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A World Lit Only by Fire

The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance; Portrait of an Age

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A World Lit Only by Fire

By: William Manchester
Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
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Summary

The preeminent popular history of civilization’s rebirth after the Dark Ages

From tales of chivalrous knights to the barbarity of trial by ordeal, no era has been a greater source of awe, horror, and wonder than the Middle Ages. In handsomely crafted prose and with the grace and authority of his extraordinary gift for narrative history, William Manchester leads us from a civilization tottering on the brink of collapse to the grandeur of its rebirth, the Renaissance, a dense explosion of energy that spawned some of history’s greatest poets, philosophers, and painters, as well as some of its most spectacular villains.

One of the most volatile periods of western history witnessed the passing of the Dark Ages and the dawning of the Renaissance, illuminated by magnificent scientific and artistic achievements and spectacular leaps of thought and imagination. Manchester’s narrative weaves together extraordinary figures, varied elements, and accomplishments of the period.

©1992 , 1993 by William Manchester (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Europe Expeditions & Discoveries Medieval Renaissance World Middle Ages Royalty Imperialism Italy
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Critic Reviews

“Manchester provides easy access to a fascinating age when our modern mentality was just being born.”

(Chicago Tribune)

“Lively and engaging, full of exquisite details and anecdotes that transform this period—usually murky—into a comprehensive tableau.”

(Dallas Morning News)

“A captivating, marvelously vivid popular history that humanizes the tumultuous span from the Dark Ages to the dawn of the Renaissance.”

(Publishers Weekly)

“Manchester has not forgotten the skills that, with invective, eloquence, and anecdote, make him a master storyteller.”

(Kirkus Reviews)

“An absorbing and readable history.”

(School Library Journal)
All stars
Most relevant
I found the narrator's voice dismissive and supercilious- I didn't enjoy that.
I enjoyed the story although it wasn't what I expected. There was no mention of the development of different lighting - apart from fires - which I expected from the title. It was more like a history of the Dark Ages and the Renaissance - which is fine but it seemed to me that the emphasis was often uneven - the detail on Luther and Magellan seemed to make the whole narrative uneven.

I didn't like the narrator.

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A fascinating synthesis of major and minor historical events, skilfully woven together with top-notch story craft.
The narrator handled the quotes skillfully and was easy to listen to.

Epic storytelling

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Highly recommended for medieval history lovers. Good narrator and thoroughly researched down to fine details.

Absolutely loved this book!

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Absolutely a fun listen if you are after an interesting overview of history. The prose is deliciously written. Where it went off the rails for me is where the author consciously decides to take printed gossip regarding an historic figure as fact, on the basis that it was recorded. In the case of,say, the Borgia family, much of what has come down to us are the crazy rumours. The more scandalous a rumour the likelier someone would have recorded it. I think as an introduction to broad ideas it's fun, but take it with a grain of salt and listen to a few other books on the subject.

Engaging narrator, excellent prose but slightly dodgy on historical fact.

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Couldn't get very far into this text before the Christianity-bashing became too noisome. Judging the past by the standards of today doesn't make for very good historiography.

Christianity-bashing bias

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