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A Distant Mirror
- The Calamitous Fourteenth Century
- Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
- Length: 28 hrs and 38 mins
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Publisher's summary
A “marvelous history”* of medieval Europe, from the bubonic plague and the Papal Schism to the Hundred Years’ War, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Guns of August
*Lawrence Wright, author of The End of October, in The Wall Street Journal
The fourteenth century reflects two contradictory images: on the one hand, a glittering time of crusades and castles, cathedrals and chivalry, and the exquisitely decorated Books of Hours; and on the other, a time of ferocity and spiritual agony, a world of chaos and the plague.
Barbara Tuchman reveals both the great rhythms of history and the grain and texture of domestic life as it was lived. Here are the guilty passions, loyalties and treacheries, political assassinations, sea battles and sieges, corruption in high places and a yearning for reform, satire and humor, sorcery and demonology, and lust and sadism on the stage. Here are proud cardinals, beggars, feminists, university scholars, grocers, bankers, mercenaries, mystics, lawyers and tax collectors, and, dominating all, the knight in his valor and “furious follies,” a “terrible worm in an iron cocoon.”
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Critic reviews
"Beautifully written, careful, and thorough in its scholarship.... What Ms. Tuchman does superbly is to tell how it was.... No one has ever done this better." (New York Review of Books)
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The Medieval Era, the tumultuous centuries from the fall of the Roman Empire to the advent of the Enlightenment, is one of the most alluring and intriguing periods of human history. Ready to travel back in time? Check out these audiobooks and podcasts, which cover everything from Icelandic sagas and Medieval murder to the queens of Medieval England and the scientific advancements of the Arab World.
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- Length: 19 hrs and 33 mins
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In 1474, a 23-year-old woman ascended the throne of Castile, the largest and strongest kingdom in Spain. Ahead of her lay the considerable challenge not only of being a young female ruler in an overwhelmingly male-dominated world but also of reforming a major European kingdom that was riddled with crime, corruption, and violent political factionism. Her pivotal reign was long and transformative, uniting Spain and setting the stage for its golden era of global dominance.
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Enlightening
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The Templars
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- By: Dan Jones
- Narrated by: Dan Jones
- Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1307, as they struggled to secure their last strongholds in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Templars fell afoul of the vindictive and impulsive king of France. On Friday, October 13, hundreds of brothers were arrested en masse, imprisoned, tortured, and disbanded amid accusations of lurid sexual misconduct and heresy. They were tried by the Vatican in secret proceedings. But were they heretics or victims of a ruthlessly repressive state?
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Unexpected
- By Protogere on 10-30-17
By: Dan Jones
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The White King
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- Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm
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Less than 40 years after England's golden age under Elizabeth I, the country was at war with itself. Split between loyalty to the Crown or to Parliament, war raged on English soil. Its casualties were immense. At the head of the disintegrating kingdom was King Charles I. In this vivid portrait - informed by previously unseen manuscripts, including royal correspondence between the king and his queen - Leanda de Lisle depicts a man who was principled and brave but fatally blinkered.
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Enlightening Stuart history
- By Adeliese Baumann on 01-25-18
By: Leanda de Lisle
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Edward III
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- By: Ian Mortimer
- Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
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Holding power for over 50 years starting in 1327, Edward III was one of England's most influential kings and one who shaped the course of English history. Revered as one of the country's most illustrious leaders for centuries, he was also a usurper and a warmonger who ordered his uncle beheaded. A brutal man, to be sure, but also a brilliant one.
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Great book about Edward III
- By Kiesha on 07-05-16
By: Ian Mortimer
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Henry V
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This insightful look at the life of Henry V and the Battle of Agincourt casts new light on a period in history often held up as legend. A great English hero, Henry V was lionized by Shakespeare and revered by his countrymen for his religious commitment, his sense of justice, and his military victories. Here, noted historian and biographer Ian Mortimer takes a look at the man behind the legend and offers a clear, historically accurate, and realistic representation of a ruler who was all too human.
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Accessible, grounded, enjoyable
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Four Queens
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Set against the backdrop of the turbulent 13th century, a time of chivalry and crusades, poetry, knights, and monarchs, comes the story of the four beautiful daughters of the count of Provence, whose brilliant marriages made them the queens of France, England, Germany, and Sicily.
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Interesting, informative
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Isabella
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An engrossing and revolutionary biography of Isabella of Castile, the controversial Queen of Spain who sponsored Christopher Columbus's journey to the New World, established the Spanish Inquisition, and became one of the most influential female rulers in history.
