Neil Grant (1) (1938–)

Normally, I wouldn't have checked this out, because it is only 32 pages. But the Victor Ambrus illustrations are quite good and Eric the Red gets too few biographies compared to his son, Leif the Lucky. It's remarkable how many fights and murders are crowded into these 32 pages. The horse that throws Eric near the end has some good musculature.

It's 4 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches; it fits in your pocket or the palm of your hand; it tells you what you need to know about every British sovereign, with plentiful pictures. Why was James I also James VI? What made Ethelred Unready? Who were "the Maypole" and "the Elephant"? All lies within these little covers. It is a great portable, lightweight history of 20 centuries. For a tourist going into monarchic overload at Britain's many castles, churches, portraits and monuments, this is perfect.

Even though it is nearly 40 years old, the information in the book is still good. Every page has one of two brief articles about a different topic. Even if brief, there are lots of details in it. The issues are unique and can pique the interest of the curious mind to learn more.

Stuffed with information, this book provides a good source of information about Medieval Europe. The reader can skim through the pages to gather information about the daily life of the people, from serfs to kings. This book is loaded with beautiful illustrations and acetate overlays that create a more interactive experience. If the reader looks carefully, they will even notice a peasant boy urinating out of an open door.

Overall this is a good book. I found it to be very useful in my show more teachings of Medieval Europe. show less