A World Lit Only by Fire

In 'A World Lit Only by Fire', William Manchester provides a scathing account of the European Middle Ages.

The book is divided into three sections: 'The Medieval Mind', 'The Shattering', and 'One Man Alone'.

Manchester describes the Middle Ages as a period marked by technological stagnation, short-sightedness, bloodshed, feudalism, and the oppressive influence of the Church.

He covers significant events such as the fall of the Roman Empire, the Dark Ages, the rise of humanism during the Renaissance, and the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan.

Despite criticism for its reliance on secondary sources and lack of scholarly rigor, the book offers a vivid narrative of a tumultuous era in European history.