Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts

Twelve Journeys into the Medieval World

By: Christopher de Hamel

Narrated by: Christopher de Hamel

Length: 17 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts is a remarkable examination of 12 illuminated manuscripts from the medieval period. Noted authority Christopher de Hamel invites the listener into intimate conversations with these texts to explore what they tell us about nearly a thousand years of medieval history - and sometimes about the modern world too.

In so doing, de Hamel introduces us to kings, queens, saints, scribes, artists, librarians, thieves, dealers, and collectors. He traces the elaborate journeys which these exceptionally precious artifacts have made through time, shows us how they have been copied, who has owned them or lusted after them (and how we can tell), how they have been embroiled in politics, how they have been regarded as objects of supreme beauty and as symbols of national identity.

From the earliest book in medieval England to the incomparable Book of Kells to the oldest manuscript of The Canterbury Tales, these encounters tell a narrative of intellectual culture and art over the course of a millennium. Two of the manuscripts visited are now in libraries of North America, the Morgan Library in New York and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

©2016 Christopher de Hamel (P)2017 Tantor

Fascinating story and impeccable narration

This is a wonderful read for anyone with the slightest interest in medieval manuscripts, or even in books in general. It is read by the author charmingly and clearly, and his narration adds immeasurably to the pleasure of listening to the book.

ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS

Christopher de Hamel is a British academic librarian. He is an expert on mediaeval manuscripts. De Hamel takes listeners on an international journey to view ancient illuminated manuscripts.

De Hamel’s peregrinations are fascinating, in part because of his excellent recitation. But also because of interesting stories about manuscript’ provenance, purpose, and location. (A listener's regret--there are no illuminated manuscript’ plates in the audio book appendix. This review is meant to partially address that regret.)

Illuminated manuscripts are held for safekeeping in controlled access libraries and museums around the world. These manuscripts are called “illuminated” because they were hand-made with images and script drawn in gold and silver. They were made by Western European scribes between 500 and 1600 CE (common era).

They vary in size from as large as three feet tall (Codex Gigas with 310 leaves of vellum made from 160 donkeys) to one so small it could fit into the palm of one’s hand; e.g. the “Prayer Book of Claude de France” produced in the 16th century.

The purpose of ancient manuscripts is educate and enlighten medieval populations. Just as today, the greatest benefit is to the rich. The rich could afford the manuscripts but the poor were offered limited exposure through the few religious schools that served the poor. Many ancient manuscripts were used to teach the young how to read while educating them in the history of the world and the religion adhered to by royalty.

De Hamel tells 13 stories about 12 illuminated and one technically not-illuminated manuscript (the “Codex Amiatinus”). All entertain and inform interested listeners. An interesting manuscript that reflects on modern times is Tres Riches Heurees du Duc de Berry, It reflects on the Black Plague's European devastation.