Looking for excellent history books to serve as a memorial. Any ideas?
My friend just passed away, and I’m looking for a few exceptional history books to buy for our local library in her memory. She was a fan of Arthurian Legend, Courtly Love, and kings and queens of the middle ages. I have a few ideas, but I was wondering what others would think.
They can be adult or juvenile, and even fiction. But no trash please, I am being sincere here.
Thanks.
Thanks for the info I already knew about King Arthur. Was that an answer for another question?
Also, I don’t have an MLS but I work at this local branch. I’m brainstorming for ideas here, and I’m quite familiar with the collection.
- annabellleigh3
Tags: Courtly Love, History Books, King Arthur, Memory, Trash
April 10th, 2009 at 6:25 am
The classical version of the Arthurian Legend is Le Morte D’Arthur by Thomas Mallory.
Asser’s Life of King Alfred is about the only English monarch to ever hold the title of “the Great”; Ælfred the Great.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
There are a number of possibilities, but I’d suggest you talk to the librarian in charge of reference books first to see what they already have, and he can probably suggest several excellent choices to add to their reference works.
You really want to coordinate this with the reference librarian rather than just buy a couple of nice books, since the type of books I believe you’re referring to are somewhat expensive compared to most library books, and should not be checked out, but available for reference only.
April 13th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I would suggest “A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century,” by Barbara W. Tuchman; Knopf, 1978. Few can match this woman for historic detail, a winning narrative style, keen insight into politics and flair for high drama. Barbara Tuchman, who passed at 77 in 1989, knew how the world works–any world she researched. This book in the library would be a nice tribute to your friend. And people will read it, enjoy it and be better for it thanks to your friend, and to you.