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A Few Good Books on the History of the European Family

© Rachelle Hughes

So you think the history of the European family is a fascinating subject, but you want to explore history a little more deeply, than a brief article?

Well, this month I am going to do something a little different. I am going to give you a list and short reviews of a few of my favorite nonfiction and fiction history books. That way you can delve past the short glimpses of european family history into the meaty scholastic stuff and the meaty, yet entertaining fiction. Perhaps, for all you history buffs some of these books are already old tattered friends, but maybe, just maybe you will find something new to add to your shelves.

NONFICTION A Distant Mirror, The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman -- My most recent find, this book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winning historian is not your typical history book. Tuchman brings the 14th century to life with the stunning imagery of her words and the skill of a storyteller who is also a scholar. Tuchman has chosen to follow the life of Enguerrand de Coucy VII, a member of the French nobility who commanded one of the most powerful castles and estates in France, married the the King of England's eldest daughter, played a major role in the political dramas of the age and was a patron of one of the great chroniclers of his time. Therefore, there is a great deal of information about him. Through the life of this man and the events and people that surrounded him, Tuchman sheds light on a time of turmoil, passion, intrigue and domestic life.

Life in A Medieval Castle by Joseph and Frances Gies -- As I was buying this book in the bookstore, the man in line behind me looked over my shoulder and told me what a wonderful book it was. I can't think of a better stamp of approval for this book, than that a perfect stranger would choose to share his enjoyment with me. The book is of course about the medieval castle. It includes descriptions on the separate, battlements, rooms, gates, etc. of the castle. It explores everything from the role of the castle as a miltary stronghold to its use as a home and community. This book is easy to read and dispels, as well as solidifies many of our traditional ideas of the castle.

The Family, Sex and Marriage in England 1500-1800 by Lawrence Stone --

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