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Poorly narrated
- By Amazon Customer on 02-23-15
By: Kirstin Downey
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The Borgias and Their Enemies
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The name Borgia is synonymous with the corruption, nepotism, and greed that were rife in Renaissance Italy. The powerful, voracious Rodrigo Borgia, better known to history as Pope Alexander VI, was the central figure of the dynasty. Two of his seven papal offspring also rose to power and fame. The Borgias were notorious for seizing power, wealth, land, and titles through bribery, marriage, and murder. The story of the family's dramatic rise from its Spanish roots to the highest position in Italian society is an absorbing tale.
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Covers the bases, but falls a little flat.
- By Chap Walker on 06-16-13
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The Birth of Britain
- A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume I
- By: Sir Winston Churchill
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
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The English-speaking peoples comprise perhaps the greatest number of human beings sharing a common language in the world today. These people also share a common heritage. For his four-volume work, Sir Winston Churchill took as his subject these great elements in world history. Volume 1 commences in 55BC, when Julius Caesar famously "turned his gaze upon Britain" and concludes with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
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Birth of Britain
- By Terryl Pettengill on 02-11-07
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God's Wolf
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In a 2010 terrorist plot, Al-Qaeda hid a bomb in a FedEx shipment addressed to Reynald de Chatillon, a knight who had died centuries ago in the Crusades. A reviled figure in Islamic history, often portrayed as the very epitome of brutality, Reynald remains as controversial - and as vividly present in the minds of many in the Middle East - as the story of the Crusades themselves.
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A great look into the life of a great crusader
- By Jon on 02-28-19
By: Jeffrey Lee
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The Lady Queen
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The riveting history of a beautiful queen, a shocking murder, a papal trial - and a reign as triumphant as any in the Middle Ages. On March 15, 1348, 22-year-old Joanna I, queen of Naples, stood trial for the murder of her husband before the pope and his court in Avignon. Determined to defend herself, Joanna won her acquittal against overwhelming odds. Victorious, she returned to Naples and ruled over one of Europe's most prestigious courts for the next three decades - until she herself was killed.
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Terrible mispronunciation of words
- By Amelie on 12-03-18
By: Nancy Goldstone
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What listeners say about A Distant Mirror
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Cole Theriault
- 11-23-22
Not what was expected
I’d first like to say that I believe this is my first ever review. I am disappointed because I wanted a look into this era’s society not the ruling class. Basically I got 28 hours of “this lord did this and that lady did that.” I had to read between the lines to get a glimpse of what the average person’s life was like.
To be perfectly honest I could have done without ever wasting my time on this publication. However I see where my own misunderstanding of the inaccuracies of recorded lead to my mistake in purchasing this title with the intent I had at the time.
Also, a bit of social commentary. The “nobles” of the past did not stand by the virtue they espoused at all but expected their subjects too. “Do as I say not as I do.”
Good book
Wrong book for me.
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-06-19
Amazing
A beautiful journey through the history of the middle ages that helps to understand the current world. Can I give it 6 stars?
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kdmd
- 05-24-19
Wonderful
Loved this history! Very detailed and interesting! Wonderful narration and writing. Glad I listened to it.
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- Mary
- 06-25-15
Accessible and Interesting
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Definitely! This is a very accessible look into a much over-looked period history. I came in with only the vaguest idea of this time in European history but I found myself quickly engaged.
What was one of the most memorable moments of A Distant Mirror?
The Battle of Nicopolis sticks out to me because of its world-shifting consequences - unknown and unseen at the time. As the author rightly points out, Fall of Constantinople is often considered the end of an era; however, the real turning point was this battle. The following half-century was just the death throes of that world.
Have you listened to any of Nadia May’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have not listened to any of Ms. May's performances but I would gladly do so again. Her voice is clear, pleasant, and well-modulated. Her pace is very comfortable.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I would have loved to do that, however, the book is entirely too long for that.
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- Gregory
- 12-08-12
Simply Incredible
Would you listen to A Distant Mirror again? Why?
I've listened to this book 4 or 5 times. It is that engrossing.
What did you like best about this story?
Where to begin? Seemingly every sentence contains a novel facts and the sentences woven into a beautiful tapestry.
What about Nadia May’s performance did you like?
Nadia May is terrific. She speaks with the author's authority.
Any additional comments?
This is a must have for anyone. Even if you have no interest whatsoever in medieval history, this book still a must have.
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- Robert
- 02-08-22
Engaging, entertaining, educational.
