Holy Bones, Holy Dust by Charles Freeman
Illustrates that the pervasiveness and variety of relics answered very specific needs of ordinary people across a darkened Europe under threat of political upheavals, disease, and hellfire.
"Freeman is an excellent narrator.. He loves to tell a good tale, and the history of relics overflows with countless bizarre and fascinating deeds."-Andrew Butterfield, The New Republic -- Andrew Butterfield The New Republic "As Freeman delves into practices across Europe, he demonstrates great ease in synthesizing - and keeping accessible - many various strains of religious thought... The same is true of his treatment of the histories of the Crusades, the rise of the Byzantine Empire, the Italian city-states, the challenge of Protestantism... It's no easy feat to encapsulate these subjects, and yet Freeman ... pulls it off with great authority and insight."-Nick Owchar, Los Angeles Times -- Nick Owchar Los Angeles Times "Despite their prominence in the Middle Ages and even up to today, there is no other comprehensive history of relics available. As always, Freeman writes well and will stir up controversy. Recommended to scholars who will appreciate this comprehensive history, as well as to buffs of medieval history."-David Keymer, Library Journal -- David Keymer Library Journal "[A] fascinating book..."-Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph (Seven) -- Noel Malcolm Sunday Telegraph (Seven) 'In Holy Bones, Holy Dust, Charles Freeman presents the massive history of relic veneration in a way that is at the same time comprehensive, compulsive and accessible. This is no mean achievement.'-Paul Fouracre, Frankland: The Franks and the World of Medieval Europe -- Paul Fouracre "Wonderfully written and inviting... Freeman, right down to the notes for his illustrations, fascinates...[Holy Bones, Holy Dust is] a model for how history is to be written."-Thomas McGonigle, ABC of Reading -- Thomas McGonigle ABC of Reading "It is rare that a book about medieval history can keep the attention of any apart from scholars or, perhaps, live-role-play gamers. But this is just such a book. Holy Bones, Holy Dust, the latest offering from award-winning author Charles Freeman, benefits from being both exceptionally well written and having a strangely attractive subject matter."-Tim Perry, ChristianWeek.org -- Tim Perry ChristianWeek.org "Excellent... Meticulously expert, engagingly readable both as history and as writing."-Craig Smith, Santa Fe New Mexican -- Craig Smith Santa Fe New Mexican "An absorbing and insightful journey, ... with Freeman's fast-paced, well-researched account as our guide... Today relics still have a role... For anyone curious about their long history, Holy Bones, Holy Dust is essential reading."- Catholic News Service Catholic News Service "This is a history not just of relics and holy objects but of the place they had, not just in the religious but in the whole life of medieval Europe; in war, in peace, in trade, in politics and in the small details of daily living. Fascinating in itself, this book offers a perspective not only on questions about the past but also on questions about the sacred and the profane, both explicit and the implicit." -Christine E. King, Implicit Religion -- Christine E. King Implicit Religion Freeman's Holy Bones, Holy Dust is a thoughtful, engaging introduction into the uses and abuses of medieval relics. As a book intended to introduce modern audiences to the varieties and oddities of relic devotion, it does its job very well. The short chapters with their often-fascinating stories of miracles and political intrigue make the book a quick and absorbing read. That Freeman's work will introduce recent academic work on relics to a non-specialist audience is surely to be commended. Holy Bones, Holy Dust deserves to attract a large readership. Combing its fascinating topic with its sure prose, it is certain to do so. - Donna Trembinski, St. Francis Xavier University -- Donna Trembinski Canadian Journal of History "The strength of this book is its compelling sense of storytelling... In chapters where the scholarship is particularly rich and focused, ... Freeman's ability to write exciting narrative sweeps one along. Generally there are big themes-politics, religion, conflict, and resolution-but there also are many telling anecdotes and a sense of the personal and the touchingly human."-Cynthia Hahn, Catholic Historical Review -- Cynthia Hahn Catholic Historical Review "In Holy Bones, Holy Dust: How Relics Shaped the History of Medieval Europe, Charles Freeman, an expert on the ancient world and the history of Christianity, takes the reader on a journey through a time overcast by the shadow of sin and punishment, where relics provided a spiritual relief, and where the Church's power grew to the point of making the Reformation all but inevitable."-Aida Dias, Saber and Scroll Journal -- Aida Dias Saber and Scroll Journal
Charles Freeman is a specialist on the ancient world and its legacy. He has worked on archaeological digs on the continents surrounding the Mediterranean and develops study tour programmes in Italy, Greece and Turkey. Freeman is Historical Consultant to the prestigious Blue Guides series and the author of numerous books, including the bestseller The Closing of the Western Mind and, most recently, A New History of Early Christianity.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780300125719 |
| ISBN 10 | 0300125712 |
| Title | Holy Bones, Holy Dust |
| Author | Charles Freeman |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Yale University Press |
| Year published | 2011-05-24 |
| Number of pages | 306 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |