About this book
A Distant Mirror surveys fourteenth-century Europe, a period scarred by the Black Death, the Hundred Years' War, peasant revolts and the split in the papacy. To give shape to so much upheaval, Barbara Tuchman follows the life of Enguerrand de Coucy, a French nobleman whose career touched many of the era's great events.
The book moves between his story and wide-ranging chapters on daily life, chivalry, religion, money and warfare. Tuchman is a superb storyteller, and she has a gift for the revealing detail that makes a distant world feel close. Her title points to the parallels she saw between the disasters of the 1300s and the turmoil of her own twentieth century.
This is a long and rich book rather than a quick read, but it rewards patience with an unusually complete sense of how medieval people lived and what they feared. For a later Tuchman classic, try The Guns of August; for more on the period, browse our medieval shelf.
Who it’s for
Best for readers ready for a substantial, immersive book; rewarding rather than light, and no specialist knowledge needed.
Editions vary by publisher and format. Check the retailer’s listing for the edition, translation and format before you buy.