The Middle Ages (Cultural Atlas for Young People)
An outstanding introduction. Corbishley begins with an overview of medieval Europe, its history and culture, covering movements of the barbarians, the Crusades, and the empires of the era. He adds many interesting sidebars, such as those on the Bayeux Tapestry and stained-glass window making, which help to humanize the history and make it more accessible to readers. The second part of the book covers each region of Europe, giving a summary of its geography (including a map of the region), an overview of the history during the Middle Ages, and concluding with issues that arose during the period. For example, the chapter on Spain and Portugal covers the march of Islam across the Iberian Peninsula, then follows up with sections on map-making and on pilgrimages taken to northern Spain. Corbishley gives fair and equal coverage to all areas of medieval Europe, including Russia and Scandinavia, which some books omit. The maps are excellent, precise, clear, and easy to read and understand, and the illustrations, particularly those of works of art, are wonderful. While the organization may confound some researchers and the treatment of individual topics is hardly in-depth, this attractive volume provides an intriguing cross-cultural look at the medieval world. An excellent addition. --Elizabeth M. Reardon, McCallie School, Chattanooga, TNCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.