The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts

The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts

$20.00 AUD

Availability: in stock at our Tullamarine warehouse

Author: Mary Wellesley

Format: Hardback

Number of Pages: 352


A breathtaking journey into the hidden history of medieval manuscripts, from the Lindisfarne Gospels to the ornate Psalter of Henry VIII "A delight--immersive, conversational, and intensely visual, full of gorgeous illustrations and shimmering description." -Helen Castor, author of She-Wolves Medieval manuscripts can tell us much about power and art, knowledge and beauty. Many have survived because of an author's status--part of the reason we have so much of Chaucer's writing, for example, is because he was a London-based government official first and a poet second. Other works by the less influential have narrowly avoided ruin, like the book of illiterate Margery Kempe, found in a country house closet, the cover nibbled on by mice. Scholar Mary Wellesley recounts the amazing origins of these remarkable manuscripts, surfacing the important roles played by women and ordinary people--the grinders, binders, and scribes--in their creation and survival. The Gilded Page is the story of the written word in the manuscript age. Rich and surprising, it shows how the most exquisite objects ever made by human hands came from unexpected places. "Mary Wellesley is a born storyteller and The Gilded Page is as good as historical writing gets. This is a sensational debut by a wonderfully gifted historian." --Dan Jones, bestselling author of The Plantagenets and The Templars



Reviews

Customer Reviews

Based on 1 review
100%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
R
Roderick McLeod
Medieval books are beautiful

'The Gilded Page. The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts' arrived in very good order. The book was in 'as new' condition. I love the image of hand-made and hand-written texts, even when I am realistic enough that book-making was very hard on the eyes, and the wrists of all those scribes and book artists over the centuries. The medieval church was vital in preserving and spreading the legacy of the past and the scriptures. This book weaves the fascinating history of the books themselves with stories of the scribes and illustrators. Very well written, with references and translations provided for all statements. A great buy.

Description
Author: Mary Wellesley

Format: Hardback

Number of Pages: 352


A breathtaking journey into the hidden history of medieval manuscripts, from the Lindisfarne Gospels to the ornate Psalter of Henry VIII "A delight--immersive, conversational, and intensely visual, full of gorgeous illustrations and shimmering description." -Helen Castor, author of She-Wolves Medieval manuscripts can tell us much about power and art, knowledge and beauty. Many have survived because of an author's status--part of the reason we have so much of Chaucer's writing, for example, is because he was a London-based government official first and a poet second. Other works by the less influential have narrowly avoided ruin, like the book of illiterate Margery Kempe, found in a country house closet, the cover nibbled on by mice. Scholar Mary Wellesley recounts the amazing origins of these remarkable manuscripts, surfacing the important roles played by women and ordinary people--the grinders, binders, and scribes--in their creation and survival. The Gilded Page is the story of the written word in the manuscript age. Rich and surprising, it shows how the most exquisite objects ever made by human hands came from unexpected places. "Mary Wellesley is a born storyteller and The Gilded Page is as good as historical writing gets. This is a sensational debut by a wonderfully gifted historian." --Dan Jones, bestselling author of The Plantagenets and The Templars