5 comments about Strongbow: The Story of Richard And Aoife (Celtic World of Morgan Llywelyn).

1. It was a very interesting book, with a lot of cool irish mythology, and even historical facts. It made me want to read more of Morgan Llywelyn's books. It was a very entertaining book, that kept me reading once i started.



2. This was not the best Llywelyn book I've read. The novel, if you can call it that, was brief (more of a novella). She did not develop the main characters at all. It was like reading a biographical sketch of Richard de Clare and Aoife. Each of them tells a little of the story every other chapter. This style would work for a well developed story, but here it seems as though the characters have never met and they are supposed to be in love! The ending comes quickly and is not satisfying. A happy ending is not necessary, but with so little story it was a big disappointment. However, this book would be a good read for a young adult (7th-8th grade) and an introduction to Llywelyn and historical fiction. The back drop of the story was authentic and Llywelyn is an eminent historian. Still, if you are an adult, avoid this one and read another LLywelyn book such as Lion of Ireland or Red Branch.



3. Despite the negative reviews about the alternate chapter writing, I belive it was a well written book and the chapters were very easy for me to follow. If I, a junior high school student, can foolow this story i would think that just about anny literate person should find it enjoyable and inspiring. The story plot is set in Ireland/England in the 12th century. Richard de Clare, AKA Strongbow, is the son of a very popular warrior. Aoife, AKA Red Eva, is the daughter of a very important leader. I would recomend this book to anyone that enjoyed Brian Boru or who has an Irish Background.



4. I'm a huge fan of Llywelyn, and have read most of her books. This one isn't one of her best, although it does have some interesting information about 12th century Ireland. The book is historical fiction based on Richard "Strongbow" and his Irish wife, Aoife.

   The book is written in the first person, alternating between Strongbow and Aoife narrating a chapter. This can be a bit hard to follow at times.

   The reading is relatively easy even with the first person writings. Unless you are an avid Llywelyn fan buy one of her other fantastic books.




5. 
   Strongbow, the story of Richard and Aoife by Morgan Llywelyn is definitely for the young reader. I like the historical flavor but it could be a let down for the adult readers used to Morgan's other books like the Red Brand and Lion of Ireland.
   
   The chapters are alternating first person accounts from child hood to adult hood of Richard de Clare, the Strongbow, a Anglo-Norman noble who opens the door for the Norman subjugation of Ireland at the request of Dermot Mac Murrough, the King of Leinster. Dermot is Aoife father and offers Richard her hand in marriage to bring other Normans to fight for Dermot.
   
   The first half of the book is basically Aoife growing up in conversation with her father and Richard growing up in conversation with his sister. Then they meet, marry and the rest of there lives and struggles in Ireland are seen alternating through each others eyes.
   
   The book is a quick read and has it highlights. I wish Morgan Llywelyn would do a adult version of Strongbow. I believe it would be great.

2 comments about Campaigns of the Norman Conquest (Essential Histories).

1. This book is a short, crisp summary of the events leading up to the Norman Conquest and the campaigns King William had to undertake to hold onto England.
   
   The book is written in roughly chronological order starting with the bid for the English crown. The invasion and Battle of Hastings are given a brief treatment. This is followed by the various campaigns from 1066 until 1080. The last chapter covers the changes the Norman Conquest brought to England. Interspersed are short biographies of interesting people surrounding the campaigns.



2. As usual for this series, the book is well illustrated, and main points are spelled out clearly and succinctly. If you're a novice to the Norman campaigns, start with this work. Otherwise, I might suggest another Osprey book, "The Normans", which is considerably more comprehensive than this one, and is hardbound.
   
   The only drawback to this series is Osprey's insistence on a uniformity of layout (such as picking one military biography, one civilian), which can cramp the presentation of the material, particulalry given how short it is.
   
   But I must confess I often buy Osprey titles more for the illustrations than the writing!

No comments about The Norman Conquests: A Trilogy (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collections).

No comments about The Norman Conquest: A New Introduction.

4 comments about Wulf The Saxon: A Story Of The Norman Conquest.

