I secoli luminosi

The Light Ages. As opposed to the Dark Ages. Indeed. If I had to compare this to other History of Science nonfiction books, I'd have to rate this rather high. Of course, it debunks the basic idea that there was barely any science in the middle ages, that most people were ignorant savages, etc, but th Leggi tutto

In brief - I found this fascinating at times and rather too technical at other times. Full review nearer the time of publication This book seeks to address the idea that the Middle Ages were not dark times. The author, a Cambridge science historian, opens the book with a discussion on this subject. W Leggi tutto

It's always a pleasure when a book you've been waiting for since its publication was announced turns out to be every bit as good as you expected. And it's a double pleasure when a book on a subject you thought you knew quite a bit about teaches you something new on almost every page. After about 30

In this chunky title, Seb Falk sets out to prove very effectively that, certainly from the scientific viewpoint, the suggestion that medieval Europe spent a period of time in the 'dark ages' is misrepresentation. Historians, of course, dumped the 'dark ages' title some time ago, but it still lingers Leggi tutto

Soaring Gothic cathedrals, violent crusades, the Black Death: these are the dramatic forces that shaped the medieval era. But the so-called Dark Ages also gave us the first universities, eyeglasses, and mechanical clocks. As medieval thinkers sought to understand the world around them, from the pass Leggi tutto

Interesting book about science in the Middle (Dark) Ages which in fact, at least according to the author, was not that Dark after all. There is a lot about astonomy and complicated machinery in which I got lost. On the other hand, a description of the life of a medieval monk was very interesting. In Leggi tutto

This is a really excellent book and has absolutely transformed my view of medieval history, science and culture. I didn't even think that I was particularly interested in either medieval science, the history of science or medieval monasticism, but I have learnt so much about all three and also about Leggi tutto

‘The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science’ (2020), by Seb Falk, sets out to re-evaluate the Middle Ages, traditionally seen as a period of intellectual stagnation, presenting it as an era of scientific progress and innovation. Falk centres his narrative on the figure of John Westwyk, Leggi tutto