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A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages: The World Through Medieval Eyes
A captivating journey of the expansive world of medieval travel, from London to Constantinople to the court of China and beyond. Europeans of the Middle Ages were the first to use travel guides to orient their wanderings, as they moved through a world punctuated with miraculous wonders and beguiling encounters. In this vivid and alluring history, medievalist Anthony Bale invites readers on an odyssey across the medieval world, recounting the advice that circulated among those venturing to the road for pilgrimage, trade, diplomacy, and war. Journeying alongside scholars, spies, and saints, from Western Europe to the Far East, the Antipodes and the ends of the earth, Bale provides indispensable information on the exchange rate between Bohemian ducats and Venetian groats, medieval cures for seasickness, and how to avoid extortionist tour guides and singing sirens. He takes us from the streets of Rome, more ruin than tourist spot, and tours of the Khan’s court in Beijing to Mamluk-controlled Jerusalem, where we ride asses across the holy terrain, and bustling bazaars of Tabriz. We also learn of rumored fantastical places, like ones where lambs grow on trees and giant canes grow fruit made of gems. And we are offered a glimpse of what non-European travelers thought of the West on their own travels. Using previously untranslated contemporaneous documents from a colorful range of travelers, and from as far and wide as Turkey, Iceland, North Africa, and Russia, A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages is a witty and unforgettable exploration of how Europeans understood―and often misunderstood―the larger world. 20 illustrations; 6 maps
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2024
About the author
Anthony Bale
16 books36 followersProfessor Anthony Bale, MA (Oxford), MA (York), DPhil (Oxford), is Professor of Medieval Studies at Birkbeck College, University of London, England.
Anthony Bale teaches on the BA English, MA Medieval Literature and Culture and supervises doctoral students working on medieval topics.
Bale has published widely on medieval literature, culture, and religion. In particular, his work has explored relations between Christians and Jews in medieval England. He has also edited and translated several medieval texts, and has recently published a new translation and edition of The Book of Margery Kempe with Oxford University Press. His current work explores travel and pilgrimage between England and the Holy Land in the later Middle Ages.
He has received fellowships from the Arts & Humanities Research Council, the Australian Research Councils, the British Academy, the Huntington Library, the Leverhulme Trust, the University of Michigan Frankel Institute, and the National Humanities Center.
Anthony Bale teaches on the BA English, MA Medieval Literature and Culture and supervises doctoral students working on medieval topics.
Bale has published widely on medieval literature, culture, and religion. In particular, his work has explored relations between Christians and Jews in medieval England. He has also edited and translated several medieval texts, and has recently published a new translation and edition of The Book of Margery Kempe with Oxford University Press. His current work explores travel and pilgrimage between England and the Holy Land in the later Middle Ages.
He has received fellowships from the Arts & Humanities Research Council, the Australian Research Councils, the British Academy, the Huntington Library, the Leverhulme Trust, the University of Michigan Frankel Institute, and the National Humanities Center.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 5, 2024
What made this capture my attention were the stories of every day people who lived during these times.The whys of why they wanted to travel,the hows and then the end results of their efforts.I was quite fascinated by the mundane details.Certain stories however just seemed added in at random though.It seemed well researched but I was a bit disappointed by the writing.It was dull and plodding at points and I do admit my attention wondered.Other than that it was an okay read.
Much thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy
Much thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy
December 19, 2023
Full disclosure: This is not my normal type of read! But I was in the mood for something different, and so I requested an e-galley of this book from the publisher. It did not disappoint! I can't imagine what a treasure this must be for someone into history, as just as a typical nonfiction reader, I LOVED it. Anthony Bale did an incredible job making the reader feel like they'd traveled in time and were experiencing everything as it was back then. I was so surprised to learn about the pilgrimages people made--it was like shining a light on an era that feels rather dark in average history books. I highly recommend this book for anyone, but especially the history buff in your life!
February 3, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
This is a very informative and highly entertaining book about travel in the Middle Ages. Topics covered include map and globe making, the plague, where dragons are born, how to find the fountain of youth, and Medieval medical advice for travelers (my favorite!)
I loved reading about the spirit of adventure that persists even in the face of danger and death and even though there were numerous obstacles to travel during this time. This book really captures that innate human desire for discovery.
I especially loved the descriptions of the different kinds of festivals and all the different kinds of food. The illustrations were wonderful too, I only wish there were more of them.
This would be a great book to accompany a unit on the Middle Ages or for a writer who is writing about that time period.
This is a very informative and highly entertaining book about travel in the Middle Ages. Topics covered include map and globe making, the plague, where dragons are born, how to find the fountain of youth, and Medieval medical advice for travelers (my favorite!)
I loved reading about the spirit of adventure that persists even in the face of danger and death and even though there were numerous obstacles to travel during this time. This book really captures that innate human desire for discovery.
I especially loved the descriptions of the different kinds of festivals and all the different kinds of food. The illustrations were wonderful too, I only wish there were more of them.
This would be a great book to accompany a unit on the Middle Ages or for a writer who is writing about that time period.
