Author, historian, novelist, and professor, Dr. Susan Wise Bauer writes faster than I think. She edits faster than I write. She proofs faster than I can rephrase a sentence. I’m so glad God gave her this gift because her follow-up volume to History of the Ancient World continues the compelling story of the major nation-states side by side as they plod through the Middle Ages (now that Rome has fallen and all).
Bauer’s History of the Medieval World picks up at the conversion of Constantine and carries us until the First Crusade. The writing is the same running narrative interspersed with pithy interludes that we received in Bauer’s first, History of the Ancient World, and that had me chuckling in delight as I read it on my Kindle at the beach while the waters of the Mediterranean sparkled offshore. I read the bulk of the book while in Italy, finding it fitting subject matter in my exhausted state (we spent days hiking through the Balkans and the Greek island of Corfu). I was amazed as I read the end of Ancient World safe at home in Seattle, cozy under my cashmere blanket, to find out that the highlight of our Amalfi coast experience–a hydrofoil boat ride to Capri; an ancient island for royalty (way before Jacqueline Kennedy made it her oasis)–was the Roman emperor Tiberius’s chosen hideout, far away from Jerusalem and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Thus, I opened Medieval World ready to continue my journey through history, almost sad that this year in 2010 there will be no trips to Greece or Turkey or Europe. It is our rest year (you’ve got to save up for traveling sometime, right?) and I’m grateful to have Medieval World to dream over while I wait for 2011 and our grand plans.
I love history: Thomas Cahill, Plutarch, D’Abigne, Carlyle, Durant, and Gibbon. I had a difficult time beginning with Ancient World, because it was a format entirely foreign to me. But after finally digging in (and reading it to my heart’s content in Italy), I find I am quite enamored with Bauer’s view of the history of the world. I love tracking my way across the years with each nation-state and find I learn something new every time I read.
They say you fall in love with the books you read far from home the most. I can’t remember who said it exactly, but I remembered the exhortation before I left for Europe last spring. I did fall in love with Bauer’s History of the World series while on the Italian beach near Perdifumo, and reading Medieval World reminds me once again of all the fabulous places I’ve been . . . and the even more fabulous places I’ll go to next!
Grade: A+
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I’ve had an eye on History of the Ancient World, and now feel like I “must” have it AND History of the Medieval World.;-) I love history, but didn’t get much beyond American history in school. I’ll have to indulge and get educated. Thanks for the review!
They really are quite good and you will love them! And Peace Hill Press has history for homeschoolers (History of the World in four volumes that are equally good). Hope you’re loving Maine! How’s the snow?
I’m very happy to be starting at the elementary level.
We are just finishing up Story of the World Vol. 2: The Middle Ages. History (with incorporated literature) is our favorite subject. I’m planning on using SWB’s new history series when ‘we’ get to high school. Hopefully she’ll finish in time!
I have those books and they are good by themselves, but you and Levi will have a treat when you get to high school. She’ll be done and writing another series by then. She’s super-Susan! As we know.
I’ll have to check out these books. They sound so good. I love Thomas Cahill, too, especially his “How the Irish Saved Civilization.”
And try to lay your hands on a copy of “My Family and Other Animals” by Gerald Durrell. He spent a few years on Corfu, ostensibly being home-schooled but mostly roaming the island and getting in trouble. It’s very funny and gave me a vivid picture of Corfu. (Sorry, that’s completely off the subject of Susan’s books, but it’s not every day that I see a mention of Corfu on a blog!)
Meg, I will get Durrell’s book. Now that I’ve been there, I think it will be really good! Sounds fabulous!
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