The Anglo-Saxon World - Hardcover

Nicholas Higham; Martin Ryan

4.18

285 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300125348 ISBN 13: 9780300125344

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2013

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The Anglo-Saxon period, stretching from the fifth to the late eleventh century, begins with the Roman retreat from the Western world and ends with the Norman takeover of England. Between these epochal events, many of the contours and patterns of English life that would endure for the next millennium were shaped. In this authoritative work, N. J. Higham and M. J. Ryan reexamine Anglo-Saxon England in the light of new research in disciplines as wide-ranging as historical genetics, paleobotany, archaeology, literary studies, art history, and numismatics. The result is the definitive introduction to the Anglo-Saxon world, enhanced with a rich array of photographs, maps, genealogies, and other illustrations. The Anglo-Saxon period witnessed the birth of the English people, the establishment of Christianity, and the development of the English language. With an extraordinary cast of characters (Alfred the Great, the Venerable Bede, King Cnut), a long list of artistic and cultural achievements ('Beowulf', 'the Sutton Hoo ship-burial' finds, the 'Bayeux Tapestry'), and multiple dramatic events (the 'Viking invasions', the 'Battle of Hastings'), the Anglo-Saxon era lays legitimate claim to having been one of the most important in Western history.

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Review:

"Whether you want an accessible introduction to all things Anglo-Saxon, a thorough refresher of key points, or a reliably comprehensive reference tool to dip into, this is a wonderful book. Satisfyingly detailed, the authors assume no specialist knowledge on the part of their readers, but do not talk down to them either. It is an interdisciplinary work, combining lively analysis of written sources with archaeological discoveries, linguistic evidence, landscape archaeology, palaeobotany, genetics, and more. The scope is broad but often zooms in on interesting digressions...Complementing this treasure trove of information is a series of superb maps, we well as generous quantities of big, coloum either.rful photos that vividly illustrate the masterpieces that these supposedly Dark Age peoples were able to create."-Current Archaeology Current Archaeology "[The authors] deserve the highest congratulations for this prodigious and delightful achievement, the very best book this reviewer has ever read about the Anglo-Saxons."-Choice Choice "Full of fresh and original insights, and a delight to peruse, with informative maps and rich illustrations, this is a thought-provoking account that will be of value to specialists but accessible to the much wider range of readers who are fascinated by this formative period in British history. You could hardly have a better, more timely, and more attractive demonstration of why the Anglo-Saxons still matter to us."-Michael Wood, author of In Search of the Dark Ages -- Michael Wood "Higham and Ryan are... to be congratulated on their overall achievement. The book is immensely readable, and the new scientific and archaeological evidence it presents is bound to fascinate students."-Catherine E. Karkov, University of Leeds, UK -- Catherine E. Karkov

About the Author:

Nicholas J. Higham is professor emeritus, School of Arts, University of Manchester. He lives in Cheshire. Martin J. Ryan is lecturer in early medieval history, School of Arts, University of Manchester. He lives in West Sussex.

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