The medieval economy was centred on a phenomenal growth in trade of all kinds of goods yet few have studied the actual network of roads that was so vital to medieval trading. Starting with the basic concept of a road in medieval times & discussing the increasing need to travel this book explores the evidence from documents & maps that provide clues as to where the roads of medieval Britain led connecting the study of individual roads together to paint an image of the broader road network. The author also uses findings from archaeological surveys & birds-eye-view photographs to trace the centuries-old routes & illustrate the winding tracks that once carried goods to market. ...

As the Viking Age gave way to the Middle Ages the development of Scandinavian armies showed special local characteristics due both to the rough terrain & the relatively egalitarian nature of society. Though Denmarks proximity to Germany led to the appearance there of a kind of feudal system & some heavy armoured cavalry in Sweden & Norway there was fairly willing co-operation between the few nobles & the many free farmers. This book shows how armies were of local infantry levies raised by democratic methods to defend home territory. It also details how the crossbow became very important along with ambush tactics & winter campaigning employing the use of sledges & skis. ...

Suffolk was one of the most important regions of England in the middle ages. Even by 1200 it was wealthy densely populated highly commercialised & urbanised; & it survived the impact of three of the most tumultuous events of the last millennium the Great Famine (1315-22) the Black Death (1349) & the Peasants Revolt (1381) to become by 1500 one of the richest & most industrialised regions of England based on cloth manufacture fishing & tanning. This first volume in a series which will become the definitive History of Suffolk describes documents & analyses these events. It combines an accessible & readable summary of the current state of knowledge with fresh insights drawn from extensive investigations of primary sources. Overall it offers a guide to & re-evaluation of the history of late medieval Suffolk. Mark Bailey is senior visiting lecturer at the University of Leeds & Headmaster of The Grammar School at Leeds. ...

During the Middle Ages decorative floor tiles were used in abbey churches royal palaces parish churches & the homes of wealthy citizens. Tiles were durable & hygienic & added a new decorative element to the interior. Despite their simple tools & kiln equipment the medieval tile makers proved extremely skilful in the production of different types of tile. They ranged from variously shaped plain tiles which were assembled into complex mosaic floors to two-coloured inlaid tiles & stamped-relief & line-impressed tiles all decorated with a wealth of different patterns & designs. Many medieval tiles disappeared during nineteenth-century restorations but the designs lived on in the copies made by Victorian tile manufacturers. Throughout Britain tiles can still be seen in situ on the sites of former abbeys as well as in medieval cathedrals & parish churches & the British Museum has an extensive & important collection. ...

Highly Commended in the Best Archaeological Book category of the 2008 British Archaeological Awards. Wall paintings are a unique art form complementing & yet distinctly separate from other religious imagery in churches. Unlike carvings or stained glass windows their support was the structure itself with the artists canvas the very stone & plaster of the church. They were also monumental often larger than life-size images for public audiences. Notwithstanding their dissimilarity from other religious art wall paintings were also an integral part of church interiors enhancing devotional imagery & inspiring faith & commitment in their own right & providing an artistic setting for the churchs sacred rituals & public ceremonies. This book brings together often for the first time many of the very best surviving examples of medieval church wall paintings. Using new technologies & many previously untried techniques it allows us to visualize these images as the artists originally intended. The plates are accompanied by an authoritative & scholarly text bringing the imagery & iconography of the medieval church vividly to life. ROGER ROSEWELL was educated at St Edmund Hall Oxford University. A former journalist he is a Director of a private European art foundation & the news editor of the online stained glass magazine VIDIMUS. ...

Take an inward journey for a happier healthier more productive life Meditation is a great way to reduce stress increase energy & enjoy better health. It is believed to result in a state of greater calmness & physical relaxation & psychological balance. Plus practicing meditation can change how you relate to the flow of emotions & thoughts in your everyday life. This fun & easy guide has long been a favorite with meditation newcomers.. .and now it's even better. Meditation For Dummies offers a newly recorded CD featuring more than 70 minutes of music & guided meditations that are keyed to topics in the book from tuning in to your body transforming suffering & replacing negative patterns to grounding yourself consulting the guru within & finding a peaceful place. The book also discusses the latest research on the health benefits of meditation along with new advice on how to get the most out of meditation in today's fast-paced world.

Includes:: new information on the recent research on the causes of happiness & how meditation can improve mood Features a set of suggested meditations for becoming happier Examines new research on brain changes in people practicing meditation New revised & refreshed content throughout including insight into the best meditation apps electronic content & websites Praised by Deepak Chopra as a useful guidebook filled with clear instructions & helpful hints " this hands-on friendly guide gives you everything you need to begin experiencing the many benefits of meditation. CD-ROM/DVD & other supplementary materials are not included as part of the e-book file but are available for download after purchase."

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Throughout history some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves & each other. They have inspired debate dissent war & revolution. They have enlightened outraged provoked & comforted. They have enriched lives & destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers pioneers radicals & visionaries whose ideas shook civilization & helped make us who we are. ...

Few ancient works have been as influential as the MEDITATIONS of Marcus Aurelius. A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom practical guidance & profound understanding of human behaviour it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual & ethical reflection ever written. Marcuss insights & advice
- on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity & interacting with others
- have made the MEDITATIONS required reading for statesmen & philosophers alike while generations of ordinary readers have responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style. In Gregory Hayss new translation
- the first in thirty-five years
- Marcuss thoughts speak with a new immediacy. In fresh & unencumbered English Hays vividly conveys the spareness & compression of the original Greek text. Never before have Marcuss insights been so directly & powerfully presented.



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When you choose the action love sponsors then will you do more than survive then will you do more than win then will you do more than succeed. Then will you experience the fully glory of Who You Really Are & who you can be. Judge not & neither condemn for you know not why a thing occurs nor to what end. These are just some of the messages contained in Conversations With God" which its many readers will welcome in the form of these daily meditations. A phenomenon in the United States having spent over 40 weeks in the best-seller lists the books success is now being repeated around the world." ...

This book presents the spiritual wisdom of the Stoic Emperor of Ancient Rome. Perennial maxims point the way for achieving perfect peace of mind. They have inspired the best of humanity for almost two millennia. This book is translated by George Long the celebrated English classical scholar. ...