Knightly Memories

This is the first book-length study of the legacy and memory of the main military orders in Britain, the Templars and Knights of St. John. It provides a survey from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries using hitherto neglected sources and identifies areas for further research and analysis. The volume first examines the historiography of the Orders, delving past the standard histories to examine their authors, readership, accessibility, advertisements. and reviews. It then discusses the material memory of the Orders, from the Temple Church in London and St. John’s Gate at Clerkenwell to archaeological discoveries and romanticised stained-glass depictions. Turning next to the revival and reinvention of the Order of St John after the loss of Malta in 1798 and the foundation of the British Order based at Clerkenwell, it unravels fact from fiction in the claims of continuity with the medieval knights made by the Masonic Knights Templars. For many, memory was shaped by popular fiction as well as history, so the final part considers various literary interpretations of the Orders’ history. This book will interest scholars and students of the Military Orders and Crusades, as well as general readers of the history of memory and reception.

This book explores the connections between history and fantasy in George RR Martin's immensely popular book series 'A Song of Ice and Fire' and the international TV sensation HBO TV's Game of Thrones. Acknowledging the final season's foregrounding of the cultural centrality of history, truth and memory in the confrontation between Bran and the Night King, the volume takes full account of the TV show's conclusion in its multiple readings across from medieval history, its institutions and practices, as depicted in the books to the show's own particular medievalism. The topics under discussion include the treatment of the historical phenomena of chivalry, tournaments, dreams, models of education, and the supernatural, and the different ways in which these are mediated in Martin's books and the TV show. The collection also includes a new study of one of Martin's key sources, Maurice Druon's Les Rois Maudits, in-depth explorations of major characters in their medieval contexts, and provocative reflections on the show's controversial handling of gender and power politics. Written by an international team of medieval scholars, historians, literary and cultural experts, bringing their own unique perspectives to the multiple societies, belief-systems and customs of the 'Game of Thrones' universe, Memory and Medievalism in George RR Martin and Game of Thrones offers original and sparky insights into the world-building of books and show.

This book addresses the fundamental conflict of interest that physicians face in their daily work lives between the ethics of proper medical care versus the demands of standard business practices. However, unlike other books of this sort, this one places direct responsibility for this ethical dilemma upon the shoulders of physicians themselves. Taking ethical, legal, and business perspectives into account, the book traces the historically evolving response of American physicians to ever-increasing business interests within the profession. These financial concerns now have become intrinsic not only to the practice of medicine but seemingly also to the character of a growing segment of its practitioners. The book offers a plea for a change to a more socialized healthcare system as used in other advanced nations.