Mysteries of the Middle Ages (Abridged): The Rise of Feminism, Science and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe Audiobook

" This book is the reason why my daughter's middle name is Heloise. "

" Cahill is an incredible writer. He makes the past come alive with interest and humor. I'm looking forward to reading his whole series. "

" Cahill has been on a steady decline since the Irish saved civilsation. He's really reaching in some of his thinking in this one. "

" A physically beautiful book- with lovely illuminations on some of the pages and good pictures interspersed with the text. Interesting on Hildegarde and a slightly different take on Eleanore of Aquitaine. Also I liked the part on Francis of Assisi- I knew little of his actual life previously. Quite humorous in places too. A good read. "

" Still reading this, but I love Thomas Cahill, and expect to love this book. The artwork inside is AWESOME! **Update-I finally finished it! This is another good Thomas Cahill Hinges of History book. Starts slow, but good nonetheless. "

" Entertaining to read, but obviously a popular rather than scholarly history book. Cahill has some odd digressions that were jarring, but the book was a generally enjoyable, if not substantial, read. "

" I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but after reading other people's review, I 'm beginning to think I'm not a very critical reader. My job is to buy books so, perhaps, I judge books on how they'll appeal to our customers rather than as a scholarly critique. "

" This book was attractive, but that was the most interesting thing about it. I found the writing sluggish. "

" This man is absolutely brilliant; if only I could retain a tenth of what he has stored in that mind of his. "

" the author puts forth some very interesting theories, and then he backs them up with facts. I really liked this book "

" I think the book was more of the rise of art from the cults of Catholic Europe than science and feminism. Good historical data to explore. "

" This one seemed more colloquial and hodge-podgy than I remember the others being, but the author insists that's the nature of the middle ages and who am I to argue? "

" I confess, I was not interested enough in this book to finish it. It wasn't like his other books, which were well researched and interesting to read. It was more like a review of well-known bits of medieval history. "

" A good read, very easy to follow and entertaining. Only thing I didn't like was the postlude where the author went off topic(I thought) and spent a long time censuring the Catholic Church for pedophilic priests. Not entirely sure where he was going with that chapter. "

" Very enjoyable book. Easy for anyone with a slight curiosity of the middle ages to get into. But it's not brain candy. It's definitely a meat & potatoes kind of book. Yes, he can get verbose & loves big words, but I enjoyed the challenge & would rather that then be talked down to. "

" Thomas Cahill's "Hinges of History" series is incomparable. Read them all. "

" Interesting subject matter. Fascinating historical tidbits. Could have done without the preachy references to current events, though. Cahill should trust his readers to make those (obvious) connections on their own. "

" This is a beautiful book materially with many useful photos and reproductions of art and Cahill brings to life a time period that many might find dull. However, Cahill's frequent flippant and dismissive comments especially in the conclusion mar an otherwise interesting read. "

" I LOVE READING THIS BOOK "

" Wonderful overview of major characters of the Middle Ages. "

" Thomas Cahill is very opionated and a bit esoteric at times but his relatively informal style of history appeals to me and he comes up with enough interesting ideas and intriguing facts to keep me reading. "

" I listened to the abridged version, so that took some of the interest away, but an interesting book all in all. "

" While it's not the most intensive history, I always thoroughly enjoy reading Cahill. You can't help but get pulled in by his storytelling. "

" Fun for those who like the middle ages -- unsystematic, personal take, sometimes very opinionated, but there seems to be solid historical knowledge behind it. "

" Entertaining to read, but obviously a popular rather than scholarly history book. Cahill has some odd digressions that were jarring, but the book was a generally enjoyable, if not substantial, read. "

" This is the second book that I've read by Thomas Cahill. I really enjoy his books and am looking forward to reading How the Irish Saved Civilization. "

" Voy por la página 17, en el capítulo "Alejandría, ciudad de la razón" y no he podido parar... La Historia sobre la Gran Biblioteca, El Faro y la bellísima ciudad, me tiene cautivada. "El alma sólo lleva al otro mundo su educación y su cultura" Platón "

" Not as easy a read as his others. It's a difficult topic to give it cohesiveness. Again I liked his perspective. He's definitely done the background research. Lots of pics of Middle Ages art which made it easier to follow. "

" Cahill is an incredible writer. He makes the past come alive with interest and humor. I'm looking forward to reading his whole series. "

" I found this book absurdly easy to get through. It was wide encompassing and taught me things I previously did not know! I'd like to read more of his books. "

" Thomas Cahill is very opionated and a bit esoteric at times but his relatively informal style of history appeals to me and he comes up with enough interesting ideas and intriguing facts to keep me reading. "

" Didn't get past the first few pages. Did not enjoy the writing style at all. "

" Parts of the book make for a very interesting read, and the layout is beautifully done. However, I found Cahill's take on the islamic faith to be unnecessary and unprofessional. "

" I think the title is misleading. It should be (in my opinion): "Notable Figures of the Middle Ages: People who changed the way the world was viewed and experienced. Plus, numerous excerpts of famous writings, in their original language, that make the book drag on". "