April 12, 2024
In the book a travel guide to the Middle Ages by Anthony Vale we learn everything it took for Europeans to travel to distant places in what they found when they got there. From the brothels of Venice to the friends homes in Türkiye to the pilgrimage to see the Saints in Rome.
The reasons for travel were mini from cleaning out their humorous wanting a Saints blessing or in the case of one Lord‘s son just because he could. I thought the author did a great job touching on the different classes in each tourist site and the different attractions one would find when they got there from restaurants to early ambassador type buildings welcoming different country men to the places they would stay and the places they would avoid. A common thread through the book was how the plague affected those the author mentioned and what they did to prevent it or get rid of it. My favorite part was learning what these people in medieval times had to do to just prepare for the trip and all that entailed and it’s a lot! I find these books so interesting and find Anthony Bale did a great job and seems he forgot nothing. The book was narrated by Esh Alladi Who did a fine job. I really enjoyed these type of books especially when you get first-hand accounts and cannot get enough of them this is a book I definitely recommend for the curious who love history. I want to thank Tantore audio for my free arc copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
The reasons for travel were mini from cleaning out their humorous wanting a Saints blessing or in the case of one Lord‘s son just because he could. I thought the author did a great job touching on the different classes in each tourist site and the different attractions one would find when they got there from restaurants to early ambassador type buildings welcoming different country men to the places they would stay and the places they would avoid. A common thread through the book was how the plague affected those the author mentioned and what they did to prevent it or get rid of it. My favorite part was learning what these people in medieval times had to do to just prepare for the trip and all that entailed and it’s a lot! I find these books so interesting and find Anthony Bale did a great job and seems he forgot nothing. The book was narrated by Esh Alladi Who did a fine job. I really enjoyed these type of books especially when you get first-hand accounts and cannot get enough of them this is a book I definitely recommend for the curious who love history. I want to thank Tantore audio for my free arc copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
December 13, 2023
A wonderful and insightful book. My favorite non fiction of the year. Anthony Bale has a way of truly taking you back in time to marvel and appreciate how we lived and what we have now. I loved the concept of looking at the Middle Ages through the lens of travel. For the Middle Ages, this took shape primarily through pilgrimage. It’s an invaluable text to illustrate a portion of everyday life that isn’t often illuminated in history.
January 26, 2024
Travel along with the rich and religious on an uncomfortable pilgrimage in the late Middle Ages. Follow trade routes across Europe and beyond. Meet the adventurous people of this era.
This nonfiction book describes modes of travel, the many political and war issues, multiple languages and currency, churches and relics,and many different purposes of the journey. The author describes these journeys as costly and dangerous citing original source documents. A very nice book for a leisurely stroll through the later Middle Ages. Recommended for every history teacher and curious folk.
This nonfiction book describes modes of travel, the many political and war issues, multiple languages and currency, churches and relics,and many different purposes of the journey. The author describes these journeys as costly and dangerous citing original source documents. A very nice book for a leisurely stroll through the later Middle Ages. Recommended for every history teacher and curious folk.
April 15, 2024
Possible tagline for this book: Medieval Travelers, they’re just like us!
So much information but delivered in a methodical way. I don’t expect I will remember much of the details of this incredibly well researched book, but that’s ok. I enjoyed listening to the foibles and travails of medieval travelers while the author related their struggles to those of the modern traveler. This books focuses on Europeans traveling abroad, but the last chapter covered non-Europeans traveling to medieval Europe which was refreshing.
The narrator does an excellent job keeping the text moving and compelling.
Tantor Audio provided this audiobook for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
So much information but delivered in a methodical way. I don’t expect I will remember much of the details of this incredibly well researched book, but that’s ok. I enjoyed listening to the foibles and travails of medieval travelers while the author related their struggles to those of the modern traveler. This books focuses on Europeans traveling abroad, but the last chapter covered non-Europeans traveling to medieval Europe which was refreshing.
The narrator does an excellent job keeping the text moving and compelling.
Tantor Audio provided this audiobook for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 8, 2024
This is a painstakingly researched, richly detailed,, and extremely entertaining exploration of travel during the middle ages, taken from primary source accounts from pilgrims, merchants, diplomats, and explorers. It's full of immersive period detail as it outlines the realities and practical considerations of undertaking a medieval journey (packing, currency, transport, accommodations, food, language barriers, customs, etc) as well as the fantastical fabrications of mythical creatures, people, and places that imbued many contemporary travel guides with more fiction than fact - and of course, the baggage of the travelers' own beliefs, prejudices, and expectations that they carry with them on their journey. From England through Europe to Egypt and the Holy Land, through Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, to India and China, this book follows the paths of several real travelers from the 12th - 15th centuries as they embark upon their various journeys, set amidst a wealth of historical context, and brings to life their experiences and their thoughts and impressions. It explores the reasons why many medieval Europeans left the safety of home to explore the wider world, the means of transport that were available to them, contingencies which must be prepared for, and the nature of hospitality and accommodations along the way. This book is bursting with colorful details and travel advice of the period which make it a lively and often amusing read.
