For those of you who are avid readers and love all things Medieval, A Distant Mirror is a wonderful book on the history of the 100 Years War leading from the early 1400s until the late 1500s, about 600-700 pages if I'm not mistaken. I found it in my father's old book collection when he died, sitting among an absolutely maddening number of Tom Clancy novels. I think he had every single novel Clancy has ever written. <_< I lost them when our shipment container sprung a leak halfway across the Atlantic on its way to Brazil, but oh well. I read them a looong time ago. I no longer actually HAVE this book, but I can guarantee its a hell of a read and offers some pretty deep insight into life, politics, war, art, and culture of the time.
I read it when I was about 9, maybe 10, and I still haven't found a book on medieval times that can best it.
EDIT: Found it, but my version is a black hardcover and looks very different. Huh.
http://www.amazon.com/Distant-Mirror-Calamitous-14th-Century/dp/0345349571#reader_0345349571
