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Horrible Histories #11
Measly Middle Ages (newspaper edition)
All the foul facts about the Measly Middle Ages are ready to uncover, • fully illustrated throughout and packed with horrible stories – with all the horribly hilarious bits included • with a fresh take on the classic Horrible Histories style, perfect for fans old and new • the perfect series for anyone looking for a fun and informative read • Horrible Histories has been entertaining children and families for generations with books, TV, stage show, magazines, games and 2019's brilliantly funny Horrible the Movie – Rotten Romans . Get your history right here and collect the whole horrible lot. Read all about it!
Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
78 people are currently reading
1121 people want to read
About the author
Terry Deary
823 books825 followersA former actor, theatre-director and drama teacher, Deary says he began writing when he was 29. Most famously, he is one of the authors of the Horrible Histories series of books popular among children for their disgusting details, gory information and humorous pictures and among adults for getting children interested in history. Books in the series have been widely translated into other languages and imitated.
A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on CiTV for a period in 2002.
The first series of a live-action comedy sketch show of the same name was shown on CBBC in 2009 and a second series is due.
Terry is also known widely throughout children and adult reading groups alike for his True Stories series (see below for series list).
He received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from the University of Sunderland in 2000. His numerous accolades also include the Blue Peter "Best Nonfiction Author of the Century" Award in the U.K.
-Wikipedia
A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on CiTV for a period in 2002.
The first series of a live-action comedy sketch show of the same name was shown on CBBC in 2009 and a second series is due.
Terry is also known widely throughout children and adult reading groups alike for his True Stories series (see below for series list).
He received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from the University of Sunderland in 2000. His numerous accolades also include the Blue Peter "Best Nonfiction Author of the Century" Award in the U.K.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
September 23, 2016
2 stars for being occasionally very funny, especially for illustrations. I used to love these books, but now I am a medievalist and I strongly disapprove of generalisations that this book uses. "Cruelty alongside saintliness. That pretty well sums up the measly Middle Ages." No, it does not. I know this is supposed to make history more interesting to a younger audience, but it also gives them an idea that that period of time was pure darkness and that all people were superstitious and stupid then. It does not give justice to the time, despite its injustices in certain areas, when first universities came to be. This was the age of William of Ockham and Copernicus, among others. If you speak only of the "cruelty and stupidity and superstition of the Middle Ages," you present a partial and unfair view of this period. It is like judging the 20th century only by the actions of the Nazis for example, omitting all the good that happened in that century.
November 11, 2024
These Horrible History Books are some of the best books every written EVER I think. Full of facts, and fun engaging information and stories told in a way that makes learning about history FUN. It's really brilliant that they focus on the parts that you might not find out about in school. I have found that the more gross and weird facts I find out the more I want to find out about this whole period in history.
These books have been really brilliant to shar with my mum and dad and the rest of my family, because the facts are short and easy to remember so I can share them with my friends and family.
I think these books are amazing I want to read and collect them all! Perfect gifts for children who have started to read books independently because there are so many to collect and enjoy.
These books have been really brilliant to shar with my mum and dad and the rest of my family, because the facts are short and easy to remember so I can share them with my friends and family.
I think these books are amazing I want to read and collect them all! Perfect gifts for children who have started to read books independently because there are so many to collect and enjoy.
March 2, 2023
تاریخ خودش را تکرار نمی کند،بلکه این انسان ها هستند که همواره فجایع را تکرار می کنند.
وقایعرخ می دهند و می گذرند..کنش و واکنش انسان ها اما اینچنین نیست،سده های میانی اغلب دوران تاریکی پنداشته شده اند،دورانی که بی شباهت با حال ما نیست،پرسشی بر می انگیزد که آیا انسان جز دوران تاریک دوران دیگری هم داشته است؟
وقایعرخ می دهند و می گذرند..کنش و واکنش انسان ها اما اینچنین نیست،سده های میانی اغلب دوران تاریکی پنداشته شده اند،دورانی که بی شباهت با حال ما نیست،پرسشی بر می انگیزد که آیا انسان جز دوران تاریک دوران دیگری هم داشته است؟
December 17, 2019
I guess you already know from my previous review that Terry Deary is one of my favourite authors, because he knows how to retell history in a laid-back and funny way. Now I'm going to talk about a historical period that began to interest me since I have learnt about Beowulf and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in my English Medieval Literature class. Though Romantic writers tried to reinvent and paint the Dark Ages in pinkish shades, it's pretty hard for me to understand how come courtesy, beautiful love poems and songs could live side by side with religious dogmatism and lack of basic hygiene, two causes that triggered the plague and many other bizarre diseases.
