________________ CM . . . . Volume X Number 12. . . . February 13, 2004

cover

The Life of a Knight. (Medieval World Series).

Kay Eastwood.
St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2004.
32 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.86 (pbk.), $20.76 (cl.).
ISBN 0-7787-1374-1 (pbk.), ISBN 0-7787-1342-3 (RLB).

Subject Headings:
Knights and knighthood-Juvenile literature.
Civilization, Medieval-Juvenile literature.

Grades 5-7 / Ages 10-14.

Review by Ian Stewart.

*** /4

 

cover

Medieval Society. (Medieval World Series).

Kay Eastwood.
St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2004.
32 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.86 (pbk.), $20.76 (cl.).
ISBN 0-7787-1377-6 (pbk.), ISBN 0-7787-1345-8 (RLB).

Subject Headings:
Civilization, Medieval-Juvenile literature.
Europe-Social life and customs-Juvenile literature.
Kings and rulers, Medieval-Juvenile literature.
Cities and towns, Medieval-Europe-Juvenile literature.

Grades 5-7 / Ages 10-14.

Review by Ian Stewart.

*** /4

 

cover

Medieval Warfare. (Medieval World Series).

Tara Steele.
St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2004.
32 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.86 (pbk.), $20.76 (cl.).
ISBN 0-7787-1376-8 (pbk.), ISBN 0-7787-1344-X (RLB).

Subject Headings:
Military art and science-History-Medieval, 500-1500-Juvenile literature.
Military history, Medieval-Juvenile literature.

Grades 5-7 / Ages 10-14.

Review by Ian Stewart.

*** /4

 

cover

Life in a Castle. (Medieval World Series).

Kay Eastwood.
St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2004.
32 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.86 (pbk.), $20.76 (cl.).
ISBN 0-7787-1375-X (pbk.), ISBN 0-7787-1343-1 (RLB).

Subject Headings:
Castles-Juvenile literature.
Civilization, Medieval-Juvenile literature.

Grades 5-7 / Ages 10-14.

Review by Ian Stewart.

*** /4

 

cover

Places of Worship in the Middle Ages. (Medieval World Series).

Kay Eastwood.
St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2004.
32 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.86 (pbk.), $20.76 (cl.).
ISBN 0-7787-1379-2 (pbk.), ISBN 0-7787-1347-4 (RLB).

Subject Headings:
Religions-History-To 1500-Juvenile literature.
Church history-Middle Ages, 600-1500-Juvenile literature.

Grades 5-7 / Ages 10-14.

Review by Ian Stewart.

*** /4

 

cover

Women and Girls in the Middle Ages. (Medieval World Series).

Kay Eastwood.
St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2004.
32 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.86 (pbk.), $20.76 (cl.).
ISBN 0-7787-1378-4 (pbk.), ISBN 0-7787-1346-6 (RLB).

Subject Headings:
Women-History-Middle Ages, 500-1500-Juvenile literature.
Women-Europe-Social Conditions-Juvenile literature.
Girls-History-Middle Ages, 500-1500-Juvenile literature.
Girls-Europe-Social Conditions-Juvenile literature.

Grades 5-7 / Ages 10-14.

Review by Ian Stewart.

*** /4

 

excerpt:

Taking over a noble's land meant taking over the castle that guarded it. There were two main ways to capture a castle: storming it or taking it by siege.... Many soldiers were killed when they stormed a castle. It was less dangerous to take a castle by siege. During the siege, attackers surrounded the castle, cut of its food supplies and waited until the people inside surrendered because of starvation. A siege usually lasted a month or two, but some sieges were as long as three years. (From Medieval Warfare.)

Peasant women and some townswomen made their own clothes from cloth they wove out of coarse wool or that they bought from weavers in their village or town. The clothes of the wealthy women and girls were made from fine woolen cloth woven from the softest fleece, from silk, and from other luxurious fabrics. The finest silk, called cloth of gold, had gold threads woven into it. (From Women and Girls in the Middle Ages.)

