Pleasures & Pastimes Medieval - Hardcover

Reeves-compton

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1840150157 ISBN 13: 9781840150155

Publisher: Sutton Publishing Ltd, 1998

Synopsis

What was considered courteous table manner in Medieval England? Would children delight in playing hide-and-seek, follow-the-leader, and blind mans bluff? Harkening back to a time when men wore close-fitting bonnets tied under the chin and women adorned themselves with purses suspended from their belts with small daggers attached to the outside, Pleasures & Pastimes in Medieval England takes an enlightening look at how people from all classes of medieval society enjoyed themselves.
Despite presumptions to the contrary, the daily life of men and women in late medieval England was not entirely one of toil. Author Compton Reeves presents a fascinating and highly readable survey of the entertainments and pursuits with which people of the time filled their leisure hours. From the rough and tumble activities of wrestling and jousting to the more sedate pastimes of chess and cards, from gardening to prostitution, and from cock-fighting to religious festivals Reeves describes with entertaining detail activities which remain popular today, though often in different guises.
With its many beautifully reproduced illustrations, Pleasures & Pastimes in Medieval England offers a sumptuous overview of the delights of medieval life.

About this title

About the Author

Compton Reeves is Professor of History at Ohio University. His previous publications include Newport Lordship 1317-1536, Lancastrian Englishmen, and The Marcher Lords.

Review

"A welcome addition to the history of medieval leisure, as a clear and accessible introduction to the subject and to the range of available source material."--Medieval Life

Edition details

• Publisher: Sutton Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1840150157
• ISBN 13: 9781840150155
• Binding: Hardcover