2011 Book Review - Part Two
Dec. 31st, 2011 10:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
endlessraritiesWell, here we are. The second part of my 2011 Book Review, which is devoted to non-fiction books. They're an eclectic bunch, which range from excavation reports to populist sytheses. In short, there should be something for everyone!! And once again, the sources vary - most are secondhand, but some are still in publication.
1) The Life & Times of Henry VII by Neville Williams (Book Club Associates, 1973), A comprehensive biography of this wholly unremarkable, but altogether rather pleasant, king. An interesting and informative read. Recommended.
2) Chronicles of the Tudor Kings, ed. David Loades (Greenwich Editions, 2002). Lavishly illustrated coffee-table style book, which combines a comprehensive narrative of the reigns of Henry's VII & VIII, plus the short-lived Edward (is it III or IV?? I've lost track...), with neat bite-sized chunks of text devoted to various aspects of Tudor life. Nice book. Highly Recommended.
3) A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor (BBC 2010). A spin-off from the Radio Four series of the same name, this is a glorious book which uses objects drawn from the British Museum's collections to define and illustrate a linear narrative charting human achievements throughout the world. Highly informative, with lovely pictures of some magnificent artefacts, and an ideal introduction to those sophisticated civilisations which were developing in parallel with our own Western empire in the Americas, The Far East, Africa, etc.. Highly recommended.
4) The Lockington Gold Hoard: An Early Bronze Age Barrow Cemetery in Lockington, Leicestershire by Gwilym Hughes (Oxbow, 2000). Excavation report which details the results of a developer-funded project which proved noteworthy for the discovery of two sheet gold bracelets (similar in execution to the Mold gold cape, which is featured in 3) above, and the Rillaton gold cup). Great book, if you're into Things Bronze Age, or if you want to witness the use of the word 'lentoid' in a specialist report. I was so inspired by the latter that I was able to slip the word 'lentoid' into a detail sheet at the munitions factory the following week...
5) The Tomb Builders in Wales - 4000-3000BC by Steve Burrow (National Museum of Wales, 2000). Featuring a number of attractive reconstruction drawings combined with some lovely photographs, accompanying an accessible text which details the history and development of the Neolithic chambered tomb in Wales and beyond. You don't have to be living in Wales or planning to visit Wales to appreciate this book - it'd be a good addition to the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in the prehistory of western Europe. Highly recommended.
6) English Diplomatic Practice in the Middle Ages by Pierre Chaplais (Hambledon & London, 2003). I did learn a few things as I ploughed through this book, but I've clean forgotten what they were. A useful addition to the bookshelf of the medieval historian, or to the historical fiction writer who wants to make sure they've got things just right...
7) Elizabeth & Leicester by Sarah Gristwood (Bantam, 2007). A highly readable and engaging account of the sometimes uneasy relationship between Elizabeth I and her favoured courtier. Highly recommended.
8) Two Men in A Trench by Tony Pollard and Neil Oliver (Michael Joseph 2002). BBC tie-in in which two archaeologists revisit the sites of various UK battlefields (including Culloden, Flodden, Shrewsbury) and, using the wide variety of techniques available to the modern archaeologist(mapping, documentary sources, remote sensing, etcetera), attempt to shed new light on the traditional accounts. Provides the reader with a quick guide to modern archaeological practices, as well as informing on the battles in question. Highly recommended.
9) The Glorious Revolution by Edward Vallance (Little, Brown, 2006). A comprehensive account of the events leading up to the 1688 revolution, which saw James II deposed in favour of William. Sheds light on a neglected period of history, the events of which still echo down the centuries, particularly in Northern Ireland and lowland Scotland. Highly recommended.
10) Common Law & Feudal Society in Medieval Scotland by H L MacQueen (Edinburgh University Press, 1993). See 6) above.
11) Curiosities of British Archaeology by Roland Jessup (Phillmore, 1961). An absolute gem of a book, compiled from a diversity of sources as selected by Jessup (whom I first encountered as the author of a 1930s book entitled The Archaeology of Kent). It's quirky, it's of its time, and I've never come across anything like it. Highly recommended - if you can get yer mitts on it!!
