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The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe (World History Series) by: Robert S. Gottfried

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Publisher: The Free Press
Release date: 1st March, 1985
Media: Paperback

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Rating: - grim, thorough work on the Black Death

There has been nothing in modern medicine to parallel the devastation of the Plague. This books is not easy reading, not lightly touched upon history. More of a masquerading study presented as a historical work, with a dash of detective work tossed in. Gottfried sets the stage of the emergence of the plague, traces its thorough and relentless progress across Europe, drawing on a wealth of documents, such as church and tax records, records written in six different languages from poets, historians and physicians of the period.

He shows how the cycles of outbreak of plague beginning in 1347 and lasting over hundreds of year, nearly singlehandedly broke the spine of feudalism, even to challenged the papal authority of the church, and shook up medicine completely. He draws comparisons so you have a focal point to which you can wrap your mind around such as during the first major outbreak lasting four years, he estimate between 17 and 28 million souls died a horrible death, contrasting that to the causalities of World War I where 8 1/2 million died. His study shows the areas of cities and over population, where the sanitary conditions were nonexistent, the mortality rate ran to 40-50%, pointing out London suffered nearly 300 death daily in the Summer of 1349.

Civil authority nearly broke down as fear and panic seized the masses, bizarre cults appeared like the Flagellistic ones, that went from town to town whipping themselves as punishment for the sins of mankind. Many saw it as the end of the world, Dooms Day, the time for the second coming of Christ.

Gottfried recreates this nightmare world that serves as a warning for all generations in vivid detail.

I do wish he had gone more into the witch-craze beginning to sweep the lands, and how the Church's ordering of the killing of all cats, fearing they were witches or witches familiars strongly contributed to the spread of the plague.

sigh...maybe in another book...

Still a must for writers of this historical period.

Rating: - An excellent book on the Black Death

In this book, professor Gottfried gives us an in-depth, and yet easy to read analysis of the Black Death of the late 14th century, as well as earlier and later epidemics of various diseases. The first chapter is an examination of the three varieties of plague--bubonic (with a 50%-60% mortality), pneumonic (with a 95%-100% mortality), and septicaemic (mortality unknown as of the writing of this book). The following chapters examine the history of plagues, and the effects these had on Western and Middle-Eastern civilization.

I particularly appreciated the author's use of first-hand accounts in this book, which really served to keep the dialogue from ever becoming too dry and academic. This book is easy to read, with the issues made quite apparent. For example, the author was careful to delineate what epidemics included the pneumonic strain that produced such horrific mortality in many locations. I was also impressed with the author's examination the plague's affects on the Islamic world, not just confining his examination to Europe.

This book is easy to read and understand, and a great reference for anyone (academic or not, such as myself) interested in the Black Death. I recommend this book absolutely.

Rating: - It was had very explicit details which was very great .

Well i thought the book was very fascinating. It took curios readers like me who enjoy history on an amazing joyride.Although the book had some pretty explicit detail ,I enjoyed it.

Rating: - A superb piece of history

This is the second book I read about the Black Death of 1347-51. I was equally impressed with the way Gottfried presented his materials. The author also examines several other diseases that were common in those days, and takes a scientific look at the bacillus that infected fleas and, eventually, the rodents that spread the epidemic. Thoroughly researched (look at his bibliography), this is a terrific book for anyone wanting to know not only about the Black Death but also about its aftermath in Europe (it shaped and changed the future of Europe). I would rank this book with Philip Ziegler's classic "The Black Death."

Rating: - A Must For Anyone Who Studies Medieval Ages & Black Death

As a student of Medieval History. This was the most rewarding book on the black death I have read. The bibliography at the end of the book gave me a new path to learn more about this period of time. This book explained in detail why Europe went into the Dark Ages, that it was not an overnight process. Upon completion of reading this book, I have looked at the new emerging viruses and see how it could happen again.

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