Medieval Life

DK Eyewitness Books

by Andrew Langley

An illustrated look at various aspects of life in medieval Europe, covering everyday life, religion, royalty, and more.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Childrens, Medieval, Picture Books, Medieval History, Art

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR

Reviews

[Bahar Hf]

کتاب شسته رفته ی جالب و کل نگری بود برای آشنایی اولیه با زندگی قرون وسطایی. تنها ترجمه ی فارسی این کتاب(معصومه زارع) تعدادی از اسامی آشنا رو به شکل دیگه ای ترجمه کرده مثل:

سالادین(در ترجمه ): همان صلاح الدین
شغلمون: همان شارلمان
کنت:همان کانوت شاه دانمارک و نروژ و بخشی از انگلستان
لویی چهارم ملقب به قدیس: در واقع لویی نهم است که ملقب به قدیس می شود.
چوسر: چاسر

کتاب سعی کرده تعداد زیادی تصاویر رو در رابطه با اطلاعاتی که میده گردآوری کنه که بسیار خوب و به جا بود تنها ایرادی که داشت این بود که دو تا از مجسمه ها که شخصا برای من جالب بود رو ارجاع و منبع نداده بود که از سایت کدوم موزه یا بنا استخراج شده، مثل مجسمه ملکه ای که یک گربه بالا سرش بود ( که منو یاد آلیس سرزمین عجایب و موتیف های قرون وسطاییش انداخت و دیگری ، دلقکی بود که شکلک در می آورد و گویی چنین نقوشی از دلقک ها یا بازیگرانی که شکلک درمی آوردند، از طرف اسقفها مورد تقبیح قرار می گرفت).

انتهای کتاب تعداد زیادی موزه و یا موزه_سایت هایی رو برای بازدید معرفی کرده که برای علاقه مندان تمدن قرون وسطایی می تونه راهگشا و جذاب باشه.

[ALLEN]

The Dorling Kindersley (DK) publishing concern is justifiably celebrated for producing all kinds of colorfully illustrated and informative texts for all kinds of readers. As you'd expect, the two-page chapters in this 72-page book are highly pertinent, seizing on topics such as "The Medieval Soldier," "Saints and Pilgrims," "Tied to the Soil," "The Written Word," "The Islamic World." and "Fairs and Feast Days." The last few pages of this book provide a who's-who of major figures. Illustrations and photographs are particularly impressive.

from the book:
"Merchants were no longer simply wandering adventurers. They became dealers, employers, and ship-owners, sending their carriers along a network of trade routes linking the European cities. By 1300, cargo ships from Genoa and Venice in Italy were taking precious metals, silks and other luxuries from the Eastern Mediterranean out to England and Flanders (Belgium)."
("Trade and Commerce," p. 46.)

This is an excellent book from which almost anyone can learn.

[Amanda Matthews]

This book gives a fantastic introduction to life in the medieval era. I’m definitely helped by illustrations, and this book is full of them, making it easier to envision the tools and life in this era. It is a secular book, so has a non-Christian slant to it. Overall, just facts are stated, but there are a few pictures and captions I would edit before handing this book to a child.

[Laura]

Go ahead and laugh, but I will learn history by hook or by crook. This was a terrific book! It may have been designed for kids, but like a Walt Disney film, it is equally appealing to adults. Fantastic photographs and illustrations of clothing, tools, religious icons and other relics really bring the Middle Ages to life. There is even a World War I and II book in the same series! Hey, this works for me. It gives me all of the basic information I need, and whets my appetite to learn more about the time and places described.

[Sophie Crane]

Good history lesson book with lots of photos and short descriptions, focused on what Medieval people wore, how they furnished their living space, what they used for dishes, windows, shoes, musical instruments. Not really about castles or knights, but more about the rest of society in that time frame. What they made out of leather, or horn, wood, etc.

[Hava]

I picked this book up because I really wanted to read "The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century" by Ian Mortimer but I had to turn it back in to the library because it was on hold for somebody else. While not-so-patiently waiting my turn, I decided to read "Medieval Life."

And as always, DK Eyewitness Books lived up to its reputation. There were plenty of beautiful photos and interesting facts in this book. You really can't go wrong with a DK Eyewitness book - you just can't. I learned a ton and enjoyed myself in the process. This is the sort of book you can look through time and time again, and learn something new each time.

[Sue]

The artifacts look so strange but one must remember that everything had to be made by hand, by artisans. Seems like all they did was succumb to religion and fight wars because of that.

[Donna Wilson]

I've always loved the eyewitness books, I have read a ton of them. I recommend these to anyone who likes to learn interesting facts that aren't always mentioned in the text books. They have great pictures to go with said facts as well.

[Dan Castrigano]

New people/words I learned or relearned: Alfred the Great-England, Otto the Great of Germany, Frederick Barbarossa - Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne means "Charles the Great" just like Magna Carta means "Great Charter." Tithe=church taking a tax, fief=plot of land, vassal=opposite of lord. Although it doesn't say it anywhere, this book is completely Eurocentric. Two pages on the Islamic world is the only other place that is covered 500-1500.

[Addison Children's Services]

The mysterious Middle Ages come alive in a pictorial overview of medieval life.  Learn about the harsh lives of the peasants, the majestic manor houses of the feudal lords, the tournaments and romance of the royal court, the details of daily life, and many other remarkable aspects of this enigmatic era.  6/14/2018

[Lynn]

Great book on the Middle Ages in Europe. Terrific reference books for kids. Eyewitness books.

[Phil Syphe]

This short book with its magazine-style layout is excellent for referencing short and concise info from medieval times. The illustrations are superb.

