• The Forge of Christendom

  • The End of Days and the Epic Rise of the West
  • By: Tom Holland
  • Narrated by: James A. Gillies
  • Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (466 ratings)

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The Forge of Christendom

By: Tom Holland
Narrated by: James A. Gillies
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Publisher's summary

At the approach of the first millennium, the Christians of Europe did not seem likely candidates for future greatness. Weak, fractured, and hemmed in by hostile nations, they saw no future beyond the widely anticipated Second Coming of Christ.

But when the world did not end, the peoples of Western Europe suddenly found themselves with no choice but to begin the heroic task of building a Jerusalem on Earth.

In The Forge of Christendom, Tom Holland masterfully describes this remarkable new age, a time of caliphs and Viking sea kings, the spread of castles, and the invention of knighthood. It was one of the most significant departure points in history: the emergence of Western Europe as a distinctive and expansionist power.

©2008 Tom Holland (P)2018 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The Forge of Christendom

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fast paced

Wasn't quite what I was expecting, but gave a pretty quick paced overview of events about 100 years either side of the year 1000. I learned a few things. I thought the narrator was quite entertaining, but my wife thought he talked too fast.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Solid history, interestingly told

I enjoyed this a lot, learned a lot about an area I knew very little of. My only complaint is I had to finally speed up the playback as readers voice got a bit 'sing songy' in some chapters.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A mile wide and an inch deep

This book covers a wide swath of early Christian history and details how encounters with various European groups shaped its evolution. Unfortunately because it covers so many topics the detail is often lacking to make a solid connection with the peoples and historical figures described and glosses over many historical events.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Epic history with brilliant Narration

I found it thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. I highly recommend it to medieval history fans.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great academics, great story

This reads like a stunningly studied Ph. D. thesis, drawing all pieces together and presenting a picture of the time and how it relates to the central event in seamless fashion. This isn't to say it's dry and unreadable by non-experts; this is not the case at all. I was exceptionally impressed.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Probably better read than listened to

There is a lot going on in this book. It is hard to follow by listening.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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I would give the performance a million stars

admittedly my first time listening to this book I just couldn't I couldn't believe I had ordered a book this long about this subject that was so boring and so I stopped.
then many months went by and in my boredom I thought maybe I'll try this book again and I'm so glad I did the writing is like nothing I've ever experienced history comes alive in this incredibly detailed and well-atched monument to the history of Europe

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Tom Holland does it again.

Great listen for any history fan out there. Another great book from Holland. I would be remise to not mention the great job James Gillies does.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great history of midevil Europe

This book has to do with the rise of Christianity in Europe from about 800-1100. From England, to France. From Germany and the Holy Roman Empire. The popes all is covered here.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not his best work IMHO# To much phoney dramatizat

It seems as though Holland has written in a manner that can be best described as too clever by a half,

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3 people found this helpful