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>Yeah, Gatlinburg is a favourite weekend destination >for Lee students looking to escape the noise and >stress of campus now and then. I have a condo just >outside of Gatlinburg (between it and Pigeon Forge), >and particularly enjoy getting away for a few days in >the fall, to enjoy all the leaves changing on the >mountains. > >But anyhew, as regards your question, let me recommend >one of my all-time favourite books. > >It's called 'A Distant Mirror' by Barbara Tuchman. >The late Ms. Tuchman was a tremendous scholar, who >penned works dealing with everything from World War I >to 14th Century Europe (which is what A Distant Mirror >deals with). It is decidedly 14th Century, I'm >afraid, and I know a lot of people tend to dicker >about whether or not that is truly part of the 'Middle >Ages', but the single most transformative plague of >the age, The Black Death, occurred at that time, and >Ms. Tuchman goes into really vivid detail about it. >She is also conspicuous about addressing chivalry, >which was in its height in the 14th Century, with the >famous jousting prince, 'The Black Prince' Edward of >England (who got a blurb in 'A Knight's Tale' if you >have ever seen that movie!). > >As a whole, what I think makes her book extraordinary >is the fact that it is written in a way that explains >history through an almost narrative form. I remember >the first time I ever read 'A Distant Mirror', I found >it so good that I couldn't put it down, and literally >did not sleep, reading through the night until I >finished it right before time for school the next day. > It was THAT good! I'd really recommend it to you, >particularly with regards to plague and famine, both >of which were tremendous problems in the 14th Century, >as well as the chivalric emphasis. Knighthood itself >she doesn't explore in great detail, but the book >focuses primarily around a noble family of France, the >'Sires de Coucy', landed nobility of rank only one >step up the ladder from a knight. > >Sorry for rambling. I hope it helps, somehow.

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