I recently finished The Middle Ages: A Graphic History, one of the last books Dad gave me for my birthday (at my request). He appreciated the use of art as a way to tell a story; his interest in graphics began early with his enjoyment of, and later collection of, Classics Illustrated comics. (E.g., see blog post: https://tothineownselfbetrue.ca/2022/05/08/comic-book-day-in-e-town/)
The book is a lively romp across more than a thousand years of civilization. While I occasionally found the “who did what, where, and when” a bit confusing as we twisted through the central Europe-centric text, it was a delightful overview, and I learned a great deal. Eleanor Janega’s narrative is friendly, with an occasional dry wit, and Neil Max Emmanuel’s illustrations bring the stories to life with a touch of humour.
One of the most striking takeaways is how little civilization has truly changed since the 1500s, where the book leaves off. Themes of oppressed and mistreated minorities, wealth inequity, and the corruption of power, among many others, remain firmly embedded in modern society. Systemic reinforcement, it seems, is a powerful and enduring force…