Children's Literature
During the Renaissance, changes were less dramatic in rural areas where 80 to 90 percent of the people lived. The printing press and the influence of the Reformation, with the Bible now available in everyday language, brought about a higher degree of literacy in rural areas. But the Reformation also brought about violence and other problems. Convents and monasteries were closed down, ending the medical care and social services they provided to their neighbors. As circumstances changed, the wealthy discovered raising sheep was more profitable than growing crops, putting many peasants on their lands out of work. Numerous people moved to the cities to improve their lives, but often were worse off there. After describing work, that typically lasted from sunup to sundown, the author quotes an account written in 1499 by a man who had been put to work at the age of six as a terrified goatherd. Fortunately that career was cut short when he was chosen to go to school. As the author examines the rural community and home life, she describes a peasant meal the reader could enjoy now. A chapter about rest and recreation includes directions for a game. A description of a typical evening's entertainment is illustrated with a painting by Pieter Brueghel, the Elder. The final chapter deals with factors that made the times so hard. This handsomely-illustrated and fascinating book in the "Life in the Renaissance" series includes glossary, sources for further information, a bibliography and an index. 2004, Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish, Ages 10 up.
—Janet Crane Barley
VOYA
AGERANGE: Ages 12 to 15.
This four-volume series covers aspects of life during Elizabethan England by focusing on people, from the noble to the common, and how they lived their lives. The Countryside begins with a bird's-eye view of the English land, featuring attractive maps and drawings. Men's and women's roles are discussed, followed by families and children, each rounded out by diary excerpts and writings from poets such as Tusser. Country pleasures are contrasted with hard times such as disease caused by lack of sanitation. The books in this series have a good mix of narration by the author and direct quotes, letters, and excerpts from the lives of those who lived during the Elizabethan period. The declaration that "there were no radios, CD players, or iPods," is misplaced as other comparisons with current life are not made throughout the books. Other titles include Elizabeth and Her Court, The Church and The City. Reviewer: Kelly Czarnecki
April 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 1)
Children's Literature
From the 8th through the 13th centuries Dar al-Islam—the Abode of Islam—stretched from the Middle East to the borders of Spain and India. This title from the "Life in the Medieval Muslim World" series looks at the lives of the people who lived in the countryside of that time and place—"farmers and herders, villagers and nomads, housewives and country gentlemen." Learn about life in rural villages—the roles of men and women, family structure, livelihoods. Find out how children were raised and what the expectations were for the sons and daughters of a family. And see how guests, trips to the bathhouse and visits to a local market or fair brought a welcome break in daily routine. Full-page sidebars provide additional information: a poem in praise of the waterwheel, a story about fig smuggling or a recipe for chicken barridah. The book begins with a brief discussion about the medieval Muslim world and a note about dates and names. A glossary, suggestions for further reading, sites for online information, a bibliography, a list of sources for quotations and an index are included. Beautifully illustrated with photographs, reproductions of illustrations from medieval manuscripts as well as paintings and drawings. A very informative picture of long-ago life in the rural Muslim world. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen
Children's Literature
This book in the "Life in Elizabethan England" series looks at the way the majority of the people lived in this era. It begins by explaining the importance of the countryside; in addition to being home to most people, even those who lived in the city depended on the countryside for food and supplies. Hinds clearly explains the different styles of farming and makes comparisons to the farming we are accustomed to today. Connections are also made to Shakespeare and other interesting people from the period. As a general description of life at the time, this title is essential to the series; however, it lacks the specific personal stories of the other editions and is less narrative in style. Chapters about the land, men's lives, women's lives, children, games and celebrations, and hard times provide a variety of topics to engage readers. With its striking cover, beautiful illustrations, and background information, this book would be invaluable in a classroom studying any aspect of Elizabethan England. Reviewer: Jennifer Lehmann
Children's Literature
Life in the countryside includes plenty of "ful madamas" on the menu, a broadbean dish that is still ubiquitous in Egypt today. This book includes a recipe and even a picture of an actual loaf of bread preserved since Pharaonic times by the dry desert air. Each volume in this series, "Life in Ancient Egypt," covers a separate aspect of life in ancient Egypt, specifically the New Kingdom from 1550 to 1050 B.C.E.—religion, the city, the countryside, and the Pharaoh's court. The volume on the countryside includes a scribe's journal in which he describes the difficult life of a farmer, a folktale whose ending has been lost (so young readers can create their own!), and chapters about rural women, growing up in the country, and relaxation. It is handsomely illustrated with full-color tomb and temple paintings, with good captions that make sense of images that are often hard to comprehend. There is considerable detail on each topic so the books would be useful for research papers. There is a good index, footnotes, maps, glossary, and additional resources included in each book. For libraries or schools without a good series on ancient Egypt, this would be an excellent choice.
Children's Literature
The countryside of the ancient Romans comes to life in this detailed nonfiction text about the culture of the Roman empire. Using a variety of cultural documents and artifacts, including poetry, art, tombstone inscriptions, and letters, Hinds reconstructs a thorough cultural account of life in its many forms and for the many peoples of the Roman empire. The book presents a wide-ranging view of the social structure of life in the Roman countryside, from the lives of soldiers to the lives of conquered peoples, from life in the village to life in the great estate, from the lives of landowners to the lives of slaves, and from life in times of hardship to life in times of celebration. A large portion of the book is devoted to the distinct differences in the lives of men, women, and children. By the end of the book, the young reader will have a clear view not just of the cultural microcosm of the Roman countryside, but also of the way in which the Roman empire was structured along lines of gender, age, class, and power. Boxed text highlights more detailed discussions of issues presented in the main text of the book, artwork and quotations are well documented, and the book contains a glossary, recommendations for further reading and online exploration, a bibliography, and index. Part of the "Life in the Roman Empire" series.
School Library Journal
Gr 6-9-These books are handsomely designed, beautifully illustrated with many period paintings, and written in a clear and lively manner. Church focuses on the religious conflicts of the Renaissance and Reformation and describes what life was like for religious and laypeople, both Catholic and Protestant. A useful section explains the rise of humanism and reform. The role of women in religious life during the Renaissance is particularly interesting. City discusses the economic and social life of cities in both northern and southern Europe. Countryside describes the role of peasants and landowners. Interesting sidebars appear in all three titles. For example, Church provides a recipe for hot-cross buns, City includes a description of bathing and bathhouses, and Countryside offers a simple menu that a French peasant might have eaten. Each volume cites sources of quotations and paintings and has a useful glossary, extensive bibliography, and sources for online information. With many fascinating details that bring the period to life, these well-organized books provide the sort of information required in school reports and should be first purchases for libraries needing material on the Renaissance.-Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
