ARCHIVE - INTRODUCTION - A DISTANT MIRROR

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

This thread is the introductory thread for the upcoming group book selection: A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman.

Barbara W. Tuchman

This book discussion will be kicked off on June 20, 2011. This will be a spotlighted book discussion and will be led by Bentley.

Here is a review of the book which was on Amazon by reviewer Paul Bobbit:

"With painstaking detail and bittersweet humour, Tuchman delves into the history and events surrounding one of the greatest of the French knights. Enguerrand de Coucy is a knight caught between old and new world orders.

Perhaps the highest example of a crumbling ideal - chivalry - he shows the fatal flaws in an oppressive system beginning to decay before his birth, leading to some of the greatest excesses within his lifetime, and finishing with the fall of the French monarchy in the 18th century.

Parts of Tuchman's tale are more gripping than an adventure novel, more humourous than a comedy, and more unbelievable than fiction. In fact, her story is so engaging because of its truth.

Anyone intersted in the Avignon Papacy, the Great Schism in the Church, Popes and Antipopes, the Black Plague, Feudalism, Protestantism, the persecution of witches and sorcery, the prelude to the Renaissance, Italian banking, Antisemitism, and the Medieval in general should adore it.

I must admit, my jaw dropped several times while reading this book, particularly during the chapters focusing on the schism in the church. It is not easy to escape the image of a furious Pope screaming anathema and excommunication from the walls of the Castel Sant'Angelo upon the beseigers below. Unbelievable arrogance and mercilessness seem the hallmark of the times, and Tuchman captures the essence of these with great alacrity.

Following de Coucy lets us experience life through the attitudes of someone placed firmly in the time. While many of his attitudes may seem foreign to us, his more modern qualities allow us to identify, if perhaps not sympathize, with him.

I highly recommend this book both as an introduction to the study of the 14th century, and as fascinating reading for anyone interested in the human condition."

AWARDS:

The American Society of Journalists Outstanding Book Award - 1980

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Here is a link to the Table of Contents and the Syllabus:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

About this book:

"The 14th century reflects two contradictory images: on the one hand a glittering time of crusades and castles, cathedrals and chivalry and the exquisitely decorated Books of Hours; on the other, a time of ferocity and spiritual agony - a world plunged into chaos.

Barbara Tuchman anatomizes the century, revealing to us both the great rhythms of history and the grain and texture of domestic life as it was lived: what childhood was like; what marriage meant; how money, taxes, and war dominated the lives of serf, noble, and clergy alike. Here are guilty passions; loyalties and treacheries; political assassinations; sea battles and sieges; fear of the end of the world; corruption in high places and a yearning for reform; satire and hunor; sorcery and demonology; lust and sadism on the stage. Here are proud cardinals, beggars, bailiffs, feminists, Jews, university scholars, grocers, bankers, clerks, sorcerers, mercenaries, saints and mystics, lawyers and tax collectors, and, dominating all, the knight in his valor and "furious follies," a "terrible worm in an iron cocoon."

Wise, witty and wonderful...a great book. In a great historical tradition,"

Source: Commentary

"Beautifully written, careful and thorough in its scholarship...What Ms. Tuchman does superbly is to tell how it was...No one has ever done it better."

Source: The New York Times Book Review

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

"Barbara Tuchman at the top of her powers....A beautiful, extraordinary book....She has done nothing finer."

Source: The Wall Street Journal

About Barbara Tuchman:

Barbara W. Tuchman achieved prominence as a historian with The Zimmerman Telegram, and international fame with The Guns of August-- a bestseller and winner of the Pulitzer Prize. There followed other successes, including The Proud Tower, Stilwell and the American Experience in China (also awarded the Pultizer Prize), The March of Folly, and The First Salute.

all by Barbara W. Tuchman

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

In literature, an epigraph is a phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document or component. The epigraph may serve as a preface, as a summary, as a counter-example, or to link the work to a wider literary canon, either to invite comparison or to enlist a conventional context.

This is the epigraph for this book:

"For mankind is ever the same and nothing is lost out of nature, though everything is altered."

---John Dryden, "On the Characters in the Canterbury Tales," in Preface to Fables, Ancient and Modern

John Dryden

Why this epigraph for this book?

