Superb Book, 25 May 2008
If you are looking for an easy to read, yet factual and informative book on the Cathars, then this is the one to get.
A great writing style, and a passion for the subject is clear.


A Very Good Introduction to Catharism, 05 Jun 2005
Sean Martin's book on The Cathars is a worthy follow-up to his best-selling book on the Templars. Like the Templars, Martin in this book recounts what we know of the Cathars, and also deals with the myths surrounding the sect (i.e. that they possessed the Holy Grail) without being judgmental about them.

Overall, the book takes a deeply sympathetic pro-Cathar view-point and differs from most other treatments of the subject by including chapters not only on the south of France, where Catharism what as its strongest and where the Albigensian Crusade took place, but also includes material on the Cathars in Italy and Bosnia. Martin also puts the heresy in the context of the development of dualism, and also of the church reforms of the High Middle Ages.

The book is easy to read and clearly written. All in all, a perfect introduction to the subject.

Superb Book, 25 May 2008
If you are looking for an easy to read, yet factual and informative book on the Cathars, then this is the one to get.
A great writing style, and a passion for the subject is clear.


A Very Good Introduction to Catharism, 05 Jun 2005
Sean Martin's book on The Cathars is a worthy follow-up to his best-selling book on the Templars. Like the Templars, Martin in this book recounts what we know of the Cathars, and also deals with the myths surrounding the sect (i.e. that they possessed the Holy Grail) without being judgmental about them.

Overall, the book takes a deeply sympathetic pro-Cathar view-point and differs from most other treatments of the subject by including chapters not only on the south of France, where Catharism what as its strongest and where the Albigensian Crusade took place, but also includes material on the Cathars in Italy and Bosnia. Martin also puts the heresy in the context of the development of dualism, and also of the church reforms of the High Middle Ages.

The book is easy to read and clearly written. All in all, a perfect introduction to the subject.

The work of a genius , 25 Oct 2007
An exceptional presentation based heavily on historical records. Weis refrains from undue speculation and lets the records speak. Nevertheless, his exquistive writing helps bring the story to life. Ironically, the Inquisitions own detailed records from 1290-1329 were preserved and enabled Weis to recreate many of the activities in the village of Montaillou, France.

Cathar religion is not the focus of this history, but elements of Cathar thought and practice are unavoidably present. The pluses and minuses of being a Cathar are presented, at least for the residents of Montaillou. Despite the asceticim of Cathar spiritual leaders, the sexual promiscuity of some Cathars is not glossed over.

Sadly, in this case, the reason for the Inquistions interest in Montaillou seems to have been, not primarily their religious difference but the reluctance of people in that area to pay the Church's taxes.

I read this book in 3 days, but I took a break after every 2 chapters or so because following all the detail challenged my focus. The amount of detail Weis was able to assemble is staggering. To his credit, he kept the story flowing. I've never read history at this fine a granularity. I never before was aware what life in medieval Europe might be like.

Weis seems superhuman. How he assimilated so many facts and presented it so clearly and vividly is far beyond my understanding. A work of this quality and power seem to me very rare [Another book on Montaillou, by Ladurie, may be even more detailed, enough to perhaps be of interest only to academicians, but apparently makes a heavily pro-Church interpretation]. Even if the Cathars are not your interest, I'd recommend this book for its extraordinary presentation of life in a medieval village. I've never before felt this connected to people of the Middle Ages: I'm very impressed by them

These could be your neighbours, 09 Apr 2007
Very impressive book that actually physically pushes you into Occitantia in the 13th/14th centuries. You get to know his characters, like them and want them to live even though you know the Inquistion is lurking somewhere around the next Coll. Ive read few other books that engage you in everyday life so long ago, with such passion and feeling. I cant recomend this enough. If its sat next to some sad little tome on Rennes le Chateau or how Leonardo Da Vinci was a member of some mad sect INSIST the bookshop moves it- this is way beyond the da Vinci Code.


Everyday life of the last Cathars, 01 Aug 2006
Well here I am again less than a fortnight from my first review and book on Catharism! This one has left me in tears, absolutely! At first somewhat confusing with the family ties
and links but then totally absorbing. I personally needed a good English dictionary to help me understand some of the text (but then I'm no intellectual) But what impressed me about the author was his total absorbtion into the day-to-day lives of these people: their loves, sexual preferences, hardship and
determination. I felt as if I've traversed those mountain passes and valleys of Pierre Maury and will now, of course,
hve to visit the area. Stay with this, its detail is so important to understnd the devastation of the final outcome.
Thank you Rene Weis !!


A cracking unforgetable read, 20 Aug 2003
I found this book absolutely compelling. I have read it three times and continue to dip into it. It is more interesting than Emmanuel Roy Laudrie's book on the same subject. It takes a more anthropological approach as opposed to Laudrie's social, political and economic stance. Weiss's updating and locating of events is thoroughly convincing. One can smell the bread coming from the foghana. It also has a fine hero in Pierre Maury. One more noble and good than the parfaits he follows.

Not a serious work of history, 15 May 2003
I note that the author of this book is a Professor of Literature rather than of History. He would have been better off using his talents within the fictional realm. There is little evidence of the historical scholarship the first reviewer speaks of - the book fails to place the Cathars of Languedoc in any kind of political or cultural historical context, and a reader new to the subject would be absolutely mystified as to why the Catholic church chose to persecute the sect.

Instead we are subjected to pointless and anachronistic speculation as to the character and motives of the main protagonists. This would be ideal as the basis for the play or novel M. Weis should probably have written, but should hardly appear in a work of serious history. The story of the Cathars is a compelling one, which is what kept me reading until the end of this book, but they deserve a better historian than Rene Weis to tell their tale.

Superb Book, 25 May 2008
If you are looking for an easy to read, yet factual and informative book on the Cathars, then this is the one to get.
A great writing style, and a passion for the subject is clear.


A Very Good Introduction to Catharism, 05 Jun 2005
Sean Martin's book on The Cathars is a worthy follow-up to his best-selling book on the Templars. Like the Templars, Martin in this book recounts what we know of the Cathars, and also deals with the myths surrounding the sect (i.e. that they possessed the Holy Grail) without being judgmental about them.

Overall, the book takes a deeply sympathetic pro-Cathar view-point and differs from most other treatments of the subject by including chapters not only on the south of France, where Catharism what as its strongest and where the Albigensian Crusade took place, but also includes material on the Cathars in Italy and Bosnia. Martin also puts the heresy in the context of the development of dualism, and also of the church reforms of the High Middle Ages.

The book is easy to read and clearly written. All in all, a perfect introduction to the subject.

The work of a genius , 25 Oct 2007
An exceptional presentation based heavily on historical records. Weis refrains from undue speculation and lets the records speak. Nevertheless, his exquistive writing helps bring the story to life. Ironically, the Inquisitions own detailed records from 1290-1329 were preserved and enabled Weis to recreate many of the activities in the village of Montaillou, France.

Cathar religion is not the focus of this history, but elements of Cathar thought and practice are unavoidably present. The pluses and minuses of being a Cathar are presented, at least for the residents of Montaillou. Despite the asceticim of Cathar spiritual leaders, the sexual promiscuity of some Cathars is not glossed over.

Sadly, in this case, the reason for the Inquistions interest in Montaillou seems to have been, not primarily their religious difference but the reluctance of people in that area to pay the Church's taxes.

I read this book in 3 days, but I took a break after every 2 chapters or so because following all the detail challenged my focus. The amount of detail Weis was able to assemble is staggering. To his credit, he kept the story flowing. I've never read history at this fine a granularity. I never before was aware what life in medieval Europe might be like.

Weis seems superhuman. How he assimilated so many facts and presented it so clearly and vividly is far beyond my understanding. A work of this quality and power seem to me very rare [Another book on Montaillou, by Ladurie, may be even more detailed, enough to perhaps be of interest only to academicians, but apparently makes a heavily pro-Church interpretation]. Even if the Cathars are not your interest, I'd recommend this book for its extraordinary presentation of life in a medieval village. I've never before felt this connected to people of the Middle Ages: I'm very impressed by them

These could be your neighbours, 09 Apr 2007
Very impressive book that actually physically pushes you into Occitantia in the 13th/14th centuries. You get to know his characters, like them and want them to live even though you know the Inquistion is lurking somewhere around the next Coll. Ive read few other books that engage you in everyday life so long ago, with such passion and feeling. I cant recomend this enough. If its sat next to some sad little tome on Rennes le Chateau or how Leonardo Da Vinci was a member of some mad sect INSIST the bookshop moves it- this is way beyond the da Vinci Code.


