Why am I passionate about this?
I’ve been a lifelong student of history. Even as a child I would devour history books or watch documentaries on TV telling tales of past wars of heroic battles. This passion eventually turned into a degree in History from the University of Toronto. I have also visited countless museums, castles, ruins, and historic sites throughout Europe and North America. My particular interest in Anglo-Saxon history came during my university years when I took some Old English language courses. Poems like the Battle of Maldon and Beowulf were my gateway to the rich tapestry of lives and events that made up the Anglo-Saxon era.
Andrew's book list on detailed, fun, and easy to read Anglo-Saxon history
Why did Andrew love this book?
This book provides a fantastic, in-depth study of the Bayeux Tapestry—the most detailed of all the sources for the Battle of Hastings—the battle that ended the Anglo-Saxon age.
What makes the book stand out is its panel-by-panel description of the tapestry, providing insight into the characters and places that are depicted, as well as the little oddities that occur in the borders of the tapestry.
However, the authors don’t just want you to believe their interpretation. They are quick to identify alternate explanations for ambiguous scenes, and clearly state that while some academics may prefer one view over another, no one really has the true answer, leaving the reader to form their own opinion.
Truly, this is the best book I’ve read about the Bayeux Tapestry.
1 author picked The Story of the Bayeux Tapestry as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
Political intrigue and treachery, heroism and brutal violence, victory and defeat - all this is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, an epic account of one of the pivotal episodes in English history embroidered on a strip of linen. Famously, it shows the stricken Anglo-Saxon king Harold dying on the battlefield of Hastings in 1066 amid a shower of arrows, as axes clash, spears fly and fallen warriors are trampled beneath charging hooves.
However, there is much more to this remarkable historical and artistic treasure, which tells its tale with an intensity and immediacy that speak to our modern world, almost…