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Mar. 25th, 2025 10:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fjmI am engaged in a project to clear the massive back log on the To Be Read pile. The fiction is almost done but the non fiction is much harder work and there are four metres to go (maybe 3-4 years of reading).
Some of this is because some of the books are *very big*. Sitting on our shelves for ever seemingly is a five volume history of Ireland. I added it to the tbr pile on the understanding that after I have read it, now Edward is not teaching Irish history any more, I can dispose of it. Each one is 1000 dense pages and around 20 essays of mixed quality.
I've read volume 1, which is a relief, because (and apologies to pre historians), pre history in one place tends to be very similar to pre-history in another place. But it dod have really interesting material on the early medieval period (pre the arrival of Henry II) both the social mores, the constant small kingdom feuds and the latin literary culture.
I am now on volume 2. Diarmiat mac Murtha of Leinster has invited in Henry II in, and Pope Alexander III has offered Henry the 'lordship' but not the Kingship of Ireland as a way of bringing the Irish into greater conformity with the church (ie not permitting divorce). As we know, this will turn out to be a Bad Idea.
Some of this is because some of the books are *very big*. Sitting on our shelves for ever seemingly is a five volume history of Ireland. I added it to the tbr pile on the understanding that after I have read it, now Edward is not teaching Irish history any more, I can dispose of it. Each one is 1000 dense pages and around 20 essays of mixed quality.
I've read volume 1, which is a relief, because (and apologies to pre historians), pre history in one place tends to be very similar to pre-history in another place. But it dod have really interesting material on the early medieval period (pre the arrival of Henry II) both the social mores, the constant small kingdom feuds and the latin literary culture.
I am now on volume 2. Diarmiat mac Murtha of Leinster has invited in Henry II in, and Pope Alexander III has offered Henry the 'lordship' but not the Kingship of Ireland as a way of bringing the Irish into greater conformity with the church (ie not permitting divorce). As we know, this will turn out to be a Bad Idea.
