A Short History of the Normans (Short Histories)

I debate whether to give this four or five stars. It is a nice, comprehensive book. However, it is not a blow-by-blow story of events of the Norman era. Rather, it is a very topical, abstract discussion of major themes across the whole Norman world. Gratefully, she tackles all the hard problems, and gives fresh interpretations in each area. Of course, the effect of the Normans in Europe are a matter of legend, and this book really fills in the blanks. It provides a refreshing overview of the whole culture, with comparisons, leaving us to ponder the basic unity of the Norman world. As a Norman (English) myself, I enjoyed the part on Norman identity, but I assure you, we still exist.

This is a model for what an introduction to a complex subject should look like. It's accessible without being condescending. It's authoritative but witty. And it is above all very honest about the open-ended quality of this (and of course all other) history. There is no parading of dodgy certainties. Instead the author brings out the disagreements about facts and interpretations amongst historians and the reader is shown where s/he might follow up the arguments.Throughout the reader is helped to feel that although the world she describes is a thousand years old, understandings of that world constitute an on-going project. I thought it was terrific.

Spannende Erzählung der Geschichte der Normannen auf dem allerneuesten Forschungsstand mit Einbezug der Menschen beider Geschlechter, aller Klassen, unterschiedlichster Lebensformen. Leonie Hicks vermag so selbst den alt bekannten und viel diskutierten Quellen neuen Atem einzuhauchen.