Cover of The secularization of early modern England
Read Time: ~3.8 hr

The secularization of early modern England

by C. John Sommerville (1992)

About this book

"Secularization is a subject of daunting size and is filled with ambiguity. Through the use of insights gained from anthropology and sociology, and by studying an earlier period than is usually considered, this provocative work overcomes the usual obstacles to exploring and explaining why various aspects of life--art, language, work, play, technology, and power--became divorced from religious values in early modern England." "Sommerville helps modern readers understand what life was like in an age in which society was suffused with religion and was as basic to thought as the structure of language. Concentrating not only on a decline of religious belief, which is the last aspect of secularization, he shows that a transformation of England's cultural grammar preceded the loosening of belief, and that this was largely accomplished between 1500 and 1700, much earlier than commonly believed. Sommerville asserts that only when definitions of space and time changed, and language and technology were transformed (as well as art and play) could a secular world view be sustained." "Demonstrating that the process was more political and theological than economic or social, Sommerville shows that as aspects of daily life became divorced from religious values and controls, religious culture was supplanted by religious faith--a reasoned, rather than an unquestioned, belief in the supernatural." "The first large-scale treatment of the history of secularization, The Secularization of Early Modern England will greatly interest students of history, religion, sociology, anthropology, and literature."--BOOK JACKET.

Setting / LocationLondon & UK
Story EraModern Era
Protagonist / CoreThe secularization of early modern England Lead Character

Readers who enjoyed this also loved

Cover of El mundo

El mundo

Juan José Millas

Juan José Millás tiene la capacidad de convertir hechos cotidianos y rutinarios en auténticas experiencias vitales. Es todo un arte que desarrolla en “El Mundo”. Una obra definida como autobiográfica, en la que supuestamente tenemos a un Juanjo de diez años, en su barrio, su casa y su calle -llenas de terribles carencias, sobre todo las afectivas-, donde se desenvuelve con dificultades. “El vitaminas” es su amigo. Un niño enfermo que le llena la cabeza de fantasías que los dos encuentran espiando desde el ventanuco del sótano de “El vitaminas”, donde éste le desvela fantásticos secretos. Millás, con una capacidad retórica y un manejo léxico magnífico llena las páginas de ternura y sordidez por igual. La ternura de la inocencia de los pequeños y la sordidez de sus peculiares aventuras. Se retroalimentan con esos secretos-mentiras que les hacen vibrar, dentro de sus simples vidas. Puedes o no creértelo, puedes hacer como que te crees que esos niños se lo creen, y es entonces cuando el lector disfruta, si te dejas atrapar por la extraña magia que esos secretos imposibles: el padre del “Vitaminas” trabaja en la Interpol y los dos niños llegan a “visitar” el que llaman, el mundo de los muertos. Millás intercala sus vivencias y los traumas de su infancia con su visión como adulto. Un escritor adulto lleno de paranoias que no sabemos si son resultado de su excentricidad o de no haber podido resolver sus traumas infantiles. Como el de María José, la hermana del “Vitaminas”, con la que sufre un encantamiento del que no obtiene respuesta. Cuesta creer que esta niña, luego mujer, sea tan rara. Yo diría hasta “petarda”, porque no sabe qué hacer con su vida incluso cuando crece. La calle en la que viven Juanjo y su amigo es su emoción diaria, el mundo que se inventan y que da título al libro. Llega un momento en el que ya no sabemos qué es real: no sabemos si el niño Juanjo ha creído ver este mundo o es una ensoñación, como otras tantas que describe este libro que sin duda no es para “Planeta” a pesar de que obtuviera este premio en 2007, aunque desde hace mucho es difícil creer que las obras premiadas tienen categoría o altura para merecerlos. Aun así, lo cortés no quita lo valiente. “El mundo” es una historia contada de manera diferente, muy fluida, tan fluida que te resbalas por las palabras y te embalas leyendo, que te hace reír y muchas veces apretar los dientes en tramos puntuales, como los que nos cuentan la tristeza que rodea la vida de Juanjo (es trágico el capítulo de los malos tratos). Eso claro, en el caso de que así fuera, porque -simplemente- puede que ésa sea la manera en la que el autor lo sintió. Si no gusta o no se sabe apreciar “el toque Millás”, es posible que muchos lectores hayan abandonado esta aventura con “El Mundo”. Un libro de premio antiguo, que cojo mucho después de su bombo del momento, porque -en general- huyo como de la peste de los laureles por kilos que atraen los galardones de este tipo. Prefiero dejar pasar el tiempo para que no me arrolle la bandada de reseñas, críticas y comentarios que se acumulan cuando se produce la publicación o la adjudicación de megapremios a un libro.

Cover of Skeleton Hill

Skeleton Hill

Peter Lovesey

"Battle and burial are built into the history of Lansdown Hill, so it is no great shock when part of a skeleton is unearthed there. But Peter Diamond, Bath's Head of CID, can't ignore the fresh corpse found close to the folly known as Beckford's Tower. The hill becomes the setting for one of the most puzzling cases he has investigated, involving golf, horseracing, Civil War re-enactment and the Cyrillic alphabet. Inevitably, Diamond butts heads with the group of vigilantes who call themselves the Lansdown Society, discovering in the process that his boss Georgina is a member. She resolves to sideline Diamond by sending him to Bristol and handing the skeleton investigation to his deputy, Keith Halliwell. Fortunately matters don't pan out as Georgina plans."--Jacket.

Cover of The sweet life

The sweet life

Rebecca Lim

"Janey couldn't wait to see her friends' faces. Imagine, she thought. I have a stalker. Like I'm some kind of A-list celeb or something. Who is the sinister 'Fellini', tracking Janey Gordon through cyberspace? And why is he posting warnings to her MySpace page? Sixteen-year-old Janey is all alone in the world apart from her trio of best friends ... until she discovers a mysterious letter that leads her to long-lost family, thousands of miles away in Italy. So she heads off on a Roman holiday with a suitcase full of glam outfits courtesy of her fashion-addict bestie, Ness, and a list of must-see locations from her film-buff buddy, Em. It should be a time of sun, food, shopping and cute guys - but there's someone shadowing every step she takes. Living the sweet life can be a dangerous thing"--Page 2 of cover.

Cover of The printed pattern

The printed pattern

Rebecca Drury and Yvonne Drury

This is a practical handbook on how to develop and use patterns on a wide range of domestic items, including 15-20 inspirational and adaptable projects. The book shows how to select concepts, gives suggestions for choosing ideas and pulling themes together and teaches how to develop whole 'looks' for interior spaces starting with mood boards or sketchbooks. There is guidance on colours and selecting your palette as well as how to develop motifs and patterns and looking at layout and composition ideas. Various surface decoration techniques such as stencils, applique and screenprinting are also.

The secularization of early modern England by C. John Sommerville | Literally Just Books