The Pursuit of the Millennium by Norman Cohn

This book provides a comprehensive historical analysis of millenarian movements in Europe from the 11th to 16th centuries. It delves into the social and psychological factors that led to the rise of these movements, which were characterized by the belief in an impending apocalypse followed by a new, heavenly order on earth. The author examines a number of these movements in detail, including the Crusades, the flagellant movements, and the Anabaptist kingdom of Münster, and argues that these millenarian ideologies were often used to justify violence and social revolution.

The 1451st greatest book of all time


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Total Points: 257

Since this book was first published in 1957, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 257.0.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.