The Two Cities: Medieval Europe 1050–1320

In my book, "Astronomical Symbols on Ancient and Medieval Coins", I devote a number of chapters to the astronomical symbols that were depicted on medieval coinage as signs of divine right to sovereignty. As part of my research, I read numerous books on medieval history, and I found that Barber's book, "The Two Cities," was of some value. Although there were many items of interest that added to my understanding of the history of this period, I found that I was often asking more detailed questions than Barber's book could answer. However, Barber does provide a good overall starting point and provides a lot of information in a single volume. I recommend this book to all who are interested in reading an introductory book on medieval history. I bought the 1994 paperback version, and do not recommend spending the high price for a hardcopy. This book is just a starting point for those readers who are serious about medieval history. Marshall Faintich

If you want a detailed overview of the classic medieval period from the 11th - 14th centuries, this is the book for you. It provides an excellent narrative analysis of Europe's primary players during this period, and the impact/relationship of the church, both in secular and spiritual matters. As the title implies, the book reviews and demonstrates that the secular monarchies of the time and the church were heavily intertwined and needed each other -- or at least were interdependent. The book is a well organized historical narrative that looks at medieval society as a whole, first by examining the social and economic structures, the church, and the politics of the period. Given the importance of the Holy Roman empire at the beginning of the period, and the political links between it and the church, there is a focus on that relationship. However, that does not mean other monarchies are ignored, although not as fully explored. Additional chapters examine England, France, Iberia, eastern and northern Europe, Sicily, and the Crusader Kingdoms. Berber links them all together in what only can be described as a historical tapestry. One thing to keep in mind is that this is a "traditional" approach to history in that it examines the leaders and politics of the time, vice the everyday person. The only downside to the book, and it's a natural by-product of such a complicated study, is that it becomes difficult at times to track all the players, and their relationships to each other -- it causes the book to bog down at times. Having said that, it's definitely worth reading to get the big picture.