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The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England

A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century

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The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England

By: Ian Mortimer
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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About this listen

 Imagine you could travel back to the 14th century. What would you see? What would you smell? More to the point, where are you going to stay? And what are you going to eat?

Ian Mortimer shows us that the past is not just something to be studied; it is also something to be lived. He sets out to explain what life was like in the most immediate way, through taking you to the Middle Ages.

The result is the most astonishing social history book you are ever likely to read: evolutionary in its concept, informative and entertaining in its detail, and startling for its portrayal of humanity in an age of violence, exuberance and fear.

©2008 Ian Mortimer (P)2009 Isis Publishing Ltd Europe Great Britain Medieval Middle Ages England Royalty

Critic Reviews

"A jaunty journey through the 14th century, one that wriggles with the stuff of everyday life." ( Guardian)
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This was fascinating stuff - made better by the perfect narration from Jonathan Keeble . This is an interesting and accessible history of a period that, thanks to Hollywood is often misunderstood and misrepresented as being less complex and less structured than modern times

Fascinating and comprehensive

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A wonderful story of the past, and its relevance to the present and to the future. Extremely well narrated and written. It is a good rebuff to the Wokism or some of the Cancel Culture proponents. In essence we are just time travellers and reliving the Canterbury Tales is a great way to start.

Excellent.

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What a great book and narration. The fact that you are stepping back in time and walking the paths of those around you is such a refreshing way to learn, rather than being an outsider. Definitely recommend.

What a great way to learn about medieval history!

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Fascinating to see that what shaped humans in the 14th c still shapes them now. The insight that we have not changed very much at all since then (a point that the author is not really trying to make), makes the book worthwhile on its own. The insights into law, corruption, vice, day to day existence and the social structure from serf to Kung and everything else is also wonderful. Well told and absorbing thanks to the skilled narrator and excellent writing.

A fascinating glimpse into human nature

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I love history and this book really puts you in the middle of it. Gives some insight into what life was like for ordinary folk as well as the high and mighty. Easy listening.

Informative and entertaining

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I was completely transported by this work to the medieval era. The imagery described and events unfolded in a way I have never experienced history before.
Mortimer is right / it’s not just us ‘looking back’ - it’s US now making our lives out of what is around us

A totally absorbing work

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Total immersion into another time and place. I loved it.
The narrator was easy on the ears too.

Great book.

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through ian mortimer you will undersrand the people of the medieval world in a compassionate way.

Feel yourself drift through time

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An enjoyable adventure through Medieval England - Great in-depth case studies which help immerse me back to the time of corset wearing knights and ale being drunk from sun up to sun down.

Come along for the ride

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I find myself continually re-listening to this book as it contains a wealth of knowledge and interesting facts!

Amazing

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