Summer of Blood

‘Trials of the Diaspora: A History of Anti-Semitism in England by Anthony Julius (OUP, £25)
The place of the Jews in medieval England was not, ultimately, a happy one. The great expulsion in 1290 is the headline moment. And there has been much criticism through the years of Chaucer’s stereotype of attitudes towards world Jewry in the Prioress’s Tale. (Although as ever with Chaucer it is unwise to try to tease out his character’s prejudices from his own.) These incidents are key parts of the narrative of Anthony Julius’ new book, reviewed in the Sunday Times by Max Hastings. Hastings found the book ‘a meticulous survey of an aspect of English life that can scarcely fail to discomfit modern readers.’ But he also regretted ‘the accusatory tone of parts of Julius’ book, a creeping sanctimoniousness in his anger.’

1492: The Year Our World Began by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto (Bloomsbury, £20)
Also reviewed in the Sunday Times this weekend was Fernandez-Armesto’s thesis on the birth of modernity at the end of the fifteenth century. James McConnachie was rather impressed by Fernandez-Armesto’s ambition. But though he did not worry as much as Simon Heffer in the Telegraph (who reviewed this book a few weeks ago), McConnachie does hint at discomfort with the hesitancy of the author’s conclusions.

I thought it might be helpful to post, on a Monday, links to interesting or particularly helpful reviews of the latest books with a medieval flavour, subject matter or pertinence.

‘The Crusades: The War For The Holy Land’, by Thomas Asbridge

Asbridge was reviewed at the Guardian by Helen Castor (whose much anticipated book on medieval queens is due for release either this year or next). Castor found Asbridge’s work ‘grim and thought-provoking’, particularly in the light the human suffering contained therein sheds on the current example of mass suffering and death in Haiti. The only difference, as she points out, is that the hideous mortality caused by the crusades stemmed from deliberate human action, not the cruelty of the earth itself. (Though both could be called acts of God.)
Buy it on Amazon, here

‘On Monsters: An Unnatural History of our Worst Fears by Stephen T. Asma
This deserves a place in the medieval round-up since the medieval monster was so reliably bizarre and so vividly, almost lovingly, depicted in manuscripts from our period. Toby Clements, writing in the Telegraph, found Asma’s book ‘terrific… cogent and witty’, although he was perplexed by Asma’s reluctance to nail his colours to the mast and offer us a take-home, age-transcending definition of the monster. He lamented that Jo Jo The Dog-Faced Boy could be lumped in the same category as a monster more au courant such as Josef Frizl. (NB I had always thought Jo Jo was actually named Jo Jo The Dog-Faced B—h Boy, perhaps because I watched this show too much. Note: clip contains a great deal of Ari Gold, another monster, using curse-words.)
Buy it on Amazon, here