I wasn’t sure what I’d think of this book when my boyfriend bought me it for Christmas, as it’s not really my usual kind of book, but I love learning new things so I was excited to give it a try.

If I hadn’t lost the book for about 2 months in the mass of piles of books in my room, I would have finished with it much sooner, although I still wouldn’t call it a fast read. Each page is jam-packed with facts which means that you can’t really skim read any of it for fear of missing something important.

The book starts off with a theoretical tour of Stratford, taking you around the town as it was then as if you’ve just landed back there in your TARDIS. You learn everything from how to brush your teeth, to what to eat for breakfast (wine, beer, fish and bread), to what would happen if you were convicted for a range of crimes. You’ll learn all about how to build your house, how to wash yourself each day, how you’ll store your food without the benefit of electricity and much, much more.

I loved the informal tone of the book and the style that it took, the facts seemed much easier to absorb than a straight fact book and it certainly held my attention for longer at a time. I believe that the author has also written a time traveller’s guide to medieval England too, I think I’ll probably give that a try too, expand my horizons some more!

4/5