A History of the Middle Ages

By: Crane Brinton, John Christopher, Robert Wolff

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Length: 19 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

A History of the Middle Ages is the amazing story of European man in transition. It is a dramatic chronicle of 1,000 years of political, social, and economic transformation beginning with the dissolution of the classical Mediterranean civilization and ending with the first flowering of the Renaissance. It is also the story of two new religions, Christianity and Islam, both of which were destined to dominate the mind of every person in those new civilizations arising in their wake. This was the great Age of Faith, a time of darkness and a time of enlightenment...a time of lords and vassals, popes and kings, and commerce and cathedrals.

This great history starts with a survey of Christianity, then continues with an exploration of the "dark ages" following the fall of Rome, before proceeding with an explanation of how Europe coped with, and absorbed, the barbarians who overran the Empire. It goes on to trace the development of feudalism and Islam, and describes the harrowing survival of Byzantium throughout the brutal chaos that swirled about the Eastern Roman Empire during the 9th and 10th centuries. Discover how national monarchies and the modern nation state came into being, how the West responded to the Islamic invasions, and how Christianity penetrated into the farthest reaches of Northern Europe. Understand the dramatic repercussions of the Great Schism in Christianity and how economic change in the West almost destroyed the church. Finally, discover the events which gave rise to the magnificent flowering of the Gothic Age and the explosion of knowledge which subsequently paved the way for the Renaissance. The Middle Ages were the precursor to everything which we in the west consider "modern." This beautifully written history tells you why.

©2004 Audio Connoisseur (P)2004 Audio Connoisseur

Middle aged spread

A really good listen, both informative and well-structured. It seems largely even-handed, without particular bias, and provides a very useful backdrop against which to understand many of today's political tensions. The narrator is excellent, despite a some eccentric pronounciations - for instance, he'd undoubtedly refer to an account of a perenially mislaid military pooch as a chopter on an orficer's orfen lawng lorst dorg. Finally, this is a long (lawng) book, but stands up well to being stretched out over an extended period, interspersed with other audiobooks, as it's easy to pick up the story again.

I took medieval history this semester

This book did not go over every detail that we have covered in class but it truly did help give me a general over few of the Middle Ages. I started reading this book before class started and I was really ahead of the game because of it.

Fills in missing understanding

Fills in the individuals missing understanding of this period in history. Explains what happened until the start of the Renaissance.

An astonishing epic

Wow! This one really pushes the gray matter! I had no idea of the complexity of the middle ages. This really shot my preconceptions right out of the water. It's a little scholarly in places, but for the most part, I thought it was incredibly interesting. I've already gone back to hear some of the more interesting parts again. The opening chapter about Christianity was very well done. Highly recommended! Nice narration, too.

Magnificent

This rather long history is absorbing from beginning to end. It is actually an outline, and as such succeeds brilliantly. The long period it covers (over a thousand years) is broken out in more or less chronlogical order, though there are a few chapters that jump backward or forward depending on the geography being covered. The reviewer named "zuff" is way off base in regard to content. The authors of this mid-twentieth century text were ALL very highly respected Ivy League professors of note. You can find their historical works and papers scattered across numerous famous institutions, including Columbia University. If you are looking for politically correct history, you will not find it here. Also, this is serious history, so if you're looking for "popular history," this is just not going to light your fire. This is academic history for people with patience who can listen carefully and want to get a good grasp of what the middle ages were about. But it is not difficult to understand. From my standpoint, this audiobook is simply magnificent.

The narrator has a very clear and persuasive voice that is easy to understand. It is somewhat British sounding and very pleasant over long periods of time. Merely listen to the sample.

For anyone wishing to know something about the middle ages, whether highly educated or not, you can do no better than this great work.

Very Good

The explanation of Christian doctrine at the beginning of the book was helpful.

Excellent History

Merely defining the period known as the Middle Ages is a task in itself. The authors do an excellent job of defending their decisions. The history also does a good job of discussing what came before and after in establishing their time frame. This period in Western History is easily the most boring, but the author's thorough job, using all the modern research of our times, bring that period of time alive while also providing a serious reference work. You can't abridge or skip merrily past many events any more than you can any serious history. On the whole well written and the narration is good. One of the most thorough and complete histories available on audible.com IMHO. While lengthy it's one of those books that can be listened to in part and enjoyed.

Deeply researched history of the Middle Ages

What three words best describe Charlton Griffin’s performance?

Cliche history teacher (in the best possible way)

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Some sections of this audio book I found very dull others were hugely exciting. It's history. The dull parts set the scene for the fantastic layers of multiple kingdoms over many centuries. This audio book is a marathon. I don't think I would of made it through the first hundred pages of the physical book but I listened to this for weeks and continue to revisit it.

Good book spoiled by bad narration

This is a good general survey, well organized and efficiently written. But the narration is awful—laughably fake pompous “British” accent with weirdly mannered pronunciations. Really annoying!

More a review of christianity in the middle ages.

This really is a somewhat disappointing diatribe on the middle ages, written for an American audience (and it tends to concentrate on explanations and rationalizations to support the world view of that audience) with a rationalization of the legitimacy of Christianity and its consequent effects on the world around it. It is almost an apologists view of the Catholic church, glossing over some of its very worst attributes and effects. The section on Jesus the man is dated and almost unbearably derivative, not history as such but a repeat of orthodox church teachings about Jesus the man.
Beyond the first section which concerns itself singly with the church, the history does become more interesting in a general sense. As a frank discussion about day to day life in the period between 500 and 1500ad it’s sadly lacking, more a compendium of dates and what happened, who begat who and which king tupped which queen and begat which royal brat and their effect on history.
This is history 101 straight out of an English prep school without any of the life a decent teacher of history always imparts. Disappointing but not without merit.