been” to before, which is why Ian Mortimer’s The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England intrigued me. The first page convinced me to buy to book. And I’m so happy I did.

I’ve read my fair share of interesting and well-written texts on this subject, including, among others, Life in a Medieval City and Life in a Medieval Village by Frances and Joseph Gies, Standards of Living in the later Middle Ages by Christopher Dyer, The Medieval Castle by Philip Warner, Daily Life in the Middle Ages by Paul B. Newman, and Power and Profit: The Merchant In Medieval Europe by Peter Spufford. All engrossing reads. What sets Mortimer’s book apart is that he not only approaches the topic as a travel guide that leads to you interesting sights and shares fascinating tidbits about the place, but he also helps you imagine how it would be, as a 21st century person, to actually travel there.

For example, where would you go if you got sick? What happens if you’re robbed, where do you report the crime, and should you? Where might you get food and would it be something you’d find palatable? How will you get from place to place? Why kind of entertainment can you expect? And what can you wear without offending your hosts?

Mortimer focuses on the fourteenth century England, since this period comes closest to the popular idea of the medieval times. He tackles the topics of the landscape, people, the Medieval character, basic essentials, what to wear, traveling, where to stay, what to eat and drink, health and hygiene, the law, and what to do. And he does it all in a chatty, clear, and informative manner, with a bit of humor thrown in for spice.

Each page was a delight, and I found myself feeling like I was there. Furthermore, I learned a number of things that I hadn’t picked up in my previous readings. I’m tempted to quote all sorts of interesting tidbits he shares about the age, but I’ll refrain. If you are at all interested in the Middle Ages, I think you’ll love this book.

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Aug 04, 2011 Anja Fruelund added it

This is an excellent account of medieval England. Mortimer covers everything from sanitary conditions, fashion, etiquette, architecture, the clergy, the legal system, literature, daily diet of nobles as well as peasants, armour and warfare, to the conditions of the roads and what to expect when travelling in a medieval plagueridden society. It is a colourful and marvellous backdrop to any historical novel you might be reading set in this period of English history.

It is evident that Mortimer is a...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Holly added it

Overall, this book was fascinating. A very clever way of bringing the 14th century to the reader. Never did it forget its genre of "travel guide" and you were always told to "look up at..." or "take in the..." Not afraid to give full accounts of some the less favourable aspects of the period, the author also managed to get across the spirit of those who lived then, saying there was always laughter to be heard and fun to be had - even if this fun would be seen as disturbing today.

My only critisci...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Mothwing rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This is not so much any "time traveller"'s guide to England, but a man's guide to medieval England. This bias permeates the entire book and rather spoilt the reading experience for me.
This books is written as a guide to provide virtual time travellers with an account of what they would encounter if they travelled back into the fourteenth century.
I loved it in spite of the bias, as the style and the accounts of everyday life are so incredibly vivid and well-written. The only thing I had qualms...more

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Sep 04, 2010 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The most splendidly detailed and interesting source book for role playing gamers everywhere, it reminds me ever so strongly of books like Maelstrom and the Warhammer roleplaying tome, with the added side benefit that this book is written by an actual expert on - well really it is just the 14th Century. Many history books in the past have touched on the experience of living in the past, but this one sets that as its sole purpose, describing a strange land that may have really existed. The only ob...more

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Apr 07, 2010 Noah rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was pretty sure that my sci-fi reading streak would stand the test of time as the "nerdiest activity" of my existence. Then, however, I picked up and read a copy of this book. I was in the airport in London and had a few hours to kill, and voila - I'm taking in a fully articulated picture of life in medieval England.

Flashback - me as a kid, with my brother and father, at a renaissance festival. I'm not going to lie, it was fun. Mortimer takes a much more serious and adult stab at bringing life...more

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Sep 02, 2009 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, history

In an ostensible twist on the usual history book, Ian Mortimer presents Medieval England as if it were a tourist destination: he instructs on where to stay, what to do and what to expect from the local people. It’s a neat idea and a good hook for people who wouldn’t ordinarily pick up a weighty tome about history.

