The Civilization of the Middle Ages

By: Norman F. Cantor

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

In 1963, Norman F. Cantor published his breakthrough narrative history of the Middle Ages. Here is a significant revision, update, and expansion of that work.

The Civilization of the Middle Ages incorporates current research, recent trends in interpretation, and novel perspectives, especially on the foundations of the Middle Ages and the Later Middle Ages of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. A sharper focus on social history, Jewish history, women’s roles in society, and popular religion and heresy distinguish the book. While the first and last sections of the book are almost entirely new and many additions have been incorporated in the intervening sections, Cantor has retained the powerful narrative flow that made earlier editions so accessible.

©1963 1993 by Norman F. Cantor (P)1994 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“No better explanation of medievalism is available to the general reader.” ( Booklist)

narration is good

narration is good but there are a few errors in pronounce such as Pavia, pico della mirandola, dei medici

The medieval history course I wish I had taken

The things I'd learned in bits and pieces over morel than a decade beautifully and intelligently tied together into a course I wish I had been available in my university days. Excellent narration that keeps things moving in a subtly energetic delivery.

Engaging history

This was a wonderful history. Cantor expressed the world in terms of the life of the mind well. He clearly mastered the best primary sources. For example, we get a wonderful introduction to the troubadours. Other themes include Catholic theology and mysticism, ancient law, writing of both peasantry and nobility, etc.

I have decided to dig deeper into the legal, poetic, and theological texts of the era as a result of reading this book.

The narrator has a wonderful British accent, but it takes some time to accustom oneself to it.

Extensive and excellent.

Granted, Frederick Davidson's narration takes some getting used to. But believe me, you'll appreciate his flow soon enough. And once you do, you'll find that he has the perfect style for this amazing masterpiece of a retelling of Europe's tumultuous history. Absolutely recommended for anyone with even a slight interest in the Middle Ages.

Worth the listen.....

I plan to listen to this again. I have the physical but nothing like listening to a professionally narrated book, especially with the info coming from this book.

Brilliant. Complete.

Considering the large time period covered in this book, it feels fairly complete. Despite lack of action and dryness of subject, Cantor manages to make this thing a page turner. Very educational. Cantor has a master grasp on the subject. As always, Fredrick Davidson is PERFECT for the subject matter. He certainly adds to the experience.

Masterpiece

Frederick Davidson brings strength ,nuance,and subtlety to this amazing rendition of the MiddleAges
As magnificently researched and rendered by the pen of Mr. Norman Cantor.

What a marvellously told story of the history of the Middle Ages focusing on Europe.

I will definitely listen to this masterpiece again.

Informative and detailed

The book provided a detailed accounted of the Middle Ages in Europe, basically from 300 AD to 1500 AD. The analysis provided helps understand the historical account. Unlike other books that focus mainly on the late Middle Ages, the author's view is that to understand the 14-15th centuries one has to have a good grasp of what happened before. I should listen this audio once more because of the extent of the information provided :)

Recommended for students

This has long been a highly regarded book summarizing the history of the Middle Ages. I've had a print copy for a long time but never had the time to read most of it, so I was very happy to see this audio version.
This is NOT entertainment. If you're looking for thrilling stories, titillating facts, and hero-worship, this is not the book for you. But if you want to learn the basic nitty-gritty details of medieval history -- who did what when, and why it mattered -- this book is perfect. The narrator does a convincing job with the French and German words, and gives it enough life to hold your attention without trying to overly dramatize a book that isn't really dramatic. I've found it worthwhile to listen to each section over and over to absorb all the information.

The main criticisms I have are that it's a bit narrow and conservative. By conservative, I mean that the author largely dismisses or ignores popular and non-mainstream cultures, despite the large amount that is known about them from historians' research. Also, his focus on England, France, Germany, and Italy means that we learn almost nothing about Eastern Europe and very little about Spain. But this is normal for books on "European History" or "Western Civilization," so one can't complain too much.

Great book and a great narrarator

The best introduction to the subject. David Case/Frederick Davidson's narration is wonderful. Listen and re-listen to this masterpiece in conjunction with Inventing the Middle Ages and you will learn a lot.