I can see that some people might discuss the organization, especially as you start the book. But at the end I think the focus and organization is fully justified - if only as a way to hold this much information in your head.
The majority of the content is based in western Europe as the concept is anchored to a person that lived for a large chunk of the century, was famous enough to have reference material to draw from, and not some extreme case or personality of the times. It kept the stories and context grounded. There is full acknowledgement of the "other" parts of the world and how they interacted. But the main discussion only extends as far as the focal point traveled to or interacted with those places.
What a fascinating time. The material is presented in a tempered way - judgement of customs and actions anchored in the time but also fair in judgement from a historical perspective. It continues to amaze that when you dive down into the daily life and resources or knowledge that people had available - the "craziness" of most times is relatable. The tools or speed or severity may be different...but people were and remain people driven by similar motivations.
The easiest comparison is the plague to the pandemic. People had the same confusion and fear in the beginning. Wanting to protect themselves but also help others. The spread back then took longer and counter measures were more extreme (though not more logical than some today). Today we might not burn a block to the ground with people inside, but we definitely close borders and kick people out. We follow theories of the moment just as they did - but now the theories change faster and spread wider. And some are based in actual science.
But fashion, politics, military ambitions, economics - same just without instagram, autonomous vehicles, or bitcoin.
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-11-14
Fantastic depiction of the 14th century
If you have an interest in the middle ages, and particularly in the social history of that time period, you absolutely have to read this book.
We are all familiar with the history books which describe the major battles of a particular time period or which concentrates on the political machinations. This book does this as well but with so much more.
If you want to learn how people dressed, what they ate, how much they were paid, how religion and war influenced their lives, what they died of etc, etc, then get this book now.
The best bit is that Barbara Tuchman doesn't just concentrate on the nobility. She covers all stratas of society from peasants to clerics, from dukes to brigands.
Some reviews have complained that this book spends too much time on the minutiae of daily life, but personally I think that this is the book's strongest point.
You actually get to know how people "really" lived during the 14th century.
The book does concentrate almost exclusively on western Europe, imparticular France. However, as so much of what happened in the 14th century centred around decisions and actions taken in what is now present day France this is perfectly understandable.
There is excellent coverage of the Black Death, the Papal Schism and of course the 100 years war.
We get a fascinating insight into how religion influenced daily life and what people actually believed and how much of that belief was actually practised.
Believe me, if you thought some of the scandals surrounding the Catholic church in the last few years were bad, you will be sobered when you here what they were up to during this time period.
My advice is not to get hung up on trying to remember all of the names of people and places covered in the book. Many of the names are similar and keeping track of interlinking families and alliances can often be tricky.
As long as you can keep track of the main characters its probably ok to let the rest just flow over you ... while you just enjoy absorbing the interesting titbits of information we are given along the way.
Personally I think the narration by Nadia May is the best ... note that a second version of the book is available from audible which is narrated by a different person.
There is no doubt that this book contains a massive amount of information. Some might find this daunting, but if you are really interested in life during the middle ages then you will lap it all up.
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- A Sobo
- 01-20-19
Enjoyable read
Tuchman is amazing as always . Also the narrator does a superb job of not losing you in potentially dense areas. Recommend if you’re interested in the period covered or just better understanding how we got the period in time we are in
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- Colleen
- 02-27-24
One of the great historians of the 20th century
Elegant prose, a concise understanding of the source material, and an excellent storyteller, Barbara Tuchman List the shroud away from the Papel schism, the Black Death, courtly love, chivalry and all the other dominant themes of 14 century Europe, all while stitching together a biography of an influential French noble.
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- Kirsty
- 09-15-09
A fantastic guide to a forgotten century
Travelling through rural France on an extended holiday, I found this book an excellent guide to this period of the history of the region. Tuchman's style, knowledge and and enthusiasm for the subject, her ability to bring the long dead back to life with meaning added greatly to the experience. The narration by Nadia May, injected with enthusiasm, humour and expression, brought the castles, palaces, churches and village streets closer and heightened my ability to be able to see the past as it was lived, multi-dimensionally. Life in 14th century France and England was extremely hard, but we need to remember the struggles of all the history which shaped the future generations of these societies to understand who we are today. So often history is selective, but Tuchman has brought to our attention very detailed consequences of the actions of rulers, the revolts of the powerless, and the ruthlessness which which people of all ranks were treated. The book also reminded me that my life, compaired to that of my unknown ancestors, is so privileged. Thank you Barbara Tuchman and all who contributed to the amazing experience I had in listening to this book.
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37 people found this helpful