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A Distant Mirror
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1. A DISTANT MIRROR... June 20 ~ June 26th ~~ Foreward and Part One - Chapters ONE - TWO (xiii-48); No Spoilers Please
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A Distant Mirror is the story of Western Europe in the 14th Century. The reader will be viewing what life in the 14th Century was like through the eyes of a French nobleman. His name was Enguerrand de Coucy VII. He lived from 1340 to 1397.
To gain the most from this book and experience, one has to try to get into the mindset of what it was like to be a European in the 14th Century. What events and experiences were going to shape your life and that of your family and loved ones? How did you view the world and your environment; how did you survive?
When we read Tuchman's book we are ostensibly gaining the perspective of de Coucy and what he experienced in his lifetime.
Some of the events and experiences that affected de Coucy in his lifetime included the following:
* The Hundred Years War
* The Black Death
* Papal Wars in Italy (an entire series)
* The Great Schism (two rival Popes)
* The Renaissance (easily the greatest creative period in European History)
Obviously, all of the above events colored the experiences on the continent. And folks during the 14th Century were kept in constant disruption and inner turmoil.
There were huge challenges if you lived during this period of time and many did not survive these challenges.
We will discuss the various challenges that lay ahead for de Coucy and his fellow Europeans during this century whether they be political or economic ones. What affect did these chaotic events have on the military and/or how did they affect the social and cultural mores of this period? What were the cultural or religious implications, if any? How did these events affect the intellectual giants and creative geniuses of this period?
Everyone who has read the book advises everyone not to get discouraged; but to simply focus on a high level understanding of the events, the perils and the adversities that the 14th century brought to Europe.
As we encounter these various catastrophic challenges that Tuchman documents in her book; we will highlight and isolate each one and discuss in depth the plague, the wars, any taxes, brigandage, the government (good or bad), any insurrection and uprisings, as well as many of the disruptive influences and schism in the Church.
While reading we will view the 14th century in the same way a cultural historian might document this period. What were the impacts on the people and their lives in all of the various socioeconomic groups.
Look carefully at all of the clues that Tuchman gives us from her research including any photographs, etc.
And most importantly just sit back on your comfy couch or in your favorite chair and just enjoy the book and the journey through the 14th century.
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From the Foreward:
Barbara Tuchman discusses in the foreward some of the occupational hazards that a writer faces when trying to write history. She also presents some suppositions as to why historians disagree.
From your viewpoint, what are the problems historians face when they study, try to interpret and write about past ages or times?
Do these same problems exist when studying other eras, such as Ancient Rome or Athens, Classical Ancient History, various dynasties in China like the Ming Dynasty or the various periods in Middle Eastern history?
Why do you think historians have different or opposing views or opinions about historical events and/or people?
What roles did Christianity and chivalry play in the lives of Europeans in the 14th Century?
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From Chapter One:
How did the Europeans of the 14th century view the world? In terms of the material world? In terms of the spiritual view and spirituality in their lives? In terms of the Church and their religious views?
What was the impact of the Crusades if any upon the lives of the people who lived during the 14th Century?
Describe the earlier periods of history specifically the 11 - 12th Century Renaissance.
Discuss the way of life in France. What was the king's justice like; what were the expectations of the population. Discuss Louis IX.
Taxation seems to be always with us since the beginning of time; what were the views and practices regarding taxation during this time period?
What were the functions of the three estates?
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From Chapter Two:
Were there environmental issues and problems that plagued Europe? What were these climate, environmental impacts and what were the results of these situations? How did the time period influence how these were handled? How different would be these same situations if they were handled now?
What were some of the issues that periled the Church at this time? What was the impact of the Church on the 14th Century inhabitants? Were their evils in the Church and were there protests against the Church and these perceived evils?
Discuss William of Ockham, Marsillius of Padua.
Discuss the origins of the Hundred Years War? How did this expansive war affect the population and their way of life?
What was the role of Christianity and the Church in how people lived (their lifestyle) or in terms of their belief systems? Did the populace have a materialistic outlook as many folks seem to have today or did they possess anti-materialistic viewpoints?
If you were living during the 14th century, what would your economic outlook have been? What were the demarcations between the rich and the poor and how did they view one another?
Were there any anti semitic views at this time and how did Tuchman introduce them?
