The Gilded Page, Mary Wellesley
The Gilded Page, Mary Wellesley
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The Gilded Page
The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts

Author: Mary Wellesley

Narrator: Mary Wellesley

Unabridged: 9 hr 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/23/2022

Synopsis

A breathtaking journey into the hidden history of medieval manuscripts, from the Lindisfarne Gospels to the ornate Psalter of Henry VIII.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.

About Mary Wellesley

Mary Wellesley is a former research affiliate at the British Library, where she still teaches medieval language and literature. A frequent contributor to the London Review of Books, she completed her PhD at University College London. She lives in London.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sarah

[URL not allowed] It’s hard for me to put into words how much I loved reading this one. That really is all you need to know about it right there. Part history, part love letter to books, The Gilded Page really has everything I’ve ever wanted to read right here in one very neat,......more

Goodreads review by Alexandra

Read thanks to NetGalley. I loved this book. I already love medieval manuscripts and the stories that go along with them - about marginalia and the sheer effort that goes in to making one. What Wellesley has done here is look at manuscripts to understand the people who made them, used them, saved th......more

Quotes

“Sublimely conceived and beautifully written.” The Times (London)

“Fascinating.”  BBC’s History Revealed

“Highlighting instances in which texts about women were radically recentered on men, Wellesley offers a nuanced glimpse of the shifting nature of the written word.” New Yorker

“Thanks to Wellesley’s expertise and passion for her subject, we practically hear the voices of the scribes and artists who produced these rare relics of the Middle Ages.” Christian Science Monitor

“Fascinating…Wellesley writes about creators, authors, scribes and parchment makers. Manuscripts establish a personal bond across the centuries between her and the men and women who made them.” The Spectator (London)

“Wellesley’s elegant voice and careful pacing…make this a delightful listening experience for history buffs and book lovers.” Library Journal (starred audio review)

“Holds an irresistible hook, for not just historians but anyone who loves reading.” Library Journal

“The Gilded Page is as good as historical writing gets.” Dan Jones, New York Times bestselling author

“To read this book is to meet the makers of the English literary Middle Ages.” Neil MacGregor, author of A History of the World in 100 Objects

Awards

  • Washington Post Pick
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