According to Measly Middle Ages timeline, one of the most despotic, bloodthirsty and ignorant historical periods, from my point of view, stretches from post-Roman England, to the time of Alfred the Great, the Norman Conquest, the Angevin rule, The War of the Roses, to Christopher Columbus' discovery.
In this book you can find out how people lived in the Middle Ages, how women and children were treated, what rules they had to obey, what kind of clothes and accessories people wore and how monks lived. You will also read about the Norman Conquest and the feudal rule, the Angevin Dynasty, the Black Death and inefficient medieval remedies, odd facts about food and drinks and so on.
If you wonder which chapter I found the most interesting and intriguing, the answer is Rotten Religion. In the Middle Ages, people's ignorance and naivety were exploited by monks and priests, who forged all sorts of holy relics and other items which apparently cured any illness. For example, “Saint Apollonia is the patron of toothache, thus she could cure your tortured tootsie-peg. (...) Hundred of monasteries had a tooth from her mouth. Big mouth? No, simply another miracle, the monks explained. Henry VI of England collected a ton of them” (Loc. 908-911).
If we think about Medieval schools, the monks and priests were the only teachers of the time. Life in the countryside, as well as in towns, was very hard, therefore, many small boys and girls were sent by their parents to join the church as monks and nuns. Here, the author reveals the letter of a boy, who has been studying in a monastery and the way he describes his daily routine: harsh discipline, an exhausting schedule not fit for a child no older than 8 or 9, firm teachers, scarce food, fasting, praying and a lot of Bible reading. I don't know about you, but when I read this letter, it occurred to me that Medieval school is as bad as Victorian school.
Towards the end of the book, Terry Deary writes that in Tudor times life began to be slightly better and people believed that the crude and Measly Middle Ages seemed very far away; however, if we look through the newspapers of our day, we may notice that those horrible times have not ended completely just yet.
http://elitere.ro/measly-middle-ages/
According to Measly Middle Ages timeline, one of the most despotic, bloodthirsty and ignorant historical periods, from my point of view, stretches from post-Roman England, to the time of Alfred the Great, the Norman Conquest, the Angevin rule, The War of the Roses, to Christopher Columbus' discovery.
In this book you can find out how people lived in the Middle Ages, how women and children were treated, what rules they had to obey, what kind of clothes and accessories people wore and how monks lived. You will also read about the Norman Conquest and the feudal rule, the Angevin Dynasty, the Black Death and inefficient medieval remedies, odd facts about food and drinks and so on.
If you wonder which chapter I found the most interesting and intriguing, the answer is Rotten Religion. In the Middle Ages, people's ignorance and naivety were exploited by monks and priests, who forged all sorts of holy relics and other items which apparently cured any illness. For example, “Saint Apollonia is the patron of toothache, thus she could cure your tortured tootsie-peg. (...) Hundred of monasteries had a tooth from her mouth. Big mouth? No, simply another miracle, the monks explained. Henry VI of England collected a ton of them” (Loc. 908-911).
If we think about Medieval schools, the monks and priests were the only teachers of the time. Life in the countryside, as well as in towns, was very hard, therefore, many small boys and girls were sent by their parents to join the church as monks and nuns. Here, the author reveals the letter of a boy, who has been studying in a monastery and the way he describes his daily routine: harsh discipline, an exhausting schedule not fit for a child no older than 8 or 9, firm teachers, scarce food, fasting, praying and a lot of Bible reading. I don't know about you, but when I read this letter, it occurred to me that Medieval school is as bad as Victorian school.
