The Verge
Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years That Shook the World
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The Verge
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Narrated by:
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Patrick Wyman
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Written by:
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Patrick Wyman
About this listen
The creator of the hit podcast series Tides of History and Fall of Rome explores the four explosive decades between 1490 and 1530, bringing to life the dramatic and deeply human story of how the West was reborn.
In the best-selling tradition of The Swerve and A Distant Mirror, The Verge tells the story of a period that marked a decisive turning point for both European and world history. Here, author Patrick Wyman examines two complementary and contradictory sides of the same historical coin: the world-altering implications of the developments of printed mass media, extreme taxation, exploitative globalization, humanistic learning, gunpowder warfare, and mass religious conflict in the long term, and their intensely disruptive consequences in the short-term.
As told through the lives of 10 real people - from famous figures like Christopher Columbus and wealthy banker Jakob Fugger to a ruthless small-time merchant and a one-armed mercenary captain - The Verge illustrates how their lives, and the times in which they lived, set the stage for an unprecedented globalized future.
Over an intense 40-year period, the seeds for the so-called "Great Divergence" between Western Europe and the rest of the globe would be planted. From Columbus' voyage across the Atlantic to Martin Luther's sparking the Protestant Reformation, the foundations of our own, recognizably modern world came into being.
For the past 500 years, historians, economists, and the policy-oriented have argued which of these individual developments best explains the West's rise from backwater periphery to global dominance. As The Verge presents it, however, the answer is far more nuanced.
©2021 Patrick Wyman (P)2021 Hachette AudioYou may also enjoy...
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 918
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 785
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What listeners say about The Verge
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Justin Currie
- 2021-07-28
Excellent book
The Verge is a fantastic book about a fascinating period of history and makes it all easily understood and digestible. Patrick Wyman has done an excellent job and should be very proud of himself.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Fussbudget
- 2023-11-06
Great podcaster, great historian
He tells, and reads, a very illuminating history through the lives of several key figures. He makes a persuasive case for this pivotal 40 year period in history for modernity. And I love the Tides of History pod.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Alicia Lauersen
- 2023-01-16
It was ok
Coming to this from Revolutions podcast. All I can say is that it is ok.
Definitely not a deep dive in to any aspect of the period under consideration- more of a broad overview.
The narrative details start out interesting, but become annoying as the book goes on. Try and keep track of the number of characters who end up “sweating under the hot sun!”
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian Rodgers
- 2021-09-20
Great Stuff
Ties the historical narrative of a very important time to a variety of different scales of individual stories from primary sources. Wyman is a careful author who shows the immense power and immense harm that came from the financialization of Western Europe in the period he describes.
Also a fantastic performance. Listened while I was working with a brush saw in the bush, kept me sane.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hugh Mosher
- 2021-08-17
What you want in a popular history book.
Wyman’s writing is a great overview of the early modern era. He covers the major players of the era, gives context for the events, and adds in narrative touches that bring you back to the period.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sherri Robinson
- 2022-07-05
History brought to life
Patrick Wyman always manages to bring history to life, injecting humanity into the characters who shaped our world.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jen
- 2021-09-06
Loved it
I'm a long time listener of Patrick Wyman's podcast, Tides of History. This book was true to his style and really made the period discussed come alive. Thank you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ron Smallwood
- 2021-08-29
Money and Change
If you have heard Patrick's podcast then he, his writing, and narration need more introduction. If you are new to Patrick, you are in for a wonderful journey. 30 years, roughly 1490-1530, is viewed through the lives of a handful of individuals; famous, infamous, and unknown. I couldn't put it down.
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