Usury is defined as follows:
Usury ( /ˈjuːʒəri/, from Medieval Latin usuria, "interest", or from Latin usura, "interest") originally was the charging of interest on loans; this included charging a fee for the use of money, such as at a bureau de change. In places where interest became acceptable, usury was interest above the rate allowed by law. Today, usury is commonly used to refer to the charging of unreasonable and excessive rates of interest. The term is largely derived from Christian religious principles; Riba is the corresponding Arabic term and ribbit is the Hebrew word.
In terms of usury, how was money lending, loans and banking handled during the 14th century?
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Folks, a bit of advice – keep slogging through and do not get bogged down in details.
At the beginning of the book, we have a map of Europe in the 14th Century.
Foreward ~ The Period, the Protagonist, the Hazards
Adroitly, the title of the foreward is exactly what the author touches upon. Barbara Tuchman states:
“The genesis of this book was a desire to find out what were the effects on society of the most lethal disaster of recorded history – that is to say, of the Black Death of 1348 – 50, which killed an estimated one third of the population living between India and Iceland.”
The author identifies some “phenomenal parallels” between the aftermaths of the Black Death and of World War I.
Additionally, Tuchman identifies the choice of protagonist (Enguerrand de Coucy VII) and why he was selected.
Finally she focuses on the hazards of the enterprise (her writing this book).
There is also a note on money and her references and Bibliography.
PART ONE
Chapter 1 – “I Am the Sire de Coucy”: The Dynasty
Here the author describes the location of the site of the Coucy estate and castle as well as the environment and catalysts which initiated the series of events and circumstances which advanced this family and its descendants. Tuchman traces the ancestry of the Coucy family down to the birth of our protagonist – Enguerrand de Coucy VII.
She also identifies some of the key themes and issues which will be further discussed and elaborated upon throughout the book.
Chapter 2 – Born to Woe: The Century
With chapter 2, the protagonist has been born and the 14th century comes in with a “big chill” literally.
Tuchman describes the influence and reach of the Church and its clergy. She dwells on the negatives for the most part but does point out the relevance of the Church and its impact on the people.
Interestingly enough, in the 14th century – bankers, merchants and businessmen were thought of as living in daily commission of sin and daily contradiction of the moral code centering upon the “just price”. And that this was based upon the principle that a craft should supply each man a livelihood and a fair return to all, but no more.
Tuchman introduces the sin of usury and some or at least what seems to be some anti semitic attitudes which may have even originated in the 14th century or before.
The author describes how the lower classes started to form brotherhoods in response to the guilds which had sprung up like those in the textile industry.
Taxes seem to have been historically a bone of contention and the 14th century was no exception. Those who somehow got in the way of power were systematically destroyed and paid for these indiscretions with their lives (Templars).
Alliances were drawn to insure the loyalty of the Coucys to the throne of France. Nobody wanted the King of England on the throne of France.
However, neither the King nor Coucy the VII’s father could have foretold that with the alliance they were opening up a war that would not only outlast them but would outlast five additional future generations of both of their families and descendants.
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We'll be spending the next few months with the author Barbara Tuchman and her masterpiece, which has received rave reviews.
For those who haven't joined us for a spotlighted discussion before, here's the general outline of how it will go each week.
We'll be reading about one or two chapters a week (see the syllabus here): Syllabus.
Each Monday we will open the week's discussion with a short overview of the week's reading and some introductory discussion questions.
For those of you who've read the book before, that should help you remember how far along we are, and what is fair game to discuss.
Please refrain from referring to events that are later in the book than the current week's reading.
Anything previous in the book is, of course, fair game.
If any of you would like to share information about events later in the book, please use the Book as a Whole - Final Thoughts thread for the book, where spoilers are welcome:
Book as a Whole and Final Thoughts
In addition, please post interesting external information in the glossary thread, where spoilers are also allowed:
Glossary
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and I look forward to our discussion and reading your posts.
All best,
Bentley
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Foreward - page xiii
Barbara Tuchman states that the reason for her interest in the 14th century was obvious:
"The genesis of this book was a desire to find out what were the effects on society of the most lethal disaster of recorded history - that is to say, of the Black Death of 1348 - 50, which killed an estimated one third of the population living between India and Iceland."
"The answer proved elusive because the 14th century suffered so many "strange and great perils and adversities" (in the words of a contemporary) that its disorders cannot be traced to any one cause; they were the hoofprints of more than the four horsemen of St. John's vision, which had now become seven-- plague, war, taxes, brigandage, bad government, insurrection, and schism in the Church."
