SharpenyourknowledgeofswordswithKristenB.Neuschelasshetakesyouthroughacaptivating1,000yearsofFrenchandEnglishhistory.LivingbytheSwordrevealsthatwarriorculture,withtheswordasitsultimatesymbol,wasdeeplyrootedinrituallongbeforetheintroductionofgunpowderweaponstransformedthebattlefield.Neuschelarguesthatobjectshaveagencyandthatdecodingtheirmeaninginvolvesseeingtheminmotion:bought,sold,exchanged,refurbished,writtenabout,displayed,andusedinceremony.Drawingonevidenceaboutswords(fromwills,inventories,recordsofarmories,andtreasuries)inthepossessionofnoblesandroyalty,sheexploresthemeaningspeopleattachedtothemfromthecontextsinwhichtheyappeared.Theseenvironmentsincludedotherprestigegoodssuchastapestries,jewels,andtableware--allusedtoconstructanddisplaystatus.LivingbytheSworddrawsonanexcitingdiversityofsourcesfromarchaeology,militaryandsocialhistory,literature,andmaterialculturestudiestoinspirestudentsandeducatedlayreaders(includingcollectorsandreenactors)tostretchtheboundariesofwhattheyknowasthe“warandculture“genre.
