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Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres Paperback – July 20, 2021

by Henry Adams (Author)
3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
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Henry Adams's classic meditation on medieval culture and architecture, Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres, originally published privately in 1904 and publicly in 1913, is a travelogue of sorts, chronicling his journeys, observations, and encounters with the French Medieval architectural monuments. Critic Maurice le Briton described it as "undoubtedly Adams's greatest work" and, when read alongside The Education of Henry Adams, critic Raymond Carney remarked that the two works may be read as a "spiritual autobiography." Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres transcends its travelogue premise, with Adams's journey being more than just to tourist sites but towards a meaningful engagement with the Medieval worldview for which these epic cathedrals are a lasting testament. Henry Adams's Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartresis a must-read for those with an interest in architecture, history, art, and literature.

Henry Adams (1838-1918) was an American historian and author, noted for his brilliant and award-winning works. Born in 1838, he was a descendant of two prominent American families, the Adams and the Lees. He was raised in Quincy, Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard University in 1858. He was a professor of medieval history at Harvard for a number of years and wrote several articles and books on the subject. Adams was best known for his book, The Education of Henry Adams, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1919. This book was an autobiographical reflection on Adams’ life, beginning with his childhood and continuing up to the end of the 19th century. He also wrote other works, such as Mont Saint-Michel and Chartres, which focused on the history of France. Adams was a prominent social figure in Washington D.C. and was a friend of several presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley. He was also a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers and the Massachusetts Historical Society. In addition to his work as an historian, Adams was also a successful businessman. He invested in numerous businesses, such as railroads, land real estate, utilities, and insurance companies. His investments enabled him to financially support his writing. Adams died in Washington D.C. in 1918. He left behind an impressive body of work, which earned him a Pulitzer Prize and the title of one of America's greatest historians.
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  1. Print length
    250 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    July 20, 2021
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.63 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-13
    979-8540624183
  6. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B099TJ8MHW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (July 20, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 250 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8540624183
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.63 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

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Henry Adams

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Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7 out of 5
46 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Tom Randall
5.0 out of 5 stars Greatest book ever written?
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2012
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To fully appreciate Adams's book the reader is required to know the general parameters of the author's life. While Adams's autobiography, "The Education of Henry Adams" , was written after this volume it is nevertheless necessary to read it first and to also acquaint oneself with the details of Adams's marriage to Clover Hooper which is not mentioned at all in the book. Mont Saint Michel and Chartres is personalized history. If you want a more objective history look elsewhere. Some people are put off by its subjectivity. But in my view that subjectivity is exactly what makes the book so great. It's about tremulous, perilous striving of an age, of religion, of faith, and finally of one's personal life. It's about the stress between unity and multiplicity. The book is profound in its exploration of these themes. It's learned, it's funny, it's ironic, and, in the end, profoundly moving. Reading these two books will provide any reader wiling to put in the effort with some of the wisest and most trenchant observations in all literature all put forth in some of the most elegant prose ever written.
11 people found this helpful
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Arnold B.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Middle Ages Illuminated
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2012
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I have always loved the tone and personality of Adams' autobiography, The Education of Henry Adams. But I'd never read Mont Saint Michele and Chartres. Got the book for my Kindle as travel reading. Having been to both places made the book very easy to get into. Adams brings his wonderful mind, wit, learning, and insight to bear on these two sacred spots as expressions of the Romanesque and Gothic sensibilities, the male and female, justice and mercy. he thinks in terms of the dualisms inherent in Christianity and the psychological archetypes prevalent in his time. In the course of the book he takes the reader from the earlier Norman-era shrine to the flat fields southwest of Paris where Chartres cathedral dominates the skyline. Along the way he engages every major medieval personality, from Abelard to Aquinas. Adams evokes a vision of the tensions, ideals, and travails of the Middle Ages. And he presents the only cogent rationale I have ever read for the veneration / worship of the Virgin. Read this book. It will stimulate your intellect and please your imagination.
17 people found this helpful
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paul zisserson
1.0 out of 5 stars an enormous amount of detail about architecture
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2021
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Too much detail about architecture
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I am not a SMURF
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent but tiring read
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2014
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I had to read this in small chunks. In part this was due to the authors rather dry tone and the sometimes +100 word paragraphs.