Towards the end of the book, Terry Deary writes that in Tudor times life began to be slightly better and people believed that the crude and Measly Middle Ages seemed very far away; however, if we look through the newspapers of our day, we may notice that those horrible times have not ended completely just yet.
http://elitere.ro/measly-middle-ages/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2008
Who says history has to be boring and serious? Measly Middle Ages tells the history of the middle ages while completely entertaining the reader. The book itself is filled with lots of interesting information, surprising facts, and insider jokes. It's great fun!
Measly Middle Ages is part of a series of Horrible Histories which teaches history in a interesting, fun, and humorous way. All of these books have great titles like Rotten Romans, Awesome Egyptians, Groovy Greeks, and Vicious Vikings. A copy of these books should be in every local school library.
Measly Middle Ages is part of a series of Horrible Histories which teaches history in a interesting, fun, and humorous way. All of these books have great titles like Rotten Romans, Awesome Egyptians, Groovy Greeks, and Vicious Vikings. A copy of these books should be in every local school library.
July 27, 2023
It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to read more from the series!
Read
November 29, 2020As always, no numbered rating from me. I enjoyed this one, and I felt like I learnt a lot!
July 1, 2018
Divertidísimo libro que relata los hechos más importantes que tuvieron lugar en la Edad Media a través de una clave de humor muy británico.
Es cortito y ameno. Se lee muy rápido.
Con ganas de leer el resto de libros de este autor.
Es cortito y ameno. Se lee muy rápido.
Con ganas de leer el resto de libros de este autor.
November 21, 2021
A nice quick and simple read to give myself that much-needed dose of medieval history this month. Missing it a lot.
Big love for the Horrible Histories series as always, though I wasn't a huge fan of the structure of this one.
Big love for the Horrible Histories series as always, though I wasn't a huge fan of the structure of this one.
September 8, 2015
As a child history was one of my favourite school subjects thus making Horrible Histories the perfect books for me.
Nowadays children have the television series yet I belong to the older group that had the books. Personally, I believe any child who has an interest in history should give these books a go. They’re truly gripping and so many topics are covered.
Honestly, Horrible Histories are well worth a read.
Nowadays children have the television series yet I belong to the older group that had the books. Personally, I believe any child who has an interest in history should give these books a go. They’re truly gripping and so many topics are covered.
Honestly, Horrible Histories are well worth a read.
November 23, 2018
I was always a big fan of the middle ages as a historical period, and so perhaps it’s no surprise that I enjoyed this. If anything, the thing that surprises me is that I didn’t get to it earlier. I would have adored this if I’d had it as a kid.
Still, even as an adult there’s some great stuff in here, although there was one line in it somewhere that dated it and which wouldn’t fly in 2018. I could let it slide though because it wasn’t exactly offensive, just kind of unnecessary. And actually, it fitted in well with the overall sense of humour in the book, it just seems a bit weird to send that kind of message to young kids.
Still, even as an adult there’s some great stuff in here, although there was one line in it somewhere that dated it and which wouldn’t fly in 2018. I could let it slide though because it wasn’t exactly offensive, just kind of unnecessary. And actually, it fitted in well with the overall sense of humour in the book, it just seems a bit weird to send that kind of message to young kids.
October 30, 2021
A collection of foul historical facts written in a fun way and filled with some illustrations. No wonder it's a children book anyway. If you're looking for something good written in this book, forget it because all of them were horrible histories (get it?). The author only wrote the horrible side of the stories in here.
November 25, 2020
A fun history book describing the Middle Ages as pretty horrible (can you imagine the stench?) Along with some facts and background. A way to make history more fun.
October 30, 2022
Mad times back then
March 20, 2023
Audiobook. Plays like an audio drama with multiple characters and frequent sound clips. Captures much of the essence of the physical book.
July 9, 2023
so funny and nostalgic
November 9, 2024
Not my fave but it was a fun read.
September 6, 2017
More about the morbid and un-merry men of the middle ages, as part of the Horrible Histories collection, prepared by Terry Deary for Scholastic Books collection. So, it is full of glorious bits of information on salient subjects for the young reader's curious mind, I love the pictures the best! Always have!
February 25, 2011
This silly book has been kicking around our house for quite some time and I've never really looked at it. I picked it up while preparing to teach one of our "heroes" classes, hoping to find something amusing to get the kids to laugh.