I especially enjoyed the rules of tavern etiquette:
"The basic rules of dining are as follows:
Don’t scratch your head or back as if you’ve got fleas.
Don’t be sullen, blink too much or have watery eyes.
Don’t sniff, or pick your nose, or let it run, or blow it too loudly.
Don’t twist your neck like a jackdaw.
Don’t put your hands down your stockings or fiddle with your codpiece, or scratch, or shrug, or rub your hands.
Don’t pick your ears, retch, laugh too loudly or spit too far.
Speak quietly, don’t tell lies or talk drivel, don’t spray spittle, gape or pout.
Don’t lick the dish.
Don’t cough, hiccup or belch, stamp your feet or straddle your legs.
Don’t pick or gnash your teeth, and don’t puff bad breath over your betters.
Always beware of ‘blasting your rear guns’ (that is, farting)."
This is an engaging and informative book that will appeal to history buffs and casual readers alike. I had a good time with this book and I recommend it even if you are not a big non-fiction reader.
I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I especially enjoyed the rules of tavern etiquette:
"The basic rules of dining are as follows:
Don’t scratch your head or back as if you’ve got fleas.
Don’t be sullen, blink too much or have watery eyes.
Don’t sniff, or pick your nose, or let it run, or blow it too loudly.
Don’t twist your neck like a jackdaw.
Don’t put your hands down your stockings or fiddle with your codpiece, or scratch, or shrug, or rub your hands.
Don’t pick your ears, retch, laugh too loudly or spit too far.
Speak quietly, don’t tell lies or talk drivel, don’t spray spittle, gape or pout.
Don’t lick the dish.
Don’t cough, hiccup or belch, stamp your feet or straddle your legs.
Don’t pick or gnash your teeth, and don’t puff bad breath over your betters.
Always beware of ‘blasting your rear guns’ (that is, farting)."
This is an engaging and informative book that will appeal to history buffs and casual readers alike. I had a good time with this book and I recommend it even if you are not a big non-fiction reader.
I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 18, 2024
Like a Middle Ages TripAdvisor!
This captivating book details the when’s, why’s, and how’s of travel in the Middle Ages through journeys with individuals, routes, and so much more. The author uses compelling and understatedly hilarious language to recall these accounts and to give “advice” to the reader on how to proceed on their travel in the Middle Ages such as the exchange rate for currency, what to bring, medical advice, traveling companions, seeking medical assistance, and so much more. The author takes care to link travel THEN to travel NOW in a way that drives the points home, we are all travelers and the experience brings the same out of us now as it did then. Well done to Anthony Bale on this gorgeous book. Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for providing me with the ARC. I can’t wait to pick it up when it’s released.
This captivating book details the when’s, why’s, and how’s of travel in the Middle Ages through journeys with individuals, routes, and so much more. The author uses compelling and understatedly hilarious language to recall these accounts and to give “advice” to the reader on how to proceed on their travel in the Middle Ages such as the exchange rate for currency, what to bring, medical advice, traveling companions, seeking medical assistance, and so much more. The author takes care to link travel THEN to travel NOW in a way that drives the points home, we are all travelers and the experience brings the same out of us now as it did then. Well done to Anthony Bale on this gorgeous book. Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for providing me with the ARC. I can’t wait to pick it up when it’s released.
April 20, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book that is being published on April 23rd
When I first saw this title, I thought it would be about modes of transportation and the ways of travel in the middle ages and while you get that, it's so much more.
The author does a fantastic job of transporting you to the middle ages and telling these stories from actual diaries of people, informing you of their reasons for travelling, who was able to travel, where they travelled and their purpose of travel.
Some of the chapters I found much more interesting than others, but each reader is going to have a different experience than the last. It was quite the journey and I'm really glad I read this book. I definitely learned a lot and it brought up some interesting conversation around the dinner table.
When I first saw this title, I thought it would be about modes of transportation and the ways of travel in the middle ages and while you get that, it's so much more.
The author does a fantastic job of transporting you to the middle ages and telling these stories from actual diaries of people, informing you of their reasons for travelling, who was able to travel, where they travelled and their purpose of travel.
Some of the chapters I found much more interesting than others, but each reader is going to have a different experience than the last. It was quite the journey and I'm really glad I read this book. I definitely learned a lot and it brought up some interesting conversation around the dinner table.
May 9, 2024
In “A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages,” Anthony Bale explores medieval Europe through the eyes of those who travelled and wrote about their journeys. The book is meticulously researched, providing a wealth of historical context and vivid descriptions that transport you back in time. Bale’s engaging narrative style makes the journey enjoyable, weaving together anecdotes, maps, and practical advice for travellers.
What truly sets this guide apart are the intriguing tidbits and minute details about travelling -- from sea voyages to bustling market towns, readers gain insight into the challenges and wonders faced by medieval travellers. Bale’s passion for the subject shines through, making this an engaging read for history enthusiasts and for those who've ever wondered what life in medieval times was really like -- gross smells and all.
