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Mark

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Mark is Currently Reading

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Trial by Battle: The Hundred Years War, Volume 1

by Jonathan Sumption

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Mark said: " Feels unlikely I'll finish this, it's massive, it's kind of like the other massive epic history books I've gotten 50-80% through and then lost interest in the newer periods discussed later in the books. But it's my kind of history, detailed economic Feels unlikely I'll finish this, it's massive, it's kind of like the other massive epic history books I've gotten 50-80% through and then lost interest in the newer periods discussed later in the books. But it's my kind of history, detailed economic and political and military descriptions along with lots of anecdotes and slices of life.

Extremely rich descriptions of both personal and political life in France, and then England. I'm about 10% in right now. The comparison between French decentralization in terms of tax and manpower while having a relatively 'centralized' state in terms of political culture or centrality of the King, and the English decentralized political culture with strong opponents to the king, but very efficient and effective centralization in terms of tax and manpower primarily through the parliament is really interesting.

France outscales England in this regard over time, and by the 1500's is becoming the type of dominant European land power that it reaches at it's imperial zenith in the 1600's and 1700's, but it's interesting that during this period the English Norman state is able to punch well above it's weight in terms of money, and sustainment of force while in the field.

The most interesting thesis is that the English, though they start the hundred years war only a decade or two after the end of a long period of civil war and internal upheaval, has sharpened through internally directed violence their military elite and military infrastructure. So on top of the taxation advantage through legitimization through parliament, they have high quality military decision making and organization. Interesting!

The book really gets into its stride when it becomes more of a narrative history after introducing Gascony.

Update 04/06/2026

Book rocks. The heavy detail and rich anecdotes which explain the real social contours of how feudalism 'works' are so interesting to read, and really fill in a lot of political and economic questions about the period. The large emphasis on a 'narrative' style of history is really enthralling, and makes even the long descriptions of tax and financial innovation feel really easy to follow. The book is a great mixture of political history, diplomatic history, and military history. While it avoids much of a social or 'history from below' that I think might add at points, there is a wealth of complex scheming and legal or diplomatic arguments at the top that are difficult to follow even in a book of this size. ...more "

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(65%)
"Book rocks. The heavy detail explaining how feudalism 'works' are so interesting to read, and really fill in a lot of politics/economic questions. Enjoy the 'narrative' style, even the tax and financial innovations feel really easy to follow. Great mixture of political history, diplomatic history, legal hist, and military history. Not much 'history from below' but the top level legal/diplomatic stuff is rich enough." — Apr 06, 2026 11:10AM

Apr 06, 2026 11:07AM · see review

Mark is currently reading

Road to October 7: A Brief History of Palestinian Islamism

by Erik Skare

bookshelves: currently-reading, 2026-aspiration

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Mark said: " Really good.

It's a 'brief' history for sure, but it really delineates the difference between palestinian islamic jihad and hamas in a way I was totally ignorant of. It also much more neatly than my vibes based understanding details how exactly Islam ...more "

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(50%)
— Mar 05, 2026 11:26AM

Mar 04, 2026 06:34PM · see review

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Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman

by A.J.P. Taylor

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"While this is a pretty great diplomatic history, it’s a bad personal history. I don’t care about his mistress tell me about Austria" — Aug 27, 2025 11:38PM

Jul 15, 2025 02:12PM

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