Description: Illuminated History Books in the Anglo-Norman World examines surviving medieval manuscripts from 1066 to 1272 and the people and processes involved in their creation. It addresses the reception and circulation of histories, and the different ways in which imagery and text could be used to create nuanced accounts of the past.
Review Quotes: "Cleaver examines the relationship between text and image in manuscripts containing historical works written in Anglo-Norman worlds between 1066 and 1272... The author concludes that history books with images were created through the collaboration of authors, copyists and artists. Images represented a tool to highlight particular elements of the text and add meaning to an account, while tables were used to organise material and emphasise themes." -- Medioevo latino
"Cleaver's insights about which manuscripts are extant, and what factors influence their production, circulation, and collection, are of interest for the history of libraries and readership." -- Edith Mulhern, Drexel University, Libraries; Culture, History, and Society"Laura Cleaver's book is a highly significant contribution to the field of high medieval historiography and serves to establish the author as one of the leading voices of this growing field of study." -- Sigbjorn Sonnesyn, Journal of British Studies"A short review canot do justice to this thoughtful, stimulating and beautifully illustrated book. Suffice to say it should grace the shelves of every medievalist." -- K S B. Keats-Ronan, University of Oxford, The Society for Medieval Archaeology