This was an ARC review for NetGalley.
What truly sets this guide apart are the intriguing tidbits and minute details about travelling -- from sea voyages to bustling market towns, readers gain insight into the challenges and wonders faced by medieval travellers. Bale’s passion for the subject shines through, making this an engaging read for history enthusiasts and for those who've ever wondered what life in medieval times was really like -- gross smells and all.
This was an ARC review for NetGalley.
January 25, 2024
*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This book was a wonderful way to learn about pilgrimages in the Middle Ages! After reading I feel like I have a better understanding of what it was like to travel during this period of time. I highly recommend this read to history buffs, or even travel buffs!
This book was a wonderful way to learn about pilgrimages in the Middle Ages! After reading I feel like I have a better understanding of what it was like to travel during this period of time. I highly recommend this read to history buffs, or even travel buffs!
November 27, 2023
*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
The middle ages tend to get a bad rep, with most people thinking it was a dark, backwards time where people didn't interact with other cultures. This book proves this was not the case. While there was a large part of society that was, for one reason or another, tied to the land they lived and worked on, there still was a significant amount of travel done by those with the ability to do so. The author has set this book up well, starting in Europe and following travelers-many of whom were on religious pilgrimages-as they traveled east, towards Italy and the Holy Land in the Middle East. The chapters are broken up by legs of the journey, with each one described as one may expect to find in a modern travel guide. The last part of the book covered Eastern travelers and their adventures, which I found very interesting. This book was well written and well researched, combining the accounts of dozens of travelers from the middle ages to give an overview of what might have seen during that time.
The middle ages tend to get a bad rep, with most people thinking it was a dark, backwards time where people didn't interact with other cultures. This book proves this was not the case. While there was a large part of society that was, for one reason or another, tied to the land they lived and worked on, there still was a significant amount of travel done by those with the ability to do so. The author has set this book up well, starting in Europe and following travelers-many of whom were on religious pilgrimages-as they traveled east, towards Italy and the Holy Land in the Middle East. The chapters are broken up by legs of the journey, with each one described as one may expect to find in a modern travel guide. The last part of the book covered Eastern travelers and their adventures, which I found very interesting. This book was well written and well researched, combining the accounts of dozens of travelers from the middle ages to give an overview of what might have seen during that time.
December 7, 2023
What a fun history book - it's clear that the author is a serious academic but the writing is light and entertaining. As a traveler, I loved seeing the world through medieval eyes. I loved the sections on India, the Middle East, Ethiopia and China - and seeing how the Europeans of the middle ages processed the experiences they had.
April 8, 2024
An awesome adventure book on travelling in good old times, which apparently was not that different from today (except being less affordable with higher chance to die on the road). The sense of wonder of the unknown places is given vividly in the text, transforming the reader in a child gazing around at the world's marvels, east and west.
Recommended to everyone dreaming of the new (or old) lands.
Recommended to everyone dreaming of the new (or old) lands.
February 22, 2024
4.5 stars. I loved it. It was exactly what I wanted and what I needed. One thing that bothered me a bit was how the topics are not so well organized but nonetheless it was really good .
Anyone who likes history, travel as well as geography should read this!
Anyone who likes history, travel as well as geography should read this!
April 19, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to this audiobook in advance. I’m giving it a 2 star rating because it truly wasn’t what I was expecting at all and I could not, for the life of me, get into this book, but I did find some things to be interesting. Please take this rating with a grain of salt as I did not finish this audiobook.
History is a fascinating thing for me, and the title of this book sounded really good and the description was really intriguing, but at 20% it was not at all what I was expecting. Some of the topics mentioned in the beginning were intriguing and interesting, I especially enjoyed learning about the first globe to be made in Germany (known), and was hoping that the rest of the book would be on similar topics of travel-related stories or discoveries or inventions throughout the medieval ages, but it was very much not that. Perhaps later in the book it does get back to this, but it was more like a travel blog of experiences of ordinary people throughout the Middle Ages - which, while in the title and should have been obvious - I guess I was just expecting something completely different than what this was, and that’s on me. It is an interesting and intriguing idea to write on the average person’s experiences with traveling back in the Middle Ages, why they were doing so and arriving at their final destination, but the few stories I did get through did drag on a bit for me and I did find my attention straying which ultimately led to me DNFing.
The author, Anthony Bale, does seem to have done a proper job of researching all of these different topics, years and people and the narrator, Esh Alladi did a good job of narrating. If history is your thing, and you’re looking for insight into ordinary people and their experiences with traveling back during the Middle Ages, please do give this book/audiobook a shot! There are some interesting things discussed in the beginning and I’m sure as the book progresses this continues.
Again, thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in advance!
