London A Fourteenth Century City and Its People

London A Fourteenth Century City and Its People written by Kathryn Warner

and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224

For the medieval period that was witness to a legion of political and natural disasters, the rise and fall of empires across the globe and one of the most devastating and greatest pandemics humankind has ever experienced, the fourteenth century was transformative.

Peering through the looking-glass to focus on one of Europe’s largest medieval cities, and the centre of an international melting pot on the global stage, this is a social history of England's (in)famous capital and its multi-cultural residents in the first half of the fourteenth century.

Using a rich variety of important sources that provide first-hand accounts of everyday life and personal interactions between loved ones, friends, foreigners and foes alike, such as the Assize of Nuisance, Coroners’ Rolls, wills, household accounts, inquisitions post mortem and many more, this chronicle begins at the start of the fourteenth century and works its way up to the first mass outbreak of the Black Death at the end of the 1340s. It is a narrative that builds a vivid, multi-layered picture of London’s inhabitants who lived in one of the most turbulent and exciting periods in European history.

Like the title says this book looks at life in 14th Century London, but from the average person’s level or viewpoint. What I loved about this book is the way it was written by the author Kathryn Warner, rather than chronologically year by year or decade by decade, the book looks at individual subjects in that century, for example, Health, Sanitation, Housing, Beer, Recreation and many more. But all this evidence and research is done through detailed research and first-hand accounts. The book is a fascinating read and a book that if you're a fan of English life, but especially London, you’ll really enjoy. Certainly, a book that enjoy social history. Would I recommend this book, hell yeah it’s one of my contenders for book of the year.