Everyday life of the last Cathars, 01 Aug 2006
Well here I am again less than a fortnight from my first review and book on Catharism! This one has left me in tears, absolutely! At first somewhat confusing with the family ties
and links but then totally absorbing. I personally needed a good English dictionary to help me understand some of the text (but then I'm no intellectual) But what impressed me about the author was his total absorbtion into the day-to-day lives of these people: their loves, sexual preferences, hardship and
determination. I felt as if I've traversed those mountain passes and valleys of Pierre Maury and will now, of course,
hve to visit the area. Stay with this, its detail is so important to understnd the devastation of the final outcome.
Thank you Rene Weis !!


A cracking unforgetable read, 20 Aug 2003
I found this book absolutely compelling. I have read it three times and continue to dip into it. It is more interesting than Emmanuel Roy Laudrie's book on the same subject. It takes a more anthropological approach as opposed to Laudrie's social, political and economic stance. Weiss's updating and locating of events is thoroughly convincing. One can smell the bread coming from the foghana. It also has a fine hero in Pierre Maury. One more noble and good than the parfaits he follows.

Not a serious work of history, 15 May 2003
I note that the author of this book is a Professor of Literature rather than of History. He would have been better off using his talents within the fictional realm. There is little evidence of the historical scholarship the first reviewer speaks of - the book fails to place the Cathars of Languedoc in any kind of political or cultural historical context, and a reader new to the subject would be absolutely mystified as to why the Catholic church chose to persecute the sect.

Instead we are subjected to pointless and anachronistic speculation as to the character and motives of the main protagonists. This would be ideal as the basis for the play or novel M. Weis should probably have written, but should hardly appear in a work of serious history. The story of the Cathars is a compelling one, which is what kept me reading until the end of this book, but they deserve a better historian than Rene Weis to tell their tale.

Interesting, hampered by obscure writing style, 10 Aug 2008
Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg traces the story of one Menocchio, a peasant from northern Italy who was put on trial (and eventually burned at the stake) for heresy by the Italian inquisition in the 16th century. He puts forwards parts of the transcription of the trial, and we realize that Menocchio has some quite heterodox (and not totally consistent) views on theology and cosmology, suggesting a number of eclectic sources for his ideas. For example, he viewed the Earth as a sort of giant cheese and the angels as worms coming out of the cheese (hence the book's title). How an Italian peasant, without presumably much access to books, would get such views, Ginzburg asks. He traces the bookshelves of Menocchio, but he is unable to come up with a clear answer. For example, even though his cosmology seems to have been influenced by a reading of the Koran, that was not among the books he possessed. Ginzburg finally suggests that Menocchio was a recipient of an ancient oral tradition, perhaps going back to the prechristian past, that was not totally suppressed by the church in rural areas. The book deals with an interesting subject, but is unfortunately hampered by Ginzburg's deliberately obscure writing style. A more conventional storytelling would have helped.

A miller's tale ..., 20 Jun 2002
One of my favorite books of all time. An account of the worldview of a medieval miller based on Inquisition records may not sound promising, but the evocation of how strange and different, yet how similar medieval men were is astonishing. In an age which thinks it has invented "pick and mix" religion, this acts as an important corrective. Ginzburg never abandons his miller completely, and you will be touched by his humanity as well as surprised by his views.
As a history graduate, I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a history book more than this.

Terrific insight!, 10 Jul 1999
In the cheese and the worms, ginzburg gives terrific insight into how ones social status defines their belief system. It shows the interperative filters one uses based on what they know and are able to comprehend.

Historiography at its best!, 10 Dec 1998
Carlo Ginzburg was one of the first historians to put into practice anthropological ideas about culture as a historically transmitted system of meaning. These ideas were developed by Clifford Geertz, Victor Turner, and ultimately, Michel Foucault. In using Menocchio, Ginzburg makes a statement about making history from the point of view of the excluded, the liminal characters of society. In this sense, Menocchio's story ceases to be an anecdote and becomes a reflection and a statement about the way Italian society was constructed in the 16th century. All this from the point of view of those upon whom power was imposed.

phenomenal, 19 Nov 1998
expertly intriguing, unparalleled, and remarkably spell-binding.........."The Cheese and The Worms" is a must-read book for everyone and anyone who loves great literature and is the best novel I've ever read.

Superb Book, 25 May 2008
If you are looking for an easy to read, yet factual and informative book on the Cathars, then this is the one to get.
A great writing style, and a passion for the subject is clear.


A Very Good Introduction to Catharism, 05 Jun 2005
Sean Martin's book on The Cathars is a worthy follow-up to his best-selling book on the Templars. Like the Templars, Martin in this book recounts what we know of the Cathars, and also deals with the myths surrounding the sect (i.e. that they possessed the Holy Grail) without being judgmental about them.

Overall, the book takes a deeply sympathetic pro-Cathar view-point and differs from most other treatments of the subject by including chapters not only on the south of France, where Catharism what as its strongest and where the Albigensian Crusade took place, but also includes material on the Cathars in Italy and Bosnia. Martin also puts the heresy in the context of the development of dualism, and also of the church reforms of the High Middle Ages.

The book is easy to read and clearly written. All in all, a perfect introduction to the subject.

The work of a genius , 25 Oct 2007
An exceptional presentation based heavily on historical records. Weis refrains from undue speculation and lets the records speak. Nevertheless, his exquistive writing helps bring the story to life. Ironically, the Inquisitions own detailed records from 1290-1329 were preserved and enabled Weis to recreate many of the activities in the village of Montaillou, France.

Cathar religion is not the focus of this history, but elements of Cathar thought and practice are unavoidably present. The pluses and minuses of being a Cathar are presented, at least for the residents of Montaillou. Despite the asceticim of Cathar spiritual leaders, the sexual promiscuity of some Cathars is not glossed over.

Sadly, in this case, the reason for the Inquistions interest in Montaillou seems to have been, not primarily their religious difference but the reluctance of people in that area to pay the Church's taxes.

I read this book in 3 days, but I took a break after every 2 chapters or so because following all the detail challenged my focus. The amount of detail Weis was able to assemble is staggering. To his credit, he kept the story flowing. I've never read history at this fine a granularity. I never before was aware what life in medieval Europe might be like.

Weis seems superhuman. How he assimilated so many facts and presented it so clearly and vividly is far beyond my understanding. A work of this quality and power seem to me very rare [Another book on Montaillou, by Ladurie, may be even more detailed, enough to perhaps be of interest only to academicians, but apparently makes a heavily pro-Church interpretation]. Even if the Cathars are not your interest, I'd recommend this book for its extraordinary presentation of life in a medieval village. I've never before felt this connected to people of the Middle Ages: I'm very impressed by them

These could be your neighbours, 09 Apr 2007
Very impressive book that actually physically pushes you into Occitantia in the 13th/14th centuries. You get to know his characters, like them and want them to live even though you know the Inquistion is lurking somewhere around the next Coll. Ive read few other books that engage you in everyday life so long ago, with such passion and feeling. I cant recomend this enough. If its sat next to some sad little tome on Rennes le Chateau or how Leonardo Da Vinci was a member of some mad sect INSIST the bookshop moves it- this is way beyond the da Vinci Code.


Everyday life of the last Cathars, 01 Aug 2006
Well here I am again less than a fortnight from my first review and book on Catharism! This one has left me in tears, absolutely! At first somewhat confusing with the family ties
and links but then totally absorbing. I personally needed a good English dictionary to help me understand some of the text (but then I'm no intellectual) But what impressed me about the author was his total absorbtion into the day-to-day lives of these people: their loves, sexual preferences, hardship and
determination. I felt as if I've traversed those mountain passes and valleys of Pierre Maury and will now, of course,
hve to visit the area. Stay with this, its detail is so important to understnd the devastation of the final outcome.
Thank you Rene Weis !!


A cracking unforgetable read, 20 Aug 2003
I found this book absolutely compelling. I have read it three times and continue to dip into it. It is more interesting than Emmanuel Roy Laudrie's book on the same subject. It takes a more anthropological approach as opposed to Laudrie's social, political and economic stance. Weiss's updating and locating of events is thoroughly convincing. One can smell the bread coming from the foghana. It also has a fine hero in Pierre Maury. One more noble and good than the parfaits he follows.

