Questions About The Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean

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Has anyone who has read Braudel's work on the Mediterranean read this, and what did you think of this book vs that?

Георги Марков You can hardly compare the two works, as they are so very different. Braudel's volume deals with a much more narrow time-frame, and as a result is way…moreYou can hardly compare the two works, as they are so very different. Braudel's volume deals with a much more narrow time-frame, and as a result is way more detailed. Also, his book is not a narrative, rather a metahistorical analysis on steroids, one of the most challenging and defining works of academic history written in the 20th century.
Norwich writes in a much more accessible and easy-to-digest style, driven by characters. His book resembles much more closely a novel, and is aimed at a much wider audience.
Bottomline - you can enjoy The Middle Sea without any previous reading on the subject, while you will hardly understand the subtleties of Braudel's thesis unless you are academically versed in the history of Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe.(less)

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