Reference Books

A History of Everyday Things in England 1066-1499 (2nd Hand) - $31.00

Astrology in the Middle Ages - $15.00
Theodore Otto Wedel. Astrology occupies a prominent place in the history of philosophy and science. Thirteenth-century scholars regarded the rule of the stars over human destiny as an indisputable fact, and theologians credited the stars with a power second only to that of God. This dissertation traces the development of medieval thought concerning astrology from the fifth through fifteenth centuries. It interprets astrological references from a fascinating variety of literary sources, including medieval romances and the works of Chaucer. 176pp. Pb.

The Book of the Courtier - $20.00
Baldassare Castiglione. An insider's view of court life and culture during the Renaissance, The Book of the Courtier is the handiwork of a diplomat who was called upon to resolve the differences in a war of etiquette among the Italian nobility. Set in 1507, when Castiglione was an attaché to the Duke of Urbino, the book consists of a series of fictional conversations between members of the Duke's retinue, who discuss the virtues and conduct of the ideal courtier. Translated into many languages after its 1528 publication, it became the ultimate resource on aristocratic manners, offering sixteenth-century readers a manual on how to behave. Today, it remains the most definitive account of life among the Renaissance nobility. 470pp. Pb.

Daily Life in the Middle Ages - $49.00

De Magnete - $31.00
William Gilbert. From the first great experimental scientist: the classic text, first published in Latin in 1600, summarizing all then known about magnetism and electricity, offering invaluable insights into the origins of modern science. Topics include phenomena of magnetism, variation in the compass, and concept of Earth as a giant magnet. 427pp. Pb.

De Re Metallica - $61.00
Georgius Agricola. One of the most important scientific classics of all time, this 1556 work on mining was the first based on field research and observation and the methods of modern science. 289 authentic Renaissance woodcuts. Translated by Herbert Hoover. 672pp Pb.

The Description of England - $30.00
William Harrison, Georges Edelen. This is delightful tour of the English world during the 16th century by someone who was actually there, a quite worldly clergyman named William Harrison, who is opinionated and often comically pedantic. Not much on politics, but lots on the social and cultural life of everyday Englishmen. It has lots of interesting tidbits.

Gemstones of The World - $17.00
Walter Schumann. More than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in its rough, natural, polished, and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on the gemstone’s formation, structure, physical properties, and characteristics, along with the best methods of working, cutting, and polishing it. There are even full treatments of lesser-known gems; a special section on rocks as precious stones; and organic gem materials. Charts and tables (including the “double fraction” figures that experts want) help collectors identify unknown gemstones and check for genuineness. 272pp. Hb.

Kings and Queens of England - $8.00
John Green. Another Dover colouring book. This one shows more than 1,200 years of ruling British monarchs — from Alfred the Great (871-899), the noble promoter of English education; to Elizabeth II with her husband Prince Phillip, seen on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Background scenes in each illustration evoke highlights of the era. 32pp. Pb.

The Knights Next Door: Everyday People Living Middle Ages Dreams - $51.00
Patrick O'Donnell. This book recounts the author's attempts as a total "fish-out-of-water" newcomer to make sense of the unique Society for Creative Anachronism subculture, starting in 2001. It also tells the tales of the local time-traveling veterans who help him, of the interesting characters he meets on his journey and of a young fighter struggling through some personal and SCA troubles in his bid to become a Knight and King in this re-created medieval world. The author, a reporter for the Metro section of the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper, attended events across the USA and in Europe, made the clothes, made the armor and fought in the worlds-largest medieval battles at the SCA's biggest event, the Pennsic War, to give readers a behind-the-shield look at the modern medieval world. 296pp. Pb.

Life in Celtic Times - $10.00
A J Smith. Fourteen centuries of Celtic life and culture depicted in over 40 well-researched, excellently rendered illustrations. Intriguing scenes of an Iron-Age village, Glastonbury fishermen, farmers harvesting grain, Celtic warriors on horseback, St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland and much more. Descriptive captions. 48pp. Pb.

