The Edge of the World

The Edge of the World: A Cultural History of the North Sea and the Transformation of Europe by Michael Pye Summary: An epic adventure ranging from the terror of the Vikings to the golden age of cities: Michael Pye tells the amazing story of how modernity emerged on the shores of the North Sea. Saints and spies, pirates and philosophers, artists and intellectuals: they all criss-crossed the grey North Sea in the so-called "dark ages," the years between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of Europe's mastery over the oceans. Now the critically acclaimed Michael Pye reveals the cultural transformation sparked by those men and women: the ideas, technology, science, law, and moral codes that helped create our modern world.  This is the magnificent lost history of a thousand years. It was on the shores of the North Sea where experimental science was born, where women first had the right to choose whom they married; there was the beginning of contemporary business transactions and the advent of the printed book. In The Edge of the World, Michael Pye draws on an astounding breadth of original source material to illuminate this fascinating region during a pivotal era in world history. Angie's Comments: This book is about the changes that have created part of the modern world. For example, the first chapter is about the evolution of money in northern Europe. And the second chapter was dear to my heart as a librarian, as it was about books. This is a look into the “Dark Ages” and medieval times in northern Europe, which was more eventful than we learned in school. The section about love and marriage is interesting – many marriages at the time in the north were later marriages, when the participants were in their 20s. I learned so much from reading this book, and I have a deeper appreciation for what happened in northern Europe. Recommended for readers interested in history. Request this item