daily-life-detail books

[pico_the_great]

Little Details, I have a question that may or may not fit here. (If it doesn't, mods: please tell me!)

I have found what looks like an excellent book: China's Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. This book is, essentially, a book of Little Details - it's got information about every tiny aspect of society, and answers all the sorts of

Comments

[carlhh]

The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England By Ian Mortimer
Life in the Medieval Cloister Julie Kerr

There are also the "The *Unofficial* Manual" books for Gladiator, Knight, and Samurai (various authors). Those are a little tongue-in-cheek at times, but still informative.

Probably more along the lines of "reference books that make you go to Little Details" are the "Life in a Medieval . . ." series by Frances and Joseph Gies. (the blanks being "Village", "City", and "Castle.")

[sollersuk]

Seconding Ian Mortimer's book most enthusiastically - it has details that even I didn't know! Informative and readable.

[foxinthestars]

I've currently got out from the Library "Handbook to Life in Medieval & Early modern Japan" by William E. Deal, which is pretty good (doesn't contain all the details you'd want, if anything every would). Also "Daily Life in Japan at the time of the Samurai" by Louis Frederic, but it's older (from the 70s) and sometimes you can smell the Orientalism that "Handbook..." doesn't fall into.

[full_metal_ox]

For life in the Heian court of Lady Murasaki's day, there's Ivan Morris's The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan.

[3rdragon]

When I was in junior high, we read The Ancient City, which had full-color pictures, and I recall being very impressed with, to the extent that I kept it. Unfortunately I don't have it sitting in front of me, but I think it would suit your criteria.

[naamah_darling]

Thank you for these recommendations. Very much. That first one looks AMAZING. Ordering it tomorrow.

[yiskah]

These sound amazing! Do they deal with the Barbary corsairs in any detail?

[landrews]

The Doris Kindersley Publishing Eyewitness books are aimed at kids and are illustrated details books, but fascinating. They have several international pages you can access here: http://www.dk.com/