The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England

A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century

By: Ian Mortimer

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Imagine you could travel back to the 14th century. What would you see? What would you smell? More to the point, where are you going to stay? And what are you going to eat?

Ian Mortimer shows us that the past is not just something to be studied; it is also something to be lived. He sets out to explain what life was like in the most immediate way, through taking you to the Middle Ages.

The result is the most astonishing social history book you are ever likely to read: evolutionary in its concept, informative and entertaining in its detail, and startling for its portrayal of humanity in an age of violence, exuberance and fear.

©2008 Ian Mortimer (P)2009 Isis Publishing Ltd

Critic reviews

"A jaunty journey through the 14th century, one that wriggles with the stuff of everyday life." ( Guardian)

Excellent history story!

Gritty. Detailed. Fascinating. Provides a detailed and comprehensive look into our past. I recommend it for history buffs.

A must read for English genealogy researchers.

Facts presented by genealogy research is typically dry of feeling unless the events are current in the writer’s experience. This is a marvelous book to use for an understanding of the lives represented by dry facts. A MUST READ!

Cannot access part II

Would you consider the audio edition of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England to be better than the print version?

I am sure that both would be excellent if I could access Part II

What did you like best about this story?

I cannot say until Audible loads part II

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jonathan Keeble?

I cannot say until I hear the whole book. This will not happen until Audible untangles the technical issues and gets part II to me.

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

I cannot have an opinion until Audible sends the rest of the book.

Any additional comments?

Where is part II?

Great trip into Medieval times!

Really enjoyed this book. Felt like I was getting ready to walk the streets. Author does a great job catching the sites and smells. Can only imagine what we really missed!

Absolutely wonderful

So what was life like in the 14th century? I have often wondered how people lived during the feudal period in England and suspected that the movie versions were not only wrong but completely misleading, but I never actually knew. This book filled in those answers.

What Mr Mortimer has done is provide a witty, educated and well rounded look at life during the 1300s that covers almost all of the areas that I, personally, was interested in. This book discusses what life was like for both the ordinary people, the nobility and those between and covers so many areas of life - the law, medicine, education, food, religion, town markets, travel, class and moral obligations, manorial justice and much more - that you can not help but come away both educated and entertained. His writing is full of wit, light, breezy and, at the same time, he manages to cover all aspects of life during this period in great detail and answer questions that were forming in my mind as I read. In summary I enjoyed this book so much that the first thing I did when I finished it was to look to see if he had any other books of the same type about other eras of English history and, when I found one, I immediately put it on my wish list.

The book is very well read my Jonathan Keeble and listening to it was almost as much fun as a real vacation. Highly recommended to those who want to know how people lived during Medieval England.

Not for the casual 'time traveler' but great

Would you consider the audio edition of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England to be better than the print version?

Hearing the mellifluous voice of Jonathan Keeble with his British accent definitely added to the impression that I was about to go on an adventurous journey to the time and place that the author described.

What other book might you compare The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England to and why?

I'd compare it to some Bill Bryson books on travel

What about Jonathan Keeble’s performance did you like?

As mentioned, his accent contributed to the authenticity of the story.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

You see the sights and hear the sounds, but be thankful that you don't smell the aromas.

Any additional comments?

For anyone who enjoys reading about the Middle Ages, it is a great companion to such books as Sir Gwain and the Green Knight and Chaucer's Tales because it helps put such stories into their proper context. Otherwise it's easy to transport such works into our contemporary society and be shocked by customs that were common then.

Step into the Time Machine

If you could sum up The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating. Insightful. Thorough.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England?

It's like being taken on a guided tour of 14th Century England. Exactly as advertised.

What about Jonathan Keeble’s performance did you like?

If I were to go, I'd want Jonathan Keeble telling me about what I was seeing. The perfect companion.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was sad when it was over. I want more!

Any additional comments?

I only hope Ian Mortimer takes us on other trips to other centuries and I hope when he does Jonathan Keeble tells us about it.

Excellent book

Such a beautifully descriptive account of medieval england. makes me picture myself there. Will definitely listen again!

Great text, and great performance!

What a wonderful way to learn about Medieval England! Jonathan Keeble did an amazing job narrating!

Fun take on the day to day of medieval life

Humanized a lot of historical dry facts for me. I really enjoyed this book. Performance was pleasant to listen to