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Bill Moyers Journal: Archive - Barbara Tuchman and the World of Ideas - September 30, 1988.

Ms. Tuchman died on February 6, 1989 and this must have been one of her last interviews.

Barbara Tuchman was one of America's best-known historians. An advocate of the notion that it's worth knowing where we've been, she's looks at the changes in America since the days of Washington, Adams and Jefferson.

At the root of our contemporary predicament, she concluded before her death in 1989, was the absence of a sense of honor. Tuchman twice won the Pulitzer Prize. Her last book, THE FIRST SALUTE, explores the American Revolution.

Transcript of video:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/arc...

Video of Full Interview:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/arc...

An excellent interview by the way: discussion of what a hero should be or what connotes a hero; unsupported wars, the use of the TelePrompTer by politicians and Tuchman's take on this (remember this interview was done in 1988 - smile); the Iran Contra incident, the Vietnam War, the CIA, George Washington, the Pentagon Papers, pervasive advertising; the types of leaders we seem drawn to, etc. - a real treasure trove of snippets which makes you wonder if we have really learned anything from history.

[Elizabeth S]

Is there a particular edition we should be looking for? I know it isn't required, but it is nice to have the same page numbers, etc. as the one leading the discussion. Thanks!

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

The one that I have is published by Ballantine Books - a paperback - ISBN - 0-345-34957-1.

However, having the same edition is not necessary and everybody is welcome no matter what printed edition they are using; whether it be an older library hardcover, a hardcover they purchased long ago and never got to read or one they would like to read again, a paperback, an audiobook, etc. It is all good. (smile)

[Elizabeth S]

Good to know, thanks!

[Elizabeth S]

I ordered my copy yesterday. Kinda exciting.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

I think it will be; a dfferent kind of book for our spotlighted read.

[carriedaway]

I was surprised how timely ]Barbara Tuchman's interview felt. She did reference some old occurrences (it was the 80's) but I agree with her definition of hero.

[carriedaway]

Now why is it not giving me her photo? It did the same thing to me with Eric Flint the other day. Just shows up with "no photo" picture only to select. I'll blame my cable.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Here it is:

Barbara W. Tuchman

It is very touchy carriedaway and I discovered you have to add her middle initial to get it.

[carriedaway]

Aw, thanks, Bentley! It required even the period. Now that's a stickler for detail.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

I know carriedaway...I wondered at that myself. Without the above, the photo did not show up.

[Elizabeth S]

You aren't alone, carriedaway. Personally, I think the author search in the "add book/author" feature is extremely and excessively anal. I go way out of my way to avoid using it. In case it helps someone else, here are some of my tricks:

I often think of a book by the author I want, search for the book, then switch over to the author tab to get the author photo and links.

I've also discovered that if I search for the author's name in the book search (i.e. while in the book tab), then I usually get a book by the author I want, and switching over to the author tab I get my desired author. Kinda weird, huh.

[Elizabeth S]

By the way, thanks for going back and updating your post with the right photo and link, carriedaway. Nicely done.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Folks, today marks the beginning of the spotlighted book discussion:

Barbara W. Tuchman

[B. P.]

I know I am a little late (lol), but I have started to read this and (another history book) and I am glad you guys have left these archived book discussions up. I will try to follow as I can.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Very good Ken - we always leave them up.

[B. P.]

And here is a quick follow-up (almost a year to the day later): I am just starting chapter 8. Chapter 7 was a revelation and it is amazing how how locked-in to chaos and foolishness the age seemed to be. The writing style by Tuchman is some of the best non-fiction writing I have read. I've been reading so much other stuff, that this fell to the way-side for awhile, but I have been catching-up on it lately while my attention is focused.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Yes, she is very good and this is one of her many great books. Glad you are catching up. Sometimes it takes a wee bit because life happens.

[Menno]

Probably one of the most imaginative and concise books about 14th century Europe. At first it took me a bit to get into to it, but have since read it multiple times over.
She engages the reader in such a way that despite the horrors of the era, you actually want to be there. Through her descriptiveness it almost feels like you are in the company of Enguerrand De Coucy.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

An exceptional book and I am glad that folks are revisiting the older discussions and threads.