1. This is an excellent book as well as all of the other books by this author. Get them all.



2. I received this book to read as a school assignment. After I read the first ten pages, I thought it was going to be pretty boring. I mean, how interesting is a book about getting in a quarrel about tripping over someone's feet. I wondered how Henty managed to write a book that goes on for 360 pages with really small print that kept going on like that. Then, I decided to read a little more. The second chapter wasn't quite as bad so I read a little more, until it got so interesting I didn't want to stop!

   G. A. Henty wrote a scores of historical fiction stories about the Middle Ages and other time periods, including Ancient Civilizations, the Renaissance, and even journeys to the new world. At the turn of the century, he was a renowned author, especially among high-school boys. I am surprised that he has been almost completely forgotten today. Henty is a marvelous author who wrote exciting, historically accurate, action-adventure books.

   Wulf is a Saxon thane who is under the command of Earl Harold of Wessex. He is always by Harold's side, ready for adventure with his right-hand man Osgod and his best friend Beorn. They fight the Welsh, the Bretons, Vikings, and finally the Normans under the command of the Duke of Normandy, a.k.a. William the Conqueror at the final conflict at Hastings.

   If all Henty's books are like this one, I'm going to ask my parents to order the whole set! The only downside to investing your time in this book is the beginning is a little slow. But after that, It's Great! I can't wait to read the next one.




3. My son was given this book on tape as a gift. It ended up being a gift for the entire family. Henty writes very good and interesting historical fiction that has wide appeal. Although most of his books focus on young men in history, my daughter also found the story of Wulf very interesting and entertaining.



4. While Henty is a good read it is definitely a kids book. Do not expect much depth to the story. The story is quick, exciting, and predictable. Fun and accurate but not too involved. A good book if you know what to expect.

No comments about The Anglo Saxon Chronicle: A History of England From Roman Times to the Norman Conquest.

No comments about The Norman Conquest: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions).

5 comments about A Needle in the Right Hand of God: The Norman Conquest of 1066 and the Making and Meaning of the Bayeux Tapestry.

1. It's said that the Devil can quote Scripture to prove his own point - and something like that has been tried with the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman Conquest of England. The French claim it as French. The English have claimed it as Anglo-Saxon. During World War II, Hitler tried to use it as a kind of Book of Genesis for the Third Reich. William the Conqueror, 7th Duke of Normandy, was the descendant of Vikings. ("Norman" derives from the Latin for "Northmen.") The Scandinavian connection appealed to Hitler's racial, mythic notions. Among the Tapestry's 11th century images of conquering warriors, he sought ancient origins for his supposed Germanic super-race.
   
   In fact, maintains R. Howard Bloch, these competing claims are only possible because the Tapestry itself hardly takes sides between the conquered Anglo-Saxons and the conquering Normans, and seeks to reconcile those whom it portrays. Its point of view is neither clearly Norman nor Anglo-Saxon. Without dwelling on fixing blame, it shows both armies fighting bravely. ("French and English fall together," it says of the battle at Hastings.) All may go on to become King William's peaceful subjects. Bloch finds in the Tapestry's well-recognized ambiguities an intention by its designer to tell the story without maligning either Normans or Anglo-Saxons.
   
   
   Sterling Professor of French and the Director of the Humanities Division at Yale, as well as author of several books about the Middle Ages, Bloch brings an unusual array of qualifications to this subject. His mother, formally trained as a textile engineer, was a craftswoman who covered the walls of their home with creative needlework; his father an expert in the manufacture of finished cloth. In considering the Tapestry, its purposes and the influences it reflects, especially those found in other woven, painted or embroidered fabrics, Bloch speaks the language of textiles as one born to it.
   
   
   He points out from the beginning, as all writers on the Bayeux Tapestry must, that it isn't strictly a tapestry at all, but an embroidery, on a long (about 230 feet) linen strip; and that we have no other record like it. Despite the crude medieval drawing, the Tapestry vividly brings alive the sweep of events. The most photorealistic horses, for example, could not pulse with more vitality, or fall in battle more convincingly, than they do in these images. In the Tapestry's unfolding story, we see the Anglo-Saxon Harold Godwineson swear his oath of loyalty to Duke William. It doesn't tell us whether he had a choice, or was tricked. Is King Edward the Confessor of England, on his deathbed, revoking his promise of the crown to his kinsman, Duke William of Normandy? Promising it to Harold? There sits Harold in majesty, crowned -- if it was with indecent haste, the Tapestry doesn't say so -- the day after Edward's death. Duke William "is told of Harold," the Tapestry tells us neutrally, and he prepares to invade. There is the mysterious woman, Aelfgyva. With generations of scholars we wonder who she is, and why she is here. Is that cleric merely touching her head, or slapping her so that she'll never forget something she's witnessing? The images quicken their pace, reaching the bloody clash at Hastings and the Norman victory. Something is missing at the end of the Tapestry; perhaps the lost portion showed King William in majesty, matching the earlier crowned and enthroned Harold.
   