Time Traveller’s Guide is filled with interesting details about Medieval England, but Mortimer does have a tendency to reel off a minutia of facts that make the book begin to drag. Sinc...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, nonfiction

The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England is an excellent book. It's sort of like a much more scholarly Georgette Heyer's Regency World for the 14th century; the author covers everything from language (but more on that later) to sickness to jobs to laity to clergy to different types of peasants to armor to clothing to books to...you get the idea. It's an excellent overview of what life was like in medieval England.

The general conceit of the book is that the author proposes viewing 14th-centu...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Joe Reese rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

By imagining the Middle Ages through the eyes of a modern-day visitor, The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England boasts a new approach to studying history. In reality, all Ian Mortimer has achieved is writing a good history book in the present tense.

With humour and vivid description, the book gives an immediate view of our ancestors and how they lived. The best illustration of the Medieval world comes through the comparisons made between our lives today and the stories and accounts of peopl...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Nikki rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction

As a history book, this is an interesting format and it's reasonably engaging, though by the end I was starting to get worn down by the sheer level of detail. But what bothered me was that apparently, if you want to time travel, you'd better be male: there's some lip service paid to actually discussing women's role in society, with some references to the kind of work women did (mostly: make ale, I gather), and quite a lot of reference to the kind of clothes women wore, and how likely women were...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Marigold rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction, set-in-england, travel

I liked the way this book was set up, as a travel guide rather than a history. I love medieval history & have made my way through quite a lot of scholarly books - tho my main interest is the 15th, rather than 14th century - but this just sounded like fun & I always like to find an opportunity to learn things in new ways, tho I feel my knowledge of medieval life is fairly good. Sure enough, there was plenty of new information for me here! Cleanliness was more important and achievable than...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Christopher Bashforth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A history book with a slightly different angle than your usual text; the perspective was that of an actual travel book for a 21st century person visiting Medieval England, which I guess relates to ‘the past is a different country’ concept. For the most part the book worked very well and I hope the author extends the same concept to other time periods. The best chapters were Accommodation, the Law and Health & Hygene. Some of my stereotypes broken here; people did actually travel a lot then a...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Earl Bartholomew rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very good book for those with a interest into Medieval society and customs of the time period. Book had a excellent set up as one chapter set you up and prepared you for the next one so you always would know the terminology. I have always had a keen interest with Medieval Europe so I had no option but to pick this up. I finished this book within 2 to 3 days of getting it. The only flaw I found personally was the book at times was tedious to read for extended duration. I find this so because it...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Textbookstuff rated it 5 of 5 stars

Just finished this and thought it was magnificent. It transcends its gimmicky title to offer a wonderfully vibrant, witty and often disturbing insight into the lives - and deaths - of people living in medieval England. Crime and punishment, love and marriage, Church and State, town and country, birth and death, night and day, rich and poor, war and peace, serf and king - there's nothing left out of this comprehensive vade mecum of the Middle Ages.

The idea of seeing the past as a 'living history'...more

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Aug 03, 2009 Ailsa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, history

I actually listened to this book on audiobook - and first things first, it works brilliantly in this format. The narrator, Jonathan Keeble, really brings the Medieval world being described to life. I have many enjoyable weeks of listening to this at bed time.

Anyway, this book is *exactly* my kind of thing. I love Medieval history and fiction, and in many ways this book almost blends history and fiction - it is a work of imaginative fiction, taking you inside the every day lives of the people of...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction, richard-s, books

When I started reading this I did worry a little that the faux-travel guide style of the book would grate after a while. If you plan to read this, consider whether you will enjoy something written in this style or not.

Each chapter is headed in a similar style to a travel book so "where to go," "where to stay" and so on. Each then goes to describe what you see if you were to travel back in time and visit the 14th century.

