Does anyone have a good book recommendations focused around culture and daily life in Early Modern Europe, especially France or Venice (or broader Italy)? Especially something covering both nobility and commoners
Life in a Medieval Castle and Life in a Medieval City, both by Joseph and Frances Gies. Both were used by George RR Martin for researching Game of Thrones. IDK if that’s modern enough but my recollection is that it was placed in the late Medieval period so 1200-1500.
What do you guys think of this? As someone who lives and grew up in Switzerland, I sometimes really struggle with the country's recurring dubious positioning in history.
I did not even know that Mengele had ties to Switzerland and that the Red Cross issued passports with false names for people such as Klaus Barbie and Eichmann.
All nations no doubt have well-sourced skeletons in their closet that their posterity may not be too proud of. The trick is to expose these skeletons to daylight so we can see where we’ve been and to learn from it. It’s funny: right now, the US is attempting to do the exact opposite, and hopes to obscure our history, instead. Ugh.
One can acknowledge a past without embracing all of its ideals — what’s most important is that we learn from it.
The idea of "any port in a storm"-- are there examples of ships sailing into 'unfriendly' ports or harbors for survival from the elements, and then just going on their way?
Not quite what youre asking but, during ww1 there were standards and treaties in place that in a neutral port, one could enter and recoal for 24 hours without violating neutrality. This was the ONLY way the german fleet, being chased by the UK, could keep its ships moving.
If a port/country as de facto aligned with one power or another, they would do what they could to either keep the unfriendly ship out, or keep it in. At least during wartime periods.
Niche as in not known by the general public - Hypatia
Niche as in not known by history buffs - all the countless unnamed women, wives and daughters who played influential roles (some of whom may have even been the true power behind their men).
Hipparchia of Maroneia. In a time where most Greek women stayed at home she hung out and argued with philosophers. And any woman that can handle hanging out with cynics is a damn interesting person.
What was Berlin /really/ like in the Cold War period?
What i mean is, you see in all sorts of media, such as Atomic Blonde, that Berlin is just this super party atmosphere playground for spies. Everyone you meet, drink with, sleep with, or interact with, is spying for /someone/. Didnt matter if its US, UK, France, Israel, USSR, etc. there were spies and people out to get you around every corner.
So.... much of what shows up in various media is based on the reality of Cold War era Berlin, or if its entirely made up what's the origin of that "spies paradise/playground" mythos? And what was Berlin actually like during that period?
West Berlin was a bit of a giant artists' colony... for many reasons.
First, a lot of "regular" Germans did NOT want to live there (and be completely surrounded--and isolated--by socialist East Germany). For similar reasons, very few big businesses were located in Berlin... it could be cut off at any moment, which is not a place to locate your corporate headquarters.
This meant that rents were cheap. A great place for an aspiring musician or aspiring artist to go to for a few years, and live practically free. There were also many (many) abandoned buildings in Berlin (many with unclear ownership if they'd been stolen by the Nazi government from Jewish Germans who had emigrated or been murdered). This meant it was pretty easy to move into an abandoned building, and "squat" there... fix it up, and live entirely rent-free.
Secondly, the West German government in Bonn did not want the population in West Berlin to shrink... they wanted it to grow. To encourage young people to move there (or continue living there), simply living in West Berlin counted as your military service... ! So, if you were a leftist/pacifists/artist type, you could move to Berlin and not have to spend 2 years in the army. Also, if you lived in West Berlin, then you got a certain amount of money monthly just for living there... and the city budget was propped up by the Federal Republic's national budget (to the tune of hundreds of millions of Marks).
Given these two "draws" for artist-types (cheap rent; free money) many moved to Berlin... which in turn created a third draw, that West) Berlin was the artistic scene. Indeed, I would say from the 1960s onwards, it far eclipsed Paris as a culturally effervescent destination for young people.
The whole spying-thing was layered over this... yes, it was a prime geographic location for Western and Eastern spies to meet... but it was also a community that was already very counter-cultural and free-wheeling.
It was a city known for its clubs and dance scene. But just like Paris isn't just beautiful streets and café... it was still a large city. So it was a large European city, with a large population. A normal city, that had a pretty active party club scene like other places in the world at the time.
