Toward a Global Middle Ages

A rich collection of essays from about twenty experts of illuminated manuscripts, at the high standards of the Getty Museum. The period is medioeval, but this time the area of investigation is extended over the boundaries of Europe and embraces the other continents as well. Richly illustrated with images that hardly can be seen elsewhere, it is a treasure for the connoissair.

This book promises an introduction to the field of Global Middle Ages and really delivers! Within this volume there are several themed sections (each with an introduction by Bryan C. Keene) which then contain essays surrounding the central premise. These essays are pleasantly diverse with a wide range of interpretations about what a global approach to the Middle Ages would look like. When you pick up this book you'll be treated to essays about the limitations of manuscript studies in tropical climates, the ways in which Medieval maps can help us to understand contemporary white nationalism, and many more besides. Best of all, it is lavishly illustrated and a pleasure to flip through.

Toward a Global Middle Ages is a scholarly collection of essays and expostulatory writing around the premise that there is academic benefit in viewing and researching contemporaneous manuscripts from all over the world together, not just "Eurocentric" or "Asiatic" or "African" studies as they have been grouped in the past.

Due out 3rd Sept 2019 from Getty publications, it's a lushly illustrated 296 pages and will be available in softbound format.

The sheer magnitude of the scope of this volume intrigued me when I read the description. The history of textual objects is so inextricably intertwined in my mind with the social and cultural landscapes which created them as to make them indelibly linked to those cultures. To study them as a whole based on a time period (the middle ages) instead of viewing them from an individual cultural standpoint was new to me. I was excited to delve into this volume and learn what common threads the contributors could weave together from the disparate historical timelines.

First, the illustrations are absolutely breathtaking and the reproduction quality is high, even in the eARC I was given for review. I have no doubt that the quality of the print book will be much higher. The final physical size of the book is 8x10 inches (20x25cm) and it's paperbound, so it's not a 'coffee table' book, but it is full size and the illustrations are spread evenly throughout all the essays.

There are 27 individual contributor essays as well as introductory foreword from the Director of the Getty Museum, Timothy Potts, and a comprehensive prologue and introduction by the editor, Bryan C. Keene. The last chapter of the introductory section contains an explanatory timeline which is well referenced and gives good source material for further reading.

The next four sections (the bulk of the book) contain an interesting grouping of essays on cartography, the various book forms (bound, rolled, and folded), cultural and socio-ethnic identity in the medieval world, and travel and exchange of ideas in the medieval world. These essays are broadly different from one another, and are written by a range of academics with different areas of expertise. I found them interesting (and well written and researched), with a great deal of resources and references for further reading.

Obviously this is an academic treatise written by academics mostly for other academics or especially interested laymen. As such, it isn't an easy read. The language is rigorous and formal. I definitely don't think it's inaccessible for the average reader, but it will take some effort (and I think that's a good thing).

Some small details about the manuscript. Each of the pages for each contributor essay is labeled in the left footer margin with the author's name to more easily locate specific passages. The book pages are also numbered clearly in the footers. Footnotes and references are clearly delineated in the individual essays.

The book closes with an epilogue by James Cuno, a comprehensive bibliography, and a cross referenced index.

Difficult but enlightening reading. This would make a good support text for classroom or library use, for manuscript history, history of the middle ages, and similar subjects, as well as a superlative read for the particularly book-history-interested.

Five stars. Some of the essays are more accessible than others.

I requested this book on Net Galley since I love looking at manuscripts and also because I am taking a course on Canadian Medievalism and thought that this may help me get a better idea of medievalism as it is not my field of study. I was very impressed.

I want to commend the editor Bryan C Keene and all of the contributors for working so hard to textually show why the idea of 'The Middle Ages' is colonialist and Eurocentric. This is a substantial concern not just for medieval studies as most fields of study tend to be influenced by colonialism in some form. This text does not 'fence-sit' or say that the world would be better by focusing just on Europe and North America: it very staunchly indicates that such positions must be systematically challenged.

This is definitely a scholarly read but not one, I think, that is too inaccessible (but I am starting my MA so I have spent quite a lot of time reading stuff like this so I may not be the best judge). There were certainly words that I did not know and it is by no means an 'easy read,' but this did not mar my enjoyment of it. "Towards a Global Middle Ages" gives just the right amount of background to each text and event it discusses as it is neither condescending nor so sparse with information that piecing it together becomes a time-suck.

Reading this book reminded me of my first time in my school's rare book library and was filled with such wonderment looking at all the history in front of me. This is not a book to be read all at once, but is so worth absorbing in bits and pieces.

This is a wonderful contribution to the field of book history. The global perspective is refreshing and helps to introduce the incredible wealth and beauty of manuscripts produced outside of Europe. It is exciting to see the inclusion of examples from Timbuktu’s manuscripts. In addition, having Mayan codices discussed alongside the works of Asia and Africa gives a truly global balance to the study. The color photos also made this a treat for eyes as well as the mind.

An 'illuminating' insight into this medieval art form. It was a great resource for teaching my primary aged kids about illuminated manuscripts to accompany a museum visit and art projects at school.
Very informative and beautiful photographs.