Icons of the Middle Ages

Gr 10 Up—Offering meticulously detailed accounts of the lives, notable accomplishments, and historical significance of well-known medieval figures, these 18 essays each open with a single, captioned black-and-white photograph and close with a further-reading list; some pieces also feature distractingly long sidebars. The approximately 40-page entries profile 21 people. Some of the chapters include related figures such as Robert the Bruce and William Wallace, and explore their interpersonal relationships. The subjects are diverse; people such as Geoffrey Chaucer, St. Joan of Arc, and Leif Eriksson are discussed in terms of how they have impacted modern society and risen to "icon" status. Two entries discuss castles and siege warfare as iconic figures. While the entries are divided into subtopics, the information is dense and sometimes hard to digest. The series is mainly accessible though; indeed, some essays are overly conversational. Overall, this unusual and interesting material is best suited for students completing highly specific projects.—Rita Meade, Brooklyn Public Library, NY