English Middle Ages

Our society tells us over and over that if we're going to achieve anything, we'd better do it while we're young. But whether you're at the start of your career, sensing you're on the wrong path, or feeling unsettled later in life, you're likely wondering just how to reinvent yourself? Have you left it too late? This book has answers. Late bloomers - individuals who experience significant success later in life - offer lessons for people who feel frustrated.

After the long period of cultural decline known as the Dark Ages, Europe experienced a rebirth of scholarship, art, literature, philosophy, and science and began to develop a vision of Western society that remains at the heart of Western civilization today. On visits to the great cities of Europe, Thomas Cahill brilliantly captures the spirit of experimentation, the colorful pageantry, and the passionate pursuit of knowledge that built the foundations for the modern world.

In her previous two bestsellers, Professor Alice Roberts has powerfully and evocatively revived people of the past through examining their burial rites, bringing a fresh perspective on how they lived. In Crypt, Professor Roberts tells the story of modern Britain from 1066 to the present day - by exploring changing methods of honouring the dead.

In Big Brother Bonding, 25-year-old Frankie’s mother announces her relationship to a wealthy Saudi Arabian businessman, which brings him into contact with Habib, his maybe soon-to-be stepbrother. Arrogant, muscular, and untamed, Habib quickly makes his mark on Frankie and Frankie finds him impossible to resist. With a potential engagement looming between their parents, Frankie and Habib must navigate the thin line between brotherhood and primal desire, knowing once they cross it, there’s no turning back.

How can you reconcile yourself with the lives you will never lead, with possibilities foreclosed, and with nostalgia for lost youth? How can you accept the failings of the past, the sense of futility in the tasks that consume the present, and the prospect of death that blights the future? In this self-help book with a difference, Kieran Setiya confronts the inevitable challenges of adulthood and middle age, showing how philosophy can help you thrive. You will learn why missing out might be a good thing, how options are overrated, and when you should be glad you made a mistake.

Written in 1861 but taking place in the fifteenth century, this picturesque historical novel by Charles Reade follows the story of a young scribe and illuminator named Gerard Eliason. In order to escape persecution, Gerard sets out on a journey from Holland to Rome, leaving behind the woman he loves, Margaret. Along the road Gerard meets a colorful cast of characters—including various historical figures—and explores the conflict between a person’s obligation to family versus the church.

Redemption. Magic. Untamed Passions. After the thrilling discovery of her fae heritage and a heart-stopping quest for the Sword of the Middle Ages, Hunter Jones finds herself entangled in another perilous adventure. This time, the stakes are higher, the magic more potent, and the enemies more dangerous. Amidst the haunting beauty of Scotland, a new mission calls to her — a mission that could tip the balance in an ancient conflict between vampires and werewolves. Hunter is not alone; Exeter, the dragon shifter who captured her heart, is by her side. Their bond, forged in the fires of their...

The Holy Grail, the kingdom of Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table, and the magical sword Excalibur are all key ingredients of the legends surrounding King Arthur. But who was he really, where did he come from, and how much of what we read about him in stories that date back to the Dark Ages is true? So far, historians have failed to show that King Arthur really existed at all, and for a good reason—they have been looking in the wrong place. In this book, Alistair Moffat shatters all existing assumptions about Britain's most enigmatic hero.

The medieval humoral system of medicine suggested that it was possible to die from having too much - or too little - sex, while the Roman Catholic Church taught that virginity was the ideal state. Holy men and women committed themselves to lifelong abstinence in the name of religion. Everyone was forced to conform to restrictive rules about who they could have sex with, in what way, how often, and even when, and could be harshly punished for getting it wrong.

A glitter explosion. A ruined poster. A mystery sandwich. Welcome to Marie Lane’s messiest week ever. Twelve-year-old Marie Lane has big plans to win her school’s kindness poster contest—until a spilled paint cup, a very sparkly dog, and a bad case of Tuesday ruin everything. But just when things feel hopeless, Marie turns her glittery disaster into a message from the heart: “Kindness isn’t always neat. But it always matters.” What follows is a week full of awkward apologies, anonymous acts of kindness, and one sandwich that just might change everything. With humor, heart, and a...