History is a fascinating thing for me, and the title of this book sounded really good and the description was really intriguing, but at 20% it was not at all what I was expecting. Some of the topics mentioned in the beginning were intriguing and interesting, I especially enjoyed learning about the first globe to be made in Germany (known), and was hoping that the rest of the book would be on similar topics of travel-related stories or discoveries or inventions throughout the medieval ages, but it was very much not that. Perhaps later in the book it does get back to this, but it was more like a travel blog of experiences of ordinary people throughout the Middle Ages - which, while in the title and should have been obvious - I guess I was just expecting something completely different than what this was, and that’s on me. It is an interesting and intriguing idea to write on the average person’s experiences with traveling back in the Middle Ages, why they were doing so and arriving at their final destination, but the few stories I did get through did drag on a bit for me and I did find my attention straying which ultimately led to me DNFing.
The author, Anthony Bale, does seem to have done a proper job of researching all of these different topics, years and people and the narrator, Esh Alladi did a good job of narrating. If history is your thing, and you’re looking for insight into ordinary people and their experiences with traveling back during the Middle Ages, please do give this book/audiobook a shot! There are some interesting things discussed in the beginning and I’m sure as the book progresses this continues.
Again, thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in advance!
July 10, 2024
Dit boek ging eigenlijk over iets totaal anders dan ik had gedacht. Mijn idee was dat het ging over hoe mensen binnen Europa reisden en wat daar allemaal bij kwam kijken: hoe ze de weg vonden, waar ze overnachtten, wisselkoersen, enfin die hele reutemeteut.
Maar eigenlijk heeft Bale een boek geschreven over het reizen door en voorbij Europa zelf. Het gaat over het wereldbeeld dat de Europeanen in de late middeleeuwen hadden over plekken ver van huis. Hij bespreekt verre plaatsen aan de hand van allerlei reisverslagen - al dan niet verzonnen - van pelgrims en handelaars, die anderen iets wilden bijbrengen. Er komen een hoop beschrijvingen voorbij van allerhande steden die op de grote reisassen van die tijd lagen.
Het boek is specifiek opgebouwd vanuit een eurocentrisch perspectief: we beginnen in West-Europa en begeven ons dan langzaam maar zeker oostwaarts: naar Centraal-, Zuid- en Oost-Europa, het Midden-Oosten, Indië, China en Zuidoost-Azië.
Het begin vond ik iets te droog en niet bijster interessant, misschien ook omdat het niet echt verrassend was. Pas eens Jeruzalem in zicht komt, begon ik meer in het verhaal te komen. Er volgen dan allerlei beschrijvingen van steden en volkeren, die soms duidelijk uit de duim gezogen zijn. En naarmate de afstand tussen West-Europa en de bestemmingen groter wordt, komen er ook allerlei mythische plekken aan bod. Helemaal op het einde wordt er ook nog een hoofdstuk gewijd aan hoe men in de Oriënt naar (West-)Europa keek.
Op zich is het best wel interessant, maar ik bleef met het idee zitten dat ze me liggen hadden en dat dit boek over iets totaal anders ging dan me was beloofd of dan ik had aangenomen. Dat was dus wel een lichte teleurstelling die het hele boek bleef doorwerken.
De vertaling is van Fred Hendriks, die wat mij betreft goed werk heeft geleverd. Bale hanteert een breed taalgebruik en dat heeft de vertaler ook goed in het Nederlands omgezet. Ik heb eigenlijk niet één keer met m'n wenkbrauwen gefronst, geloof ik, alles liep gewoon vlot. Het was normaal Nederlanders, en dan kan ik me ook nog geen typfouten herinneren ook.
6,5/10
Maar eigenlijk heeft Bale een boek geschreven over het reizen door en voorbij Europa zelf. Het gaat over het wereldbeeld dat de Europeanen in de late middeleeuwen hadden over plekken ver van huis. Hij bespreekt verre plaatsen aan de hand van allerlei reisverslagen - al dan niet verzonnen - van pelgrims en handelaars, die anderen iets wilden bijbrengen. Er komen een hoop beschrijvingen voorbij van allerhande steden die op de grote reisassen van die tijd lagen.
Het boek is specifiek opgebouwd vanuit een eurocentrisch perspectief: we beginnen in West-Europa en begeven ons dan langzaam maar zeker oostwaarts: naar Centraal-, Zuid- en Oost-Europa, het Midden-Oosten, Indië, China en Zuidoost-Azië.
Het begin vond ik iets te droog en niet bijster interessant, misschien ook omdat het niet echt verrassend was. Pas eens Jeruzalem in zicht komt, begon ik meer in het verhaal te komen. Er volgen dan allerlei beschrijvingen van steden en volkeren, die soms duidelijk uit de duim gezogen zijn. En naarmate de afstand tussen West-Europa en de bestemmingen groter wordt, komen er ook allerlei mythische plekken aan bod. Helemaal op het einde wordt er ook nog een hoofdstuk gewijd aan hoe men in de Oriënt naar (West-)Europa keek.
Op zich is het best wel interessant, maar ik bleef met het idee zitten dat ze me liggen hadden en dat dit boek over iets totaal anders ging dan me was beloofd of dan ik had aangenomen. Dat was dus wel een lichte teleurstelling die het hele boek bleef doorwerken.