She then states that all of the above seven aside from the plague existed prior to the Black Death and continued after it. Then to make things even more confusing, what she said was an obvious interest because of her initial question was the one question that escaped an answer!!
I am not sure what anybody else thought when reading this - but it is certain that she plans to discuss the following:
Black Death
Plague in general
War
Taxes
Brigandage
Bad Government
Insurrection
Schism (in the Church)
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How do you feel initially about the author's approach and choice of subject? Is this a book that you wanted to read for a very long time and never got to it?
What are your initial impressions?
Please also feel free to begin discussing any of the questions posed in message three on the Foreward as we begin. Or if you have some other questions, please feel free to pose and discuss those here as long as they relate specifically to this week's reading.
I am opening up the thread a day early - June 19th so that we can get things rolling.
And now we begin.
Bentley
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The Black Death
Population Loss
Froissart's estimate of the population loss was about right, which is ironic because Froissart wildly exaggerated numbers in almost all his accounts. But the best of many revised estimates still put the overall population loss in Europe at about one- third.
This bears re-stating. The plague came to Europe in the fall of 1347. By 1350 it had largely passed out of western Europe. In the space of two years, one out of every three people was dead. Nothing like that has happened before or since.
These general numbers disguise the uneven nature of the epidemic. Some areas suffered little, others suffered far more. Here are some examples.
Between 45% and 75% of Florence died in a single year. One-third died in the first six months. Its entire economic system collapsed for a time.
In Venice, which kept excellent records, 60% died over the course of 18 months: five hundred to six hundred a day at the height.
Certain professions suffered higher mortality, especially those whose duties brought them into contact with the sick--doctors and clergy. In Montpellier, only seven of 140 Dominican friars survived. In Perpignan, only one of nine physicians survived, and two of eighteen barber-surgeons.
The death rate at Avignon was fifty percent and was even higher among the clergy. One-third of the cardinals died. Clement VI had to consecrate the Rhone River so corpses could be sunk in it, for there was neither time nor room to bury them.
Long-term population loss is also instructive. Urban populations recovered quickly, in some cases within a couple of years, through immigration from the countryside because of increased opportunities in the cities. Rural population though, recovered itself slowly, for peasants left their farms for the cities.
Hardest hit were special groups, such as the friars, who took a couple of generations to recover. In many areas, pre-plague population levels were not reached until the 1500s; in a few, not until the 1600s.
This is one reason why the Black Death marks a dividing line between the central Middle Ages, with medieval culture in full bloom and at its greatest strength, and the later Middle Ages. The later period was one of chronically reduced population.
Source: Boise University
http://www.boisestate.edu/courses/wes...
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My first impressions on digging into the first few chapters is awe at how the author is so smoothly interpreting this century given what I see must be immense challenges. Looking at Bentley's question "From your viewpoint, what are the problems historians face when they study, try to interpret and write about past ages or times?" one of the biggest challenges I thought the author must face was interpreting French to English but even more than that, she was translating an older version of both languages into the English vernacular of today. Given the wild spelling variences that marked the written word of the time and references to items, customs, places, and so on that may no longer exist I can only imagine the challenge of culling through source documents and interpreting those in a way moderns can understand.
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You raise a very good point about the massive number of documents she had to translate and many were much older documents as you pointed out. How do you find Tuchman's style so far - do you consider this to be a dense read, does it seems easy to understand and readable, are you enjoying the chapters thus far?
I find her very readable although i am starting lose track of all the battles as there are so many.
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I agree; it is dense in the facts and happenings, but for once, I find myself continuing instead of having the boredom of continual facts and every little battle mentioned stopping me and/or having me skim and try to find an interesting area. I did very little of that, so far.For the main reason of boredom, I have pretty much ignored the Medieval Period before. But when I saw this book coming up, and the outline of it, I figured I'd give it another shot.
I feel that historians who are interested in the distant past, as she is, do have a difficult time. Finding primary sources, human-wise, is out of the question, so one must find any written matter that still exists, or written later with correct references to that period of time being written. And more than likely, any material found will be in a different language than the historian's first language.
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I think she has given the medieval period the best face possible. I am impressed at her ability to interpret a tremendous amount of resource material and create a compelling story which does not sound encyclopedic at all.
I agree with you on all counts and I am delighted that you are in the hunt to find out more about the 14th century.