In the midst of the devastating Hundred Years’ War between France and England, Jean de Carrouges, a Norman knight, fresh from combat in Scotland finds his wife, Marguerite, accusing squire Jacques Le Gris of brutally raping her. A deadlocked court decrees a “trial by combat” that also leaves Marguerite’s fate in the balance. For if her husband loses the duel, she will be put to death as a false accuser. While enemy troops pillage the land, and rebellion and plague threaten the lives of all, Carrouges and Le Gris meet in full armor on a walled field in Paris.

This work presents a composite view of medieval English university life. The author offers detailed insights into the social and economic conditions of the lives of students, their teaching masters and fellows. The experiences of college benefactors, women and university servants are also examined, demonstrating the vibrancy they brought to university life.

One look at the rugged rancher, and the years melted away. The man who once set my world on fire still had the power to ignite a passion I thought was long gone. Kelvin Kensington—my first love and the father of my son—never knew the truth. After our unforgettable nights, I found myself pregnant at 19, but with him deployed, I couldn’t reach him. Pressured by my parents, I married another man to avoid shame. Now, my ex—the nightmare I escaped—is threatening to reveal the secret I’ve guarded for so long. I wouldn’t tell Kelvin if it weren’t for the threats, but he needs to ...

The Lost Book of Oakwood is a captivating middle-grade mystery that follows four young friends on an exciting adventure in their small town of Oakwood. When a valuable book of local legends disappears from the town library, Maya, Leo, Alice, and Sam take it upon themselves to solve the case. As they delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover clues about a legendary book that may hold secrets to Oakwood's past. With a cast of intriguing characters including the nervous librarian Mr. Abernathy, the enigmatic historian Professor Lind, and the suspicious Mayor Thompson, the young detectives ...

Beobrand is besieged in the action-packed instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles set in AD 647 Anglo-Saxon Britain. War hangs heavy in the hot summer air as Penda of Mercia and his allies march into the north. Caught unawares, the Bernician forces are besieged within the great fortress of Bebbanburg. It falls to Beobrand to mount the defence of the stronghold, but even while the battle rages, old and powerful enemies have mobilised against him, seeking vengeance for past events.

Friends. Neighbors. Lovers. The improbable romance began when she was 45. It was a time before computer games, music videos and web browsers. Married couples didn't contemplate divorce, and people suppressed illicit desires. Linda Watson was a widow with two children. She lived a life of suburban leisure. When her neighbor and best friend, Cindy Sloan, asked Linda to watch her house and cook a few casseroles for Cindy’s college-age son; Linda agreed. Wayne Sloan was unhappy with the prospect of a neighbor monitoring his activities, but his mood changed when Linda made an unexpected ...

Five former sorority sisters, all in their 50s, undertake the adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious invite reunites them at an exclusive resort set on a private island. And what adventures they've had so far at Mother's! With a new section of the resort open and operating, numerous new guests, and two weddings about to take place, the women have their hands full. Can they juggle everything that's going on in their lives and business and still produce two amazing weddings?

Jax Carter can do it all - football, baseball, basketball, you name it, he’s a legend! Since catching a ball at eight weeks old (seriously), everyone in Willow Creek has had one plan for him: go pro, make millions, save the town. But Jax has a secret. He’d rather be sketching comic books and writing songs than scoring touchdowns. When three life-changing events land on the same day, a baseball final, a football championship, and the school art show, Jax is forced to make the biggest play of his life: follow the crowd... or follow his heart. Told in Jax’s hilarious, heartfelt voice, ...

In The Normans, Lars Brownworth follows their story, from the first shock of a Viking raid on an Irish monastery to the exile of the last Norman Prince of Antioch. In the process, he brings to vivid life the Norman tapestry's rich cast of characters: figures like Rollo the Walker, William Iron-Arm, Tancred the Monkey King, and Robert Guiscard. The Normans presents a fascinating glimpse of a time when a group of restless adventurers had the world at their fingertips.

The Pastons were members of the English gentry, a group of roughly 1,000 households sandwiched between the ruling nobility and the peasants and a rough analog for the contemporary “middle class.” Their existence was fairly typical, except for the fact that it was recorded in an extraordinary collection of nearly 1,000 letters that have survived to this day. Through these letters, which cover the years from 1421 to 1484 and the lives of three generations of Pastons, historians Frances and Joseph Gies provide a rare window into the day-to-day life of this family.