Castles

CASTLES is a book Dan Jones was born to write: his childhood infatuation, followed by profound scholarship and garnished with superbly engaging prose has produced a wonderful history of the strongholds that still excite our imagination and command our respect * Andrew Roberts *
A rollicking gallop through five millennia of humankind’s efforts to wall societies in ... The presiding virtue of CASTLES is ... infectious wonder, disciplined by formidable learning * The Times *
Glorious. Jones has taken one of the things we take for granted in the background of so many periods, and used it to produce what feels like a completely fresh approach to history. Made me want to go on a grand tour * Jonn Elledge *
[A] charming tour ... CASTLES brilliantly shows how myth, scholarship and material history intertwine * New York Times *
Epic in scope and lavish in detail, Jones tells the story of human history through the most dramatic ruins we have * Paul Cooper *
As fluent and coherent in its description of many different buildings as it is meticulous in its consideration of what these edifices actually are, or were meant to be ... A day trip to a historic setting like Fort Sumter, in Charleston, South Carolina, site of the first armed engagement of the American Civil War, or a hike up to the remains of Cadbury Castle in Somerset encapsulate the fun Jones had researching CASTLES * Literary Review *
Clever, conversational and compelling * Evening Standard *
Brilliant... Jones is excellent on the ways the idea of the castle has found its way into culture * Daily Mail *
An absolutely captivating celebration of castles ... As you gallivant through history with [Jones], there are intrigues, rollicking tales, and intense brutal battles to discover. This would make a fabulous gift for others or yourself and for its sheer exuberance on its subject ... CASTLES is a wonderfully gripping and fascinating read * Lovereading - Star Book *
Superstar medievalist Dan Jones traces [castles’] development from the Bronze Age fortifications of Troy to the Maginot Line of the Second World War ... Stories are interlinked – Roman emperors stride side by side with Renaissance princes – but the narrative never feels dry or dusty. Jones’ enthusiasm for his subject gallops the reader along like a knight riding into battle, firing out fascinating facts. Each chapter is headed with dynamic woodcut-style illustrations that complement the narrative drive. If you were ever dragged around old ruins as a child, this book will inspire you to see fortifications in a fresh and exciting way and send you charging towards your nearest castle * Press Association *
Superstar medievalist... Jones’s enthusiasm for his subject gallops the reader along like a knight riding into battle, firing out fascinating facts * PA Media *