So it doesn't come from nowhere but it's a romanticization/exaggeration to imagine Berlin to be anything but a European metropolis.
It was brutal for the German’s living there in East Berlin, but people, being people, try and make the best of even terrible circumstances. But for the people there the Stasi had spies everywhere, as did various Eastern and Western powers. Might I recommend 2 interesting books:
Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner
Can anyone recommend media (Books, Documentaries, Shows, even one's that aren't entirely non-fiction) that offer more realistic insight to medieval life? I am not looking for super specific details or info, just good media to get the creative juices flowing by learning bits and pieces that highlight the less romanticized ideas and stories of medieval eras.
Life in a Medieval Castle and Life in a Medieval City, both by Joseph and Frances Gies. Both were used by George RR Martin for researching Game of Thrones.
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City is a fantasy novel by K.J. Parker about a reluctant engineer, Orhan, who must defend a city under siege with few resources, using his cunning and engineering skills rather than traditional military might. It’s often cited by people writing about the period and while 100% fiction is a fun, and I’d wager fairly accurate, look at SOME parts of Medieval life. Including it for the creative part of the request.
The Great Mortality by John Kelly: The ultimate narrative history of the Black Death. It breaks down how the plague started in Central Asia, traveled through trade networks, and decimated Europe.
"Life in a Medieval Castle" BBC series; hosts are embedded in a living museum where they are building a Norman castle using traditional techniques. It's a lot of fun.
Does anybody have recommendations for books on life in medieval European monasteries, with a focus on early music (e.g. Gregorian chant, the development of polyphony etc)? I am open to suggestions on general life, philosophy too, not just music-focused.
Kurta_711 | a day ago
Does anyone have a good book recommendations focused around culture and daily life in Early Modern Europe, especially France or Venice (or broader Italy)? Especially something covering both nobility and commoners
PolybiusChampion | a day ago
Life in a Medieval Castle and Life in a Medieval City, both by Joseph and Frances Gies. Both were used by George RR Martin for researching Game of Thrones. IDK if that’s modern enough but my recollection is that it was placed in the late Medieval period so 1200-1500.
oceanbutter | a day ago
Chronicles by Jean Froissart and The History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours are great primary source reads.
FootnoteInHistory | a day ago
Switzerland to open secret files on Auschwitz 'Angel of Death' Mengele
What do you guys think of this? As someone who lives and grew up in Switzerland, I sometimes really struggle with the country's recurring dubious positioning in history.
I did not even know that Mengele had ties to Switzerland and that the Red Cross issued passports with false names for people such as Klaus Barbie and Eichmann.
MayBeMilo | a day ago
All nations no doubt have well-sourced skeletons in their closet that their posterity may not be too proud of. The trick is to expose these skeletons to daylight so we can see where we’ve been and to learn from it. It’s funny: right now, the US is attempting to do the exact opposite, and hopes to obscure our history, instead. Ugh.
One can acknowledge a past without embracing all of its ideals — what’s most important is that we learn from it.
throwawayifyoureugly | a day ago
The idea of "any port in a storm"-- are there examples of ships sailing into 'unfriendly' ports or harbors for survival from the elements, and then just going on their way?
BottecchiaDude253 | a day ago
Not quite what youre asking but, during ww1 there were standards and treaties in place that in a neutral port, one could enter and recoal for 24 hours without violating neutrality. This was the ONLY way the german fleet, being chased by the UK, could keep its ships moving.
If a port/country as de facto aligned with one power or another, they would do what they could to either keep the unfriendly ship out, or keep it in. At least during wartime periods.
ElderberryAncient286 | a day ago
Who is your favorite niche ancient female historical figure?
s_mcivor | a day ago
Niche as in not known by the general public - Hypatia
Niche as in not known by history buffs - all the countless unnamed women, wives and daughters who played influential roles (some of whom may have even been the true power behind their men).
Skookum_J | 23 hours ago
Hipparchia of Maroneia. In a time where most Greek women stayed at home she hung out and argued with philosophers. And any woman that can handle hanging out with cynics is a damn interesting person.
BottecchiaDude253 | a day ago
What was Berlin /really/ like in the Cold War period?
What i mean is, you see in all sorts of media, such as Atomic Blonde, that Berlin is just this super party atmosphere playground for spies. Everyone you meet, drink with, sleep with, or interact with, is spying for /someone/. Didnt matter if its US, UK, France, Israel, USSR, etc. there were spies and people out to get you around every corner.
So.... much of what shows up in various media is based on the reality of Cold War era Berlin, or if its entirely made up what's the origin of that "spies paradise/playground" mythos? And what was Berlin actually like during that period?
DerProfessor | a day ago
West Berlin was a bit of a giant artists' colony... for many reasons.
First, a lot of "regular" Germans did NOT want to live there (and be completely surrounded--and isolated--by socialist East Germany). For similar reasons, very few big businesses were located in Berlin... it could be cut off at any moment, which is not a place to locate your corporate headquarters.
This meant that rents were cheap. A great place for an aspiring musician or aspiring artist to go to for a few years, and live practically free. There were also many (many) abandoned buildings in Berlin (many with unclear ownership if they'd been stolen by the Nazi government from Jewish Germans who had emigrated or been murdered). This meant it was pretty easy to move into an abandoned building, and "squat" there... fix it up, and live entirely rent-free.
Secondly, the West German government in Bonn did not want the population in West Berlin to shrink... they wanted it to grow. To encourage young people to move there (or continue living there), simply living in West Berlin counted as your military service... ! So, if you were a leftist/pacifists/artist type, you could move to Berlin and not have to spend 2 years in the army. Also, if you lived in West Berlin, then you got a certain amount of money monthly just for living there... and the city budget was propped up by the Federal Republic's national budget (to the tune of hundreds of millions of Marks).
Given these two "draws" for artist-types (cheap rent; free money) many moved to Berlin... which in turn created a third draw, that West) Berlin was the artistic scene. Indeed, I would say from the 1960s onwards, it far eclipsed Paris as a culturally effervescent destination for young people.
The whole spying-thing was layered over this... yes, it was a prime geographic location for Western and Eastern spies to meet... but it was also a community that was already very counter-cultural and free-wheeling.
en43rs | a day ago
It was a city known for its clubs and dance scene. But just like Paris isn't just beautiful streets and café... it was still a large city. So it was a large European city, with a large population. A normal city, that had a pretty active party club scene like other places in the world at the time.
So it doesn't come from nowhere but it's a romanticization/exaggeration to imagine Berlin to be anything but a European metropolis.
PolybiusChampion | a day ago
It was brutal for the German’s living there in East Berlin, but people, being people, try and make the best of even terrible circumstances. But for the people there the Stasi had spies everywhere, as did various Eastern and Western powers. Might I recommend 2 interesting books:
Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner
Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman
DjentRiffication | a day ago
Can anyone recommend media (Books, Documentaries, Shows, even one's that aren't entirely non-fiction) that offer more realistic insight to medieval life? I am not looking for super specific details or info, just good media to get the creative juices flowing by learning bits and pieces that highlight the less romanticized ideas and stories of medieval eras.
PolybiusChampion | a day ago
Life in a Medieval Castle and Life in a Medieval City, both by Joseph and Frances Gies. Both were used by George RR Martin for researching Game of Thrones.
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City is a fantasy novel by K.J. Parker about a reluctant engineer, Orhan, who must defend a city under siege with few resources, using his cunning and engineering skills rather than traditional military might. It’s often cited by people writing about the period and while 100% fiction is a fun, and I’d wager fairly accurate, look at SOME parts of Medieval life. Including it for the creative part of the request.
The Great Mortality by John Kelly: The ultimate narrative history of the Black Death. It breaks down how the plague started in Central Asia, traveled through trade networks, and decimated Europe.
DjentRiffication | a day ago
Awesome, I intend to explore these for sure! Thanks for taking the time to give me answers and context.
borgmama | 7 hours ago
"Life in a Medieval Castle" BBC series; hosts are embedded in a living museum where they are building a Norman castle using traditional techniques. It's a lot of fun.
wingardiumlevioosaaa | 11 hours ago
Does anybody have recommendations for books on life in medieval European monasteries, with a focus on early music (e.g. Gregorian chant, the development of polyphony etc)? I am open to suggestions on general life, philosophy too, not just music-focused.