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BOOKSALSO
ON THE BOOKSHELF
ALSO ON THE BOOKSHELFMedieval powerhouse
As the daughter of Henry I, Matilda had a strong claim to the English
throne. But the nation was thrown into chaos when she became
embroiled in a long and bitter fight for the crown with her cousin,
Stephen. This fast-moving biography of one of the medieval world’s
great survivors examines the extent to which Matilda was blocked
from becoming England’s first queen regent because of her gender.City under siege
In 1172, the Kingdom of Jerusalem – known as Outremer – lies in
Christian hands. But the rule of King Baldwin looks ever-more shaky
as Saladin sets his sights on the sacred city. From an author hailed
by George RR Martin as “the strongest historical novelist working
in the medieval period at present”, this book imagines how life in
Outremer unfolded under the threat of imminent attack.A medieval mystery
In 14th-century Derby, young farmer Alwin of Whittaker is compelled
to leave the safety and security of his home following his mother’s
deathbed revelations. Thrust into an often brutal world, he encounters
the devout and the destructive in equal measure. Indeed, the themes
of this atmospheric novel – gender relations, sexual violence – are
as applicable to the medieval world as they are to the present.The personal and the political
What caused the tensions of the Cold War to dissipate as the 1980s
drew to a close? For Archie Brown, the shift in the status quo can
largely be attributed to three leaders: Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail
Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan. Dismissing views that overwhelming
US strength left the Soviet Union with nowhere to turn, or that the
Cold War never really ended, this is weighty but compelling stuff.Spells and superstition
Want to make a woman fall in love? Remove the heart and gall of a
shrew, pop the body in a cup of wine with blood from your little finger
and make her drink it. Feeling ill? Get yourself a healing amulet. Need
to predict the future? Better consult the oracle. This lively little guide
is full of such advice, revealing how magical beliefs and practices
were an important part of everyday life in ancient Egypt.Stuck in the middle
When Charlemagne’s three surviving grandsons carved up his
empire in AD 843, one got what would become France, one Germany
and the third got the bit inbetween, Lotharingia. In what is part witty
travelogue and part rambling historical escapade, Winder wanders
through this lost kingdom, touching on everything from Charlemagne
and Cistercian monks to Asterix and the ‘croissant of crisis’.Beyond pharaohs and pyramids
Though they may be distant from us chronologically, the ancient
Egyptians, Greeks and Romans remain broadly familiar culturally.
The same cannot be said for many of the 40 civilisations explored
in this accessible, visually appealing tour. The achievements of the
Hyksos or the Batavi, for example, remain shrouded in mystery.
The story of each is told here, and their respective legacies explored.Political theatre
England, 1599: Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is performed for the first
time. The US, 2020: as a presidential election looms, the country’s
tensions are again in the spotlight. But what can a 16th-century play,
and the rest of the playwright’s works, tell us about another nation in
another time? This book charts the Bard’s influence on key moments
and players in America’s history, and how they shaped the present.Ancient Egyptian Magic
by Christina Riggs
(Thames & Hudson, 208 pages, £14.95)The Land Beyond the Sea
by Sharon Penman
(Macmillan, 688 pages, £20)Lotharingia: A Personal
History of France, Germany
and the Countries In Between
by Simon Winder
(Picador, 504 pages, £12.99)
NOW IN PAPERBACKShakespeare in
a Divided America
by James Shapiro
(Faber & Faber, 310 pages, £20)Matilda: Empress,
Queen, Warrior
by Catherine Hanley
(Yale, 277 pages, £10.99)
NOW IN PAPERBACKForgotten Peoples
of the Ancient World
by Philip Matyszak
(Thames & Hudson,
288 pages, £24.95)Requiem for a Knave
by Laura Carlin