[Laurie]

Extremely long and detailed but interesting. Photos could be updated

[L.E. Fidler]

Look, some of us just want to build a castle, ok?

[Aseel]

Mostly medieval Europe but ok

[Claire MacPherson]

Very good - great source book with lots of pics

[Héloïse]

Corpus pour mon mémoire

[ryan]

very educational with a lot of interesting facts! but this one didn't interest me as much as the past two did so i skimmed through a lot of this

[Rochelle]

Excellent series of books. Very informative, very engaging, easily digestible.

[Ethan R.]

Medieval Life
Andrew Langley
Nonfiction
Pg 49

In Medieval Life it talks about knights, priests, kings, peasants, clothing, etc. Peasants are farmers who give almost all of their crops to the king. Knights are common day soldiers. Some knights are loyal to their king but others betray them. Priests are royal religious leaders, but are not as powerful as the king. Most kingdoms in Europe believed in Christianity during the medieval era. Peasants wore very different clothing from royalty and their high level advisors. Peasants wore clothing that is made from cloth and leather. Royalty wore clothes made of expensive silk, velvet and other expensive cloth. High advisors wore expensive cloth, like velvet, but it was a lower grade than what was worn by royalty. They also wore other less expensive cloth.

I think that it was unfair to treat the peasants poorly and take all their crops. How would royalty and high advisors feel if they were treated as the peasants were? They would be beaten, homes burned, money taken and with no human or political rights. I think it was unfair how the kings took the peasants money and the peasants could only afford one or two outfits for an entire year. They basically had to work in two outfits, eighteen hours per day, if they were lucky. I learned that the kings were selfish and cared only for themselves and their well being. I also learned that some kings were nice and treated their kingdom fairly. I learned that knights who were more loyal to their kings ended up making more money than those who did not seem to be loyal. The medieval area was very harsh. Someone could be killed for taking bread from another or sneaking out of the village with the king’s permission.

[Trey Stuthman]

*The version of this book that I rented had a revised edition of 2011* This book explained in detail all aspects of the medieval time period and everything that occurred within this time period. This including the outfits they wore, the way peasants were treated, how churches were built, and a variety of other topics pertaining to the medieval life. The book that I chose to pair with it was
King Arthur: The Sword in the Stone" by Hudson Talbott. I felt this was a good pairing, because even though King Arthur is not mentioned in the nonfiction book of pulling the sword from the stone, the details from the nonfiction book enhance the reading of the fiction book. In the nonfiction book, it goes on to explain how low peasants were treated. For Arthur to come forward and attempt to pull the sword from the stone was a slap in the face towards the royals of that specific village. Also, I felt this pairing was a good match because when you read the fiction book, the outfits that everyone wore (jesters, peasants, royals) matched perfectly with those in the nonfiction book. Knowing this gave you to explanation as to why those people wore those specific outfits.

[Jennifer]

Explore many aspects of life during the Middle Ages. From society, daily life, religion, jobs, and entertainment.

New Mexico Social Studies Standards:

- Strand: History; Standard I; 5-8 Benchmark 1-A; Grade 6
- Strand: History; Standard I; 5-8 Benchmark 1-B; Grade 6
- Strand: History; Standard I; 5-8 Benchmark 1-C; Grade 6; 6
- Strand: Geography; Standard II; 5-8 Benchmark 2-B; Grade 6
- Strand: Geography; Standard II; 5-8 Benchmark 2-C; Grade 6
- Strand: Geography; Standard II; 5-8 Benchmark 2-E; Grade 6
- Strand: Geography; Standard II; 5-8 Benchmark 2-F; Grade 6
- Strand: Civics and Government; Standard III; 5-8 Benchmark 3-D; Grade 6
- Strand: Economics; Standard IV; 5-8 Benchmark 4-A; Grade 6
- Strand: Economics; Standard IV; 5-8 Benchmark 4-B; Grade 6
- Strand: Economics; Standard IV; 5-8 Benchmark 4-C; Grade 6

*Available at Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Libraries*

[Emma]

Eyewitness: Medieval Life by Andrew Langley is a non-fiction book that breaks down the life of people who lived in medieval times. Filled with pages of text and pictures about daily occurrences such as clothing, home life, disease and death, music, feasts and fair days, and weaponry, this book can shed light on what life was like during the times before modern medicine, architecture and weaponry were founded.

I would pair this book with the novel Redwall by Brian Jacques. It is the story of a young abbey mouse, Mathias, who wants more than anything to be a hero and warrior. Evil runs amok and with the help of his friends, Mathias does become a true warrior and help Redwall Abbey be free once more. This non-fiction book about medieval life could help children realize what clothing was like, types of weapons, the way buildings looked, or the types of food talked about in the book because the novel is set in a medieval sort of time.

[Kelly Buchanan]

Looking these books over again for a children's literature project, and I have to say that the eye-catching photos and layout really work for me. I think kids have always found these books appealing as something they can pick up and browse based on what interests them. Library copies of this series are always very well-loved. Very nice.

[Little Timmy]

OK I know these are supposed to be kid books but they are awesome! Great pictures and just enough text to make you want to learn more. Great choices for a beginning history reader or to start an older reader out in a new area. Every time I pick one of these up and read it I learn new things. Highly Recommended

[Jan]

In the Dorling Kindersley style, wonderful photographs of clothing, tools, furniture, weapons, musical instruments and more. I especially liked the page describing the process of illuminating and gilding a manuscript. Grades 6-12

[Martha]

brilliantly illustrated

[Jenn]

Still a great picture book, full of useful info.

[Theresa]

breif discription, pictures and ideals that come from the medieval time period

[Regina Hunter]

I love how costumes and objects are laid out so that you can tell what it is, because their paintings of fashion is not as good as in the next age.