c1998: This is a very dry academic tome packed full of references, latin sayings, ibids and the like. It will be an excellent source book but not a very joyful read. There is also a very interesting section about the survival and legacy of the 'heresy'. Recommended if you want some solid academic research on the Cathars - but it is not a light or easy read at all - but worth trawling through the pages if you have an interest in the subject,
Dry but informative outline of the history of the Cathars. Read while in vacation in the south of France where they were ultimately wiped out. Sad history.
This seems to be an incredibly thorough book chronicling the history of the Cathars. I'm giving it 3 stars, but the problem is most likely me and not the book. I'm more interested in the philosophy of gnostics & other heretics than I am about the precise date that Lord such-n-such was chased from his castle by Inquisitor so-n-so. I say "this seems to be thorough" because I just simply could not keep track of what was going on. There were way too many names, and when we finally got hold of one major player, the story was not in chronogical order.
Long story short, history buffs might love this, but my poor brain needs more diagrams, fewer people, and way more back story.
Come testo introduttivo e divulgativo l'ho trovato piuttosto disordinato e confuso. E' evidente che si basa su competenze notevoli e su ricerche accurate, ma l'Autore sembra rivolgersi ad esperti del settore più che a lettori da introdurre all'argomento.
Interessante anche se datato, ricco di notizie sconosciute sull eresia piu diffusa del 200, da una panoramica soprattutto su Limguadoca e meno su Lombardia