"A book that will upend our view of the past, this time disabusing us of the Medieval reputation of dirt and lack of hygiene. . . . Harvey’s revisionist history uncovers a time when people strove to live a healthy and balanced life."

The Bookseller (Books Spotlight: Health & Diet)

"In The Medieval Guide to Healthy Living, Harvey offers a clearly written, lively exposé of medieval ideas about, and practices for, health and wellness that challenge our modern misconceptions of the era. At times serious but often infused with humor, Harvey’s work reminds us that concern for our health, and taking action to protect it, is part of what makes us human, even if our understanding of how the body works has changed over the centuries."

Lori Jones, adjunct professor, University of Ottawa, and author of "Patterns of Plague: Changing Ideas about Plague in England and France, 1348–1750"

“Living well was a medieval obsession as much as a contemporary one. Harvey shows that health advice was founded on surprisingly sophisticated medical ideas about how the human body interacted with its environment. Courts, cities, and religious groups across Europe all adopted rules to avoid infection and pestilence. The book is brimming with a wealth of fascinating individual stories of medieval people high and low trying to stay healthy in a world full of risks.”

Peter Murray Jones, fellow and former librarian of King’s College, Cambridge, and author of "The Medicine of the Friars in Medieval England"

“Tackling head-on a range of worn cliches about medieval backwardness, Harvey brings vividly to life a society that was just as preoccupied with health and well-being as we are today. This engaging and impeccably researched book casts a new light on the Middle Ages and should be required reading for anyone with an interest in medical history.”

Carole Rawcliffe, emeritus professor of medieval history, University of East Anglia, and author of "Urban Bodies: Communal Health in Late Medieval English Towns and Cities"