Hard to star, 2 for discerning adults, probably 4 for kids! They loved it. I read them some "foul food facts" and some bathroom facts and they all had a good chuckle.
Silly little book that gives some insight into how bad some things were at that time, but I felt the author went out of his way to make sure everything looked as dark as possible, and everyone to look as villianous as possible. We'd just read a book about William the Conqueror, and this book only brought up his worst side.
All in all, not a bad little intro to life in the middle ages, but one to talk about and teach UP to the kids--obviously one needs a little more info about the times, places and peoples to get a true picture.
Delightful for chilren who revel in gross-ness...
Hard to star, 2 for discerning adults, probably 4 for kids! They loved it. I read them some "foul food facts" and some bathroom facts and they all had a good chuckle.
Silly little book that gives some insight into how bad some things were at that time, but I felt the author went out of his way to make sure everything looked as dark as possible, and everyone to look as villianous as possible. We'd just read a book about William the Conqueror, and this book only brought up his worst side.
All in all, not a bad little intro to life in the middle ages, but one to talk about and teach UP to the kids--obviously one needs a little more info about the times, places and peoples to get a true picture.
Delightful for chilren who revel in gross-ness...
December 30, 2016
Horrible Histories: The Measly Middle Ages, by Terry Deary
I first read this book when I was about 10 or 11, and it's held a fond place in my memories ever since.
Deary retells some of the history of the Middle Ages, with plenty of humor and excellent illustrations by Martin Brown. Normally, I skip graphics, but Brown's images add a lot to the text.
Aimed at kids, the Horrible Histories series, and especially "The Measly Middle Ages" is full of gory details and funny anecdotes. The historical content is "lite" at times, but I credit this book for getting me hooked on history when I was much younger. It's fun to reread it now and remember those days with nostalgia.
For a tidbit, did you know that to cure bruises in the Middle Ages, one remedy involved a bandage of bacon fat and flour? Only you'd probably get more bruises trying to get the bacon fat!
4/5.
I first read this book when I was about 10 or 11, and it's held a fond place in my memories ever since.
Deary retells some of the history of the Middle Ages, with plenty of humor and excellent illustrations by Martin Brown. Normally, I skip graphics, but Brown's images add a lot to the text.
Aimed at kids, the Horrible Histories series, and especially "The Measly Middle Ages" is full of gory details and funny anecdotes. The historical content is "lite" at times, but I credit this book for getting me hooked on history when I was much younger. It's fun to reread it now and remember those days with nostalgia.
For a tidbit, did you know that to cure bruises in the Middle Ages, one remedy involved a bandage of bacon fat and flour? Only you'd probably get more bruises trying to get the bacon fat!
4/5.
July 24, 2008
OK, clearly I got this book for Balint, but I ended up reading it too. I heard different opinions about this series and wanted to make sure it was something I am not going to regret putting in my son's hands.
I have to say, it was a very fun read. History facts were correct, plenty of cheeky English humor, all the horrible history stuff boys like and I loved how the author finished the book with his take on history. I will be checking out the other "Horrible" books (history, science) and heard that Dead Famous and Murderous Math books are in the same category.
I have to say, it was a very fun read. History facts were correct, plenty of cheeky English humor, all the horrible history stuff boys like and I loved how the author finished the book with his take on history. I will be checking out the other "Horrible" books (history, science) and heard that Dead Famous and Murderous Math books are in the same category.
December 9, 2015
Another Horrible History to add to the collection. As always, these books are mildly educational and breezy reads. I especially enjoy reading about anecdotal tales of antiquated medicinal practices and absurd superstitions.
June 15, 2009
Lots about black death and other gross stuff, but it IS Horrible History, and there was other things, too.
August 27, 2020
This actually made me feel better, also depressed, but better :))
June 20, 2015
It was fun.
August 24, 2017
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, as well as the rest of the Horrible Histories series. They are a really great educational resource for children learning about history, but also keep children entertained with their humorous and light-hearted tone. I greatly enjoyed reading this book (and others in this series) as a child and now, looking back, I can appreciate their merits in helping children to learn.
