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A review by beaconatnight
Castles: Their History and Evolution in Medieval Britain by Marc Morris
4.0
Marc Morris makes castles the focal point of narratives that are naturally filled with violence and vanity. If you are in any was susceptible the stories magically spark boyish excitement for medieval fortresses, especially when it comes to the war-deciding buildings of William the Conqueror, King John, and Edward I.
Every chapter has its overall arc that seamlessly integrates architecture, personal storytelling, and development of the culture as a whole. In that way the reader gains a very good sense of what castles were like in the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries. After initial reluctance – castles were considered a foolish invention of people from the other side of the Channel – castles were often a determining factor in British history as well as mirroring the zeitgeist. In that way the book often reads as an inspired yet admittedly sketchy History of Britain.
I don't really have a head for visual imagination, at least not when it comes to architectural description, so I think many details would have passed me by without leaving a vivid image. Frankly, this is what happened on my first reading. It was only afterwards that I learned that even before the book was published Morris hosted an eponymous show on Channel 4. It's really awesome to be able to visit those places and to have experts explain things in more tangible terms.
The occasionally tongue-in-cheek but always vivid prose is a joy to read. There were quite a few moments where passing remarks had me chuckle for a bit. More importantly, it masterfully incorporates the details necessary when Morris tackles the puzzling questions that prompt themselves after a fuller appreciation of the facts.
It's especially in the last three chapters that the role of castles isn't as evident as it initially was. The overarching theme appears to be why castles hang on to their cultural significance long after technological advances diminished their military might. Honestly, my fascination vanished when I learned that later buildings like the epic Bodiam Castle where consciously built as fake fortresses.
Consequently, the narratives weren't as anchored as they had been in the earlier chapters. They still depict exciting times in British history, like civil wars or the tumultuous times in Scotland's past (apparently it's not all conflict and bloodshed). Still, castles now appear as popular scenes among many rather than representing history in the making.
Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain is the kind of book that makes me wish there were similar works for the castles in Germany and France. Or for churches, monasteries, and cathedrals (please write if you have any recommendations!). It's history in its most exciting form, not the least because of the documentaries that accompany the chapters.
Rating: 4/5
Every chapter has its overall arc that seamlessly integrates architecture, personal storytelling, and development of the culture as a whole. In that way the reader gains a very good sense of what castles were like in the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries. After initial reluctance – castles were considered a foolish invention of people from the other side of the Channel – castles were often a determining factor in British history as well as mirroring the zeitgeist. In that way the book often reads as an inspired yet admittedly sketchy History of Britain.
I don't really have a head for visual imagination, at least not when it comes to architectural description, so I think many details would have passed me by without leaving a vivid image. Frankly, this is what happened on my first reading. It was only afterwards that I learned that even before the book was published Morris hosted an eponymous show on Channel 4. It's really awesome to be able to visit those places and to have experts explain things in more tangible terms.
The occasionally tongue-in-cheek but always vivid prose is a joy to read. There were quite a few moments where passing remarks had me chuckle for a bit. More importantly, it masterfully incorporates the details necessary when Morris tackles the puzzling questions that prompt themselves after a fuller appreciation of the facts.
It's especially in the last three chapters that the role of castles isn't as evident as it initially was. The overarching theme appears to be why castles hang on to their cultural significance long after technological advances diminished their military might. Honestly, my fascination vanished when I learned that later buildings like the epic Bodiam Castle where consciously built as fake fortresses.
Consequently, the narratives weren't as anchored as they had been in the earlier chapters. They still depict exciting times in British history, like civil wars or the tumultuous times in Scotland's past (apparently it's not all conflict and bloodshed). Still, castles now appear as popular scenes among many rather than representing history in the making.
Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain is the kind of book that makes me wish there were similar works for the castles in Germany and France. Or for churches, monasteries, and cathedrals (please write if you have any recommendations!). It's history in its most exciting form, not the least because of the documentaries that accompany the chapters.
Rating: 4/5