I also agree, it is very dense and full of information but yet riveting at the same time. This is the 1st book I have ever read by Tuchman, so I am looking forward to it. I also do not know much about this period, but that just makes it more interesting for me.
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I read this book several years ago but I still have it and it is so chock full of notes and marginalia that I think I can participate. I've also read
and
by her. I still want to read
. I really appreciate Tuchman's ability to simplify complex situations, highlight the important issues and her clear and readable style.
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Please by all means look up your copy that is chock full of notes and jump right in and participate as much as you can. The more folks that jump right in the better.
We are delighted to have you with us Becky.
I am enjoying the book so far. I don't mind reading books that are full of facts like this. I've read a lot of books that focus on British history, so I am liking that this book so far is focusing on France.
I've been a big fan of Barbara Tuchman since reading "The Guns Of August" last year. This book is proving to be no less of a book.I agree with the other that it is dense in the sense it's packed with information. But it's the mark of great writer to make it compelling to read also. Too often density and readability seem to be mutually exclusive. She proves that this doesn't have to be the case.
I also love "Tuchman's Law". It makes so much sense. Of course the distant history is going to look bleak when reading it in a book. Just as the history books written about the 20th and so far in the 21st century will focus on all the bad that has happened (and we all know there has been plenty). But I like that she reminds us that this is a narrow view of the time, and probably does not represent the constant feeling of individuals as they went about their daily lives. This is good to keep in mind as we dive deeper into this book and it gets even darker.
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I am glad that you are enjoying the book so far Brett. It is good that you do not mind a book full of fact because this one has a lot.
However, I think that Tuchman is especially skillful in making this age come alive despite the preponderance of factual information she gives us.
And welcome to the discussion; please post often during the discussion. We welcome everybody.
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I agree with the other that it is dense in the sense it's packed..."
Yes, Don you bring up a very good point which I loved too:
Tuchman's Law
"The fact of being reported multiplies the apparent extent of any deplorable development by five-to-tenfold" (or any figure the reader would care to supply)"
I wonder how bleak our century will look as well with tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the proliferation of news reports, paparazzi and the media.
I think what you are saying is very true aside from the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) which thankfully has never had that effect or death toll since. Thank goodness of course. But aside from that, one has to ask themselves when did they ever hear a good news report on television.
I am delighted that you are reading and enjoying the book Don. On any other thread but these, if you had cited another book you would have had to have it look like this:
by
Barbara W. TuchmanBut because this is a spotlighted book discussion, we do not have to cite Tuchman or the spotlighted book itself in each and every post; but since you cited a "different book" even though this book was by Tuchman - at the very least you have to add the book cover which you did. And if it was a book by a different author other than a spotlighted one - you would need to do a citation like we do on all of the other threads - bookcover, author's photo and always author's link.
I always bring this up because I want folks to know the differences between these threads and others.
Getting back to the book:
I was wondering what folks thought about Tuchman's view during this period of time -
She stated on page xix:
"Difficulty of empathy, of genuinely entering into the mental and emotional values of the Middle Ages, is the final obstacle. The main barrier is, I believe, the Christian religion as it then was: the matrix of law of medieval life, omnipresent, indeed compulsory.
Its insistent principle that the life of the spirit and of the afterworld was superior to the here and now, to material life on earth, is one that the modern world does not share, no matter how devout some present-day Christians might be.
The rupture of this principle and its replacement by belief in the worth of the individual and of an active life not necessarily focused on God is, in fact, what created the modern world and ended the Middle Ages."
I am wondering if the readers and group members believe that ALL of this is true for all religions and all parts of the world? Is this statement true even simply for all Christians at this point in time?
It appears that "she feels" that when Christians stopped believing that the here after was better than the present life which she calls active life here on earth (and their life was not necessarily focused on religion or spirituality); that this is what ended the Middle Ages and made us what we are today? Is all of this true from your viewpoint?
Is the fact that some religions like fundamental Islam do not hold Tuchman's view; based upon her viewpoint is that what is holding them back from being able to development their countries and their part of the world? (of course we are only discussing Tuchman's view on Christianity and trying to make an analogy if we can and if it fits). If it doesn't we can discard it; but I found that personal statement of hers very interesting. It obviously reveals her personal viewpoint on this era, religion in this era, and her views on religion then and now and their effect on society and man which maybe not everybody shares; but she painted it broadly with her brush at the end of the prologue so it was an important point for her personally and probably reveals the author's personal view on religion which the readers may share or not.
What were your views?