Firstly, the introduction to the book helps readers to understand that the history we are taught can not always be taken at face value. Deary helps introduce children to the idea that history is very complex and that there is a lot of conflicting evidence, "look at the facts and make up your own mind!" It's brilliant to see an author encouraging children to start thinking independently about history and questioning what they are taught from a young age.
The book is divided into clear chapters and then each chapter is broken down into smaller sections, under different subtitles. This helps younger readers by making the text more manageable and not too overwhelming. The use of images throughout, often with witty speech bubbles, helps make the book appealing.
The book has a good scope of topics. There is a great balance between providing information about key historical figures from the period, as well as ensuring children also have access to information about everyday life in the Middle Ages. It was nice to see a chapter that focuses upon women specifically, with examples of some "hooray heroines" that would certainly challenge children's ideas of men and women from that period. I also like the fact that Deary has included lots of information on what life was like for children. This helps readers to engage more with the text. There are some examples of games from that period, some of which children could even have a go at themselves.
The book uses a wide range of features that help to convey interesting information, whilst also keeping young readers engaged with the text. For example, the use of comic strips, mock newspaper articles, diary entries and quizzes are just some of the different ways in which Deary presents the information.
This book in particular (as well as the rest of the series) should definitely be recommended to children. It will appeal to children already interested in history, as well as those who enjoy reading. Hopefully, it will also appeal to some slightly more reluctant readers, who may be surprised to find that they enjoy learning and reading more when it is presented in a funny and interesting way.
Firstly, the introduction to the book helps readers to understand that the history we are taught can not always be taken at face value. Deary helps introduce children to the idea that history is very complex and that there is a lot of conflicting evidence, "look at the facts and make up your own mind!" It's brilliant to see an author encouraging children to start thinking independently about history and questioning what they are taught from a young age.
The book is divided into clear chapters and then each chapter is broken down into smaller sections, under different subtitles. This helps younger readers by making the text more manageable and not too overwhelming. The use of images throughout, often with witty speech bubbles, helps make the book appealing.
The book has a good scope of topics. There is a great balance between providing information about key historical figures from the period, as well as ensuring children also have access to information about everyday life in the Middle Ages. It was nice to see a chapter that focuses upon women specifically, with examples of some "hooray heroines" that would certainly challenge children's ideas of men and women from that period. I also like the fact that Deary has included lots of information on what life was like for children. This helps readers to engage more with the text. There are some examples of games from that period, some of which children could even have a go at themselves.
The book uses a wide range of features that help to convey interesting information, whilst also keeping young readers engaged with the text. For example, the use of comic strips, mock newspaper articles, diary entries and quizzes are just some of the different ways in which Deary presents the information.
This book in particular (as well as the rest of the series) should definitely be recommended to children. It will appeal to children already interested in history, as well as those who enjoy reading. Hopefully, it will also appeal to some slightly more reluctant readers, who may be surprised to find that they enjoy learning and reading more when it is presented in a funny and interesting way.
March 18, 2019
What on earth happened in the measly Middle Ages? Well... lots of really rotten things, actually! In the Middle Ages, the world was full of wild women, mad monks, naughty knights and crazy kings and queens! So read on if you want to know... a genuine jester's joke. why chickens had their bottoms shaved. what ten year old treacle was used for Plus, you can find out all about miserable Medieval monks, the dreaded Black Death, and schools that really knew how to make the kids suffer!
The dark ages or the middle ages were a very revolting place you had death and war at every stage of it the grim reaper and mars had some of there best buisness. You had the black plague that still to this day scientist's still don't know how it started but we do know the why it was because of the rats they carried the plague with them get bitten by a flee and then when the rat died the flee would jump to the next best thing which would be a peasant and so it spread through most of england and Europe killing millions. They where really dirty times and with all the blood being spillied with the war of the roses and the 100 years war between the French and the English it wasn't hard for this plague to spread. When there wasn't war or disease life was just measly and you had to make do and that meant if you was a peasant you worked on the land of a lord and grew food for yourself and food for the lord a boring and horrible life but that's horrible histories for you and if you was a lord then you lived happily till you was called to battle and probably died. So life was horrible but it helped to shape england and Europe to the age of the terrible Tudors.
