Colleen J. (shukween) reviewed 1066 : The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry on + 118 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Bridgeford's work, 1066 The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry turns coventional tapestry thinking around to its mirror image. Specifically, he posits that the tapestry, long accepted as a Norman telling of the tale of the conquest and Battle of Hastings is not in fact told from the Norman point of view but rather is a work hidden with subversive clues in the embroidery that point to a designer of French, not Norman, sympathies. He weaves in sources that support this theory brilliantly, and asks penetrating questions. He excels at harkening back to what the designer's point of view might have been, rather than our modern view of events. It is an interesting and fairly quick read--a good balance between a purely academic work and one designed for mass consumption---and leaves the reader thinking. I recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
This is an amazing book. Well written and engaging, it brings a pivotal year to life. So much of European history hinged on this year. And we can understand the how and why while reading an entertaining history book. This is not historical fiction. It is a history book, but the writing is so evocative that we see history unfolding. It inspired me to read several other books about the people and places mentioned. A wonderful book!
Amy B. (BaileysBooks) reviewed 1066 : The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry on + 491 more book reviews
For centuries, the Bayeux Tapestry has been hailed as a written record of the Norman Conquest of Britain after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. This book takes that assumption and quite soundly turns it on its head.
I didn't know anything about the Bayeux Tapestry when I started this book and I finished it feeling very well informed. The author does a nice job of providing information to piece together the earliest history of the tapestry: from the many theories of its artisans to the secret of its preservation in near mint condition for nearly a thousand years when so much else from medieval times has been completely lost to history.
Bridgeford walks the reader through the tapestry one scene at a time, providing historical references of the era, perspective regarding the "accepted" interpretations, and arguments to the contrary that support his theories.
This book is well written and organized. The arguments presented to support this English/French-perspective theory are succinct and well-researched. The author makes a compelling argument to back up all of his points and is willing to concede that there is much about the tapestry that simply cannot and will not ever be known. But after reading this book, it is hard to see the tapestry in any other way except for the way in which Bridgeford presents it.
There are color pictures of the tapestry in the book, but the formatting of the binding causes the edges of the tapestry photos to continue well into the center of the book, making the details of those edge plates very hard to look at clearly. For a book that is all about the interpretation of a tapestry, I was rather disappointed that the pictures of that tapestry were so poorly displayed.
Otherwise, I have no complaints about this book. It was informative and easy to read. It was non-fiction, history, research, and forensics all rolled into one and I am very glad that I read it.
I didn't know anything about the Bayeux Tapestry when I started this book and I finished it feeling very well informed. The author does a nice job of providing information to piece together the earliest history of the tapestry: from the many theories of its artisans to the secret of its preservation in near mint condition for nearly a thousand years when so much else from medieval times has been completely lost to history.
Bridgeford walks the reader through the tapestry one scene at a time, providing historical references of the era, perspective regarding the "accepted" interpretations, and arguments to the contrary that support his theories.
This book is well written and organized. The arguments presented to support this English/French-perspective theory are succinct and well-researched. The author makes a compelling argument to back up all of his points and is willing to concede that there is much about the tapestry that simply cannot and will not ever be known. But after reading this book, it is hard to see the tapestry in any other way except for the way in which Bridgeford presents it.
There are color pictures of the tapestry in the book, but the formatting of the binding causes the edges of the tapestry photos to continue well into the center of the book, making the details of those edge plates very hard to look at clearly. For a book that is all about the interpretation of a tapestry, I was rather disappointed that the pictures of that tapestry were so poorly displayed.
Otherwise, I have no complaints about this book. It was informative and easy to read. It was non-fiction, history, research, and forensics all rolled into one and I am very glad that I read it.