   
   Professor Bloch understands the Tapestry with an appreciation of what may be called the southern angle: that the Normans who had campaigned in or been to the Italian peninsula, Sicily, the Holy Land, Constantinople, brought back with them both novel combat tactics and a network of cultural threads that linked their northern homeland with Byzantium and with the whole Mediterranean world. He points out not only the famly Scandinavian links of style and motif with the Tapestry, but those found in sumptuous Byzantine silks, proposing lights for what have been obscure corners of Tapestry interpretation. In so doing, he gives greater attention to the enigmatic borders of the Tapestry -- those often-cryptic passages above and below the main narrative -- than do some other commentators.
   
   
   He argues that the Tapestry deliberately leaves crucial questions unanswered. It means to withhold one-sided judgments. The Tapestry does NOT tell us whether Harold swore fealty to William willingly, or whether he knew he was holding his hands outstretched over sacred relics, making the oath a much more serious matter. It leaves unstated, not alone what King Edward intended at the last, but what it was in his power to do. Though the evidence suggests that English hands made the Tapestry, it is NOT clear whose voice, so to speak, tells the story. The Tapestry, Bloch maintains, is not a work of partisan propaganda. King William, he says, wanted Anglo-Saxons and Normans reconciled under his unifying rule -- and wanted the wider world to acquiesce in his dreams of even wider empire. Without knowing for sure when or where the Tapestry was made, or by whom ordered, or where it was designed to be displayed, Bloch says, we can find all this on its face. It's an argument that anyone interested in the Norman Conquest, the events surrounding it and those that flowed from it, should want to consider; and it is engagingly written. I couldn't put it down. Its story is, of course, still relevant -- to, among much else, the fact that Prince William of England will someday be King William V because he'll be counting from King William I, the Conqueror.



2. Dr Bloch explains the tale of the Tapestry in a very clear and appealing manner. In particular, he describes the sequence of events depicted by the Tapestry itself as well as the political environment of early 11th century Europe that led to the pivotal Battle of Hastings. His insights are cogent and sound. I highly recommend this brief but thorough work.



3. Of all the great historical and artistic sites in the world, the Bayeux Tapestry is perhaps second on my list of places I would like to visit (Troy comes first). Actually not a "tapestry" (it is technically an embroidery) the Bayeux Tapestry, dating from the Eleventh century pictorially tells the story of William the Conqueror's invasion of England and victorious battle at Hastings. Exactly who sponsored its creation, designed it, and embroidered it remain mysteries, as does its ultimate purpose. Bloch's new book does not seek to supply sensational answers to these continuing controversies (as did, for example, Andrew Bridgeford's "1066: The Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry"), nor even to solve the perplexing mystery of the identity of the woman "Aelfgyva" who appears in the Tapestry. Instead, Bloch provides a fast-reading discussion of the historical and artistic context for understanding the Tapestry. He concludes that there are many Scandinavian/Norman elements incorporated into the the design (and Scandinavian textiles are the most closely related art works known), but that Anglo-Saxon illuminated manuscripts appear to supply the models for the style of illustration. And the author traces back important design elements to Byzantine silk weavings.
   
   Bloch contends that the Tapestry was consciously created as a way to bring together the Anglo-Saxon and Norman peoples on both sides of the English Channel (although it seems to me that this view is suspiciously congruent with modern notions of multiculturism rather than Eleventh century realities). Regardless whether one accepts or rejects this viewpoint, the book's narrative provides an informative examination of the Norman and Anglo-Saxon worlds which gave birth to this unique artistic treasure.