Not a serious work of history, 15 May 2003
I note that the author of this book is a Professor of Literature rather than of History. He would have been better off using his talents within the fictional realm. There is little evidence of the historical scholarship the first reviewer speaks of - the book fails to place the Cathars of Languedoc in any kind of political or cultural historical context, and a reader new to the subject would be absolutely mystified as to why the Catholic church chose to persecute the sect.

Instead we are subjected to pointless and anachronistic speculation as to the character and motives of the main protagonists. This would be ideal as the basis for the play or novel M. Weis should probably have written, but should hardly appear in a work of serious history. The story of the Cathars is a compelling one, which is what kept me reading until the end of this book, but they deserve a better historian than Rene Weis to tell their tale.

Interesting, hampered by obscure writing style, 10 Aug 2008
Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg traces the story of one Menocchio, a peasant from northern Italy who was put on trial (and eventually burned at the stake) for heresy by the Italian inquisition in the 16th century. He puts forwards parts of the transcription of the trial, and we realize that Menocchio has some quite heterodox (and not totally consistent) views on theology and cosmology, suggesting a number of eclectic sources for his ideas. For example, he viewed the Earth as a sort of giant cheese and the angels as worms coming out of the cheese (hence the book's title). How an Italian peasant, without presumably much access to books, would get such views, Ginzburg asks. He traces the bookshelves of Menocchio, but he is unable to come up with a clear answer. For example, even though his cosmology seems to have been influenced by a reading of the Koran, that was not among the books he possessed. Ginzburg finally suggests that Menocchio was a recipient of an ancient oral tradition, perhaps going back to the prechristian past, that was not totally suppressed by the church in rural areas. The book deals with an interesting subject, but is unfortunately hampered by Ginzburg's deliberately obscure writing style. A more conventional storytelling would have helped.

A miller's tale ..., 20 Jun 2002
One of my favorite books of all time. An account of the worldview of a medieval miller based on Inquisition records may not sound promising, but the evocation of how strange and different, yet how similar medieval men were is astonishing. In an age which thinks it has invented "pick and mix" religion, this acts as an important corrective. Ginzburg never abandons his miller completely, and you will be touched by his humanity as well as surprised by his views.
As a history graduate, I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a history book more than this.

Terrific insight!, 10 Jul 1999
In the cheese and the worms, ginzburg gives terrific insight into how ones social status defines their belief system. It shows the interperative filters one uses based on what they know and are able to comprehend.

Historiography at its best!, 10 Dec 1998
Carlo Ginzburg was one of the first historians to put into practice anthropological ideas about culture as a historically transmitted system of meaning. These ideas were developed by Clifford Geertz, Victor Turner, and ultimately, Michel Foucault. In using Menocchio, Ginzburg makes a statement about making history from the point of view of the excluded, the liminal characters of society. In this sense, Menocchio's story ceases to be an anecdote and becomes a reflection and a statement about the way Italian society was constructed in the 16th century. All this from the point of view of those upon whom power was imposed.

phenomenal, 19 Nov 1998
expertly intriguing, unparalleled, and remarkably spell-binding.........."The Cheese and The Worms" is a must-read book for everyone and anyone who loves great literature and is the best novel I've ever read.

Controversial Brain Food, 26 May 2008
I imagine most people who buy this book will be readers of Gray's other works such as Straw Dogs and Black Mass who were impressed by his deep scepticism and deep analysis of many of the things that we (or our leaders) take for granted and allow to define our actions.

This book covers a wide range of subjects, but with many of his pet themes running through them. It is divided into three sections looking at Progress, War and Terror and Politics and Society. There are a handful of essays under each topic.

As can be expected from Gray's other works (and from the title of the book) his stance is often counter to conventional wisdom. This is often very refreshing and eye opening, but occasionally it leaves an uneasy (or even near sickening) feeling, for example with his views on torture. Here Gray believes that torture should be brought back within the legitimate tools of law enforcement and regulated (including having special solicitors to deal with the inevitable accidental deaths under torture). He believes that misguided and impractical ideals of human rights for terrorists prevent us from using all expedient means of preventing further acts of terror. I found this argument highly dubious as for a 'realist' Gray does not explain how these powers would be used in practical terms. Would a suspect be tortured for a confession? (i.e. a potentially innocent person), or would it only be applied to convicted people, making vulnerability to torture a part of their punishment? He also fails to mention the weight of evidence suggesting that torture is not a reliable way of gaining useful information anyway. And could torture, once sanctioned, be used in non-terrorist cases? We've already seen this happen with police using terror legislation on detaining suspects outside its original bounds.

I understand that torture is happening outside of the law at places like Guantanamo and through rendition, but its value appears very limited and perhaps the cost of eliminating torture from our law enforcement tools is a good than is greater than the benefits torture can bring us.

Sometimes Gray's stances counter to the morality of our times are exciting and perspective changing, but at others they can make you glad he doesn't run the country! However, his pre-invasion analysis of the problems that the US would face in trying to implement regime change were spot-on. On a lighter note, I really enjoyed the final chapter on the culture of celebrity and the 'dandifying' of western society.

Whether you agree with Gray or not, his ideas and analyses are always provocative and make you think in much greater depth about the important issues of our time. A great book to dip in and out of as the chapters are discreet and fairly brief (as they were once magazine articles).


The Mirror of the Human Condition, 30 Oct 2007
As John Gray reads the derogatory remarks of some reviewers he must be amused, given that the idea of his book is that it is a heresy to say the things he does.
Heresies is much like his other work Straw Dogs. It is a selection of Essays on the human condition and on war and politics.
What is satisfying about Gray's writing style is that he arrives at rapid conclusions .
We are not left wondering what he means when he forms his ideas.
I found the essay on the Matrix to be an excellent example of how humans live their lives of fantasy.
The essays on the illusion of the free market written in 2002 have proven to be accurate in the light of today's uncomfortable developments in trade among nations.
John Gray is the great "mirror" in which we see ourselves as we truly are.


Necessary Heresy, 04 Aug 2006
Gray's book, a collection of essays first published in the New Statesman offers a refreshingly different perspective on issues such as war, the environment, Europe, and Blair's leadership amongst other things. Gray uncompromisingly undermines and exposes the illusions which support liberal ideas and the stranglehold which these ideas have on western society. He is to the liberal establishment as a pin is to a baloon. The author's prose style is sharp and his arguments are delivered in a logical and accessible way.

'Heresies' is broken up into three parts: Part 1 is called 'The Illusion of Progress'. It is in this section that Gray expounds his thoughts on how 'Progress', in a technological sense, does not result in increased peace and stability or requisite 'progress' in human values. The human animal, the author explains, will always be infected by certain dersires, often negative, and 'progress' means only that those who benefit from better technology can pursue their desires with increased efficiency. Thus 'Progress', for Gray, leads to the ability to destroy the human species with nuclear weapons and the destruction of hundreds of other species. The modern faith in progress then, as something which will lead us towards a brighter, better future is horribly delusional.

In section 2 'War, Terrorism, and Iraq', Gray heralds the 'resumption of history' which began with 9/11 and the end of the dream of a peaceful, globalised world. He argues that we are seeing a return to a Westphalian inter-state world in which the competition for scarce resources is becoming ever more fierce. It is in this context that Gray places the US 'War on Terror'. Devastatingly accurate in his views on the debacle in Iraq, the author shatters the illusion that anything good could come from the invasion of that country.

In the third, and final, section 'Politics Without Illusions', Gray addresses issues such as the rise of the Far Right in Europe, the cult of celebrity, and Blair's Premiership. This part of the book does not see Gray at his strongest, however it's subject matter reveals the author's breadth of vision.

Gray is perhaps at his best when denouncing - and not without ample evidence - both market liberalism and Marxism as 'secular religions', whose belief in the possibility of a Utopian future is utterly misplaced. Understandably however, points that Gray makes in one essay are repeated later in others and while this is slightly annoying at times, this does not detract from the value of the book.

