The Medieval Scriptorium

“A book of this quality (kudos to publisher Reaktion Books), with its wide-reaching and charming presentation, can serve as an introduction to Medieval Studies.”

– “Mediaevistik”“The Medieval Scriptorium vividly recreates the techniques and processes that underlay the production of books over the thousand-year period of the Middle Ages. Charles’s intimate grasp of her subject gives us a volume that is filled with delightful detail while offering a richly insightful overview of its compelling topic.”–Timothy Graham, distinguished professor of history, University of New Mexico, and coauthor of “Introduction to Manuscript Studies”“A fascinating look at manuscript making in the Middle Ages… . In The Medieval Scriptorium, Charles, a book historian at the University of London, illuminates the old, even ancient origins of concepts that remain familiar today… . The book introduces us not just to the way that texts have been passed down through the centuries, but how that phenomenon happened.”– “Financial Times”“In The Medieval Scriptorium–an engaging and beautifully illustrated volume–Charles traces the evolution of the book from the early Christian centuries to the development of printing, a story covering some 1,500 years… . The author’s love of these books shines through and her enthusiasm and appreciation of the skill involved in making these works of art are infectious. The reader will learn much about medieval books, their makers and their making.”– “Methodist Recorder”“Not at all ironically, rather extremely intentionally, the first impression any reader will have when encountering The Medieval Scriptorium by Charles is a very old-fashioned one: it’s a lovely physical production. It’s got a strong, flexible binding and heavy pages filled with clear, beautiful illustrations. In these chapters, Charles tells the history of the medieval manuscript, its evolution, its various technologies and the skill of their use… . Lively.”– “Open Letters Review”