The Last Knight : The Twilight of the Middle Ages and the Birth of the Modern Era

Rating:
Summary: Can't Believe This Was Published
Review: I googled the author of this book to get an email address so I could send him a snotty note. But, as luck would have it, he apparently just died. Oh well. That means no note, but I can at least write a short review. I've read a good bit of English history, including Hume's and MacAulay's multi-volume works. Cantor's little book is the worst I have ever picked up. The thinking and writing are simplistic. Worse, Cantor asserts 'facts' he could not possibly know (e.g. John of Gaunt's thoughts)and has stupidly interpreted the past in the politically correct slogans that make little sense even in our own age. Don't waste your money. Don't buy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but irritating
Review: This history did not live up to expectations set by the fly leaf. Cantor rambles, contradicts himself and fails to support his points. He makes statements about Gaunt's emotional state and motivation which he does/can not substantiate. The editing was sub-par as well: at one point the word "there" should have been replaced by "therefore" in order for the sentence to make sense. I forced myself to finish the book, and found it interesting for the most part, but was overall irritated that the author of such a poorly written book could received such glowing reviews from "The New Yorker" and "The Washington Post" > did they read this?? I doubt it.