What to read after you see the Bayeux Tapestry.

If you've already marveled at the Bayeux Tapestry in England’s British Museum, you may be eager to dive deeper into the history it depicts. Here are some book recommendations to satisfy your "Bayeux Fever."

For a comprehensive overview, try "The Bright Ages" by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry. This engaging history revisits the Middle Ages with fresh perspectives, examining topics like the Vikings, Black Death, and Charlemagne. The authors' wide-ranging approach and accessible prose make it a captivating read.

If you're interested in the Aztecs, Camilla Townsend's "Fifth Sun" offers a recent and thorough account of their civilization. Relying on new scholarship and primary sources, Townsend paints a vivid picture of Aztec history, up to their founding in 1325. Her storytelling style, including fictional elements, enlivens the narrative.

To gain a commoner's perspective on the era, consider Lyndal Roper's "Summer of Fire and Blood." This book details the German Peasants' War of 1524-1525, a short-lived but significant rebellion against the church and aristocracy. Roper explores the rebels' proto-socialist ideas and the brutal suppression that followed, shedding light on the lives of ordinary people during this turbulent period.

Lastly, for a fictional take on imperial conquest, Álvaro Enríquez's "You Dreamed of Empires" is a gripping historical novel. Set during the cultural exchange at the borders of empire, Enríquez's work delves into the surreal and violent aspects of conquest, making it a thought-provoking companion to the Bayeux Tapestry's account of the Norman Conquest.