AA Best of Britain's Castles: 100 of the Most Impressive Historic Sites in Britain (AA Best of Britain's S.)

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As a fan of castles full stop, this was like a dream book. All I can say is that if you are a fan of castles, you will love this book. Book of the Month: Get the month’s hottest new and upcoming titles from Book of the Month. You might snag an early release or debut author. Along with selecting a book a month, find terrific add-ons, both trendy and lesser-known titles. In Castle Builders, Malcolm Hislop looks at the hugely popular subject of castles from the unusual perspective of design and construction. In this general introduction to the subject, we discover something of the personalities behind their creation - the architects and craftsmen - and, furthermore, the techniques they employed, and how style and technology was disseminated. Castle Builders takes both a thematic and a chronological approach to the design and construction of castles, providing the reader with clear lines of development. Themes include earth, timber and stone construction techniques, the evolution of the great tower, the development of military engineering, the progression of domestic accommodation, and the degree to which aesthetics contributed to castle design.

I found this book to be highly educational. It covers covers pretty much everything you might ever want to know about how castles were built. The book included quite a few photographs and diagrams which I enjoyed, as well as a helpful glossary at the end. NetGalley, Heather Russell An interesting, well researched and informative read that helped to learn more about castles and how they were built. However, many people refer to Biltmore as such, and Kiernan – a local Asheville author– has named her book with a bit of a castle-y flair… Learn more about the construction of Asheville’s Biltmore Estate, a property owned by George and Edith Vanderbilt. It was so interesting learning about the different construction and stories behind the creation of castles. My BF is also a huge fan of castles and collects them so it was really neat to share this with him as well. NetGalley, Isla Weston

Children’s books about castles

Then, there are nonfiction books on castles, castle life, and nobility that teach us more about history, culture, war, and conflict. As you read the book you will learn much about the evolution of castles. The book is beautifully designed and illustrated. Marc Morris's book does a similar service in bringing the castle to life through the stories of the people who built them and lived in them, be it Edward I that great and terrible king, or Sir Edward Dallingridge - the kind of man who Shakespeare's Henry V would have hanged for metrcilessly using the excuse of war to pillaging the french countryside - save that Dallingridge lived and died a generation earlier and used his ill-gotten gains to set himself up with a home and a castle. There is nowhere better than Bodiam to bring reality to the phrase an Englishman';s home is his castle. Throughout Castle Builders the reader can sense the respect and affection Hislop has for the personalities and skills of the medieval master builders and their crafts.

Overall, a fine edition to the library of anyone interested in castles. Steve Earles, Destructive Music For nonfiction books about castles and very large estates, this is one of the best-researched and most interesting. Kiernan knows how to paint a picture. Do you have favorite stories about castles? Do you enjoy fantastical, romance, or horror castle books more? Let us know in the comments.There are a lot of measurements in the book, how large the castle is, the size and shape of rooms. It describes what materials were used in building the castle walls. Not only does Kiernan talk about the incredible feat of creating the home, but she discusses the lives of George and Edith, both of whom contributed to politics, education, and forestry. Some of the best fantasy stories about castles transport us across the globe, especially to places like England and Scotland. I had a few worries about this book: I thought it might be a bit dry and long winded, it might involve a lot of referencing to the TV show. I didn't need to worry about either as this book was well-written, informative, informal and generally a joy to read. Morris has a style that's like Dan Jones crossed with Bill Bryson.

The best book on castles for some time. British Archaeology, July/August 2017 - reviewed by Paul Stamper Jaggers's clerk in Great Expectations proves that an Englishman's home can be a castle. His cottage in Walworth has been turned into such – with gothic windows, a gun battery and a flagstaff. He proudly shows Pip how you enter via a drawbridge over a moat. Have you ever looked at a castle and wondered who designed it and how? This new book covers, "approaches to castle design and construction in the Middle Ages" and explains how different eras gave rise to different techniques. Explore History, December 2016This encyclopaedic work provides a comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the Medieval Castle and is likely to become a standard reference work on the subject. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in both castles per se and the ‘Medieval era’ / ‘Middle Ages’ in general. NZ Crown Mines You get a feel for the scientific approach to designing castles, so long ago. The pencil drawings are numerous and helpful in understanding what the castles look like. Overall, very informative. An architect interested in history would greatly enjoy this book. Most of the castles are in England, but there are some from many different places. NetGalley, Tina Cay