12) The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan (Harper Perennial 2005). A gripping account of the war between Athens and her allies and the Peloponnesian League (dominated by Sparta) which lasted 28 years and ripped the Greek World apart, financially crippling both Athens and Sparta, and weakening the Hellenic states suffuciently to allow firstly the Macedonian, and then ultimately the Roman Empire to overwhelm them. An exercise in utter fultility, in which both sides were guilty of terrible atrocities, and definitely one of the best books I've read in 2011. Highly recommended.
13) A is For Ox: A Short History of the Alphabet by Lyn Davies (Folio Society, 2006). A short but very informative book which chronicles the evolution of the alphabet, letter by letter, and highlights the major shifts in the development of writing and print. Recommended.
14) Brunellesci's Dome: The History of the Great Cathedral in Florence by Ross King (Pimlico, 2001). Easy to read and very informative account of Brunellesci's engineering achievement, set within its wider historical context. Recommended.
15) Michelangelo and The Pope's Ceiling by Ross King (Pimlico, 1999). Same author as 14) above, same description applies, though this time the subject is Michaelangelo. Recommended.
16) Knossos Pottery Groups of the Old Palace Period by J. A. Macgillivrey (British School of Athens, 2006). A tome for the serious pottery geek or Minoan scholar. This was purchased as part of my quest to get to grips with the Minoans, and it's much more detailed and in depth than was necessary. But... I opened this book with only basic knowledge, only knowing the difference between a rhyton, a pithos and an amphora, and with a rudimentary knowledge of Kamares Ware. I've now added all sorts pf forms to the repertoire, including the pyxis, the kylix, the champagne cup and the stirrup handled jar. And I've learnt that Kamares Ware is a disputed term, not to be casually wielded in polite scholarly company. In fact, I've learned so much that, given a couple of weeks, and with the aid of this book and a good handlens, I think I'd be happy to tackle the cataloguing and classification of a small pottery assemblage from a Minoan site, just so long as I had a learned scholar check my work afterwards and tell me where I went wrong before it went to publication. So in that respect, this book did exactly what it was meant to do. Except it now means that I jump up and down in front of the telly during popular history programmes going, "Oooh! Look! It's a pyxis!!" and driving my husband insane. Not for the faint-hearted....
17) Knossos: The Little Palace by Eleni M Hatzaki (British School of Athens, 2005). Interesting, informative, but tough going. The high point was a brief discussion on the use of bulls head rhyta in Minoan foundation deposits. The low point? Well, the fact that it brought home just how slapdash Evans was in his excavation techniques. Mind you, it reassured me no end, because it made me realise that however badly I may excavate a site in my day-to-day working life, I can't possibly make as big a mess of things as Evans and his ilk did. Modern archaeologists may be standing on the shoulders of giants, but these giants had feet of clay. Or sandy clayey-silt, with frequent inclusions of rounded and subangular stones measuring <5mm x 5mm... Oh, and reading 15) above first did help when I got to the pottery report! Again, not for the faint-hearted.
18) The Central Palace Sanctuary at Knossos by Marian Panagiotaki (British School of Athens, 1999). The last of the Knossian trilogy for 2011, and by far the best as a means of getting to grips with the Minoan psyche. This discussed many of the classic Minoan finds - in particular, the faience statuettes of the floozie with a cat on her head - and I think it was the best of the three in terms of actually yielding an insight into What Was Going On. Once again, not for the faint-hearted, but certainly the most informative of the three, with a fantastic small finds report (Oh! To be writing up small finds like these in the day job. SIGH!!!). Recommended - but only for the dreary and mildly obsessed,
19) Specimens of Middle Scots by Gregory Smith (Blackwood, 1902). A fine collection of Middle Scots poetry and prose, ranging in date from the medieval period to the late sixteenth century. A nice little collection, but see 6) above.