When I was in college I had a wonderful medieval lit. teacher who spent a lot of time discussing medieval cathedrals and how they portrayed the medieval world view. When a student once made a sort of sarcastic, patronizing comment about medieval views on human nature, he raised a warning finger and said, "Respect the material." I agree with Tuchman that we may not be able to fully enter into the worldview of medieval people, but I think it's important we don't dismiss it as irrelevant or "disproven." There are lots of people in the modern world, Christian and of other religions, who believe the afterworld is superior to the "here and now," that humanity does not represent the highest measure of moral worth. I hope reading about how medieval people dealt with the many hardships of their time might help me understand how people deal with problems and hardship today. Glad to be back with the group, by the way.
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But I think she was at that point in the Prologue stepping outside the box and maybe was expressing her own personal views which I guess in a prologue an author can do. I think she was stating that when man's view on religion, on the importance of the here and now rather than the hereafter and their own personal worth changed; then they were able to march into the modern world and the Middle Ages ended. What struck me was that she was revealing a personal viewpoint as well and I wondered how the readers felt about her embedding the personal with the historic.
I also agree with your statement: "There are lots of people in the modern world, Christian and of other religions, who believe the afterworld is superior to the here and now"
And precisely because of that view is why I am still posing the question. I agree with that statement.
I think you also so eloquently stated one of the purposes in reading this book:
"I hope reading about how medieval people dealt with the many hardships of their time might help me understand how people deal with problems and hardship today."
We are also glad that you are back with the group Andrea - we enjoy your comments and posts.
There are still people around today that definitely live their lives focused on God and live their lives to obey the rules and set themselves up for a good 'spot' in the hereafter. Also, many of us hear sometime in your life that 'you'll see (deceased loved one) in heaven.' While there was a rupture of the spirit and afterworld, and more focus on the here-and-now, there are still enough people with a foot in both worlds.
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Tuchmann has really done a great job in setting a platform to explore the century.She has established a fulcrum person/place. That was Chapter one and she justified why it should be him.
Chapter two she established the power trains at work and the general conditions of the various segments of the population.
I think Bentley is correct that we should not try to remember all the details but flow with the “story”. But with much of the vocabulary etc I may be happier reading this book with my computer close at hand.
So my comments are just that – comments – not an overview or summary etc.
So a few things really struck me to help me understand the times.
1) Since the rule of Rome had disappeared Roman Villas could no longer exist but walled fortresses had to be build – so one must imagine what was the success of Rome. (In American we have open cities but Americans in Iraq or Afghanistan have little forts. – just my thought)
2) Page 8 – the private wars where the peasants were attacked, mutilated, crops burned to reduce the source of revenue, the wealth of an opponent. So can this be part of the genesis of the new world of settlers carrying guns to the new world, only the adventurous Europeans came (I think), and then their eventually coming to need the right to bear arms to defend their property and lives and also I guess liberty.
3) The role of the church, page 34 – “More than comfort the church gave answers” – the dominant power factor in this world I think. In a time without painkillers and with hungry and tyranny man could hope for salvation. The corruption of the church as illustrated so far in two short chapters would make us think “revolution soon” if we did not know that Martin Luther was coming soon. Once visiting St. Peter’s in Rome I said how could a peasant, coming from a middle ages farm, not think these guys, he church, had the keys to salvation. (And I just mention that beyond this book one can remember that the “power” of the church, or churches, did not have an overall foundational attack, or maybe undermining, until Darwin in 1859.)
4) Page 38 Usury – “this was left to the Jews…………..and if they had not been available they would have had to be invented” So if there were not Jews in Germany do we think Hitler would have chosen another “non-Aryan” group? Who would/could it have been?
And we have the extreme wealth and affluence of some of the clergy and some of the nobility but also (page 40) “he misery of the rural poor”.
If one has access and the time I can suggest the Teaching Companies courses on the Middle Ages by Phillip Daileader – this being the time of his course on the late Middle Ages. It may be available from your library.
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If a peasant entered one of these glorious churches, I have to agree that they would probably feel that these churches were a piece of heaven on earth.
I have no idea about Hitler's choice but Jesus was a Jew so we created many religions from his time here on Earth and the Jewish faith obviously preceded him. There will always be a sect or group who is persecuted. In the Crusades, it was either the Arabs or the Christians and unfortunately not much has changed.
The Teaching Company courses are all great additions to reading this book.
I love your notetaking and posts Vince.
