Book Review: A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons
By Geoffrey Hindley. Trade Paperback, Robinson publishing, ISBN-10 1-84529-161-1. 8.99 Pounds, or around $2o Canadian.
Giving a historical account of Anglo-Saxon England, as well as Anglo-Saxon influence on mainland Europe, from the withdraw of Roman troops from Britain around 410 up to the period immediately following the Norman Conquest of 1066, this book reflects a great deal of recent scholarly work on the subject (as late as 2005) in a compact form for non-history majors such as myself. Although a fascinating read, I would like to mention to non-UK natives that you might want to keep a map of the UK at present day handy because the author assumes the reader has a fairly precise knowledge of the lay of the land and where various places are in relation to one another in describing thing like the location of battles and the course of settler migrations. Hindley has a fairly harsh assessment of the Vikings (both Norsemen and Danes), attacking current theories about the Vikings and their culture and the trading versus raiding issue as "fashionable re-imaginings" of modern-day museums directors. Taking a very black view of the Vikings is common enough, as is taking to forgiving a view, but a general review of the subject should discuss both views, whereas Hindley routinely attacks the later. These weaknesses aside, the chapters on 7-9th century Northumbria and the hegemony established by Wessex around the year 900 (the first united, recognizably "English" state) are particularly well written and worth the price of the book on their own.
Next up in the book review section, Love My Rifle More Than You, by Kayla Williams, formerly and Arabic interpreter in the US Army about her experiences in Iraq as well as being female in the US military.
Giving a historical account of Anglo-Saxon England, as well as Anglo-Saxon influence on mainland Europe, from the withdraw of Roman troops from Britain around 410 up to the period immediately following the Norman Conquest of 1066, this book reflects a great deal of recent scholarly work on the subject (as late as 2005) in a compact form for non-history majors such as myself. Although a fascinating read, I would like to mention to non-UK natives that you might want to keep a map of the UK at present day handy because the author assumes the reader has a fairly precise knowledge of the lay of the land and where various places are in relation to one another in describing thing like the location of battles and the course of settler migrations. Hindley has a fairly harsh assessment of the Vikings (both Norsemen and Danes), attacking current theories about the Vikings and their culture and the trading versus raiding issue as "fashionable re-imaginings" of modern-day museums directors. Taking a very black view of the Vikings is common enough, as is taking to forgiving a view, but a general review of the subject should discuss both views, whereas Hindley routinely attacks the later. These weaknesses aside, the chapters on 7-9th century Northumbria and the hegemony established by Wessex around the year 900 (the first united, recognizably "English" state) are particularly well written and worth the price of the book on their own.
Next up in the book review section, Love My Rifle More Than You, by Kayla Williams, formerly and Arabic interpreter in the US Army about her experiences in Iraq as well as being female in the US military.
posted by Colin at
11:38 a.m.
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