There you have it. You can't accuse me of not being diverse in my non-fiction tastes. It's been a busy year in terms of reading matter. Small wonder I can no longer remember the difference between Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr...
Happy New Year, Everyone!
When it comes, that is!
1) The Life & Times of Henry VII by Neville Williams (Book Club Associates, 1973), A comprehensive biography of this wholly unremarkable, but altogether rather pleasant, king. An interesting and informative read. Recommended.
2) Chronicles of the Tudor Kings, ed. David Loades (Greenwich Editions, 2002). Lavishly illustrated coffee-table style book, which combines a comprehensive narrative of the reigns of Henry's VII & VIII, plus the short-lived Edward (is it III or IV?? I've lost track...), with neat bite-sized chunks of text devoted to various aspects of Tudor life. Nice book. Highly Recommended.
3) A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor (BBC 2010). A spin-off from the Radio Four series of the same name, this is a glorious book which uses objects drawn from the British Museum's collections to define and illustrate a linear narrative charting human achievements throughout the world. Highly informative, with lovely pictures of some magnificent artefacts, and an ideal introduction to those sophisticated civilisations which were developing in parallel with our own Western empire in the Americas, The Far East, Africa, etc.. Highly recommended.
4) The Lockington Gold Hoard: An Early Bronze Age Barrow Cemetery in Lockington, Leicestershire by Gwilym Hughes (Oxbow, 2000). Excavation report which details the results of a developer-funded project which proved noteworthy for the discovery of two sheet gold bracelets (similar in execution to the Mold gold cape, which is featured in 3) above, and the Rillaton gold cup). Great book, if you're into Things Bronze Age, or if you want to witness the use of the word 'lentoid' in a specialist report. I was so inspired by the latter that I was able to slip the word 'lentoid' into a detail sheet at the munitions factory the following week...
5) The Tomb Builders in Wales - 4000-3000BC by Steve Burrow (National Museum of Wales, 2000). Featuring a number of attractive reconstruction drawings combined with some lovely photographs, accompanying an accessible text which details the history and development of the Neolithic chambered tomb in Wales and beyond. You don't have to be living in Wales or planning to visit Wales to appreciate this book - it'd be a good addition to the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in the prehistory of western Europe. Highly recommended.
6) English Diplomatic Practice in the Middle Ages by Pierre Chaplais (Hambledon & London, 2003). I did learn a few things as I ploughed through this book, but I've clean forgotten what they were. A useful addition to the bookshelf of the medieval historian, or to the historical fiction writer who wants to make sure they've got things just right...
7) Elizabeth & Leicester by Sarah Gristwood (Bantam, 2007). A highly readable and engaging account of the sometimes uneasy relationship between Elizabeth I and her favoured courtier. Highly recommended.
8) Two Men in A Trench by Tony Pollard and Neil Oliver (Michael Joseph 2002). BBC tie-in in which two archaeologists revisit the sites of various UK battlefields (including Culloden, Flodden, Shrewsbury) and, using the wide variety of techniques available to the modern archaeologist(mapping, documentary sources, remote sensing, etcetera), attempt to shed new light on the traditional accounts. Provides the reader with a quick guide to modern archaeological practices, as well as informing on the battles in question. Highly recommended.
9) The Glorious Revolution by Edward Vallance (Little, Brown, 2006). A comprehensive account of the events leading up to the 1688 revolution, which saw James II deposed in favour of William. Sheds light on a neglected period of history, the events of which still echo down the centuries, particularly in Northern Ireland and lowland Scotland. Highly recommended.
10) Common Law & Feudal Society in Medieval Scotland by H L MacQueen (Edinburgh University Press, 1993). See 6) above.
11) Curiosities of British Archaeology by Roland Jessup (Phillmore, 1961). An absolute gem of a book, compiled from a diversity of sources as selected by Jessup (whom I first encountered as the author of a 1930s book entitled The Archaeology of Kent). It's quirky, it's of its time, and I've never come across anything like it. Highly recommended - if you can get yer mitts on it!!