'Heresies' is not a book for those who are in need of an optimistic take on the prospects for improving the depressing state into which we humans have flung ourselves with such vigour. It is a candid, logical, and effortlessly elegant attempt to make us aware of the ways in which most people in the West have been deceived into thinking that 'free trade', 'liberal values' and their spread to the rest of the 'uncivilized' world will leave us better off. Even if one does not agree with Gray's arguments - something which is probably common - this collection of essays will encourage debate. Further, it is refreshing and necessary to lend an ear to the arguments of someone who is unafraid to go against the mainstream grain. Heresy is no bad thing.

repetitive discussions, poor reasoning, 17 Sep 2005
After reading Straw Dogs, this one was rather disappointing. There are some useful departing points for potentially fruitful discussions. However, there is nothing new and it is so obvious that the the book as a whole is a combination of newspaper articles. I think because of this, the book lacks an overall philosophical and of course theoritical basis. The depth-breadth balance is really poor in terms of the spread of the discussion topics. Furthermore, the discussions and arguments tend to repeat themselves and the previous ones from Straw Dogs. The author says "History resumes" at one stage in the book. The implications could be discussed differently i believe. And honestly, if you like to learn about war, terrorism, Iraq and politics there are many other useful sources around.

The progress of "Homo rapiens", 18 Jul 2005
According to Gray, the Enlightenment cast off the shackles of one religion, only to forge replacement fetters. The new religion, based on "humanism" is called "progress". This faith rests on the notion that the human condition can be constantly and continuously improved - forever. Instead of a metaphysical paradise, the new religion proposes one that can be achieved here and now. We act, he says, in the false belief that "science" is the new divinity. With so many problems having been solved through the application of science and technology, we've come to believe ALL obstacles can be overcome. What this faith ignores, Gray warns, is the finite supply of resources our planet has to sustain this programme.

In this collection of thought-provoking essays, Gray closely and critically scrutinises the new "faith" and explains its manifestations. In a trinity of themes, he looks at "progress", "terrorism" and "politics". The "scare quotes" are necessary here, because the reader may discover wholly new definitions of these terms within these pages. With incisive wit and deep insight, he examines the dedication to "progress" - where it came from and what it means now. A careful observer, he explains that "progress" is meaningful in the process of science. In the hands of politicians, industry and modern education, it is but a superstition. The world, he says, is "suffering from disseminated primatemaia - a plague of people." In his view "Homo sapiens" has evolved into "Homo rapiens", stripping the planet of resources with little idea of the impact it's having. The plague must be curtailed like any other infection. The first step in that therapy is shedding the belief that resources are limitless and technology can replace shortfalls.

He is scornful of the "war on terror", knowing that clumsy thinking followed by clumsy action easily creates more terrorists than it eliminates. The "crusade" now under way is simply generating fresh enemies. These antagonists are perhaps even more dedicated to destruction than those who launched the World Trade Center attacks. In "Washington's New Jacobins", Gray demonstrates the fallacies of using authority and military power to impart ideologies. It wasn't successful in the French or Communist revolutions, so there's little reason for thinking it will be accomplished by the Anglo-American Axis. The evangelists of the new faith are the neo-cons in Washington and their acolytes on Downing Street . "Dr Billy Graham has joined forces with Dr Strangelove", forging a bizarre and dangerous alliance.

As a heretic against the new orthodoxy, Gray seems to be standing alone. Heretics can be destructive, but they can also provide constructive pointers. Gray's approach isn't a hysterical rant - he's too knowledgeable for that. Instead of grand, sweeping and futile gestures such as Afghanistan and Iraq, Gray seeks a gradualist approach to issues. His method requires scrutiny and understanding of the underlying conditions of any issue. The approach requires work and people to perform the tasks. Read this and find out where you can make a contribution.

Superb Book, 25 May 2008
If you are looking for an easy to read, yet factual and informative book on the Cathars, then this is the one to get.
A great writing style, and a passion for the subject is clear.


A Very Good Introduction to Catharism, 05 Jun 2005
Sean Martin's book on The Cathars is a worthy follow-up to his best-selling book on the Templars. Like the Templars, Martin in this book recounts what we know of the Cathars, and also deals with the myths surrounding the sect (i.e. that they possessed the Holy Grail) without being judgmental about them.

Overall, the book takes a deeply sympathetic pro-Cathar view-point and differs from most other treatments of the subject by including chapters not only on the south of France, where Catharism what as its strongest and where the Albigensian Crusade took place, but also includes material on the Cathars in Italy and Bosnia. Martin also puts the heresy in the context of the development of dualism, and also of the church reforms of the High Middle Ages.

The book is easy to read and clearly written. All in all, a perfect introduction to the subject.

The work of a genius , 25 Oct 2007
An exceptional presentation based heavily on historical records. Weis refrains from undue speculation and lets the records speak. Nevertheless, his exquistive writing helps bring the story to life. Ironically, the Inquisitions own detailed records from 1290-1329 were preserved and enabled Weis to recreate many of the activities in the village of Montaillou, France.

Cathar religion is not the focus of this history, but elements of Cathar thought and practice are unavoidably present. The pluses and minuses of being a Cathar are presented, at least for the residents of Montaillou. Despite the asceticim of Cathar spiritual leaders, the sexual promiscuity of some Cathars is not glossed over.

Sadly, in this case, the reason for the Inquistions interest in Montaillou seems to have been, not primarily their religious difference but the reluctance of people in that area to pay the Church's taxes.

I read this book in 3 days, but I took a break after every 2 chapters or so because following all the detail challenged my focus. The amount of detail Weis was able to assemble is staggering. To his credit, he kept the story flowing. I've never read history at this fine a granularity. I never before was aware what life in medieval Europe might be like.

Weis seems superhuman. How he assimilated so many facts and presented it so clearly and vividly is far beyond my understanding. A work of this quality and power seem to me very rare [Another book on Montaillou, by Ladurie, may be even more detailed, enough to perhaps be of interest only to academicians, but apparently makes a heavily pro-Church interpretation]. Even if the Cathars are not your interest, I'd recommend this book for its extraordinary presentation of life in a medieval village. I've never before felt this connected to people of the Middle Ages: I'm very impressed by them

These could be your neighbours, 09 Apr 2007
Very impressive book that actually physically pushes you into Occitantia in the 13th/14th centuries. You get to know his characters, like them and want them to live even though you know the Inquistion is lurking somewhere around the next Coll. Ive read few other books that engage you in everyday life so long ago, with such passion and feeling. I cant recomend this enough. If its sat next to some sad little tome on Rennes le Chateau or how Leonardo Da Vinci was a member of some mad sect INSIST the bookshop moves it- this is way beyond the da Vinci Code.


Everyday life of the last Cathars, 01 Aug 2006
Well here I am again less than a fortnight from my first review and book on Catharism! This one has left me in tears, absolutely! At first somewhat confusing with the family ties
and links but then totally absorbing. I personally needed a good English dictionary to help me understand some of the text (but then I'm no intellectual) But what impressed me about the author was his total absorbtion into the day-to-day lives of these people: their loves, sexual preferences, hardship and
determination. I felt as if I've traversed those mountain passes and valleys of Pierre Maury and will now, of course,
hve to visit the area. Stay with this, its detail is so important to understnd the devastation of the final outcome.
Thank you Rene Weis !!


A cracking unforgetable read, 20 Aug 2003
I found this book absolutely compelling. I have read it three times and continue to dip into it. It is more interesting than Emmanuel Roy Laudrie's book on the same subject. It takes a more anthropological approach as opposed to Laudrie's social, political and economic stance. Weiss's updating and locating of events is thoroughly convincing. One can smell the bread coming from the foghana. It also has a fine hero in Pierre Maury. One more noble and good than the parfaits he follows.

Not a serious work of history, 15 May 2003
I note that the author of this book is a Professor of Literature rather than of History. He would have been better off using his talents within the fictional realm. There is little evidence of the historical scholarship the first reviewer speaks of - the book fails to place the Cathars of Languedoc in any kind of political or cultural historical context, and a reader new to the subject would be absolutely mystified as to why the Catholic church chose to persecute the sect.

Instead we are subjected to pointless and anachronistic speculation as to the character and motives of the main protagonists. This would be ideal as the basis for the play or novel M. Weis should probably have written, but should hardly appear in a work of serious history. The story of the Cathars is a compelling one, which is what kept me reading until the end of this book, but they deserve a better historian than Rene Weis to tell their tale.

