Emperor Of The West: Charlemagne And The Carolingian Empire by Hywel Williams

Emperor Of The West: Charlemagne And The Carolingian Empire Reviews

• 
  Kristinn Valdimarsson

  Þetta er að mörgu leiti mjög fróðleg bók. Hún er hins vegar alltof ítarleg (þó hún fjalli reyndar líka stundum um hið stóra sögulega samhengi nokkuð sem ég var ánægður með enda oft meira innstilltur á það sjónarhorn) og ekki mjög þjált skrifuð. Ég get því ekki mælt með henni nema fyrir þá sem hafa þeim mun meiri áhuga á þessu tímabili.
• 
  A.T. Jackson

  Unlike many of my fellow readers who have given this book mixed reviews for its dryness, I myself found its detail-oriented approach to be its outstanding quality. This book is brimming with names and dates, with a very strong attempt by the author to remain as descriptive and emotionally detached as possible.
  
  If the book does have one major drawback I would argue that it’s its lack of focus on Charlemagne’s successors Louis the Pious and Charles the Bald. The first half if a biography of Charlemagne’s life and the second half is dedicated to explaining the cultural and political features of his empire, with mention of his successors only when directly relevant to these topics. This, I don’t think I got as much information about the entire history of the Carolingian Empire as a was expecting.
  
  If you’re looking for a biography of Charlemagne’s life and how he ruled, this is a fine choice of literature. However, for a history that focuses on the empire as a whole, I would recommend reading this book in conjunction with books about his successors.
• 
  Jane

  There is a wealth of information in this book, and someone looking for a general overview of the Roman and Frankish empire of the 5th-9th century will find this book useful. The book is very detailed in places and dates.
  The book is not chronological, which I thought made it hard to follow. Surely, the military conquests are related to the cultural changes and religious conversions taking place. These topics should have been presented together.
  There isn't much about Charlemagne, but more about Carolingian empire as a whole.
• 
  Альберто Лорэдо

  Probably the driest book I've read in years. Even though it includes really good information and in depth explanations, there are no notes whatsoever and the text does not flow and it's really difficult not to lose the thread
• 
  Sho

  I live near Aachen (Aken if you're from The Netherlands, Aix la Chapelle if you're from France and probably both if you're from Belgium). That means that sometimes I go for a visit, sometimes shopping, sometimes sightseeing. Often via the Meyersche bookshop mothership which has a very very good foreign (ok English) language section. I've done the walking tour of the town and seen bits of roman wall, city wall, the Dom (or cathedral) and a replica set of Charlemagne's crown jewels (very shiny).
  
  Following one of those visits - and looking at when I bought it, I'm shocked to see it was 3 years ago - I decided it was time to increase my knowledge of all things Aachen-historical and ordered this book which had good reviews. Dutifully I finally picked it up and eagerly started reading.
  
  Charlemagne died in 814 which makes this year the 1,200th anniversary of his death. It's also a year when the relics held in the Dom are paraded through town and lots of religious things happen. That only occurs once every 7 years, so that makes this year a big one for Aachen and historians. So it seemed like a good time to finally give Emperor of the West a go.
  
  Dutifully I finally picked it up and took it on the train. And I really really wanted to read it. I seriously really did. But after about 70 pages I had to admit that I was just going through the motions. It really is interesting, honestly it is. But it's just not grabbing me. And since I have such limited reading time I had to have 'the conversation' with the book. Well, with me, but you know how it is:
  
  Me: I'm sorry, book, this just isn't working out.
  Book: No, why? Just give it another go, really.
  Me: I'm not sure. I mean, you're just not doing it for me.
  Book: Aw, don't say that. Look, let's try something different. Please? Jump ahead to chapter 6. That's all about Carolingian power and politics. You like politics, don't you? *bats eyelashes*
  Me: *sigh* OK then. But just because I really want this to work.
  
  *pause for a few pages of chapter 6*
  
  Me: no, seriously, this just isn't going to work. My eyes started to glaze over. It's all those dates and lists of names. Where's the power, where's the sexy politics?
  Book: Um. Ah. OK then, how about chapter 7? That's economics. You know, despite your protestations to the contrary, that you love economics. What's not to love about economics? C'mon, I'm desperate here.
  Me: *firmly* No. Sorry. It's over. There's no point in prolonging it. It's not you, it's me. I'm just looking for something a bit lighter, you know? A bit more like a flirtation, an affair. Something quick and smutty, maybe.
  *puts book on bookshelf, walks away without looking back*
  
  Maybe I'll come back to it later. Maybe not. But it really is an interesting story, I think it's just the wrong time for me right now.
• 
  Michael Macdonald

  magisterial study of Europe's most influential ruler: this is a detailed biography of Charlemagne but is so much more. The context of Charlemagne's glory is set out showing the continuity from ancient Rome and the religious underpinning of Carolian imperial culture.
• 
  Melisende

  Very indepth history of the Carolingian Empire & Charlemange.