medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I agree about Innes, Franz; it is a wonderful synthesis of all sorts of recent work and thinking about problems, but very dense. Wickham, I would say, is much more clearly written and has that English stylistic flair that kept me reading a half hour after I had told myself I would quit. So I think students might possibly profit from it.
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From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Frans van Liere
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] Wickham's new book
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Thanks John. I had not seen Wickham's book until recently, and your recommendation (with reserve) is noted. My first reserve is the length. I have not had time to actually read it, and I'll have to do that before assigning it to the students, I guess ;-) . Your point on its attitude towards Christinaity is well noted; my course is particularly popular among pre-seminary students, who tend to think any religion pre 1500 is rife with superstition anyway.
I am currently using Innes in my Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages course, and it is simply too theoretical. Students have a hard time dealing with it, despite its set-up as a textbook, and the many helpful pedagogical tools, such as timelines and summaries. I especially like Innes' bibliographical essays, and hoped students would make good use of them for their term papers. But so far, Innes seems a book that's more useful for the instructor than for the students...
Frans van Liere
Department of History, Calvin College
1845 Knollcrest Circle SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/history/faculty/vanlieref/
>>> John Wickstrom <[log in to unmask]> 10/22/2009 11:29 AM >>>
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
As many list members surely know, Chris Wickham in his Inheritance of Rome has produced a masterly synthesis of the Early Middle Ages. Having looked at it, I think I may be able to use it as a text for my upper level undergrad course in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Normally I don't use such a formidable text, but this is up to date, so well-written,
and unlike Julia Smith's and Michael Innes' recent syntheses, more conventional in topics and organization, I would love to expose students to it.
My one hesitation about content is that Wickham does not appear to be very sympathetic to Christianity, though he is fair and certainly fulsome in his treatment.
If anyone has looked at the book as has an opinion of its suitability for smart, though not usually brilliant US undergrads, I'd be happy to hear it.
thanks
John W.
Kalamazoo College
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