– Customer review on 11/02/2009

A well-written introduction to the medieval period, full of interesting snippets and broad illustrations. It is a worthy addition to the shelves of anyone interested in the period. However, my enjoyment was hindered by a few irritating and inaccurate generalisations. For example, Tuchman states that children were little valued by adults, and little recorded: a view entirely disproved by the researches of people such as Nicholas Orme. It also lacks understanding of armour, horses and weapons and thus warfare; it is best to read an expert on these, such as Ewart Oakeshott, Ann Hyland, and other military historians. That aside, it is an enjoyable and fascinating read, and offers a good stepping-off point for other reading.