Olivia Swarthout

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Weird Medieval Guys

It's here! Browse the 2024 Penguin Christmas gift guide

A gently fascinating insight into the marginalia of a lost era.

Olivia Swarthout prowls the web for little-seen snippets of medieval art and life to share with the world. We love this book that is a result of her work - full of illuminating advice that is sure to brighten up the darkest of times.

[An] account of the most bizarre illustrations from the Middle Ages

Brilliantly funny… Olivia celebrates the wonderful weirdness of the past… [in this] gleeful book

Simple Things, *Christmas Gift Guide 2023*

I have pondered meaningful poetry, those that challenge and change our view of the world. I have considered great design and art books, which offer a view of a better world. History that shows how this world came to be or fiction that conjures new ones. But I have settled on the best gift book there is: a collection of curious, stupid and perplexing little drawings from medieval manuscripts, accurately and straightforwardly titled Weird Medieval Guys. This is the rare book you can judge from its cover, and it’s exactly what it suggests. I genuinely struggle to think of a person who might not love it ... If they enjoy one picture of an army of knights attacking a giant snail then they’ll enjoy the rest of the book; if they don’t, then you should stop being their friend and you’ve solved the problem of buying them a gift either way.

The Independent 'Best Books to Gift (and gift again)'

The best gift book there is: a collection of curious, stupid and perplexing little drawings from medieval manuscripts… I genuinely struggle to think of a person who might not love it

Richly illustrated and lightly written… Weird Medieval Guys follows the tradition established by medieval preachers and artists themselves: laughter, wonder and a little shock now and then [that] can spark fascination

Weird Medieval Guys is a riot ... It’s bright and colourful and would make a perfect gift for anyone with an interest in history. Full of stunning imagery, interactive maps and quizzes, and brilliant medieval facts, it is enticingly re-readable and will remain a favourite for the non-expert, while also being enjoyable to the specialist.

Madeleine S. Killacky , PhD Candidate in Medieval Literature at Bangor University

How to Live, Laugh, Love (and Die) in Dark Times

'FASCINATING' Guardian | 'WE LOVE THIS BOOK' Blackwells | 'THE BEST GIFT BOOK THERE IS' Independent 
 
A GUIDE TO LIVING IN DARK TIMES, FROM PEOPLE WHO REALLY DID 
 
Bursting with wisdom and artwork from the Middle Ages, this handy guide will give you time-tested solutions for all of life's biggest problems. Whether it's choosing an appropriate dog name like Garlik or Filthe, becoming an irresistible suitor even though you can't joust, surviving encounters with rabbits and dragons, or coming to terms with your inevitable demise, this book is full of illuminating advice that is sure to brighten up the darkest of times. 
 
Full of quizzes, how-to-guides, diagrams, and flow charts that take you from birth to your gruesome death, this is the ultimate laugh-out-loud read for history buffs.

One of the internet's foremost culture vultures, Olivia Swarthout prowls the web for little-seen snippets of medieval art and life to share with the world via the Weird Medieval Guys Twitter and instagram accounts. Described by her mother as having 'a knack for curation' uses her platform to shine a light on the so-called 'Dark Ages' and bring people closer to the distant past. 
 
Born in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, USA, Olivia's enduring love of cowboy boots and the great outdoors has survived many years of living in Berlin, Glasgow, and London, where she currently resides and works.

Live, laugh love and die in the Middle Ages with Weird Medieval Guys! 
 
Explore what your medieval life would have been through a choose-your-own-adventure full of quizzes, how-to guides, diagrams and flow charts that takes you from your birth to your gruesome end, revealing your patron saint, the fate of your love life and the trials and tribulations you faced along the way. 
 
Then, discover everything you need to know to survive the natural world, from stripping naked to survive a wolf attack, decoding the signficance of birds visiting your sickbed and brewing love potions all while learning about warring rabbits, deadly dragons and saintly hounds - all illustrated with the very best ancient drawings of beasts, birds, fishes and serpents from all four corners of God's creation, drawn by people who definitely saw these creatures with their very own eyes and lived to tell the tale. 
 
Chock full of hilarious, mad and bad advice for surviving and thriving on the mortal plane, this complete guide to life in the dark ages is guaranteed to make you laugh.

Weird Medieval Guys

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Olivia Swarthout

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