The History Book Club discussion
This topic is about
A Distant Mirror
EUROPE - EUROPEAN HISTORY
>
11. A DISTANT MIRROR... August 29th ~ September 4th ~~ Part Two - Chapter EIGHTEEN (365 - 397) - No Spoilers Please
date
newest »
newest »
It was hard to keep track of so many details of the rebellions or resistance in this chapter but in the end it becam apparent that the nobility took control in a vicious way.I am curious if I am the only one having trouble with the, to me, profujsion of characters and places and details. In a way the places lend some stability to the story if I can find them and sort them out.
Mod
I've read the book twice now. Can I join even if not currently reading? :-) Fabulous book. It made me feel like I was actually witnessing the events unfold. The profusion of characters and details, in a way, give a good impression of the unstable and confusing time surrounding that particular period in France.
Well I am leaving on vacation so will fall further behind. - mostly in Italy - a couple of days in Florence so maybe I will see more - I think I will not carry the book - nor Clinton - because I like to not move forward until I have done the commenting on the sections like this chapter. Maybe Kindle should have a link to Goodreads.
Mod
Yes of course feel free to join in; but remember each of these threads are non spoiler threads.
Mod
Sounds like a great vacation; have a great time; I hope you enjoy yourself.
Definitely a lot of detail to process. Personally, I was complaining more back when every other character was named Charles or Edward. :) I do keep thinking that if I could plot things on a map better I'd be able to keep better track. The maps in the book are helpful, just not as helpful as if I knew where things were already.
Overall comments:What an interesting chapter, yet sad. So much explosive demand for rights, and yet no organization. Society needs rules and laws. It is sometimes hard to know how to make them fair, and when you've been subjected to unfairness for a while you may think an absence of law is a good solution.
Tuchman sums it up well on page 396: "The poor provided the explosive force, but became the agents of the merchant class, whose interests were not theirs." Removing those in power creates a vacuum that must be filled. Very tough.
Tuchman several times brings in references to locations more well-known for battles or landings in the World Wars. I kept mentally comparing with the more well-known French Revolution just over 2 centuries ago. As with the Jewish attacks in the 14th century and the Holocaust of the 20th, I was surprised by how much was there in the earlier event. Lots of death and violence and upheaval and protesting, etc. It seems to me that the biggest differences were that in the later French Revolution the people went for the king as well, plus the invention of the guillotine.
Mod
For the week of August 29th - September 4th, we are reading approximately the next 32 pages of A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman.
The eleventh week's reading assignment is:
Week Eleven - August 29th – September 4th -> Chapters EIGHTEEN, p. 365 – 397
EIGHTEEN – The Worms of the Earth Against the Lions
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 was kicked off on June 20th. 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.
There is 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
TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL
by