The Middle Ages by Johannes Fried (nonfiction 2015)

Mr. Fried is obviously a very learned person.  This is a giant book that kept me reading many times when I was supposed to be doing something else.  It covers military, social and political history but my favorite parts are about transmission of ancient thought through the Middle Ages.  Mr. Fried has convinced me that these times were not "dark," that in fact the foundation was laid then for who we are today.