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I'd like to read a good book about this era, either focused on culture or a kind chronological (character led) overview of the period. I love novels about this period, but would like to have a better understanding of the time from a factual perspective

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Dark not darks... Sorry

Ian Mortimer - the time traveller's guide to Medieval England.

Sounds boring, but is easy, informative guide that covers everything ..

What have you read? Elizabeth Chadwick's more recent titles are excellent (Scarlet Lion, To Defy a King) and also anything by Sharon Penman. But a great and very readable non-fiction overview of the period is The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer.

Karen Maitland, brilliant!

I see I'm not the only one to like Mortimer!
The classic book about medieval Europe is Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror which gives a more European perspective.

Brilliant. Thank you!

AD500 by Simon Young - very funny and eye-opening.

I've really enjoyed the Sister Fidelma books by Peter Tremayne

The Black Death by John hatcher is quite good.

If you haven't read it yet, Katherine, by Anya Seton. A classic fictionalised but based on real documents and facts. I loved it!!!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0340839880/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1360664731&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

Letters of the Queens of England 1100-1547 by Anne Crawford