Making a Living in the Middle Ages

Knightfall

World of Kulan DM
Has anyone read this book by Christopher Dyer?

I'm want to find out what the book is like from someone who has actually read it from a gaming resource perspective. (It's a long shot, I know, but I had to ask.)

http://yalepress.yale.edu/YupBooks/viewbook.asp?isbn=0300090609

And no it's not a d20 book.

Cheers!

KF72
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MAKING A LIVING IN THE MIDDLE AGES
THE PEOPLE OF BRITAIN 850–1520

Christopher Dyer

July 2002
352 p. , 6 x 9 1/2

Paper 0-300-10191-0 $20.00

Dramatic social and economic change during the middle ages altered the lives of the people of Britain in far-reaching ways, from the structure of their families to the ways they made their livings. In this masterly book, preeminent medieval historian Christopher Dyer presents a fresh view of the British economy from the ninth to the sixteenth century and a vivid new account of medieval life. He begins his volume with the formation of towns and villages in the ninth and tenth centuries and ends with the inflation, population rise, and colonial expansion of the sixteenth century.

This is a book about ideas and attitudes as well as the material world, and Dyer shows how people regarded the economy and responded to economic change. He examines the growth of towns, the clearing of lands, the Great Famine, the Black Death, and the upheavals of the fifteenth century through the eyes of those who experienced them. He also explores the dilemmas and decisions of those who were making a living in a changing world--from peasants, artisans, and wage earners to barons and monks. Drawing on archaeological and landscape evidence along with more conventional archives and records, the author offers here an engaging survey of British medieval economic history unrivaled in breadth and clarity.

Christopher Dyer, formerly professor of medieval social history at the University of Birmingham, is now professor of regional and local history at the University of Leicester.

The New Economic History of Britain Series

Series editor: David Cannadine
 

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Dyer's book is top-notch, but be prepared. It is not dumbed down for public consumption. Likewise, it will completely contradict any and every published fantasy world product (with possibly only a few exceptions).
 

Sounds like it could be a very good book, though a bit "sweeping" for my tastes -- I tend to prefer somewhat narrower historical ranges. If nothing else, I could say off the top of my head that 9th century England was not really a moneyed economy and that 16th century was -- that alone makes quite a differnce; equally a larger (but still not gigantic) portion of the population lived in cities in the 16th century, compared to the 9th, which has all sorts of implications.

Still, could be quite an interesting read; I'll see if I can get a local library to pick it up ... or sneak over the Berkeley and convince them I'm a student again ;)
 

Dogbrain said:
Dyer's book is top-notch, but be prepared. It is not dumbed down for public consumption. Likewise, it will completely contradict any and every published fantasy world product (with possibly only a few exceptions).

Sounds like what I'm looking for then. I would like to add 'some' realism into my campaign setting. Thanks for the info Dogbrain.

Does the book go into detail about trade goods and resources (i.e. timber, fish, textiles, etc.)? I'm looking for a good book that talks realistically about trade resources in the middle ages.

Does anyone have a d20 book they would like to recommend that has a resources table for medieval fantasy. Note: I already have MMS: WE. It's a good book, but its tables aren't in depth enough for me, although it has helped.

Basically, I'm trying to find a good balance between realism and fantasy.

Cheers!

KF72
 

I have no detailed knowledge of the contents of the books, aside from what is on the linked website. I have read the introduction, table of contents, and first chapter, which are available in pdf. I'm very impressed. It's very well written. It goes into a lot of detail on economic and social life, as opposed to the kings and battles of other histories. I've no background in that area, but had no difficulty at all. It's also the only one volume economic history of the uk currently available and is well reviewed. I'll almost certanly buy it.

Does the book go into detail about trade goods and resources (i.e. timber, fish, textiles, etc.)? I'm looking for a good book that talks realistically about trade resources in the middle ages.

Yes. Though the first chapter focuses mainly on agricultural resources and social structure. If you want any more detail it will give you a good bibliography of where to look. I suggest you read the first chapter, look at the table of contents, and ask whether you want similar stuff on different topics. I thought the first chapter was good, and it looks like the most boring one.
 

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