As I am reading the opening chapters, I can't help thinking about how much modern medicine has separated us from the worldview of our ancestors. When these people became ill or injured, they were pretty much left to the body's own ability to heal. If that didn't work, they suffered and died. Today, we usually assume (perhaps not always rightly) that medical treatment will, if not heal us, make us feel better. I think these people had to develop a lot of inner resources to deal with pain and death because these were not masked for them. We read in these chapters that even noble families lost lots of members to illness and accident.
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I think the folks in this period were much more fatalistic about life and death and were prepared for death at any time.
So I finally started reading this one. Obviously I'm behind, so this is my Better Late Than Never post.Having finished the forward and first two chapters a couple of days ago, I am loving this book. I like Tuchman's approach to history and to telling the story she wants to tell. I do have to pay attention as I read, but I don't feel myself getting lost. And I enjoy the small points of dry humor that I've seen. Here is an example:
Chapter 1, page 13: Tuchman tells us that Enguerrand IV left 20 sous a year for a group to pray for his soul. She then tells us that "Twenty sous at this time was equal to a day's pay of one knight or ... the pay of a hired peasant for two years, so it may be presumed to have underwritten a reasonable number of prayers, though perhaps not adequate for the soul of Enguerrand IV." I had to laugh out loud as I read that.
For me, I know so little about this time in history. Everything from, oh, say, Alexander the Great to the Renaissance is something of a blur to me. I didn't know anything about this book until it was picked by the group. But I quickly knew I wanted to join in the read. I figure that if I can get to know the 14th century a little, then I can better place other events on my mental timeline. Someday I hope to be able to consistently remember which ages were middle, which were medieval, and which were dark. :)
And yet as I've read, a lot of things seem familiar to me. I think that is because I've read various historical fiction type books that take place around this time.
I knew I'd like A Distant Mirror when I was only a few pages into the foreword. I appreciate a historian who takes the time to point out things like Tuchman's Law. I also liked her statement from page xvii, "It may be taken as axiomatic that any statement of fact about the Middle Ages may (and probably will) be met by a statement of the opposite or a different version." I found her explanation of dates and money to be helpful and valuable. I especially enjoyed how Tuchman pointed out that the people of the 14th century lived under such different circumstances that they are "almost a foreign civilization" (page xiv). And yet in so many ways, people are people and always have been.
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The 14th century was also not a century that I was particularly familiar with although Barzun's book touched upon some of this time period. I loved Tuchman's Law as well.
A great post Elizabeth.
Jacques Barzun
Coming very late to this party! Like many here, I am enjoying the book very much; Tuchman has a wonderful style. I appreciate Tuchman's law also; in between reading so many of the horror-story-anecdotes of cruel punishments and barbaric practices, one has to remember that they may have been recorded precisely because they were the exception. At the same time, I have paused several times in my reading of this chapter to think, "anyone who thinks humanity has made no progress and that this is the worst of all times should read this book for consolation!"
Hi, Mary Ellen. Nice to know I'm not the only late-comer! And I'm reading so slowly you are likely to catch up with me. :)I like your comments about humanity making progress or not. The Distant Mirror is well-named. So many things are so different, and so many are so the same.
Mod
Mary Ellen, it is never too late to participate in the discussion and post your thoughts. Barbaric practices continue to this day in many regions and probably had no exception to the 14th century. It is true that the recording of some of these at that time could have been because they were the exception but I fear that this might not have been the case.
In many ways the civilized world has progressed immensely at least ostensibly.
The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, 1500 to the Present (other topics)The Guns of August (other topics)
The Guns of August (other topics)
The Guns of August (other topics)
The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914 (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jacques Barzun (other topics)Barbara W. Tuchman (other topics)
Barbara W. Tuchman (other topics)
For the week of June 20th - June 26th, we are reading approximately the first 48 pages of A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman.
The first week's reading assignment is:
Week One - June 20th - June 26th -> Foreward and PART ONE - Chapters ONE and TWO p. xiii - 48
Foreward and ONE - "I Am the Sire de Coucy": The Dynasty and TWO - Born To Woe: The Century
We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other spotlighted books.
This book is being kicked off today June 19th. We look forward to your participation. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, or on your Kindle.
Since we will not be starting this book until June 20th, there is a great deal of advance time still remaining to obtain the book and get started.
There is no rush and we are thrilled to have you join us. It is never too late to get started and/or to post.
Welcome,
~Bentley
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