Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England

A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century

by Ian Mortimer


I haven't been reading very many history books lately. Most that I've run across lately are far too academic. Not that I don't understand them, but when I'm just reading for enjoyment the academic style is generally too dry. And when I'm researching a particular topic, I tend to read parts of books that are relevant.

This book is certainly not written in a dry, academic style. Ian Mortimer wrote this book in a very conversational style, often addressing the reader. It's a rather quick and informative read. Mortimer breaks down the book into various topics - What are the cities, towns and countryside like? What are the people like? What do people eat? What do people do for fun? etc. Within each topic, he gives plenty of detail on what you would expect to see if you traveled through time and went to 14th century England.

I certainly recommend this book to anyone who is writing stories or games in a medieval-type setting. Not so much to use it as the definitive guide to your fantasy world, but to get a good idea of what you should include to make a world and culture come alive.
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