4. This book was a huge disappointment. I listened to this on CD. The title is wonderful but the book is really boring. It's too didactic, full of blindingly dull details, and they go on and on.
   
   The tapestry tells a wonderful story, unfortunately, the same can't be said for the author of this book. There must be so much about that time in history that is interesting and would be worth learning about, but all he can do is go on and on about this little detail along the edge and that little detail in the shield, and on and on and on.........
   
   In the CD version, the narrator is just as boring as the story. A really good narrator is a story teller and can make even a marginally good book worth listening to, but, sadly, not in this case.



5. I'm only 1/3rd of the way through the book so far, but Mr. Bloch is presenting many unexpected threads and drawing them all towards the Bayeaux Tapestry. Interesting. I'm waiting for the CD-ROM I ordered to arrive so I can examine the plates as I read.

3 comments about Norman Conquests: Table Manners; Living Together; Round and Round in the Garden (An Evergreen book).

1. Terrific work (again!) from this major British playwright showing a disasterous family weekend where a would be Casanova sets his sights on his sister in law and the whole family ultimately become involved. Although written and set in the mid 1970s it remains just as funny (if not more so) now. All of the characters are classics and there are a feast of one liners. It really needs a stage production to be done justice though.



2. In the late 1970s PBS presented a hilarious trilogy of plays called "The Norman Conquests." I've been trying ever since to find them again. And here they are! This volume contains the scripts for all three of these amazing plays. Their premise: Norman is a real charmer who seduces (not necessarily sexually) everybody he meets. Each of the three plays takes place on a different stage. It's the same story and the same six characters, but seen from what happens only in each room in each play. It's an amazing accomplishment for a writer. This book carries an introduction by Ayckbourn that explains how he did it. And he says the plays are meant to be seen in any order. But I prefer the order given here: "Table Manners" (in the dining room), "Living Together" (the sitting room) and "Round and Round the Garden." If you haven't experienced it, the videos are available now (finally!), as well. The production (the same I saw on PBS) stars Tom Conti as an unforgettable Norman.



3. great to have the three plays together to see how beautiful and clever the construction is - very funny and very human

5 comments about 1066: The Year of the Conquest.

1. When I picked this book up, I was pretty ignorant of the subject matter. My formal education in history had pretty much glossed over the dark and medieval ages, so I was interested but uninformed. After having read this, I have a good feel for the period, its people, mentality and institutions. Howarth's narrative gives a broad picture of the setting that communicates the period well. He also gives clear descriptions of the events of 1066, as well as the events leading up to them, and he does it without assuming prior knowledge, making the book very accessible to laymen.
   
   That in itself is high enough praise, but in truth the book is better than just a well-written account of history. I felt myself absorbed and pulled along by the drama that Howarth lays out. I felt true empathy for the English, and I came close to tears at the tragic end. The principle characters of William, Harold and Harald all have depth and evoke emotions that I would think only an accomplished novelist could accomplish. I know it's the oldest of cliches, but history really does come alive in this book. And all in 200 pages.
   
   As for the negatives, there really are very few. I will say that the author is highly speculative in many of his conclusions, and is free to offer his own interpretations and explanations of events. I don't see that as a drawback though, because he's always clear when he's offering personal opinion that is not either mainstream opinion or fact, and also because, as he makes clear, any account of such remote, poorly recorded history must be speculative.
   
   If I were forced to come up with a real negative, I'd say that it's bias, but it's not a big deal. It's clear the author sympathizes with the English (of course, he is English), but then it is very difficult not to sympathize with a conquered and subjugated people. Nevertheless, the author is somewhat one-sided in his representation of facts, for example playing up the English church's support for the pope, when in reality I doubt the relationship was that cordial. But as I said, that would be the only thing I could call a negative, if I were forced to name one.
   
   If one of my friends asked me for a general history book, I'd recommend this one without reservation or qualification.



2. For anyone educated in British schools, the date 1066 stands out as perhaps the most critical in the nation's history. It was that year that William of Normandy defeated King Harald at the Battle of Hastings.
   
   Yet, apart from the bare facts of the battle (everyone remembers that Harald was said to have been killed by an arrow that struck him in the eye) and the familiar images of the Bayeux tapestry, we know little of what lay behind the battle and of the personalities of the men who fought it. In this brilliant short book, historian David Howarth repairs that omission.
   
