"The story of the written word in the pre-Gutenberg age. Ranging from the earliest intact book in Europe, to the only known literary manuscript to be written in Shakespeare's hand, scholar Mary Wellesley reveals the secret lives of these literary and artistic treasures. Traipsing through the remarkable history, she recounts fires (the only surviving Beowulf manuscript is singed at its edges, losing a bit of its matter every decade) and threats ('this is Elisabeth Danes's book / he that steals it shall be hanged by the neck, ...
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"The story of the written word in the pre-Gutenberg age. Ranging from the earliest intact book in Europe, to the only known literary manuscript to be written in Shakespeare's hand, scholar Mary Wellesley reveals the secret lives of these literary and artistic treasures. Traipsing through the remarkable history, she recounts fires (the only surviving Beowulf manuscript is singed at its edges, losing a bit of its matter every decade) and threats ('this is Elisabeth Danes's book / he that steals it shall be hanged by the neck, ' reads the marginalia in one treasured text). Some manuscripts were designed to reinforce power--like the psalter commissioned by Henry VIII, with a bold illustration of David fighting Goliath, the king's likeness as David's and his archnemesis Pope Paul III's face drawn on Goliath. Some survive and remain celebrated because of an author's political connections--we have so much of Chaucer's writings, and thus study and revere them, because he was a government official first, a poet second. And although work identified with men was more likely to survive through time, some of the most beguiling and beautiful texts were created by women. Many have been lost, like Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love. Yet others are relatively recent discoveries, like the manuscript of illiterate Margery Kempe, found in a country house closet by a family searching for ping pong balls, the book's cover nibbled on by mice. But all these objects have their secrets, and their creation and survival tell us much about power and art, knowledge and beauty. Today we associate illuminated manuscripts with wealthy elites, but they were made by ordinary people: the grinders and binders, the scribes and rubricators. We remember the patrons and the authors, but these objects have been much altered--text embroidered by upstart scribes, mistakes made in copying poems, whole chapters lost to time--and our literary inheritance is one of collective authorship. Rich, dazzling, and passionately told, Untitled is a tribute to some of the most exquisite objects ever made by human hands"--
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Add this copy of The Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $6.98, good condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
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Good. Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. Could have library markings. Ships promptly!
Add this copy of The Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $7.94, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $9.74, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $10.99, very good condition, Sold by Pink Casa Antiques rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frankfort, KY, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
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Very Good. Size: 6x1x9; stated 1st edition/1st printing with full number line, hardcover with dust jacket, tight, pages clear and bright with tanning edges, shelf and edge wear, corners bumped, packaged in cardboard box for shipment, tracking on U.S. orders.
Add this copy of The Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $11.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts to cart. $13.00, very good condition, Sold by Powell's Books Chicago rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
Add this copy of Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts to cart. $13.50, new condition, Sold by Powell's Books Chicago rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
Add this copy of The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $14.80, new condition, Sold by KAKBooks rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from San Marino, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
Add this copy of The Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $14.95, new condition, Sold by Poverty Hill Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Mt. Prospect, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
Add this copy of The Gilded Page: the Secret Lives of Medieval to cart. $14.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Basic Books.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