Interesting, hampered by obscure writing style, 10 Aug 2008
Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg traces the story of one Menocchio, a peasant from northern Italy who was put on trial (and eventually burned at the stake) for heresy by the Italian inquisition in the 16th century. He puts forwards parts of the transcription of the trial, and we realize that Menocchio has some quite heterodox (and not totally consistent) views on theology and cosmology, suggesting a number of eclectic sources for his ideas. For example, he viewed the Earth as a sort of giant cheese and the angels as worms coming out of the cheese (hence the book's title). How an Italian peasant, without presumably much access to books, would get such views, Ginzburg asks. He traces the bookshelves of Menocchio, but he is unable to come up with a clear answer. For example, even though his cosmology seems to have been influenced by a reading of the Koran, that was not among the books he possessed. Ginzburg finally suggests that Menocchio was a recipient of an ancient oral tradition, perhaps going back to the prechristian past, that was not totally suppressed by the church in rural areas. The book deals with an interesting subject, but is unfortunately hampered by Ginzburg's deliberately obscure writing style. A more conventional storytelling would have helped.

A miller's tale ..., 20 Jun 2002
One of my favorite books of all time. An account of the worldview of a medieval miller based on Inquisition records may not sound promising, but the evocation of how strange and different, yet how similar medieval men were is astonishing. In an age which thinks it has invented "pick and mix" religion, this acts as an important corrective. Ginzburg never abandons his miller completely, and you will be touched by his humanity as well as surprised by his views.
As a history graduate, I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a history book more than this.

Terrific insight!, 10 Jul 1999
In the cheese and the worms, ginzburg gives terrific insight into how ones social status defines their belief system. It shows the interperative filters one uses based on what they know and are able to comprehend.

Historiography at its best!, 10 Dec 1998
Carlo Ginzburg was one of the first historians to put into practice anthropological ideas about culture as a historically transmitted system of meaning. These ideas were developed by Clifford Geertz, Victor Turner, and ultimately, Michel Foucault. In using Menocchio, Ginzburg makes a statement about making history from the point of view of the excluded, the liminal characters of society. In this sense, Menocchio's story ceases to be an anecdote and becomes a reflection and a statement about the way Italian society was constructed in the 16th century. All this from the point of view of those upon whom power was imposed.

phenomenal, 19 Nov 1998
expertly intriguing, unparalleled, and remarkably spell-binding.........."The Cheese and The Worms" is a must-read book for everyone and anyone who loves great literature and is the best novel I've ever read.

Controversial Brain Food, 26 May 2008
I imagine most people who buy this book will be readers of Gray's other works such as Straw Dogs and Black Mass who were impressed by his deep scepticism and deep analysis of many of the things that we (or our leaders) take for granted and allow to define our actions.

This book covers a wide range of subjects, but with many of his pet themes running through them. It is divided into three sections looking at Progress, War and Terror and Politics and Society. There are a handful of essays under each topic.

As can be expected from Gray's other works (and from the title of the book) his stance is often counter to conventional wisdom. This is often very refreshing and eye opening, but occasionally it leaves an uneasy (or even near sickening) feeling, for example with his views on torture. Here Gray believes that torture should be brought back within the legitimate tools of law enforcement and regulated (including having special solicitors to deal with the inevitable accidental deaths under torture). He believes that misguided and impractical ideals of human rights for terrorists prevent us from using all expedient means of preventing further acts of terror. I found this argument highly dubious as for a 'realist' Gray does not explain how these powers would be used in practical terms. Would a suspect be tortured for a confession? (i.e. a potentially innocent person), or would it only be applied to convicted people, making vulnerability to torture a part of their punishment? He also fails to mention the weight of evidence suggesting that torture is not a reliable way of gaining useful information anyway. And could torture, once sanctioned, be used in non-terrorist cases? We've already seen this happen with police using terror legislation on detaining suspects outside its original bounds.

I understand that torture is happening outside of the law at places like Guantanamo and through rendition, but its value appears very limited and perhaps the cost of eliminating torture from our law enforcement tools is a good than is greater than the benefits torture can bring us.

Sometimes Gray's stances counter to the morality of our times are exciting and perspective changing, but at others they can make you glad he doesn't run the country! However, his pre-invasion analysis of the problems that the US would face in trying to implement regime change were spot-on. On a lighter note, I really enjoyed the final chapter on the culture of celebrity and the 'dandifying' of western society.

Whether you agree with Gray or not, his ideas and analyses are always provocative and make you think in much greater depth about the important issues of our time. A great book to dip in and out of as the chapters are discreet and fairly brief (as they were once magazine articles).


The Mirror of the Human Condition, 30 Oct 2007
As John Gray reads the derogatory remarks of some reviewers he must be amused, given that the idea of his book is that it is a heresy to say the things he does.
Heresies is much like his other work Straw Dogs. It is a selection of Essays on the human condition and on war and politics.
What is satisfying about Gray's writing style is that he arrives at rapid conclusions .
We are not left wondering what he means when he forms his ideas.
I found the essay on the Matrix to be an excellent example of how humans live their lives of fantasy.
The essays on the illusion of the free market written in 2002 have proven to be accurate in the light of today's uncomfortable developments in trade among nations.
John Gray is the great "mirror" in which we see ourselves as we truly are.


Necessary Heresy, 04 Aug 2006
Gray's book, a collection of essays first published in the New Statesman offers a refreshingly different perspective on issues such as war, the environment, Europe, and Blair's leadership amongst other things. Gray uncompromisingly undermines and exposes the illusions which support liberal ideas and the stranglehold which these ideas have on western society. He is to the liberal establishment as a pin is to a baloon. The author's prose style is sharp and his arguments are delivered in a logical and accessible way.

'Heresies' is broken up into three parts: Part 1 is called 'The Illusion of Progress'. It is in this section that Gray expounds his thoughts on how 'Progress', in a technological sense, does not result in increased peace and stability or requisite 'progress' in human values. The human animal, the author explains, will always be infected by certain dersires, often negative, and 'progress' means only that those who benefit from better technology can pursue their desires with increased efficiency. Thus 'Progress', for Gray, leads to the ability to destroy the human species with nuclear weapons and the destruction of hundreds of other species. The modern faith in progress then, as something which will lead us towards a brighter, better future is horribly delusional.

In section 2 'War, Terrorism, and Iraq', Gray heralds the 'resumption of history' which began with 9/11 and the end of the dream of a peaceful, globalised world. He argues that we are seeing a return to a Westphalian inter-state world in which the competition for scarce resources is becoming ever more fierce. It is in this context that Gray places the US 'War on Terror'. Devastatingly accurate in his views on the debacle in Iraq, the author shatters the illusion that anything good could come from the invasion of that country.

In the third, and final, section 'Politics Without Illusions', Gray addresses issues such as the rise of the Far Right in Europe, the cult of celebrity, and Blair's Premiership. This part of the book does not see Gray at his strongest, however it's subject matter reveals the author's breadth of vision.

Gray is perhaps at his best when denouncing - and not without ample evidence - both market liberalism and Marxism as 'secular religions', whose belief in the possibility of a Utopian future is utterly misplaced. Understandably however, points that Gray makes in one essay are repeated later in others and while this is slightly annoying at times, this does not detract from the value of the book.

'Heresies' is not a book for those who are in need of an optimistic take on the prospects for improving the depressing state into which we humans have flung ourselves with such vigour. It is a candid, logical, and effortlessly elegant attempt to make us aware of the ways in which most people in the West have been deceived into thinking that 'free trade', 'liberal values' and their spread to the rest of the 'uncivilized' world will leave us better off. Even if one does not agree with Gray's arguments - something which is probably common - this collection of essays will encourage debate. Further, it is refreshing and necessary to lend an ear to the arguments of someone who is unafraid to go against the mainstream grain. Heresy is no bad thing.

repetitive discussions, poor reasoning, 17 Sep 2005
After reading Straw Dogs, this one was rather disappointing. There are some useful departing points for potentially fruitful discussions. However, there is nothing new and it is so obvious that the the book as a whole is a combination of newspaper articles. I think because of this, the book lacks an overall philosophical and of course theoritical basis. The depth-breadth balance is really poor in terms of the spread of the discussion topics. Furthermore, the discussions and arguments tend to repeat themselves and the previous ones from Straw Dogs. The author says "History resumes" at one stage in the book. The implications could be discussed differently i believe. And honestly, if you like to learn about war, terrorism, Iraq and politics there are many other useful sources around.

