A World Lit Only by Fire cover art

A World Lit Only by Fire

The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance Portrait of an Age

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A World Lit Only by Fire

By: William Manchester
Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
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About this listen

 From tales of chivalrous knights to the barbarity of trial by ordeal, no era has been a greater source of awe, horror, and wonder than the Middle Ages. In handsomely crafted prose and with the grace and authority of his extraordinary gift for narrative history, William Manchester leads us from a civilization tottering on the brink of collapse to the grandeur of its rebirth, the Renaissance. The latter was a dense explosion of energy that spawned some of history's greatest poets, philosophers, and painters, as well as some of its most spectacular villains.Knight time: explore our list of titles about the Middle Ages.©1979, 1980 William Manchester (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc. Europe Expeditions & Discoveries Medieval Renaissance World Middle Ages Royalty Imperialism Italy

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Critic reviews

"An absorbing and readable history." ( School Library Journal)
"Manchester provides easy access to a fascinating age when our modern mentality was just being born." ( Chicago Tribune)
"Manchester has not forgotten the skills that, with invective, eloquence, and anecdote, make him a master storyteller."( Kirkus Reviews)
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Gripping account of the key moments in European medieval history.

The narration is fairly flat and monotonous, but I personally managed to ‘hear through’ this and not let it bother me too much.

Overall, highly recommended

Fascinating insight into European medieval life and minds

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Some audio has been added in some sections to give more detail/context which is nice. However it can be somewhat jarring due to the difference in sound quality and volume of the added sections compared to the rest of the audiobook.

Audio not great in places

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Almost didn’t give this a shot due to reviewers pointing out the supposedly terrible narration. Happy I came back to it as it’s not THAT bad at all. Quite an engrossing subject as well.

Audio is not that bad

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This is a good listen and the author has obviously done a lot of research. The narration is generally good too, although here and there is some clumsy editing where the recording doesn’t quite match the rest of it.

Great for a freebie

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Once one adapts to a near-robotic delivery, one begins to appreciate how it assists digestion of the sensational, sometimes unpalatable, narrative.
That is not a criticism, neither of scholarship nor of style, but a statement of a rich and revelatory diet of knowledge of surely our defining age.
I have seldom felt so engorged and inspired at the end of a history book. Manchester manages make one feel one has broken through to a new plane of comprehension whilst rooting his narrative in the profoundly human.
Superb.

Flawed but brilliant purview

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The narrator was somewhat monotonous and I found myself drifting out of listening. There were parts higher or lower in voice at times too.

Drifted away…

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I couldnt stop listening so had to loss a day to it I was so engrossed. the narration was excellent the subject so huge I will have to listen a few times to make any imprint on my somewhat diminished brain but will enjoy it everytime...

Really great book was gripping from the beginning

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The narration is very good and early medieval history interestingly told. One of the most accessible history books on audible.

Enjoyable and informative.

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This is a magnum opus is the sense of how the writer rides you through the middle ages and renaissance in what is a digestible and beautifully constructed view of Europe at this time

A 20th century gem

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This book is a real
Eye opener ,not for the faint hearted...it's horrific at times although inspiring .A very honest collection of myths ,facts and mysteries ...how the Papacy used the name of God to control the populous thus at the same time living in hypocritical deb-ochery,,a do as we say not as we do .....
So many different myths busted and darkness brought into the light...
I would recommend this book for Scholars writing theses or dissertations.....or just to have your eyes really open to humanities darkest acts and times ....supposedly to homer the name of God .....nothing could be further from the truth .....but what God wants .....God gets ? 10/10 a must read ...blessings .

How the dark ages were hidden

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