BOOK REVIEW - The Franks by Edward James

This is a good introduction to the subject of the Franks. It covers their history, society, government, religion and other issues from the time that they first emerge into history in the 2nd century AD through to the fall of the Merovingian Dynasty, by which time the Franks had become largely assimilated into the Romano-Gauls who they had conquered.

The book is packed with facts about the Franks and their times. I wouldn't have wanted more facts or a longer book, as an introduction to the subject. The book is well written, the author avoids jargon and explains what he is talking about when looking at details of archaeological digs or other technical stuff. He is to be applauded for this.

I will admit that I did struggle a bit with confused with the names of kings, queens, princes, nobles and others as they came and went with great rapidity. I suppose this is partly a function of the shortness of the text. However, I do feel that the author could have made more effort to differentiate between the figures and remind the reader who is being discussed. The situation was not made any clearer by the fact that so many of the names are very similar. No sooner have we learned who Childeric was than we move on the Chilperic and Chlothair is easily confused with Clothar - at least I found it so.

My main complaint, however, is that the author fails to draw much in the way of conclusions. And in many places positively shies away from doing so. He discusses a grave packed with valuable items, but then definitively states that just because it is the richest grave for miles does not mean the chap buried there was rich. He even says that we cannot be certain of the name of a buried woman when she is found with a ring with her name engraved on it. Time and again the author presents facts about archaeological digs, manuscripts or coins but refused to tell the reader what the facts might mean. I found this very frustrating.

On the whole, a reasonable attempt to explain the Franks in a relatively short book. But I came away knowing a lot of individual facts, but having only a hazy idea of the big picture.