Decent read. It's good as a broad introduction to the history of the Normans. The book covers several different historical events, such as William the Conqueror, the Norman conquest of Sicily, and the 1st Crusade. However, I feel that the author tries to cover too much material in too short of a book. As a result, several events aren't covered in as much detail as they could've been.

Next up for reading.

Got this today at a book sale at a local book store.

I've been working my way through this. Besides the "Narnia" series, it's the first C.S. Lewis book I've read.

"Tragedy, he perceived, belonged to the ancient time, to a time when there was still privacy, love, and friendship, and when the members of a family stood by one another without needing to know the reason."
-George Orwell, "1984"
##GeorgeOrwell #1984

"When you have done a good act and another has received it, why do you look for a third thing besides these, as fools do, either to have the reputation of having done a good act or to obtain a return?"
-Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"

Falling asleep while reading.
#readingcats #catsandbooks #TuxedoCats

My local library was having a used book sale today. Managed to pick uup several books for only $5.

"Men always praise antiquity and fault the present, although not always reasonably, and they are partisans of things past such that not only do they celebrate those ages that they know from what historians have preserved of them, but also those that as old men they recall having seen in their youth."
-Niccolo Machiavelli, "Discourses on Livy"

Informative and well-written. Kaldellis provides a good overview of Byzantine history from the mid-10th century to late 11th century. Topics covered include the reign of Basil II, the Battle of Manzikert, and the lead-up to the 1st Crusade, among others. While mainly focusing on military and political aspects of Byzantium, religion, society and the economy are also touched on.
Definitely worth reading if you're interested in Byzantine history.

Next up for reading.
#medievalhistory

When you're trying to read, but someone wants attention.
#TuxedoCats #readingcats #catsandbooks

"Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in your power, be good."
-Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"

This book was both interesting and informative. It provides a good overview of the history of books written by US presidents, although not every single president is examined. Fehrman generally focuses on one president at a time, examining the writing process for most of the books covered.
The book also examines the development of books written by presidents into their modern form.
Overall good read.
#potus #ushistory #booksaboutbooks

Interesting information about becoming emperor.
#Rome #Byzantine

I found this book to be informative and interesting. Kaldellis examines the dynamics of political power in the Byzantine Empire through this book, as well as the idea of "popular consent" and how it affected the use of political power. While a little dry in parts, the book is very informative in its subject matter.
#Byzantine

"Never value anything as profitable that compels you to break your promise, to lose your self-respect, to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to act the hypocrite, to desire anything that needs walls and curtains..."
-Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"

Formation of the Varangian Guard.
#Byzantine

Reading while listening to music. I don't always have music playing while reading. If I do, I usually like listening to either jazz or classical music.
What do you usually do? Do you like listening to music while reading?
#cats #catsandbooks #readingcats ##TuxedoCats #booksandmusic #readingandmusic

"But by far the more important reason for the readjustment of the past is the need to safeguard the infallibility of the Party... It is also that no change of doctrine or political alignment can ever be admitted. For to change one's mind, or even one's policy, is a confession of weakness."
-George Orwell, "1984"
#GeorgeOrwell #1984

Neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.
#Byzantine #Rome

So far, I'm finding the book interesting. Kaldellis primarily focuses on the 10th and 11th centuries in the Byzantine (or Eastern Roman) Empire. However, he highlights some cultural and military practices that continued from earlier Roman history, like distributing loot to troops and parading prisoners in a triumph.
#Byzantine #Rome

Theodora reading Machiavelli.
#TuxedoCats #readingcats #catsandbooks #cats #Machiavelli

"We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power."
-George Orwell, "1984"
#GeorgeOrwell #1984

There were two major parts of the book. Urban covered the history of mercenaries in medieval Europe, focusing on specific groups (like the Teutonic Knights) or events (like the Battle of Crecy). I found the historical examination to be informative.
The other major focus of the book was how mercenaries were viewed through literature. I felt the book was less focused and jumped around alot in these chapters.
Decent book, but could be stronger.

One of a few books I got today at a book sale at a local library.

Next up for reading. I first heard about this book, as well as the author, while listening to "The History of Byzantium" podcast by Robin Pierson.
#ByzantineHistory

Last year, at a Christmas party, I got a calendar with Shakespearean insults as a white elephant gift. It's been amusing so far.
#Shakespeare

"Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right."
-George Orwell, "1984"
#GeorgeOrwell #1984

Irene and Theodora deciding what to read next.
#TuxedoCats #catsandbooks #readingcats #cats

"It was not the man's brain that was speaking; it was his larynx. The stuff that was coming out of him consisted of words, but it was not speech in the true sense; it was a noise uttered in unconsciousness, like the quacking of a duck."
-George Orwell, "1984"

Quote from a one-nan show called "Bibliomania" by Roger Rosenblatt. The quote was in a coffee table book on libraries.

Next up for reading.
#medievalhistory #middleages

""Who controls the past," ran the Party slogan, "controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.""
-George Orwell, "1984"

Happy Independence Day, everyone.
#Independenceday #fourthofjuly

"The horrible thing about the Two Minute Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in."
-George Orwell, "1984"

Theodora reading about Ancient Rome.
#Rome #TuxedoCats #catsandbooks #readingcats #cats

"How could you communicate with the future? It was of its nature impossible. Either the future would resemble the present, in which case it would not listen to him, or it would be different from it, and his predicament would be meaningless."
-George Orwell, "1984"
#1984 #GeorgeOrwell

The book can get a little tedious at times, like detailing marches, speeches, and such.
However, it did provide an interesting insight into certain dynamics of the mercenaries that are the focus of the book, such as war councils and electing of generals and commanders, plus some religious beliefs, like pausing a march until certain sacrifices and omens were deemed ok.
The translation was good, and notes helped to provide some historical context.

"There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to."
-George Orwell, "1984"

Next read from the TBR list.
#bigbrother #GeorgeOrwell #1984

"When people are not trusted, their words, I notice, merely drift about without force in themselves and without inspiring confidence in others. But when people are known to have a respect for the truth, their words are just as powerful as other people's force in securing any object at which they aim."
-Xenophon, "The Persian Expedition"

Theodora reading about Julius Caesar.
#rome #cats #catsandbooks #readingcats #tuxedocats

In the spirit of Kramer's "coffee table book about coffee tables," here's a "library book about libraries."

Next read.

Went to the book sale my local library was having last week. It was the last day, so it was fill a bag for $5. Yes, I really enjoy reading about history.
I remember going to book sales at the local library growing up. Always enjoyed it, since I was able to get alot of books to read.

"When someone was boasting of having read many things, Castruccio said: "It would be better to boast of having remembered them.""
-Niccolo Machiavelli, "The Life of Castruccio Castracani of Lucca"

"For once Benjamin consented to break his rule, and he read out to her what was written on the wall. There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran: 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.'"
"Animal Farm," Geroge Orwell

Current read.