Book Review of Ian Mortimer's "The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England"

Ian Mortimer's approach to writing subjective history is the style I have been waiting my entire life for. His in-depth explanations of every-day life one would encounter in Medieval England as a tourist from the modern day is one a true lover of history can appreciate and aspire to. His topics cover ranges as wide as the lifestyles and differences between villeins, freemen and nobles; the relation between religion, medicinal understanding/beliefs and superstition; the differences between the expectations of men, women and children in society; and the differences between rural living versus city living.
    However, although I'm sure he used many valuable sources for his information, he doesn't quite go as in-depth, nor cover as many topics, as one would like. He does cover what one would expect to see and experience as a guest in a lord's house and that of a common freeman, but not if one were a lord. Also, though he quickly skims over the protocol for going before the king, he does not cover as much information about the royal household as he does others, and especially not if one were a guest of the king, as some monarchist historians (such as myself) would find satisfactory.
    Though there are many innuendos alluding to modernity's "progress for the sake of progress" being better than the simplicity of the topical era, the overall writing and composition of the book is quite exemplary, not to mention the information and presentation he utilizes that history readers would not find in hardly any other books. All of this undoubtedly makes Mr. Mortimer's book a must-read for fans of subjective history; the Medieval era; and the development of society before, during, and after the advent of the Black Death.

The Historyian's Rating
****&1/2 (Four and One-Half Stars)

For more information on this book, please comment on this posting.

A Recap

It has been QUITE some time since I updated this blog, and I am very, very sorry to say that it still only has two posts. This will be the third. As a recap of everything that has happened in a little over a year, I would like to note that I have done extensive research historically and have come to the life-altering decision to "slowly" work my way back in time, so to speak. To elaborate on this: I have decided to start my historical lifestyle with the Victorian era, and work my way back to the Renaissance. The transformation of my lifestyle has already begun; it is agonizingly slow but progress is being made. Ah, that fateful word: "progress". My readers may remember that I am fully and whole-heartedly against "progress for the sake of progress", but when that progress is for the betterment of one's life or of the lives of many, then it becomes a "necessary progress" not for its own sake, but for the betterment then it is the greatest kindness anyone can do for themselves and/or for anyone else.

My first step into this world, this Historyian lifestyle, has been the acquirement of an accurate corset (many thanks to corset-story.com). This may not be wholly correct: My first step was reading by candlelight nightly. Electric lights hurt my eyes, give me headaches, and, as previously mentioned, are viewed (by myself) as superfluous. My second/third step has been the acquirement of an oil lamp (many thanks to the local Salvation Army and whomever donated the oil lamp to them).

These have been the most recent developments in the life of the "original Historyian", and I will aim to update this blog weekly (if not daily). I sincerely hope you all keep reading and keep up with the Historyian way of life.