The progress of "Homo rapiens", 18 Jul 2005
According to Gray, the Enlightenment cast off the shackles of one religion, only to forge replacement fetters. The new religion, based on "humanism" is called "progress". This faith rests on the notion that the human condition can be constantly and continuously improved - forever. Instead of a metaphysical paradise, the new religion proposes one that can be achieved here and now. We act, he says, in the false belief that "science" is the new divinity. With so many problems having been solved through the application of science and technology, we've come to believe ALL obstacles can be overcome. What this faith ignores, Gray warns, is the finite supply of resources our planet has to sustain this programme.

In this collection of thought-provoking essays, Gray closely and critically scrutinises the new "faith" and explains its manifestations. In a trinity of themes, he looks at "progress", "terrorism" and "politics". The "scare quotes" are necessary here, because the reader may discover wholly new definitions of these terms within these pages. With incisive wit and deep insight, he examines the dedication to "progress" - where it came from and what it means now. A careful observer, he explains that "progress" is meaningful in the process of science. In the hands of politicians, industry and modern education, it is but a superstition. The world, he says, is "suffering from disseminated primatemaia - a plague of people." In his view "Homo sapiens" has evolved into "Homo rapiens", stripping the planet of resources with little idea of the impact it's having. The plague must be curtailed like any other infection. The first step in that therapy is shedding the belief that resources are limitless and technology can replace shortfalls.

He is scornful of the "war on terror", knowing that clumsy thinking followed by clumsy action easily creates more terrorists than it eliminates. The "crusade" now under way is simply generating fresh enemies. These antagonists are perhaps even more dedicated to destruction than those who launched the World Trade Center attacks. In "Washington's New Jacobins", Gray demonstrates the fallacies of using authority and military power to impart ideologies. It wasn't successful in the French or Communist revolutions, so there's little reason for thinking it will be accomplished by the Anglo-American Axis. The evangelists of the new faith are the neo-cons in Washington and their acolytes on Downing Street . "Dr Billy Graham has joined forces with Dr Strangelove", forging a bizarre and dangerous alliance.

As a heretic against the new orthodoxy, Gray seems to be standing alone. Heretics can be destructive, but they can also provide constructive pointers. Gray's approach isn't a hysterical rant - he's too knowledgeable for that. Instead of grand, sweeping and futile gestures such as Afghanistan and Iraq, Gray seeks a gradualist approach to issues. His method requires scrutiny and understanding of the underlying conditions of any issue. The approach requires work and people to perform the tasks. Read this and find out where you can make a contribution.

Medieval Christians on the rampage, 08 Jul 2008
`Kill them all. God will know his own.' These chilling words were supposedly spoken at the siege of Béziers in 1209 by Arnaud Amaury, catholic abbot of Citeaux. And they epitomise the savage persecution of the Cathars in 13th century France in what has become known - after the town of Albi - as the Albigensian crusade. The crusade, as much a drawn-out fight over land and power as anything else, was an attempt by the Catholic `orthodoxy' to wipe out a `non-orthodox' group that had become widespread and numerous in southwest France in late medieval times. Aubrey Burl's book is a fascinating account, rich in insights into medieval life, and peppered with wry troubadour poetry of the time acting as a form of commentary on the unfolding events. It details the protracted and typically bloody sieges of isolated fortresses and walled towns, and gives a clear account of the shifting political alliances that marked the campaign.

But its major shortcoming (hence only three stars) is the lack of any substantial discussion of the Cathars' beliefs and practices. There is enough sketched of the `Good Men and Women' to allow a glimpse of what looked to be a compassionate system of oversight and pastoral practice, and there were hints about a lifestyle that seems to have included, for many, vegetarianism. But it's not a systematic account, nor is there very much analysis of how and why the Cathars came to distinguish themselves in belief and practice from Catholicism - the usual charges of corruption and venality among clerics aside. This is a serious defect in a book whose title promises so much, and whose tone is generally sympathetic towards the group whose pitiless extermination the author so vividly describes.

Superb Book, 25 May 2008
If you are looking for an easy to read, yet factual and informative book on the Cathars, then this is the one to get.
A great writing style, and a passion for the subject is clear.


A Very Good Introduction to Catharism, 05 Jun 2005
Sean Martin's book on The Cathars is a worthy follow-up to his best-selling book on the Templars. Like the Templars, Martin in this book recounts what we know of the Cathars, and also deals with the myths surrounding the sect (i.e. that they possessed the Holy Grail) without being judgmental about them.

Overall, the book takes a deeply sympathetic pro-Cathar view-point and differs from most other treatments of the subject by including chapters not only on the south of France, where Catharism what as its strongest and where the Albigensian Crusade took place, but also includes material on the Cathars in Italy and Bosnia. Martin also puts the heresy in the context of the development of dualism, and also of the church reforms of the High Middle Ages.

The book is easy to read and clearly written. All in all, a perfect introduction to the subject.

The work of a genius , 25 Oct 2007
An exceptional presentation based heavily on historical records. Weis refrains from undue speculation and lets the records speak. Nevertheless, his exquistive writing helps bring the story to life. Ironically, the Inquisitions own detailed records from 1290-1329 were preserved and enabled Weis to recreate many of the activities in the village of Montaillou, France.

Cathar religion is not the focus of this history, but elements of Cathar thought and practice are unavoidably present. The pluses and minuses of being a Cathar are presented, at least for the residents of Montaillou. Despite the asceticim of Cathar spiritual leaders, the sexual promiscuity of some Cathars is not glossed over.

Sadly, in this case, the reason for the Inquistions interest in Montaillou seems to have been, not primarily their religious difference but the reluctance of people in that area to pay the Church's taxes.

I read this book in 3 days, but I took a break after every 2 chapters or so because following all the detail challenged my focus. The amount of detail Weis was able to assemble is staggering. To his credit, he kept the story flowing. I've never read history at this fine a granularity. I never before was aware what life in medieval Europe might be like.

Weis seems superhuman. How he assimilated so many facts and presented it so clearly and vividly is far beyond my understanding. A work of this quality and power seem to me very rare [Another book on Montaillou, by Ladurie, may be even more detailed, enough to perhaps be of interest only to academicians, but apparently makes a heavily pro-Church interpretation]. Even if the Cathars are not your interest, I'd recommend this book for its extraordinary presentation of life in a medieval village. I've never before felt this connected to people of the Middle Ages: I'm very impressed by them

These could be your neighbours, 09 Apr 2007
Very impressive book that actually physically pushes you into Occitantia in the 13th/14th centuries. You get to know his characters, like them and want them to live even though you know the Inquistion is lurking somewhere around the next Coll. Ive read few other books that engage you in everyday life so long ago, with such passion and feeling. I cant recomend this enough. If its sat next to some sad little tome on Rennes le Chateau or how Leonardo Da Vinci was a member of some mad sect INSIST the bookshop moves it- this is way beyond the da Vinci Code.


Everyday life of the last Cathars, 01 Aug 2006
Well here I am again less than a fortnight from my first review and book on Catharism! This one has left me in tears, absolutely! At first somewhat confusing with the family ties
and links but then totally absorbing. I personally needed a good English dictionary to help me understand some of the text (but then I'm no intellectual) But what impressed me about the author was his total absorbtion into the day-to-day lives of these people: their loves, sexual preferences, hardship and
determination. I felt as if I've traversed those mountain passes and valleys of Pierre Maury and will now, of course,
hve to visit the area. Stay with this, its detail is so important to understnd the devastation of the final outcome.
Thank you Rene Weis !!


A cracking unforgetable read, 20 Aug 2003
I found this book absolutely compelling. I have read it three times and continue to dip into it. It is more interesting than Emmanuel Roy Laudrie's book on the same subject. It takes a more anthropological approach as opposed to Laudrie's social, political and economic stance. Weiss's updating and locating of events is thoroughly convincing. One can smell the bread coming from the foghana. It also has a fine hero in Pierre Maury. One more noble and good than the parfaits he follows.

Not a serious work of history, 15 May 2003
I note that the author of this book is a Professor of Literature rather than of History. He would have been better off using his talents within the fictional realm. There is little evidence of the historical scholarship the first reviewer speaks of - the book fails to place the Cathars of Languedoc in any kind of political or cultural historical context, and a reader new to the subject would be absolutely mystified as to why the Catholic church chose to persecute the sect.