De vertaling is van Fred Hendriks, die wat mij betreft goed werk heeft geleverd. Bale hanteert een breed taalgebruik en dat heeft de vertaler ook goed in het Nederlands omgezet. Ik heb eigenlijk niet één keer met m'n wenkbrauwen gefronst, geloof ik, alles liep gewoon vlot. Het was normaal Nederlanders, en dan kan ik me ook nog geen typfouten herinneren ook.
6,5/10
April 21, 2024
A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages takes on a lot. It explores what travel was like for those living in the Middle Ages, details contemporary understandings of the world and the people and places in it, and recounts the travels of several specific figures of those times. It covers a lot of ground, and you will find a lot of interesting details throughout the journey.
I would say this book is best suited for readers who love to get into the weeds of what it was like in specific historical eras and relish the particular details. I loved learning which specific charms were used for safe travel, what made for the perfect walking stick, what to wear and pack, the currency exchange rates, how to avoid the bad tour guides in Venice, pilgrimage badges, and what constituted good manners in a tavern, for instance. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of what kinds of details you will find in this book, and I definitely learned a lot.
While I enjoyed nerding out about the details and hearing depictions of the destinations, I wasn’t as intrigued by the recounting of specific travelers. I understand these stories assist in demonstrating certain points (e.g. the motivations for travel), but I kind of wish the focus was narrowed to just what it was like to travel during that time and what the world/specific places looked like at the time. I probably would have preferred a book formatted around specific aspects or considerations when traveling during the Middle Ages, and less around specific destinations and the travelers that went there. I think it is important to note that this book is not formatted like a coffee table book nor a traditional travel guide.
Nonetheless, I still enjoyed this read. In addition to learning so many new details, it was also interesting to contemplate the ways in which medieval travel does and does not resemble travel as we know it.
*Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
I would say this book is best suited for readers who love to get into the weeds of what it was like in specific historical eras and relish the particular details. I loved learning which specific charms were used for safe travel, what made for the perfect walking stick, what to wear and pack, the currency exchange rates, how to avoid the bad tour guides in Venice, pilgrimage badges, and what constituted good manners in a tavern, for instance. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of what kinds of details you will find in this book, and I definitely learned a lot.
While I enjoyed nerding out about the details and hearing depictions of the destinations, I wasn’t as intrigued by the recounting of specific travelers. I understand these stories assist in demonstrating certain points (e.g. the motivations for travel), but I kind of wish the focus was narrowed to just what it was like to travel during that time and what the world/specific places looked like at the time. I probably would have preferred a book formatted around specific aspects or considerations when traveling during the Middle Ages, and less around specific destinations and the travelers that went there. I think it is important to note that this book is not formatted like a coffee table book nor a traditional travel guide.
Nonetheless, I still enjoyed this read. In addition to learning so many new details, it was also interesting to contemplate the ways in which medieval travel does and does not resemble travel as we know it.
*Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
June 7, 2024
Wer geht nicht gerne auf Reisen? Mal schnell ans Meer oder in die Berge? Oder lieber einen Städtetrip? Heutzutage kein Problem. Doch wie sah es im Mittelalter aus, in dieser für uns eher düster anmutenden Zeit? Auch damals ist man schon gerne gereist. Wenn auch nicht aus Vergnügen. Meist waren es im weitesten Sinne Geschäftsreisen, um Handel zu treiben, diplomatische Beziehungen zu knüpfen oder neues Gebiet zu erobern. Auch Pilgerreisen und Kreuzzüge zählen zu den Gründen für eine Reise im Mittelalter.
Der Autor nimmt uns in diesem Buch auf viele mittelalterlichen Reisen mit. Es geht von Nürnberg nach Aachen, nach Rom und Jerusalem und sogar nach Indien. Nur um einige Stationen zu nennen. Dabei beschreibt er die Lebenssituationen, die Gepflogenheiten und auch die Beschwernisse und Gefahren, denen Reisende damals ausgesetzt waren. Ganz authentisch und euphorisch schildert er die jeweilige Reise, denn fast alle Routen ist er selbst nachgereist. Das nenne ich mal Forscher- und Entdeckergeist.
Das Buch ist für ein Sachbuch wirklich spannend geschrieben. Kein ödes Buch, bei dem man sich durch jede Seite quält. Im Gegenteil. Das Buch ist relativ dick, und doch hätte ich gerne noch mehr gelesen. Das lag vielleicht, neben dem sowieso schon interessanten Thema und den sprachlich gut formulierten Darstellungen, auch daran, dass der Autor zwischendurch immer kleine lustige und auffrischende Wissenshappen untergebracht hat. Zum Beispiel darüber, was zu den guten Manieren in einer Taverne gehörte: Sei nicht übellaunig, fummele nicht an deinem Hosenlatz herum und schnaufe Respektspersonen nicht mit deinem Mundgeruch an. Oder: Hüte dich stets davor, deine ‚hinteren Geschütze abzufeuern‘ (= nicht furzen!).
Kurz und knapp: Ein Sachbuch, das richtig Spaß macht!
- Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar erhalten. Meine Meinung ist davon unabhängig. -
Der Autor nimmt uns in diesem Buch auf viele mittelalterlichen Reisen mit. Es geht von Nürnberg nach Aachen, nach Rom und Jerusalem und sogar nach Indien. Nur um einige Stationen zu nennen. Dabei beschreibt er die Lebenssituationen, die Gepflogenheiten und auch die Beschwernisse und Gefahren, denen Reisende damals ausgesetzt waren. Ganz authentisch und euphorisch schildert er die jeweilige Reise, denn fast alle Routen ist er selbst nachgereist. Das nenne ich mal Forscher- und Entdeckergeist.
Das Buch ist für ein Sachbuch wirklich spannend geschrieben. Kein ödes Buch, bei dem man sich durch jede Seite quält. Im Gegenteil. Das Buch ist relativ dick, und doch hätte ich gerne noch mehr gelesen. Das lag vielleicht, neben dem sowieso schon interessanten Thema und den sprachlich gut formulierten Darstellungen, auch daran, dass der Autor zwischendurch immer kleine lustige und auffrischende Wissenshappen untergebracht hat. Zum Beispiel darüber, was zu den guten Manieren in einer Taverne gehörte: Sei nicht übellaunig, fummele nicht an deinem Hosenlatz herum und schnaufe Respektspersonen nicht mit deinem Mundgeruch an. Oder: Hüte dich stets davor, deine ‚hinteren Geschütze abzufeuern‘ (= nicht furzen!).
Kurz und knapp: Ein Sachbuch, das richtig Spaß macht!
- Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar erhalten. Meine Meinung ist davon unabhängig. -
November 27, 2023
I think my problem with this book is that I feel misled by the title. It’s not a travel guide to the Middle Ages but a description of a religious pilgrimage to the Holy Land and beyond.
I was expecting this to be an expanded version of the travel chapter in Ian Mortimer’s remarkable book ‘The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England’ (interestingly, he endorsed this one), which is what I would have liked to have read more about. What I got were details of places on the route, a little about the logistics, but nothing about how pilgrims actually found their way. There was a suggestion of guides being used but, again, no details of how they navigated.
A disappointment.
P.s. it needs a map too!
I was expecting this to be an expanded version of the travel chapter in Ian Mortimer’s remarkable book ‘The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England’ (interestingly, he endorsed this one), which is what I would have liked to have read more about. What I got were details of places on the route, a little about the logistics, but nothing about how pilgrims actually found their way. There was a suggestion of guides being used but, again, no details of how they navigated.
A disappointment.
P.s. it needs a map too!
April 20, 2024
This was an interesting take on a broad and well trodden subject. Traveling during the late Middle Ages obviously took a lot more commitment than it does now, but it was interesting to see the reasons behind travel during that time (pilgrimage, trade, adventure), and how the world started to adapt and accommodate to the new travelers. New jobs and businesses developed, certain cities gained importance, and one person traveling to a more remote location could impact how the entire Western world understood different cultures. Since it was an audiobook, I can’t verify the bibliography or if there are any footnotes, but it was written in a highly engaging and entertaining manner.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing an advanced copy.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing an advanced copy.
May 13, 2024
I’ve found this book highly informative and entertaining. I love to read about the Middle Ages and this books is an account of not only the concept of traveling during Medieval times but also about beliefs and historical events that marked and shaped the mind of medieval people, and how the interpretation of those events paved the way for the emergence of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. For centuries, religious fervor was the main driving force behind people decisions to abandon comfort to travel to places of veneration. After that, the commercial routes were developed between the western world and the far East, and a whole new world of exploration became possible. In this book, and that’s my favorite thing about it, we can read first hand accounts of this explorations, and the way this travelers faced the hazards and challenges of being a foreigner in this unexplored lands.
Great research, beautifully written. Highly recommend it!
Great research, beautifully written. Highly recommend it!
June 7, 2024
I found this in a bookstore and it caught my eye. I have always enjoyed European history and travel so I thought this story would be a good fit. It has been a while since I’d read a non-fiction book so I figured I’d give it a try.
I’d been taught that the Middle Ages or the Dark Ages were a period when not much advancement took place until the Renaissance came around. However this book made me realize that people were learning and exploring even during this time.
There were a few parts I read over quickly that I lost interest in but overall I really enjoying going on this journey through time and places.
I’d been taught that the Middle Ages or the Dark Ages were a period when not much advancement took place until the Renaissance came around. However this book made me realize that people were learning and exploring even during this time.
There were a few parts I read over quickly that I lost interest in but overall I really enjoying going on this journey through time and places.
June 11, 2024
Follow trade routes across Europe and beyond. Meet the adventurous people of this era.
This nonfiction book describes modes of travel, the many political and war issues, multiple languages and currency, churches and relics,and many different purposes of the journey. The author describes these journeys as costly and dangerous citing original source documents. A very nice book for a leisurely stroll through the later Middle Ages. Recommended for every history teacher and curious folk.