12) The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan (Harper Perennial 2005). A gripping account of the war between Athens and her allies and the Peloponnesian League (dominated by Sparta) which lasted 28 years and ripped the Greek World apart, financially crippling both Athens and Sparta, and weakening the Hellenic states suffuciently to allow firstly the Macedonian, and then ultimately the Roman Empire to overwhelm them. An exercise in utter fultility, in which both sides were guilty of terrible atrocities, and definitely one of the best books I've read in 2011. Highly recommended.
13) A is For Ox: A Short History of the Alphabet by Lyn Davies (Folio Society, 2006). A short but very informative book which chronicles the evolution of the alphabet, letter by letter, and highlights the major shifts in the development of writing and print. Recommended.
14) Brunellesci's Dome: The History of the Great Cathedral in Florence by Ross King (Pimlico, 2001). Easy to read and very informative account of Brunellesci's engineering achievement, set within its wider historical context. Recommended.
15) Michelangelo and The Pope's Ceiling by Ross King (Pimlico, 1999). Same author as 14) above, same description applies, though this time the subject is Michaelangelo. Recommended.
16) Knossos Pottery Groups of the Old Palace Period by J. A. Macgillivrey (British School of Athens, 2006). A tome for the serious pottery geek or Minoan scholar. This was purchased as part of my quest to get to grips with the Minoans, and it's much more detailed and in depth than was necessary. But... I opened this book with only basic knowledge, only knowing the difference between a rhyton, a pithos and an amphora, and with a rudimentary knowledge of Kamares Ware. I've now added all sorts pf forms to the repertoire, including the pyxis, the kylix, the champagne cup and the stirrup handled jar. And I've learnt that Kamares Ware is a disputed term, not to be casually wielded in polite scholarly company. In fact, I've learned so much that, given a couple of weeks, and with the aid of this book and a good handlens, I think I'd be happy to tackle the cataloguing and classification of a small pottery assemblage from a Minoan site, just so long as I had a learned scholar check my work afterwards and tell me where I went wrong before it went to publication. So in that respect, this book did exactly what it was meant to do. Except it now means that I jump up and down in front of the telly during popular history programmes going, "Oooh! Look! It's a pyxis!!" and driving my husband insane. Not for the faint-hearted....
17) Knossos: The Little Palace by Eleni M Hatzaki (British School of Athens, 2005). Interesting, informative, but tough going. The high point was a brief discussion on the use of bulls head rhyta in Minoan foundation deposits. The low point? Well, the fact that it brought home just how slapdash Evans was in his excavation techniques. Mind you, it reassured me no end, because it made me realise that however badly I may excavate a site in my day-to-day working life, I can't possibly make as big a mess of things as Evans and his ilk did. Modern archaeologists may be standing on the shoulders of giants, but these giants had feet of clay. Or sandy clayey-silt, with frequent inclusions of rounded and subangular stones measuring <5mm x 5mm... Oh, and reading 15) above first did help when I got to the pottery report! Again, not for the faint-hearted.
18) The Central Palace Sanctuary at Knossos by Marian Panagiotaki (British School of Athens, 1999). The last of the Knossian trilogy for 2011, and by far the best as a means of getting to grips with the Minoan psyche. This discussed many of the classic Minoan finds - in particular, the faience statuettes of the floozie with a cat on her head - and I think it was the best of the three in terms of actually yielding an insight into What Was Going On. Once again, not for the faint-hearted, but certainly the most informative of the three, with a fantastic small finds report (Oh! To be writing up small finds like these in the day job. SIGH!!!). Recommended - but only for the dreary and mildly obsessed,
19) Specimens of Middle Scots by Gregory Smith (Blackwood, 1902). A fine collection of Middle Scots poetry and prose, ranging in date from the medieval period to the late sixteenth century. A nice little collection, but see 6) above.
There you have it. You can't accuse me of not being diverse in my non-fiction tastes. It's been a busy year in terms of reading matter. Small wonder I can no longer remember the difference between Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr...
Happy New Year, Everyone!
When it comes, that is!
