europe

If one wants to understand the origins of western culture, particularly the difficult role of the middle ages, then one could not wish for a more succinct, and I believe accurate and well written summary. I think Hollister gets it right, we have a large debt to midieval culture. We are not "Greeks" but a synthesis of ideas derived from medieval times as modified later rediscovery of ancient Greek thought. Hollister's writing is superb. He never lost my attention at any time. He handles the long history and cultural events of this era in a concise yet entertaining manner while retaining the overall themes that a good history of the period must cover. I am a general reader of history, not a student.

It's rare to find a textbook animated by its author's love of the subject matter. And Hollister is a devoted paramour. I had the pleasure of using the seventh edition of this textbook in a medieval history class, and I still have it. Simply put, it's a far-ranging, thorough and fascinating look at the art, events, and culture of the Middle Ages. And as for the previous review's objections to the book: the reason Hollister dismisses the "Golden Age" of Rome as anything but a "Golden Age" are carfeully listed. Infanticide, widespread slavery and poverty (running up to 90 percent), and a closely-bonded upper class that enjoyed the fruits of classical culture without bothering to transmit its fruits to the remainder of the realm. Nor does Hollister object to the Renaissance: he points out that the knowledge and thought processes the Humanists claimed to have rediscovered after the "long sleep" of the Middle Ages were set in motion and used quite well during the High Middle Ages. Humanists were simply more self-consciously "awakened." HIs critique of Renaissance art (if you can even call it that) is a simple observation of how the priorities of artists were changing by the end of the late Middle Ages. This is masterful stuff. The book makes a very convincing argument that western culture was shaped more by the Middle Ages than anything following. And Hollister's playful sense of humor makes everything go down easy. You've got to love a book that can discuss the problems of urban life in London while adding this observation: "The violence of medieval London may be attributable in part to the existence (in 1309) of 354 taverns and more than 1300 ale shops -- a fact that provides added meaning to the term 'High Middle Ages.'" It's pithy asides like these that reveal the humor and humanity of Hollister's effort, and make you realize that this gentleman is in love with his work, knowledgable about it, determined to learn even more, and brave enough to crack jokes in the super-serious world of academia. A terrific introduction to the Middle Ages.

I turned to the 9th edition of this book hoping to find a short, descriptive, and informative assessment of Medieval European history and culture. I was quickly disappointed by the vapid opinions that punctuate Bennet's revision of what may have originally been a witty, readable, and informative text.

For example, when setting the stage for the rise of the Middle Ages from the decline of the Roman Empire, Bennet informs us that "the less said about Nero (r. 54-68 C.E.) the better." A few pages later she summarizes the period of the Roman Peace by opining, "if this was humanity's happiest time, God help us all!"

I'm amazed that empty statements like this made it past Bennet's academic peers and editors. I turned to the book seeking to be intelligently informed and educated, not persuaded to a view of history by someone else's personal feelings about the moral qualities of a historical personage or period.

Though I may yet seek an earlier edition of this reputedly fine text, I put down Bennet's revision of Hollister's book and moved on to Morris Bishop's The MIddle Ages.