This nonfiction book describes modes of travel, the many political and war issues, multiple languages and currency, churches and relics,and many different purposes of the journey. The author describes these journeys as costly and dangerous citing original source documents. A very nice book for a leisurely stroll through the later Middle Ages. Recommended for every history teacher and curious folk.
Read
July 2, 2024May not have been an issue in text form; on audio, just too listy for me.
July 12, 2024
Well research. Clear well written language. Interesting findings. Enjoyed it quite a bit.
June 7, 2024
This is a great overview to the scope of travel in the Middle Ages and the day to day planning and expense that went into the trips. I especially appreciate accounts included from Muslim areas, the Indian subcontinent, ancient China, and Oceania. I was personally familiar with many of the stories that the evidence comes from, but their inclusion here specifically through the lens of travel makes this a great addition to a course on the Middle Ages in general, preModern World History, and concepts of the world on the brink of Columbus's voyage.
April 1, 2024
A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages was something I though I'd at least enjoy. Advertised as an "odyssey across the medieval world, recounting the advice that circulated among those venturing to the road for pilgrimage," we instead got a dry recounting of individual travellers' lives. Let me explain:
The book is split into roughly thirteen chapters, each exploring a specific place a European traveller might choose to go. The first half focuses almost exclusively on pilgrimage-specific sites and experiences, with the second half opening up to the rest of Africa and Central and Eastern Asia. Each section is buoyed by a person in history's experience of their travels, usually those who left a written account of it.
The first half focuses exclusively on Pilgrimage sites. This is not my shindig, but it might be yours. It is potentially a worthwhile place to learn the context of travel for medieval people during this period, but a lot of the potential joy from it was sucked clean dry from the issues I will discuss later. I found the book more bearable in the second half: finally, we go to places less Europeans had seen and encounter interesting aspects of cultural mixing we often forget about in the period.
So, back to the issues. Beyond the writing being pretty mediocre, the book just felt like a report. This is not a "guide" for contemporary people "travelling" to the Middle Ages, nor is it appropriately framed in its advertising and the introduction for what it really is: a quick look at what Medieval travellers would have expected on their journeys, and what some of them said about it. I would not have necessarily minded this bait-and-switch if it had been thoroughly framed and argued, but alas, it absolutely wasn't.
Each chapter contains a lot of tangential information about the travellers that we "see through," with simply far, far too many places introduced that explaining and contextualizing them appropriately would be a waste of time. Because of this, a lot of the information is surface-level, and much is discussed without a steady sense of why. As mentioned earlier, the little that we are informed of for our "trip" is strictly information that would be known to individuals in the Medieval period. While perhaps a bit entertaining for some, adding a short list of old wives' tales at the end of each chapter felt insulting when each chapter barely gave me enough information to grasp what the hell is actually going on. Bale does not really have a thesis with this work—sure he waxes poetically about travel in the introduction and coda—but regurgitating past traveller's writings and passing it as "guide" is incredibly disingenuous.
TLDR: This is a history of medieval European travellers disguised as a guidebook. Skip the first half. Watch this video instead.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🙏
The book is split into roughly thirteen chapters, each exploring a specific place a European traveller might choose to go. The first half focuses almost exclusively on pilgrimage-specific sites and experiences, with the second half opening up to the rest of Africa and Central and Eastern Asia. Each section is buoyed by a person in history's experience of their travels, usually those who left a written account of it.
The first half focuses exclusively on Pilgrimage sites. This is not my shindig, but it might be yours. It is potentially a worthwhile place to learn the context of travel for medieval people during this period, but a lot of the potential joy from it was sucked clean dry from the issues I will discuss later. I found the book more bearable in the second half: finally, we go to places less Europeans had seen and encounter interesting aspects of cultural mixing we often forget about in the period.
So, back to the issues. Beyond the writing being pretty mediocre, the book just felt like a report. This is not a "guide" for contemporary people "travelling" to the Middle Ages, nor is it appropriately framed in its advertising and the introduction for what it really is: a quick look at what Medieval travellers would have expected on their journeys, and what some of them said about it. I would not have necessarily minded this bait-and-switch if it had been thoroughly framed and argued, but alas, it absolutely wasn't.
Each chapter contains a lot of tangential information about the travellers that we "see through," with simply far, far too many places introduced that explaining and contextualizing them appropriately would be a waste of time. Because of this, a lot of the information is surface-level, and much is discussed without a steady sense of why. As mentioned earlier, the little that we are informed of for our "trip" is strictly information that would be known to individuals in the Medieval period. While perhaps a bit entertaining for some, adding a short list of old wives' tales at the end of each chapter felt insulting when each chapter barely gave me enough information to grasp what the hell is actually going on. Bale does not really have a thesis with this work—sure he waxes poetically about travel in the introduction and coda—but regurgitating past traveller's writings and passing it as "guide" is incredibly disingenuous.
TLDR: This is a history of medieval European travellers disguised as a guidebook. Skip the first half. Watch this video instead.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🙏
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