I have to admit I don't know a huge amount about the 14th century, so I can...more

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Feb 12, 2010 Austin Amonette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Austin by: History Book Club

Shelves: history

The main reasons to read this book are (1) the engaging conceit of writing history as travel literature, (2) the appropriateness of the amount of scholarship underwriting the book, and (3) the charming literary sensibilities of the author.

The idea of writing medieval history as a travel guide derives from the author’s sophisticated theory of history, which he claims to be “no longer just an extended academic exercise—it can be anything you want it to be” (290). While “anything” may be hyperboli...more The main reasons to read this book are (1) the engaging conceit of writing history as travel literature, (2) the appropriateness of the amount of scholarship underwriting the book, and (3) the charming literary sensibilities of the author.

The idea of writing medieval history as a travel guide derives from the author’s sophisticated theory of history, which he claims to be “no longer just an extended academic exercise—it can be anything you want it to be” (290). While “anything” may be hyperbolic, Mortimer does correctly diagnose a critical historiographical issue, “the way we see the past.” (289). In his view, “History is not just the analysis of evidence, unrolling vellum documents or answering exam papers. It is not about judging the dead. It is about understanding the meaning of the past—to realize the whole evolving human story over centuries, not just our own lifetimes” (292). Thus, the study of history provides more illustrative lessons than the pragmatism of merely emulating success and avoiding failures. The study of history teaches metaphysics no less than philosophy or theology.

The book is appropriately scholarly for popular history. Mortimer did not lose sight of his audience in his selection and organization of includable material. Professional historians can read the book for pleasure, as can interested readers, and most readers will find that they have learned a great deal about fourteenth-century England. A perusal of the notes and bibliography reveals that Mortimer used excellent sources. On the other hand, Mortimer does not overload the general reader with arcane information.

The writing itself is clear and appealing. Mortimer knows how to hold interest with material that, in less talented hands, can become dull quickly. For instance, one of the best chapters is chapter ten, “The Law,” despite a high number of technical terms like “infangenthef” and “oyer et terminer.” In that chapter, his description of the executions of Roger Mortimer, Hugh Despenser, and William Wallace show the literary skill of the author, in that he tells but does not dwell on the grim details of their deaths.
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Mar 02, 2013 Leelabella rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-ages, europe, history, medieval-middle-ages-476-1500, reference-non-fiction, travel

What a fun, entertaining book!
Here are a few things I learned:

The Landscape:

There are almost no conifer or evergreen trees in the middle ages so the winter skyline is particularly bleak.

There are no grey squirrels, only red ones. The grey variety has yet to reach Britain.

Cattle and sheep are smaller than their modern counterparts: much smaller.

There are no wolves. The last English wolf was killed in North Lancashire in the 14th century.

The People:

Half of the entire population are under the...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Lindig rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

The conceit of using a "travel guide" style of organization in order to present the 14th century actually works pretty well. I think the author does his best to stick to this mode but the realities of needing to bring modern readers up to speed on the background of the time sometimes leads him into a pedantic "history teacher" info dump, which jerked this reader out of the traveller into the student. This isn't a terrible thing, the facts being necessary, but the style could have been a little l...more

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About Ian Mortimer

AKA James Forrester.

Dr Ian Mortimer was born in Petts Wood (Kent) in 1967. He won a scholarship to Eastbourne College (Sussex) and later read for degrees in history and archive studies at the universities of Exeter and London (UCL). From 1991 to 2003 he worked for a succession of archive and historical research organisations, including Devon Record Office, the Royal Commission on Historical Manusc...more

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Books by Ian Mortimer

The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation

The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England

The Greatest Traitor: The Life of Sir Roger Mortimer, Ruler of England 1327-1330

Fears of Henry IV: The Life of England's Self-made King

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“‎W. H. Auden once suggested that to understand your own country you need to have lived in at least two others. One can say something similar for periods of time: to understand your own century you need to have come to terms with at least two others. The key to learning something about the past might be a ruin or an archive but the means whereby we may understand it is--and always will be--ourselves.” — 4 people liked it

“Justice is a relative concept in all ages. The fourteenth century is no exception.” — 3 people liked it

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