Medici Money - $23.00
Tim Parks. Their name is a byword for immense wealth and power, but before their renown as art patrons and noblemen the Medicis built their fortune on banking — specifically, on lending money at interest. Banking in the fifteenth century, even at the height of the Renaissance, meant running afoul of the Catholic Church's prohibition against usury. It required more than merely financial skills to make a profit, and the legendary Medicis — most famously Cosimo and Lorenzo (the Magnificent) — were masterly in wielding the political, diplomatic, military, and even metaphysical tools that were needed to maintain their family's position. In this brisk and witty narrative, Tim Parks uncovers the intrigues, dodges, and moral qualities that gave the Medicis their edge. Vividly evoking the richness of the Florentine Renaissance and the Medicis' glittering circle, replete with artists, popes, and kings, Medici Money is a brilliant look into the origins of modern banking and its troubled relationship with art and religion. 273pp. Hb.

Medieval People - $18.00
Eileen Power. Classic study recreates the lives of six real but ordinary people who lived between the 9th and 16th centuries. Drawing on account books, diaries, letters, records, wills and other authentic historical documents, she brings to vivid life Bodo, a Frankish peasant in Charlemagne's time; Marco Polo, the well-known Venetian traveler of the 13th century; Madame Eglentyne, Chaucer's prioress in real life; a Parisian housewife of the 14th century; Thomas Betson, a 15th century English merchant; and Thomas Paycocke of Coggeshall, an Essex clothier in the days of Henry VII. 256pp. Pb.

Osprey: The Tower of London: A 2000 Year History - $13.00
Geoffrey Parnell. The Tower of London is one of the most famous and well-visited landmarks in the world, with a fascinating history brought to life in a uniquely visual way for the first time through this stunning book. 14 specially commissioned paintings by the renowned historical reconstruction artist, Ivan Lapper show the Tower from its earliest pre-Roman days, right up to the start of this new millennium. A fascinating and engaging narrative by the official Keeper of Tower History, Geoffrey Parnell, brings the sights, sounds, events and characters of the past to life. 48pp. Pb.

Salt: The Grain of Life - $30.00
Pierre Laszlo. For the sake of salt, Rome created a system of remuneration (from which we get the word salary), nomads domesticated the camel, the Low Countries revolted against their Spanish oppressors, and Gandhi marched against the tyranny of the British. Through the ages, salt has conferred status, preserved foods, and mingled in the blood, sweat, and tears of humanity. Today, chefs of haute cuisine covet it in its most exotic forms - underground salt deposits, Hawaiian black lava salt, glittery African crystals, and pink Peruvian salt from the sea carried in bricks on the backs of llamas. From proverbs to technical arguments, from anecdotes to examples of folklore, chemist and philosopher Pierre Laszlo takes us through the kingdom of white gold. With enthusiasm and freshness he mixes literary analysis, history, anthropology, biology, physics, economics, art history, political science, chemistry, ethnology, and linguistics to create a full body of knowledge about the everyday substance that rocked the world and brings zest to the ordinary. Laszlo explains the history behind Morton Salt´s slogan When it rains, it pours! and looks into the plight of the salt miner, as well as spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. is a tour de force about a chemical compound that is one of the very foundations of civilization. Hb.

The Story of Maps - $31.00
Lloyd A Brown. The first authoritative history of maps and the men who made them. The historical coverage of this volume is immense: from the first two centuries A. D. — Strabo and Ptolemy — through the end of the 19th century, with some discussion of 20th-century developments. 86 illustrations. 464pp. Pb.

The Queen's Slave Trader: John Hawkyns - $23.00
Nick Hazelwood. Blame for the introduction of slavery into America has been squarely placed upon the slave traders, the merchants, and the slave owners. There is another person also to blame, England's Queen Elizabeth I. During the 1560s, Elizabeth was encouraging a Renaissance in her kingdom but also knew her country's economy could not finance her dreams for it. On direct orders from Her Majesty, John Hawkyns set sail from England. His destination: West Africa. His mission: to capture human lives. After landing on the African coast, he used a series of brutal raids, violent beatings, and sheer terror to load his ships. As the first major slave trader, Hawkyns's actions and attitudes toward his cargo set the precedent for those who followed him for the next two hundred years. In The Queen's Slave Trader, historian Nick Hazlewood's haunting discoveries take you into the mind-set of the men who made their livelihoods trafficking human souls and reveals the man who began it all, and the woman behind him. 416pp. Pb.