The church was the center of religious life. People went there to pray, especially on Sunday, which was considered God's day. The most important part of the Mass was the Eucharist. During the celebration of the Eucharist, the priest said a prayer over wine and bread, called the host. Medieval Christians believed that this blessing turned the wine and bread into the blood and body of Jesus Christ. (From Places of Worship in the Middle Ages.)

The "Medieval World Series" will be a very welcome addition to middle school libraries. Kay Eastman has done a marvelous job depicting the lives of kings and queens, lords and ladies, the clergy, town and trades folk and peasants under the hierarchical feudal pyramid. As an added benefit, she also offers students glimpses into the similarities and differences of some of the great cultures, particularly the Islamic and Japanese, which existed outside Christian European during the Medieval period. The titles are all superbly illustrated with full color scenes which capture the essence of medieval life, renditions of major artistic works from the period, and photographs of important artifacts and major European sites.

     Each book begins with a time-line and ends with a 25 to 30-word glossary which is relevant to the book's major theme. The time-line of Medieval Society begins with the fall of the Roman Empire, notes the dates of the Viking invasions, the growth of towns, the arrival of the plague, the invention of the printing press, and Columbus's voyage to the new world. The Life of a Knight time-line tells us when stirrups and chain mail armor were invented, the codes of chivalry were developed, the introduction of the longbow and gunpowder, and finally the end of knights as mounted warriors. The life and times of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Abbess Heloise, Joan of Arc and Isabella I of Spain are a selection of the women pointed out in Women and Girls in the Middle Ages. A few of the terms defined in Life in a Castle are "almoner," "moat," "plumber," "survey," and "tax"; Places of Worship defines "archbishop," "Holy Land," "mosaic," "sin," and "saint," whereas Medieval Warfare identifies the meaning of "aqueduct," "moat," "spur," "raid," and "invader."

     Medieval Society is the series' core title outlining the highly developed social structure of medieval feudalism. It defines the social roles and obligations of each layer of the hierarchy, explaining how power, wealth and status flowed down from the king to the lords, their vassals, and townsfolk, ultimately to the mass of impoverished peasant-serfs. Women and Girls in the Middle Ages examines the important roles women played in the day-to-day running of the Lord's castle, the serf's land, the church or the tradesperson's business. Sections of both books examine the daily lives of each class: the differences in the foods they ate, the games they played, the jobs they were allowed to have, and the overriding importance religion provided. Overall there is a wealth of general information to inspire budding medievalists.

     Although there are some redundancies, Life in a Castle, The Life of a Knight, and Medieval Warfare make-up a very nicely integrated set. A Medieval Lord had no status if he had no land and castle to protect it. Students will learn how castles became virtual towns and increasingly complex over the 1000-year period that made up the Middle Ages. Because warfare was an integral aspect of the medieval social system, the lord relied on his mounted knights to protect his territory. Eastman examines how knights were trained for war from early childhood, lived by knightly codes of chivalry, and how they constantly prepared for battle by participating in tournaments. Like castles, the knight's armor, weapons, and use of his horse evolved over the long period of Medieval history.

     The wealth and power of the Catholic Church and overarching important role it played in the daily lives of all Medieval people are the foci of Places of Worship in the Middle Ages. Students will gain knowledge of how the church was the center of all religious, private and community activity. As they read this book, students will learn about feasting and fasting, the crusades and religious pilgrimages to far away churches to pray at sacred relics. They will also learn how the great medieval cathedrals were built and decorated by the intricate use of stained glass and monumental stone carvings. Equally important to understanding the Middle Ages is the role monasteries and convents played in preserving knowledge, educating and caring for the community's poor and sick.

Recommended.

Ian Stewart teaches at David Livingstone School in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

NEXT REVIEW |TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - February 13, 2004.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME