Welcome to Litsy!

Catharism was a Christian sect in south France that defied most everything the “Church” required of its believers. Christians should strive to be like Jesus, a poor man who respected men and women. Cathars reincarnated until they are “Perfect” and finally are released from their corporal bodies to join Christ. This heresy in the 11-1200s was so antithetical to the Church that it called on a crusade to kill them all, ultimately succeeding. ⬇️

I remembered to complete my July #readingbracket. Another close decision between the tagged book & Chimpanzee Whisperer. This one won out because I love O‘Shea‘s writing style. And dang did I ever learn a lot about the medieval Christian sect of Cathars, and French and crusader history in Europe. I thought the crusades all occurred to retake Jerusalem over and over. And who knew there were Christians who believed in reincarnation? Review to come.

“His Franciscan kinsman, also ahead of his time, hit upon the medieval equivalent of wearing a wire.”

This author just has a way with words I love, making historical footnotes accessible for the modern reader. Here, the inquisition is fereting out those blasphemous heretics (also Christians, but who didn‘t follow the Church‘s money-grubbing approach to being saved).

#foodandlit #France (yes I‘m behind) @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

It‘s time to reach for google again. “By then the donnybrook was on.” A new word to work into conversation this coming week!

This author always makes me chuckle!

#France #foodandlit @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

Hey y‘all, I found a way to use this unusual phrase (see my previous post for the tagged book). Tonight I got to see my son‘s photos from his trip to Ireland, England, and France. He cocked a snook at Cambridge when he visited the university there a few days ago, wearing the T-shirt we bought when we visited Oxford a few years ago.

That‘s my kid! Im pretty sure I used it correctly. Yes? 😂😂😂

I now know what “cocking a snook” means even though I had to google it. Hmmm…

How can I fit this phrase into my everyday life? Hmmm…

“Whereas the hubbub of café debate in say, Normandy, sounds like a mellifluous exchange between articulate cows, the tenor of the same discussion in Languedoc is akin to a musician tuning a large, and very loud, guitar. This, the echo of old Occitan, can be heard everywhere.”

I wonder how the French feel about this description of their tone of speech! ??

#foodandlit #France @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

The author is looking on at a cathedral built by Bishop Castanet in the 1200s to crush any “heretical” Cathars remained alive following the crusade aimed to kill fellow Christians. I love this author‘s way with words:

“Only a disagreement over something as fathomless as the soul of a civilization could elicit a shout so loud that it was still audible across the chasm of 700 years.“

#foodandlit #France

To set the stage for this French history book here‘s a map of Europe in the 1200s. #foodandljt #France @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

I‘m very excited to start this one for #foodandlt #France. I read O‘Shea‘s book The Alps about his travel in the Alps. I enjoyed it immensely and I immediately ordered everything he‘d written (and sent him a fan email which he answered). So I‘m looking forward to some French history!

Did I mention I liked this author so much after reading The Alps, I bought all his other books (4 of them)? The first one‘s arrived! 😍

I've been reading into medieval and antiquated religions for a few weeks now. O'Shea did not disappoint. It's an easy to follow non-fiction book with information that will hopefully entertain at some dinner party. If nothing else, I feel smarter for reading it :)

...the bishop of Amalfi dropped dead...
O'Shea says from suffocation, I say from fangirling all over the Pope.

"I'm gonna get medieval on yo' ass" if only more nonfiction authors got readers' attention like this.