The essays in this second volume from Helmut Gneuss are devoted to the study of books, their readers, and libraries in medieval England, especially in the Anglo-Saxon period. The selection opens with a survey of the history of the medieval English library, followed by detailed studies of Anglo-Saxon book production. These also examine its relation in the 9th century to King Alfred's plan for educational reform, and to the intellectual history of the 10th century. Two articles deal with liturgical books, and include the standard classified list of liturgical manuscripts. To end, there is an analysis of the earliest modern catalogue of books with Old English texts, that by George Hickes, and an investigation of the history of the Latin hymnal in Britain.
Biography
Helmut Gneuss
Of Books and Libraries and Language and History: 'I have nothing but praise for these two volumes which make widely available some of the most significant contributions to Anglo-Saxon studies of the last forty years.' Notes and Queries, Vol. 46, No. 1 '...this book conveniently archives the indispensable work, both general and specific, of a prolific and original scholar.' Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 'Gneuss’s impressive and seemingly comprehensive knowledge of early English book production and libraries permeates every page of the volume....Gneuss [has] compiled a rich and diverse scholarly work that will find its way onto the shelves of all major research libraries.' Libraries and Culture, Vol. 34, No. 4
