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Title: A History of the Renaissance World: From the Rediscovery of Aristotle to the Fall of Constantinople

Author: Susan Wise Bauer, read by John Lee.

What’s it About: (Almost?) All of written history from A.D. 1100 to the fall of Constantinople in A.D. 1453, the Renaissance period in the West.  The five parts in this volume are: Renaissances; Invasions, Heresies and Uprisings; Catastrophes; Regroupings; and Endings. It covers not only the Western World but India and East Asia, the beginnings of sub-Saharan African history (history being that which is written), and even some New World records.

Why I read it: This is the third in Bauer’s HISTORY OF THE WHOLE WORLD! series. Previous installments are The History of the Ancient World, and The History of the Medieval World.  These are well-written, interesting narratives covering huge territory in both time and space. Bauer does an excellent job of making an almost overwhelming amount of information seems cohesive and understandable.

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This was not Renaissance history as we normally understand it: there was no real discussion of the “rebirth” of scholarship or art. This is really the history of nations and peoples, not of ideas. Although you can’t have one without the other, that isn’t the focus of this book. It’s a history of the world at the time historians label the Renaissance. For all the fancy paintings and rediscovery of ancient philosophers, they really were a bloodthirsty group of people. You also see the seeds of the Protestant Reformation here, with the teachings and work of Wycliffe and Hus, among others. And of course, the beginning of the Inquisition.

Some of the “big names” and stories in history come from this time period: Joan of Arc, Henry V, Ghengis Khan and his grandson Kublai. We also get the answer to the important questions: Why did Constantinople get the works?

The most frustrating thing is that she ends with the fall of Constantinople with the tantalizing promise of what is to come. But that book isn’t written yet. So here I sit in my ignorance. (Spoiler: 1492 was a big year, as was 1517). Big things are afoot, but I’ll either have to wait or find another history book. Think anyone has written on the topic?

Where you can buy it: Here for the printed, Kindle or Audible version. Apparently, it’s not available on CD.