(Hodder & Stoughton, 316 pages, £17.99)The Human Factor:
Gorbachev, Reagan
and Thatcher, and the
End of the Cold War
by Archie Brown
(OUP, 512 pages, £25)WORDS BYELLIE CAWTHORNE
AND
MAT T ELTONMEDIEVALCULTURALCOLD WARANCIENT WORLDFICTIONTRAVELFICTIONANCIENT EGYPTBOOKSALSOON THE BOOKSHELFALSO ON THE BOOKSHELF
Medievalpowerhouse
Asthedaughterof HenryI, Matildahada strongclaimto theEnglish
throne.Butthenationwasthrownintochaoswhenshebecame
embroiledin a long and bitterfight for the crownwith her cousin,
Stephen.Thisfast-movingbiographyof oneof themedievalworld’s
greatsurvivorsexaminestheextentto whichMatildawasblocked
from becoming England’s first queen regent because of her gender.Cityundersiege
In 1172,theKingdomof Jerusalem– knownasOutremer– liesin
Christianhands.Buttheruleof KingBaldwinlooksever-moreshaky
asSaladinsetshissightsonthesacredcity.Fromanauthorhailed
byGeorgeRRMartinas“thestrongesthistoricalnovelistworking
in themedievalperiodat present”,thisbookimagineshowlife in
Outremer unfolded under the threat of imminent attack.Amedievalmystery
In 14th-centuryDerby,youngfarmerAlwinof Whittakeris compelled
to leavethesafetyandsecurityof hishomefollowinghismother’s
deathbedrevelations.Thrustintoanoftenbrutalworld,heencounters
the devoutand the destructivein equalmeasure.Indeed,the themes
of thisatmosphericnovel– genderrelations,sexualviolence– are
as applicable to the medieval world as they are to the present.Thepersonalandthepolitical
Whatcausedthetensionsof theColdWarto dissipateasthe1980s
drewto a close?For ArchieBrown,the shift in the statusquo can
largelybeattributedto threeleaders:MargaretThatcher,Mikhail
GorbachevandRonaldReagan.Dismissingviewsthatoverwhelming
USstrengthlefttheSovietUnionwithnowhereto turn,or thatthe
Cold War never really ended, this is weighty but compelling stuff.Spellsandsuperstition
Wantto makea womanfallin love?Removetheheartandgallof a
shrew,pop the bodyin a cup of wine with bloodfrom your little finger
andmakeherdrinkit. Feelingill?Getyourselfa healingamulet.Need
to predictthefuture?Betterconsulttheoracle.Thislivelylittleguide
is fullof suchadvice,revealinghowmagicalbeliefsandpractices
were an important part of everyday life in ancient Egypt.Stuckin themiddle
WhenCharlemagne’sthreesurvivinggrandsonscarveduphis
empirein AD843,onegotwhatwouldbecomeFrance,oneGermany
andthethirdgotthebitinbetween,Lotharingia.In whatis partwitty
travelogueandpartramblinghistoricalescapade,Winderwanders
throughthislostkingdom,touchingoneverythingfromCharlemagne
and Cistercian monks to Asterix and the ‘croissant of crisis’.Beyondpharaohsandpyramids
Thoughtheymaybedistantfromuschronologically,theancient
Egyptians,GreeksandRomansremainbroadlyfamiliarculturally.
Thesamecannotbesaidformanyof the 40 civilisationsexplored
in thisaccessible,visuallyappealingtour.Theachievementsof the
Hyksosor theBatavi,forexample,remainshroudedin mystery.
The story of each is told here, and their respective legacies explored.Politicaltheatre
England,1599:Shakespeare’sJuliusCaesaris performedfor the first
time.TheUS,2020:asa presidentialelectionlooms,thecountry’s
tensionsareagainin thespotlight.Butwhatcana 16th-centuryplay,
andtherestof theplaywright’sworks,tellusaboutanothernationin
anothertime?This bookchartsthe Bard’sinfluenceon key moments
and players in America’s history, and how they shaped the present.AncientEgyptianMagic
byChristinaRiggs
(Thames & Hudson, 208 pages, £14.95)TheLandBeyondthe Sea
bySharonPenman
(Macmillan, 688 pages, £20)Lotharingia:A Personal
Historyof France,Germany
andtheCountries In Between
bySimonWinder
(Picador, 504 pages,£12.99)
NOW IN PAPERBACKShakespearein
a DividedAmerica
byJamesShapiro
(Faber & Faber, 310 pages, £20)Matilda:Empress,
Queen,Warrior
byCatherineHanley
(Yale, 277 pages,£10.99)
NOW IN PAPERBACKForgottenPeoples
of theAncientWorld
byPhilipMatyszak
(Thames& Hudson,
288 pages, £24.95)Requiemfora Knave
byLauraCarlin
(Hodder & Stoughton, 316 pages, £17.99)TheHumanFactor:
Gorbachev,Reagan
andThatcher,andthe
Endof theColdWar
byArchieBrown
(OUP, 512 pages, £25)WORDS BY
ELLIE CAWTHORNE
AND
MAT T ELTON
MEDIEVALCULTURALCOLD WARANCIENT WORLDFICTIONTRAVELFICTIONANCIENT EGYPT