   His task is complicated by centuries of Norman-inspired propaganda. After all, as Churchill is supposed to have said, history is written by the winners. The Normans got to tell the tale the way they wanted, elevating William's heroic character, blackening Harald. After the battle, it became very difficult for the English to get their side of the story across. Yet Howarth manages, by consulting documents written before the battle and some accounts afterward, to put forth a different story.
   
   One of his main revelations for me is that this was not just a dynastic dispute but a true clash of cultures. He argues that the English were developing a kind of proto-democracy in which all men had rights. From village meetings to regional assemblies to something called the "witena gemot" which was a kind of embryonic parliament, men had a say in their own affairs. There was also a developing legal system. The English, according to Howarth, were also a peaceful people. Their villages were undefended. And even the monarch had to be selected by the "gemot."
   
   The Normans in contrast lived by war. Their knights developed a cult of horsemanship and war. Knight constructed mighty castles to defend themselves and spent the rest of the time pillaging defenseless commoners. This culture, according to Howarth, was a social disaster. It produced illiterate young men who knew nothing except how to ride and hunt and fight and whose only interest in life was violence. They were no good at anything other than killing and despised all peaceful occupations.
   
   Howarth clearly sides with the English in this conflict and sees their defeat as a massive historical disaster. Immediately, the seeds of the society they were cultivating were ripped out to be replaced by a feudal system that set back the cause of civilization by centuries.
   
   In his explanation of Harald's defeat, Howarth places huge importance on William's success in receiving a papal blessing for his invasion and a banner to hold aloft during the battle. This, more than any military tactic, was responsible for the Norman victory since it demoralized Harald, sapping his resolve, poisoning his mind with the idea that God was on the side of the enemy. That explains his strange passivity and immobility during the battle, when he made no effort to attack but just stood his ground waiting for a death he may have felt was inevitable. It also explains the lack of further resistance from the English after the battle.
   
   I'm not enough of an expert to judge the validity of this theory but it's intriguing. In general, this slim volume is full of insight into a distant time. One emerges full of sadness for poor Harald and the England that might have been had the invasion been repulsed.



3. This is royal intrigue at its best: the passing of a king with no heirs (Edward the Confessor), the mysterious coronation of a possible usurper (Harold Godwin), an angry distant cousin with legitimate claims to the throne (William, Duke of Normandy), a failed plot to overthrow and, ultimately, the taking of the throne by force at the Battle of Hastings. In 1066, William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy -- a Frenchman -- became King William I of England. David Howarth tells the story in a readable, engaging way. He explores the subtleties of the traditional accounts and reveals nuances of the characters. Howarth offers conjecture about the motives and emotions of the characters. Some might say that he offers too much conjecture. For me, though, this was a valuable part of the book. Seeing his empathy for some characters and dislike of others, helped me to better understand the writer and his message.



4. Howarth's book has not only held up well over the decades I actually think it improves each time I read it. Along with Alaistair Horne's incredible Price of Glory about Verdun in 1916 I am not sure there is a better "short" history of an event. They remain my high water marks for what history should and could be. Treat yourself to both, Howarth has great charm and writes with an ease as to be almost magical while Horne will knock your socks off- WW1 has been utterly forgotten; read Horne and you will learn why it is a disgrace that we no longer teach history in any depth, from elementary school through college.



5. This little book (only 201 pages) is a must-read for the history buff. Howarth writes in a marvelously conversational style with none of the pompous, wordy, frustrating pseudo-prose that many historians adopt when writing historical non-fiction.
   
   The result is a very readable, concise look at the Norman Conquest. The players, King Harold of England, William of Normandy, and Harald Hardrada of Norway, are each in their own manner empathetic while the Battle of Hastings is finally presented without all the mumbo-jumbo military strat-egery.
   
   Howarth, who passed away in 1991, was a historian for the average lay person. He wrote several books, including one about Waterloo, each imminently accessible and illuminating to read.
   
   If you'd like to understand the real history behind those fabulous historical novels we all devour, do yourself a favor and pick up a Howarth book. You can read it in an afternoon and walk away a tad bit more edu-ma-cated that when you started.