My top medieval books of 2023

I am unbelievably shaken to be once again at the end of the year, and babes, for me it’s been a year of books. Firstly because, of course, my book The Once And Future Sex made its debut in the world. As I type this, it is in the process of being translated into several other languages, and is already out as Die Ideale Frau auf Deutsch. As a result, I spent a lot of this year thinking about and explaining it to people, which has been a real delight and privilege.

Secondly, I read a lot of great books this year. Yes, I am completely aware of the fact that this is incredibly unsurprising, and almost like it is my job or something to read books. Indeed, one of the best things about my job is how many books I am given to read and I wanted to take some time to talk about that and give you all a round-up of my favourite medieval books of the year. These are not the only books that I have kindly been given and was delighted to read, but this is (in theory at least) a medieval blog so we’re focusing up today on the medieval history books in question. If you are stuck for a last minute present, perhaps this will help you find something for someone. If you are stuck for what to tell people who ask what you want, maybe it will do the same! What it will certainly do is allow me to acknowledge the wonderful work of all my colleagues this year, and baby, history is a team sport, so let’s do it.

The Middle Kingdoms: A New History of Central Europe by Martyn Rady
Best for: Central Europe baybee, large overview histories, legal history, people who have a pretty good grasp of medieval and early modern history as a whole, but want more specialist knowledge

Full disclosure – I am incredibly biased about this bad boy right here. The esteemed Professor Martyn Rady was my PhD supervisor, and so is responsible for all of my nonsense right here. He is one of the most fun people I have ever met, a walking good time, and one of the most knowledgeable but chill about it people I have ever encountered. His The Middle Kingdoms brings all of these facets together. It’s a fairly rare feat: a history that manages to deep dive on local histories while also giving you a large overview. Martyn’s specialism is legal history, so he is able to create a picture of Central Europe that helps you understand the inner workings of the various kingdoms and principalities that call the region home. It’s somehow also really really fun. I cannot recommend it enough. Read it to impress me.

The Deorhord: An Old English Bestiary by Hana Videen
Best for: Animal lovers, etymology, fans of the fantastic

Do you wish to be delighted? Because my friends, I have a book that will do that. Hana Videen’s absolutely delightful Deorhord is a romp through old English words and medieval ideas about animals. It’s a bit magic, and covers weird little guys like the moon-heads or heafdu swelce mona which … we don’t know what they are, ok? But also you get the cynocephalics or dog headed people, as well as stories about how whales are essentially wolves. You get the drift! If you are a fantasy person this is the book for you.

Peasants Making History: Living in an English Region 1200-1540 by Christopher Dyer
Best for: history of normal/real/interesting people, English history for those who already have a good grasp, CROPS

OK so technically this came out last year, but it came out last December, so I didn’t get hold of it until 2023. Peasants Making History is one of the only academic books on this list because I am more usually recommending books that you guys can, like, actually afford. However, this is one to order up from your library, or splash out on if you, like me, are interested in the histories of real people.  Dyer does a masterful job in this book of bringing the world of English peasants to life. You get to really understand the ways that peasants thought about and working with their families, neighbours, and yeah also their lords. But instead of being a top down history, this is looking at the real people who made and moved society. Dyer did an amazing job of using evidence in new ways which helps to create an absolutely fascinating narrative. A book about the practical, the useful, and who our ancestors actually were.

Eleanor of Aquitaine, as It Was Said: Truth and Tales about the Medieval Queen by Karen Sullivan
Best for: Royal lovers, Eleanor of Aquitaine stans, women’s history, literary enthusiasts

This was one of my favourite books of the year just due to the historical technique that Sullivan displays here. The thing about Eleanor of Aquitaine is that most of what we know about her is gossip. The “it was said” in the title of the book is a direct reference to all the rumor you have to wade through in order to get at any semblance of the truth about the woman herself. This is a masterclass in dissecting the medieval category of womanhood, and I enjoyed every minute of it. If you want queens – look no further.

---

If you are enjoying this post, why not support the blog by subscribing to the Patreon, from as little as  £ 1 per month? It keeps the blog going, and you also get extra content. If not, that is chill too.

---

The Folklore of Wale: Ghosts by Delyth Badder and Mark Norman
Best for: GHOSTS, Welsh history, folk history, the goths in your life

Quite possibly one of the most fun books I read this year – Badder and Norman have written an absolute romp of a supernatural history. The book covers some of the really interesting facets of Welsh culture (ghosts don’t wear white there!) and do a great job of situating their discussion in the landscape and culture of Wales as a whole. I absolutely inhaled this book. I think we need more emphasis on what regular people are doing, believing, and saying throughout history, and mate, if we can do that while being spooky? I am in.

Beatrice’s Last Smile: A New History of the Middle Ages, by Mark Gregory Pegg
Best for: generalised medieval overview, religious history, deep nerd lore

This book? This book made me think. Mark Gregory Pegg is one of those names in medieval history because he knows how to craft an argument, and if he ruffles a few feathers in that process he frankly does not care. I have always been particularly interested in his work on the good men and women of Languedoc, and I call them that instead of the Cathars because of his work in the area. I was absolutely over the moon to be given a copy of this one because baby – this is a history of the Middle Ages told through the concept of holiness. I know. I think it’s an incredible interesting conceit, and because of it he is able to begin in what is really more like the late antique period, giving a really firm overview and understanding of the religious and cultural threads that intertwine to create what we would call the medieval period.

Chivalry and Courtesy: Medieval Manners for a Modern World, by Danièle Cybulskie
Best for: dispelling medieval myths, approachable history, younger readers, people with an interest in court practice

Again, full disclosure, as many have noted Danièle is my girl. But her guides to medieval culture are so cute and fun, and this is such a great introduction that I cannot be silent. I love the framework that she uses here and shows us the lessons that we can take from the medieval world to apply to our own. This is a great little guide, and I particularly recommend it for young people who are interested in the medieval world. It’s cute and a really nice way to bring people in to medieval history.

I hope you’ll find something for everyone on this list. I remain incredibly humbled that anyone send me books, and will keep doing my best to share them with you. Thanks for being here this year, and my best for the festive season and the coming year.

---

Support the blog by subscribing to the Patreon, from as little as  £ 1 per month! It’s the cool thing to do!

My book, The Once And Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society, is out now.

© Eleanor Janega, 2024