4/5 stars on goodreads
95/100 Ginger points
The dark ages or the middle ages were a very revolting place you had death and war at every stage of it the grim reaper and mars had some of there best buisness. You had the black plague that still to this day scientist's still don't know how it started but we do know the why it was because of the rats they carried the plague with them get bitten by a flee and then when the rat died the flee would jump to the next best thing which would be a peasant and so it spread through most of england and Europe killing millions. They where really dirty times and with all the blood being spillied with the war of the roses and the 100 years war between the French and the English it wasn't hard for this plague to spread. When there wasn't war or disease life was just measly and you had to make do and that meant if you was a peasant you worked on the land of a lord and grew food for yourself and food for the lord a boring and horrible life but that's horrible histories for you and if you was a lord then you lived happily till you was called to battle and probably died. So life was horrible but it helped to shape england and Europe to the age of the terrible Tudors.
4/5 stars on goodreads
95/100 Ginger points
January 23, 2020
The Measly Middle Ages is a book about the Middle Ages that explains how good and bad it was but it tells the story in a funny and sarcastic way and the best part is how people tried finding different cures for the Black Death and also how people in the Middle Ages and other countries have tried to find explanations to why and how the Black Death was caused by non other than blaming each other. And there some strict rules that people had to follow example while eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner “you can not dip your bread in soup” and “you can not tear at meat but can only cut it with a knife first.”
The Measly Middle Ages was an amazing and hilarious book about the Middle Ages. It talks about how people in the Middle Ages basically lived and how they survived and every time the book mentions something that I have learned about the Middle Ages I for some reason feel like I am actually special when I’m really not it’s just a fact about history and of course my personal favorite part is when they tried finding ways to cure people from The Black Death AKA bubonic plague but they really killed even more people and made everything worse so in the end it was an amazing book that deserves five stars my opinion of course and I would recommend this book to somebody who like history and comedy mixed together.
The Measly Middle Ages was an amazing and hilarious book about the Middle Ages. It talks about how people in the Middle Ages basically lived and how they survived and every time the book mentions something that I have learned about the Middle Ages I for some reason feel like I am actually special when I’m really not it’s just a fact about history and of course my personal favorite part is when they tried finding ways to cure people from The Black Death AKA bubonic plague but they really killed even more people and made everything worse so in the end it was an amazing book that deserves five stars my opinion of course and I would recommend this book to somebody who like history and comedy mixed together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2022
I've been thinking quite a bit about some of the Horrible Histories books I read in the '90s recently, so when I found Measly Middle Ages in a second-hand store in Calgary I decided to give it a read. It's certainly funny, but in the twenty-first century I find myself cringing initially at the assertion that "Historians and teachers have usually said what they thought and that's not the same as giving the facts", because, well, most of those "facts" come from people saying what they thought and there's plenty in here that scholars of the Middle Ages would dispute these days. Terry Deary (or his researchers) aren't giving "facts" that often, either. That being said, there's a good undercurrent of ideas and people left out of traditional history, a little bit of challenging periodisation, and clearly it's not necessarily going to lead people down an "alternative history" path when plenty of the academic and professional historians I know read these books as a child. It can just be tricky not to read it that way as an adult!
April 19, 2021
My opinion has definitely improved the second time around. I still think it started weaker than some of the others; the jokes aren't as funny as usual so it took me a little while to get into it. Then it really started to come to life and I began to enjoy it more. The facts are great and well written for a younger audience. I particularly enjoyed the 'Bloody battles' section and trying to decide what strategy I would opt for.
November 2014
I feel terrible for only giving this book three stars but it just wasn't as good as the other Horrible Histories books.
I felt that it didn't flow very well- chapters just seemed somewhat tacked together without much thought as to how it would read. I also found the subject matter just wasn't as good as others I'd read.
However it was wonderfully written as always and I think the quizzes were the most interesting ones I'd read so it's still well worth a read.
November 2014
I feel terrible for only giving this book three stars but it just wasn't as good as the other Horrible Histories books.
I felt that it didn't flow very well- chapters just seemed somewhat tacked together without much thought as to how it would read. I also found the subject matter just wasn't as good as others I'd read.
However it was wonderfully written as always and I think the quizzes were the most interesting ones I'd read so it's still well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews