Robert Fossier (1927–2012)

In "The Axe and the Oath" Fossier discusses not only the day to day activities, but the social/religious domain, family unit, and opportunities of the medieval Frenchman. Before picking up this book I was unaware that it was originally a French publication and translated the same year Fossier passed away. Fossier occasionally crosses the Channel or into Italy for comparison.

Following are just some the repeated myths/misconceptions that Fossier dismantles: Abortion was available and an option show more in cases of "bad health" or "extreme poverty"; women might have 10-15 pregnancies in her lifetime! A baby was bathed 3x a day. As an adult, "people ate much, but badly." Up to 6,000 calories a day, but fresh meat was actually rare. Clothes weren't all whites, grays and browns. Scarlet, greens and blues were available to the layman. Loose hair, the mouth and hands were far more sexualized. Idleness was considered holy, but laziness was unacceptable; and women worked just as hard if not harder than men. An authority that men feared!

The reader should be aware that sources, notes and bibliography are not included. I'm not sure if these exist in the original publication or not. I don't want to discourage any potential readers though. Fossier was a respected historian and a pillar in his field and it shows. But, tonally, it reads like one is sitting in on a university lecture. Fossier halts the narrative frequently to avoid stepping on the toes of other experts. This leaves the reader wanting more, but perhaps that's why Fossier had no need for a bibliography. But Fossier takes his shots at sexism and bigotry - modern and medieval - when he can, which is appreciated. If anything I've added a dictionary's-worth of medieval French terminology to my vocabulary. Overall, superior to the Gies' books I read earlier this month and accomplished its premise - a fine read! show less

Skip this one. I very nearly didn't get beyond the preface, where the author writes "One last word: I have borrowed nearly everything from others, and I do not cite them." There are no citations at all, no bibliography, not even an essay on selected sources. I decided to read on, though ... and shouldn't have. No good from start to finish, and the last few lines are just about as bad as the first ("Simplistic for the erudite, confusing for the student, obscure for the non-reader? I don't show more know; I felt like saying all this, and that is enough"). GAH. show less

L'histoire de la Picardie, de la préhistoire jusqu'aux années 1980. Cette collection d'essais offre un aperçu général de l'histoire de cette région de France. Cependant, le manque de citations et une approche plutôt datée limitent son utilité.

I bought this book based on the description and blurbs on the back. When I began to read it, I found something more like a philosophical examination of some kind of generic types than a description of "ordinary like in the Middle Ages". It was a total waste of money, in my opinion. I have other books that actually deserve the subtitle. This one does not, in my opinion, but there are obviously people who like this sort of thing.