Customer Reviews

Utterly Indispensible - By: Alexander Sawyer, 02 Jun 2008
Malcolm Barber has achieved what can only be described as a tour de forcein the study of medieval European history. Getting a copy of this book should be a top priority of any student wishing to study this period. I can almost guarantee you will find a subject, although I would be surprised if you were to find only one, relevant to your course. If you don't I would suggest that it is probably due to poor course design rather than a failingin the breadth of Barber's material. The Two Cities contains key information on subjects ranging from the Crusades to the Italian City States as well as the Iberian Reconquista & the Investiture Controversy, along with many others. The sheer volume of information, & the scope of the subjects covered, make it a perfect foundation for the study of medieval Europe. However, do not let its recommendation as a base text lead you to believe that it only offers the briefest outline of the areas covered. While, obviously, books entirely dedicated to one topic may provide a greater wealth of information within a narrower field, the depth of information & the diligent research within each subject area of The Two Cities is astonishing. In all, this intelligently written, accessible volume provides detailed information on a wealth of subject areas and, as it is available for around £20, is well worth its price tag.
Personally I feel I owe Professor Barber a drink, due to the utterly indispensible information provided by his volume (especially with regards to revision) during my recent medieval Europe module, taken as part of my English Literature/History degree.