Medieval life, castles

[j2starshine]

I was wondering if you guys could recommend some really good, accurate books on medieval life and castles throughout Europe and other parts of the world. Of course, writing fantasy, i could just make it up, but...

I have used the internet a lot, but i have come across contridictions and there is always that wonder of how legitimate is this website....

And i don't mind if the books are geared toward the younger readers so its easier to understand and has lots of pictures

Thanks!

J2

[dragonlots]

Here are some suggestions:

‘Everyday Life in the Middle Ages’ by Sherrilyn Kenyon .Writer’s Digest Books.

‘Arms & Armour’ by Frederick Wilkenson. Military Book Club.

‘European Swords’ by Anthony North. Stemmer House.

‘History of Forts & Castles’ by Ian Hogg. Crescent Books.

[metalikhan]

Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph and Frances Gies (published in the late 70's but fascinating -- well worth hunting)

Castles: Their Construction and History by Sidney Toy (this is published by Dover Publications, under the Architecture heading)

The Medieval Fortress: Castles, Forts, and Walled Cities of the Middle Ages by J.E & H.W. Kaufmann

Castle by David Macaulay (another older book -- late 70's-early 80's; might be able to track it down at the library or online used book sites)

It's weird how we have a surplus of sites on-line to look up anything; but we trust a well-researched book over a website that we can't be sure we can trust.

If you need more, just holler. I have a fairly stout bibliography of medieval resources for research.

[journeyman]

Full text available through Google Books

The castles of England: their story and structure, Volume 1
By Sir James Dixon Mackenzie (7th bart. of Scatwell and 9th of Tarbat)
The castles of England: their story and structure, Volume 2
By Sir James Dixon Mackenzie (7th bart. of Scatwell and 9th of Tarbat)

Royal castles of England
By Henry Charles Shelley

[waldenwriter]

It's not specifically about castles or medieval life, but Writer Digest's book The Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference has some good info on the subject.

Clayton and David Roberts' 2-volume text A History of England, which we used for a History of England class I took my first semester in college, might also be useful to you.

While in that class, my teacher gave us a good list of English peerage titles. It's not online anymore, but I could probably send you the information somehow.

[j2starshine]

Thanks guys! its a great start.

[metalikhan]

I checked out a really cool book from the library titled A Samurai Castle by Fiona MacDonald. It's a junior book, but the illustrations are thorough; and it shows a different approach to the concept of castles. It might be worth checking out alternative castles and fortifications other than the European ones most folks usually think of when they hear the word "castle".

[j2starshine]

Oh yes, I agree, metalikhan. I have found some cool books in the junior section on the fame "castles" of Japan and a life around the world during the 14th - 16th centuries. I'm hoping to add more cultures than just European life to my novel. The next time at the library I will look up the one you mentioned.

Thanks :-)