Instead we are subjected to pointless and anachronistic speculation as to the character and motives of the main protagonists. This would be ideal as the basis for the play or novel M. Weis should probably have written, but should hardly appear in a work of serious history. The story of the Cathars is a compelling one, which is what kept me reading until the end of this book, but they deserve a better historian than Rene Weis to tell their tale.

Interesting, hampered by obscure writing style, 10 Aug 2008
Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg traces the story of one Menocchio, a peasant from northern Italy who was put on trial (and eventually burned at the stake) for heresy by the Italian inquisition in the 16th century. He puts forwards parts of the transcription of the trial, and we realize that Menocchio has some quite heterodox (and not totally consistent) views on theology and cosmology, suggesting a number of eclectic sources for his ideas. For example, he viewed the Earth as a sort of giant cheese and the angels as worms coming out of the cheese (hence the book's title). How an Italian peasant, without presumably much access to books, would get such views, Ginzburg asks. He traces the bookshelves of Menocchio, but he is unable to come up with a clear answer. For example, even though his cosmology seems to have been influenced by a reading of the Koran, that was not among the books he possessed. Ginzburg finally suggests that Menocchio was a recipient of an ancient oral tradition, perhaps going back to the prechristian past, that was not totally suppressed by the church in rural areas. The book deals with an interesting subject, but is unfortunately hampered by Ginzburg's deliberately obscure writing style. A more conventional storytelling would have helped.

A miller's tale ..., 20 Jun 2002
One of my favorite books of all time. An account of the worldview of a medieval miller based on Inquisition records may not sound promising, but the evocation of how strange and different, yet how similar medieval men were is astonishing. In an age which thinks it has invented "pick and mix" religion, this acts as an important corrective. Ginzburg never abandons his miller completely, and you will be touched by his humanity as well as surprised by his views.
As a history graduate, I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a history book more than this.

Terrific insight!, 10 Jul 1999
In the cheese and the worms, ginzburg gives terrific insight into how ones social status defines their belief system. It shows the interperative filters one uses based on what they know and are able to comprehend.

Historiography at its best!, 10 Dec 1998
Carlo Ginzburg was one of the first historians to put into practice anthropological ideas about culture as a historically transmitted system of meaning. These ideas were developed by Clifford Geertz, Victor Turner, and ultimately, Michel Foucault. In using Menocchio, Ginzburg makes a statement about making history from the point of view of the excluded, the liminal characters of society. In this sense, Menocchio's story ceases to be an anecdote and becomes a reflection and a statement about the way Italian society was constructed in the 16th century. All this from the point of view of those upon whom power was imposed.

phenomenal, 19 Nov 1998
expertly intriguing, unparalleled, and remarkably spell-binding.........."The Cheese and The Worms" is a must-read book for everyone and anyone who loves great literature and is the best novel I've ever read.

Controversial Brain Food, 26 May 2008
I imagine most people who buy this book will be readers of Gray's other works such as Straw Dogs and Black Mass who were impressed by his deep scepticism and deep analysis of many of the things that we (or our leaders) take for granted and allow to define our actions.

This book covers a wide range of subjects, but with many of his pet themes running through them. It is divided into three sections looking at Progress, War and Terror and Politics and Society. There are a handful of essays under each topic.

As can be expected from Gray's other works (and from the title of the book) his stance is often counter to conventional wisdom. This is often very refreshing and eye opening, but occasionally it leaves an uneasy (or even near sickening) feeling, for example with his views on torture. Here Gray believes that torture should be brought back within the legitimate tools of law enforcement and regulated (including having special solicitors to deal with the inevitable accidental deaths under torture). He believes that misguided and impractical ideals of human rights for terrorists prevent us from using all expedient means of preventing further acts of terror. I found this argument highly dubious as for a 'realist' Gray does not explain how these powers would be used in practical terms. Would a suspect be tortured for a confession? (i.e. a potentially innocent person), or would it only be applied to convicted people, making vulnerability to torture a part of their punishment? He also fails to mention the weight of evidence suggesting that torture is not a reliable way of gaining useful information anyway. And could torture, once sanctioned, be used in non-terrorist cases? We've already seen this happen with police using terror legislation on detaining suspects outside its original bounds.

I understand that torture is happening outside of the law at places like Guantanamo and through rendition, but its value appears very limited and perhaps the cost of eliminating torture from our law enforcement tools is a good than is greater than the benefits torture can bring us.

Sometimes Gray's stances counter to the morality of our times are exciting and perspective changing, but at others they can make you glad he doesn't run the country! However, his pre-invasion analysis of the problems that the US would face in trying to implement regime change were spot-on. On a lighter note, I really enjoyed the final chapter on the culture of celebrity and the 'dandifying' of western society.

Whether you agree with Gray or not, his ideas and analyses are always provocative and make you think in much greater depth about the important issues of our time. A great book to dip in and out of as the chapters are discreet and fairly brief (as they were once magazine articles).


The Mirror of the Human Condition, 30 Oct 2007
As John Gray reads the derogatory remarks of some reviewers he must be amused, given that the idea of his book is that it is a heresy to say the things he does.
Heresies is much like his other work Straw Dogs. It is a selection of Essays on the human condition and on war and politics.
What is satisfying about Gray's writing style is that he arrives at rapid conclusions .
We are not left wondering what he means when he forms his ideas.
I found the essay on the Matrix to be an excellent example of how humans live their lives of fantasy.
The essays on the illusion of the free market written in 2002 have proven to be accurate in the light of today's uncomfortable developments in trade among nations.
John Gray is the great "mirror" in which we see ourselves as we truly are.


Necessary Heresy, 04 Aug 2006
Gray's book, a collection of essays first published in the New Statesman offers a refreshingly different perspective on issues such as war, the environment, Europe, and Blair's leadership amongst other things. Gray uncompromisingly undermines and exposes the illusions which support liberal ideas and the stranglehold which these ideas have on western society. He is to the liberal establishment as a pin is to a baloon. The author's prose style is sharp and his arguments are delivered in a logical and accessible way.

'Heresies' is broken up into three parts: Part 1 is called 'The Illusion of Progress'. It is in this section that Gray expounds his thoughts on how 'Progress', in a technological sense, does not result in increased peace and stability or requisite 'progress' in human values. The human animal, the author explains, will always be infected by certain dersires, often negative, and 'progress' means only that those who benefit from better technology can pursue their desires with increased efficiency. Thus 'Progress', for Gray, leads to the ability to destroy the human species with nuclear weapons and the destruction of hundreds of other species. The modern faith in progress then, as something which will lead us towards a brighter, better future is horribly delusional.

In section 2 'War, Terrorism, and Iraq', Gray heralds the 'resumption of history' which began with 9/11 and the end of the dream of a peaceful, globalised world. He argues that we are seeing a return to a Westphalian inter-state world in which the competition for scarce resources is becoming ever more fierce. It is in this context that Gray places the US 'War on Terror'. Devastatingly accurate in his views on the debacle in Iraq, the author shatters the illusion that anything good could come from the invasion of that country.

In the third, and final, section 'Politics Without Illusions', Gray addresses issues such as the rise of the Far Right in Europe, the cult of celebrity, and Blair's Premiership. This part of the book does not see Gray at his strongest, however it's subject matter reveals the author's breadth of vision.

Gray is perhaps at his best when denouncing - and not without ample evidence - both market liberalism and Marxism as 'secular religions', whose belief in the possibility of a Utopian future is utterly misplaced. Understandably however, points that Gray makes in one essay are repeated later in others and while this is slightly annoying at times, this does not detract from the value of the book.

'Heresies' is not a book for those who are in need of an optimistic take on the prospects for improving the depressing state into which we humans have flung ourselves with such vigour. It is a candid, logical, and effortlessly elegant attempt to make us aware of the ways in which most people in the West have been deceived into thinking that 'free trade', 'liberal values' and their spread to the rest of the 'uncivilized' world will leave us better off. Even if one does not agree with Gray's arguments - something which is probably common - this collection of essays will encourage debate. Further, it is refreshing and necessary to lend an ear to the arguments of someone who is unafraid to go against the mainstream grain. Heresy is no bad thing.

repetitive discussions, poor reasoning, 17 Sep 2005
After reading Straw Dogs, this one was rather disappointing. There are some useful departing points for potentially fruitful discussions. However, there is nothing new and it is so obvious that the the book as a whole is a combination of newspaper articles. I think because of this, the book lacks an overall philosophical and of course theoritical basis. The depth-breadth balance is really poor in terms of the spread of the discussion topics. Furthermore, the discussions and arguments tend to repeat themselves and the previous ones from Straw Dogs. The author says "History resumes" at one stage in the book. The implications could be discussed differently i believe. And honestly, if you like to learn about war, terrorism, Iraq and politics there are many other useful sources around.