But I found the information and history of both Mont-St Michel and Chartres fascinating, well researched, and sometimes just mind-blowing.
2 people found this helpful
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Zenelea
2.0 out of 5 stars Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2012
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This edition of 'Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres' was unsatisfactory to me.The book's preface (a lead-in to the first chapter) was entirely omitted. The book had no index. The table of contents had no chapter titles. I was giving it as a gift and had to create them myself. These post-modern facsimile editions need such things. My recent purchase of another of Henry Adams' books, Chapters of Erie, has such essential supportive material and was totally satisfactory. If it is omitted, your promotional listing should say so.
2 people found this helpful
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Jim D.
3.0 out of 5 stars Not an easy reading nor for the tourists, but has value.
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2013
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Henry Adams is one of my favorite authors for his ability to make sentences flow as prose that frequently wants me to read aloud just for their beauty. Regretfully, his creativity and flow got lost in the minute details of his story about the two cathedrals, the reflective poetry and the religious philosophy of that time.
The book is oriented toward the academic, providing a background and a description of the construction of Mont Saint Michel in the early 11th Century. It honored St. Michel, a militant time where it appeared necessary to fight and defend for what you believed belonged to you. This was then compared to Chartes which was constructed as a home for the Virgin Mary and reflected love and peace and a haven of safety. While the overall history was interesting and of value, it then fell into the minutiae of design of arches, windows, porches, steeples, etc., of its construction all for the benefit and desire of Mary. The second half of the book moved beyond the cathedrals into the respective philosophy of the times that could be reflected in the two buildings.
In summary, I read it on my Kindle. It did not include referenced pictures nor a table of contents. If you are an avid historian of the Gothic period, this is probably a must read. If you are a casual reader, interested in history and willing to ‘power-read’ through some sections, there is valuable information to glean from the book.
4 people found this helpful
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Zulu43
5.0 out of 5 stars evocative extended essay
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2013
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This book is a classic. I am planning to see Mont Saint Michel and Chartres this summer, having not been there since the early seventies, and think I am being much better prepared to enter the medieval mind and sensibility when I see these buildings. again. I have a very large photography book on Chartres, so I can follow Adams's descriptions with beautiful photographs.
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John C. Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Entertaining, Thoughtful Romantic Novel
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2020
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Excellent, entertaining, thoughtful Victorian Romantic novel, whether travelogue or philosophical treatise.
One person found this helpful
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Daniel S.
2.0 out of 5 stars Print On Demand
Reviewed in Canada on April 1, 2024
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This "Instant Book" doesn't qualify as a real book. For me (a book lover) this is FAKE. Of course, I'm writing only about the physical aspect of the thing and when I saw it I felt cheated as it wasn't identified as a P-O-D. But then, here we have an old book in ugly but physical form.
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Mariana Titorov
5.0 out of 5 stars Le Mont-Saint-Michel et Chartres
Reviewed in France on January 8, 2014
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C'est un livre ancien que j'aime beaucoup. J'avais déjà une copie en anglais et je l'ai tellement lu et relu qu'il fallait le remplacer. La traduction n'est pas toujours parfaite, mais c'est un plaisir de le relire en français.
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the rambling hedgehog
5.0 out of 5 stars Not only learned
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2011
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This is a remarquable book. It is not only written by a very well read author, it conveys feelings and a subjective esthetical appreciation which flungs wide open the doors of medieval culture, architecture, religious fervour and litterature in an arresting manner. One falls under the spell of Adams' prose, even if is appears at times old fashioned. What he reveals is inspiring and moving. And when you visit these buildings ( which I do quite regularly), your appreciation will for ever be transformed by the author's insights, whether you are religious or not.
This is a magnificent contribution by an American writer to better understand the tremendous social and religious upheaval which gripped France during the 12th and 13th century.
3 people found this helpful
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Angel Eyes
2.0 out of 5 stars Comatose after reading
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2016
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Oh my goodness please get to the point. Not very interesting, I know less about these places than before now. This book is unnecessarily long winded and boring as well as confusing. The mere mention of these two places now sends me into a coma. A great cure for insomnia.
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