What do you think?
Rate this book
A Medieval Miscellany: 100 Voices from the Middle Ages
Not yet published
Expected 28 Jan 27Where were the frogs housed on Noah's Ark? Why were forks introduced? And how many guardian angels do we have? Drawing from a wide range of sources, this anthology explores the contexts, connections and meanings of 100 striking and unusual passages from the Middle Ages. Through chronicles, love poetry, bestiaries, and more, bestselling historian Robert Bartlett illuminates disparate aspects of medieval European life and thought across countries and centuries, offering insights that are engaging, personal and often surprising. Despite their differences, these are all words written by a person in the Middle Ages, and capture a voice from the Europe of hundreds of years ago. From fairies to fornication and from pets to passports, this marvellous miscellany from a master historian includes something for everyone.
- GenresHistory
360 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 28, 2027
About the author
Robert Bartlett
69 books63 followersRobert Bartlett, CBE, FBA, FRSE is Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Mediaeval History Emeritus at the University of St Andrews.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the type of book that can hold your interest and keep you engaged all while learning about a period in time many believe to be "dark" in the sense of lacking much of anything, especially in Europe. This book begs to differ, and displays to us a wide menagerie of colorful cultural practices during the Medieval time period from different places around the world. Each section is the perfect length to make this a quick albeit informative read, packed with information that is often neglected or ignored, but are most interesting. This anthology gives readers an excellent glimpse not only at the glamour or practices of courtly life during the Medieval period but also glimpses into the daily life of the average person and people of different ranks. These cute, quips of stories also provide us with a delicious look at some of the most interesting people to have ever existed in history, reminding us that they are not just some characters conjured up in a book, or lacking in personality. That these people in history were real, had their own unique experiences, and had personalities that are often forsaken by historians to keep to the facts and not explore their depth. But "A Medieval Miscellany" does not mention one figure and strip them of their humanity. Bartlett gives us pieces of them that can have you giggling or feeling sympathy, keeping you grounded in the memory of that person.
This book will help you better understand life in the Medieval period in different parts of the world, and that humans have always been humans with similar ways in how we tackle situations or adapt to the ever changing world around us. Highly recommend for anyone that enjoys history, looking for a fun nonfiction read, or just loves the Medieval period.
This is the type of book that can hold your interest and keep you engaged all while learning about a period in time many believe to be "dark" in the sense of lacking much of anything, especially in Europe. This book begs to differ, and displays to us a wide menagerie of colorful cultural practices during the Medieval time period from different places around the world. Each section is the perfect length to make this a quick albeit informative read, packed with information that is often neglected or ignored, but are most interesting. This anthology gives readers an excellent glimpse not only at the glamour or practices of courtly life during the Medieval period but also glimpses into the daily life of the average person and people of different ranks. These cute, quips of stories also provide us with a delicious look at some of the most interesting people to have ever existed in history, reminding us that they are not just some characters conjured up in a book, or lacking in personality. That these people in history were real, had their own unique experiences, and had personalities that are often forsaken by historians to keep to the facts and not explore their depth. But "A Medieval Miscellany" does not mention one figure and strip them of their humanity. Bartlett gives us pieces of them that can have you giggling or feeling sympathy, keeping you grounded in the memory of that person.
This book will help you better understand life in the Medieval period in different parts of the world, and that humans have always been humans with similar ways in how we tackle situations or adapt to the ever changing world around us. Highly recommend for anyone that enjoys history, looking for a fun nonfiction read, or just loves the Medieval period.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Medieval Miscellany gives us a backstory of miscellaneous things. The approach is from medieval peoples’ perspectives. This book will tell you some truly random things, but will also explain why certain items were invented or how such beliefs came to be.
I would say this book is not so casual. While the chapters are like 2 pages long, the text is very information rich and needs one’s time to process. Author comments disapprovingly on some beliefs that are obviously wrong to most people.
Some of my favourite chapters were the ones where it showed that medieval scholars/religion people had discussions over how many angels there were or what age would souls in heaven be. Very very interesting. Scientific discussion of their time.
I personally learned some things that I have googled many times, but because they are so random and hard to explain to a machine, I could never find an answer.
Thank you to Cambridge University Press and Netgalley for a chance to read this book!
I would say this book is not so casual. While the chapters are like 2 pages long, the text is very information rich and needs one’s time to process. Author comments disapprovingly on some beliefs that are obviously wrong to most people.
Some of my favourite chapters were the ones where it showed that medieval scholars/religion people had discussions over how many angels there were or what age would souls in heaven be. Very very interesting. Scientific discussion of their time.
I personally learned some things that I have googled many times, but because they are so random and hard to explain to a machine, I could never find an answer.
Thank you to Cambridge University Press and Netgalley for a chance to read this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An absolute delight for both casual history lovers and serious scholars. Organised alphabetically from A to Z, this beautifully structured anthology takes readers on a fascinating tour through 100 unique, striking, and often surprising historical passages.
Rather than focusing solely on predictable political timelines, Bartlett draws from a remarkably wide web of source material—including love poetry, chronicles, bestiaries, and legal codes—to reveal the deeply human, intimate side of medieval life. From quirks about Noah's Ark to the introduction of forks, the bite-sized sections balance sharp, unique analysis with genuine humor and wit. It is wonderfully accessible, perfectly bite-sized, and highly recommended for anyone looking to hear the true, unfiltered voices of the European Middle Ages.
Thank you to Cambridge University Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rather than focusing solely on predictable political timelines, Bartlett draws from a remarkably wide web of source material—including love poetry, chronicles, bestiaries, and legal codes—to reveal the deeply human, intimate side of medieval life. From quirks about Noah's Ark to the introduction of forks, the bite-sized sections balance sharp, unique analysis with genuine humor and wit. It is wonderfully accessible, perfectly bite-sized, and highly recommended for anyone looking to hear the true, unfiltered voices of the European Middle Ages.
Thank you to Cambridge University Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was entertaining although after awhile the "history minute", "the past is a strange country" format did become a little tedious for me, but then I'm a big reader of history so I am not the main target audience for this kind of book. It must have taken years and years of accumulated knowledge and research to be able to write this book. I recommend it for people who haven't read much history and want to have their interest piqued without having developed the muscles to read lengthy history books.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
huge thanks to netgalley and all for the advanced copy! was first drawn to the book by the title and cover and the premise and as a history nerd myself that loves a random fact i devoured this book in like two nights. was v impressed by the level of detail and information packed into this little 300page book but yet its not a dense read or a difficult one. also a huge plus for me was that it was in alphabetical order. i may have recommended it to all my friends and am looking forward to adding it to my physical bookshelf
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews