Mysteries of the Middle Ages: And the Beginning of the Modern World

This is a well-written, beautifully illustrated book. The treatment of the footnotes is unusual and eminently readable; they are on the same page, rather than being relegated to the end of the book, and not in the usual 6 or 7 pt fine print of a scholarly treatise. The author obviously knows his subject matter, but his writing is more conversational than pedagogical. However, buyer beware. If you've read the hardcover "Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe," don't buy this so-called reprint edition. They've simply changed the subtitle to "And the Beginning of the Modern World." It's not the additional volume on the making of the modern world promised on page iii of the hardcover edition.

First, I'll agree that the use of the terms "mysteries" and "cults" is a bit misleading sounding, as it does, like an attempt to pull in the 'DaVinci Code' audience. Cahill explains his use of the first term and the second is not that far off the mark, anyway. The author is careful to tell us at several points that his choices for emphasis are his own as are many of the opinions expressed. This is not an encyclopedia but the work of an enthusiast, fascinated by his subject and looking to share that fascination with his readers. The book contains veiled criticism of George W. Bush and unveiled criticism of the modern Roman Catholic hierarchy and I would imagine that many of the negative reviews are prompted thereby.

Mysteries of the Middle Ages is the fifth in a series of seven "Hinges of History". In this volume Thomas Cahill, as he did in the first four, manages to cover what might seem obscure and dry with a light, often humorous hand that uses anachronisms and witty asides to make his material accessible to readers who might have little or no previous historical knowledge of the period. At the same time Cahill's scholarship is as rigorous and his insights as profound as those of any "professional" historian. An additional delight is the beautiful physical design. Lovely medieval designs in bright colors set off quotations, maps are shown in multiple shades of color, and the many illustrations are bright and sparkling. Nice little "extra" touches include page numbers and footnotes in what seem to be medieval script. Even the paper feels a little like parchment! How long has it been since a book aimed at literate adults was as much of a delight to hold and examine as this one? The information contained therein is just as pleasurable to read. Cahill writes from a Western Catholic perspective, and his unapologetically "Eurocentric" point of view is interesting and challenging to read. Refreshingly, he seldom makes use of the trite and overly used convention of bashing other cultures while defending his own. While he obviously considers Western Christendom superior to Eastern Christianity and the Muslim Empires of the period, he does indicate and explain some of the strong points of those civilizations. His vignettes of Hildegarde of Bingen, Francis of Assisi, Eleanor of Aquitaine and others are interesting, and his examinations of some of the more arcane (to a Protestant) practices of Roman Catholicism are highly illuminating. This is a most enjoyable and intelligent read. I look forward to the final two Hinges, and intend to read this one and the preceding four again and again.

Tom Cahill has rescued the writing of history from its dimly lit, self-important dustbin and injected life and, indeed, humor into the enterprise. It may not be the history that you were inoculated with in elementary school--which is why some people react to his writing as if they had come into contact with an allergen--but I find that he really brings alien times to life in a very engaging fashion. This book on the Middle Ages is no exception--and as a bonus it is sumptuously illustrated in four-color art throughout. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a history fix.