Terry Jones' Medieval Lives

by Alan Ereira (Author), Alan Ereira (Author), Terry Jones (Author)

• Used

  Illustrated
  2005

  $3.40

  Was medieval England full of knights on horseback rescuing fainting damsels in distress? Were the Middle Ages mired in superstition and ignorance? Why does nobody ever mention King Louis the First and Last? And, of course, those key questions: which monks were forbidden the delights of donning underpants...and did outlaws never wear trousers? Terry Jones and Alan Ereira are your guides to this most misrepresented and misunderstood period, and they point you to things that will surprise and provoke. Did you know, for example, that medieval people didn't think the world was flat? That was a total fabrication by an American journalist in the 19th century. Did you know that they didn't burn witches in the Middle Ages? That was a refinement of the so-called Renaissance. In fact, medieval kings weren't necessarily merciless tyrants, and peasants entertained at home using French pottery and fine wine. Terry Jones' Medieval Lives reveals Medieval Britain as you have never seen it before - a vibrant society teeming with individuality, intrigue and innovation.

• Used

  Hardcover
  2004

  $4.20

  Famous for lampooning the schoolboy view of the medieval world in Monty Python and the Holy Grail , Terry Jones has a real passion for and detailed knowledge of the Middle Ages. In Terry Jones' Medieval Lives his mission is to rescue the Middle Ages from moth-eaten cliches and well-worn platitudes. Behind the stereotypes of damsels in distress and knights in shining armour , of rich men in their castles and the poor man at their gates, there are wonderfully human stories that bring the period to life. Terry will start with a medieval archetype - the Knight, Peasant, Damsel and Monk, Outlaw, King, Merchant and Physician - and in the course of unravelling their role and function will meet a host of colourful real-life characters, recreating their world by visiting key locations.