The progress of "Homo rapiens", 18 Jul 2005
According to Gray, the Enlightenment cast off the shackles of one religion, only to forge replacement fetters. The new religion, based on "humanism" is called "progress". This faith rests on the notion that the human condition can be constantly and continuously improved - forever. Instead of a metaphysical paradise, the new religion proposes one that can be achieved here and now. We act, he says, in the false belief that "science" is the new divinity. With so many problems having been solved through the application of science and technology, we've come to believe ALL obstacles can be overcome. What this faith ignores, Gray warns, is the finite supply of resources our planet has to sustain this programme.

In this collection of thought-provoking essays, Gray closely and critically scrutinises the new "faith" and explains its manifestations. In a trinity of themes, he looks at "progress", "terrorism" and "politics". The "scare quotes" are necessary here, because the reader may discover wholly new definitions of these terms within these pages. With incisive wit and deep insight, he examines the dedication to "progress" - where it came from and what it means now. A careful observer, he explains that "progress" is meaningful in the process of science. In the hands of politicians, industry and modern education, it is but a superstition. The world, he says, is "suffering from disseminated primatemaia - a plague of people." In his view "Homo sapiens" has evolved into "Homo rapiens", stripping the planet of resources with little idea of the impact it's having. The plague must be curtailed like any other infection. The first step in that therapy is shedding the belief that resources are limitless and technology can replace shortfalls.

He is scornful of the "war on terror", knowing that clumsy thinking followed by clumsy action easily creates more terrorists than it eliminates. The "crusade" now under way is simply generating fresh enemies. These antagonists are perhaps even more dedicated to destruction than those who launched the World Trade Center attacks. In "Washington's New Jacobins", Gray demonstrates the fallacies of using authority and military power to impart ideologies. It wasn't successful in the French or Communist revolutions, so there's little reason for thinking it will be accomplished by the Anglo-American Axis. The evangelists of the new faith are the neo-cons in Washington and their acolytes on Downing Street . "Dr Billy Graham has joined forces with Dr Strangelove", forging a bizarre and dangerous alliance.

As a heretic against the new orthodoxy, Gray seems to be standing alone. Heretics can be destructive, but they can also provide constructive pointers. Gray's approach isn't a hysterical rant - he's too knowledgeable for that. Instead of grand, sweeping and futile gestures such as Afghanistan and Iraq, Gray seeks a gradualist approach to issues. His method requires scrutiny and understanding of the underlying conditions of any issue. The approach requires work and people to perform the tasks. Read this and find out where you can make a contribution.

Medieval Christians on the rampage, 08 Jul 2008
`Kill them all. God will know his own.' These chilling words were supposedly spoken at the siege of Béziers in 1209 by Arnaud Amaury, catholic abbot of Citeaux. And they epitomise the savage persecution of the Cathars in 13th century France in what has become known - after the town of Albi - as the Albigensian crusade. The crusade, as much a drawn-out fight over land and power as anything else, was an attempt by the Catholic `orthodoxy' to wipe out a `non-orthodox' group that had become widespread and numerous in southwest France in late medieval times. Aubrey Burl's book is a fascinating account, rich in insights into medieval life, and peppered with wry troubadour poetry of the time acting as a form of commentary on the unfolding events. It details the protracted and typically bloody sieges of isolated fortresses and walled towns, and gives a clear account of the shifting political alliances that marked the campaign.

But its major shortcoming (hence only three stars) is the lack of any substantial discussion of the Cathars' beliefs and practices. There is enough sketched of the `Good Men and Women' to allow a glimpse of what looked to be a compassionate system of oversight and pastoral practice, and there were hints about a lifestyle that seems to have included, for many, vegetarianism. But it's not a systematic account, nor is there very much analysis of how and why the Cathars came to distinguish themselves in belief and practice from Catholicism - the usual charges of corruption and venality among clerics aside. This is a serious defect in a book whose title promises so much, and whose tone is generally sympathetic towards the group whose pitiless extermination the author so vividly describes.


Heresies Ancient and Modern, 23 Sep 2005
The first edition of 'Arius: Heresy & Tradition' was written by Rowan Williams, currently Archbishop of Canterbury, while he was Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford University. Written in the 1980s, it was revised and reissued in 2001 because it had fallen out of print, but remained (and remains) a standard work in the field.

Arianism is, historically speaking, one of the major heresies of the ancient church. It has remained an attractive tendency in theologians ever since the time of Arius in the third and fourth centuries. In brief, the heresy of Arius was that Jesus as the Son of God was not co-eternal of God the Father, that the Father and the Son were not of the same substance (ousia), and that Jesus was a created being. These issues are all addressed contra Arius in the Nicene Creed, which has as part of its construction 'of one being with the Father', 'begotten, not made', and other constructions intentionally directed against Arianism.

Williams' thesis, however, presents a different pictrue from that of the typical 'heretic'. Arius, according to Williams, was in fact a theological conservative wrongly portrayed as a rebel. Williams' first chapter traces images of Arianism in scholarship, from the early John Henry Newman in the 1830s through Harnack, Gwatkin, Elliger, and later scholars too numerous to mention - 'The post-war period has been astonishingly fertile in Arius scholarship,' Williams writes. This has ceased to be as polemical and has become more analytical in nature, 'though the shadow of Arianism-as-Other still haunts modern discussion.'

This is both an historical and a theological text. Theology is not divorced from history or the context in which it is formed. 'Orthodoxy continues to be made,' Williams states. 'What the articulation of doctrinal truth concretely is can be traced only through the detailed reworking and re-imagining of its formative conflicts. That, surely, is the strictly theological point of studying the history of doctrine.' Williams looks at the history of Arius and Arianism in three ways - Arius and the Nicene Crisis, Arius and Theology, and Arius and Philosophy.

With regard to the Nicene Crisis, Williams explores the ambiguities inherent in the Christian world in the time prior to becoming the official religion of the empire. Bishops and other Christian leaders had varying authority, not always well defined and not always in agreement with each other; there was a strong sense of pluralism about the Christian world, and competing ideas for interpretation and expression. Williams argues that to think that Arianism was a monolithic construct, systematised and derivative of one great leader is a very mistaken notion. There were definite political motivations behind the impulse to declare Arianism a heresy.

However, politics were not the only considerations. Theologically, the Christian world was rich with development, including figures such as Origen, Clement, and Philo in Alexandria (one of the leading cities of the empire, and one of the early centres of Christian community). Outside Egypt, the city of Antioch was also a major centre of Christian development and Christian evangelism (being one of the major trade junctions between East and West, North and South, the influence of Antioch on world-wide Christianity was felt for centuries). 'Arius was a committed theological conservative; more specifically, a conservative Alexandrian.' However, the Alexandrian school, both in terms of theology and political power, did not become the ascendant one in Christendom.

In the third section, Williams explores Arius and his connection with philosophical schools of the time. Platonic and neo-Platonic ideas were the principal ones influencing the world, and Williams argues that Arius is close to Plotinus, a major neo-Platonic figure. Williams looks at three key issues - creation and beginning, intellect, and analogy and participation. By this last is meant primarily the Platonic participation that is the relation between the particular thing and its ideal form.

Williams concludes this revised text with an essay, 'Arius since 1987', showing both new scholarship and new interpretations. The field continues to be rich with development. Williams includes an appendix of documents related to the creeds, extensive endnotes, a broad and useful bibliography, and a good index.

Many heresies of old might get tolerated today (or dismissed) as differences of opinion that each has every right to hold. In fact, many differences today, internal to churches and between churches, often relate back to ancient controversies. Arianism is one such that recurs on a fairly regular basis.

Williams' scholarship is sound; his theological ideas are interesting (and one can learn something about Williams' ideas on theology, both method and substance, from the way he treats Arius). This is destined to be a standard text in the field for some time to come.

Heavy going!, 04 Mar 2002
It is a struggle for a lay person to read this book. Williams assumes a great deal of background knowledge ( and an ability to read Greek ) which the non-scholar may not have, so they may find this book frustrating.