A hilarious celebration of cats in artwork from medieval times.Look what the cat dragged in from the Middle Ages—a curious compendium of cats unlike any you’ve ever lapped up before.For more than a millennium, a myriad of medieval manuscripts and artworks painted a picture of cats as playful and curious but also lazy, selfish, and vicious. Today, these masterpieces live on, shining a bright light on the dark age of cats and telling a hilarious story of thei...

A sharp and delightful celebration of libraries around the world, and throughout time—for the passionate bibliophile and literary historian.“Excellent . . . Tracks the history of that greatest of all cultural institutions.” —The Washington PostLibraries are much more than mere collections of volumes. The best are magical, fabled places whose fame has become part of the cultural wealth they are designed to preserve. Some still exist...

The fifth installment of the "Odd True Tales" series… This volume focuses exclusively on the Inquisition, and is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. It's divided into four chapters: Profit & Pain, Cries in the Dark, A Miscellany of Madness, Letter from Hell…

'FASCINATING' Guardian | 'WE LOVE THIS BOOK' Blackwells | *'*THE BEST GIFT BOOK THERE IS' IndependentA GUIDE TO LIVING IN DARK TIMES, FROM PEOPLE WHO REALLY DIDBursting with wisdom and artwork from the Middle Ages, this handy guide will give you time-tested solutions for all of life's biggest problems. Whether it's choosing an appropriate dog name like Garlik or Filthe, becoming a...

The Sunday Times paperback bestseller and Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month*Featuring a brand new chapter!*'Never have the joys of exploring the churches and cathedrals of this country been so vividly conveyed as they are in this engaging and elegiac book.' - New Statesman **BOOK OF THE YEAR pick 2023**'A delicious treat' *- Financial Times ***TRAVE...

From Neil MacGregor, the acclaimed creator of A History of the World in 100 Objects and the Director of the British Museum, comes a unique, enthralling exploration of the age of William Shakespeare to accompany a new BBC Radio 4 series.Shakespeare lived through a pivotal period in human history. With the discovery of the New World, the horizons of Old Europe were expanding dramatically - and long-cherished certainties were crumbling. Life was exhilaratingly uncertain. What...

Unveiling the Untold Stories of Women in the Middle Ages For centuries, medieval history books have told the stories of noble queens, dutiful housewives, and cloistered nuns—but what about the single women who lived, worked, and thrived in medieval Europe? The Secret Lives of Single Medieval Women reveals the overlooked yet fascinating lives of middle age women who did not fit the conventional mold. From unmarried tradeswomen and widows to vowesses and nuns, these women carved their own pa...

Funny, informative, and down-to-earth, this ebook features thirteen of the most popular articles from Medievalist.net's Five-Minute Medievalist, Danièle Cybulskie. Readers will learn about everything from the Templars, to popular movie myths, to love and lust advice from a 12th-century priest. Exclusive content includes two never-before-published articles on quirky medieval words we still use every day, and the surprising sexual secrets of the Middle Ages. Unlock the mysteries of ...

A breathtaking journey into the hidden history of medieval manuscripts, from the Lindisfarne Gospels to the ornate Psalter of Henry VIII“A delight—immersive, conversational, and intensely visual, full of gorgeous illustrations and shimmering description.” –Helen Castor, author of She-WolvesMedieval 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 m...

The witchcraft case of Dame Alice Kyteler is famous in Ireland for the incredible story of her capture and escape. This book uses manuscripts from the archives of the British museum to bring this amazing story back to life. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

'"O, Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth!"And so was I, which plainly signifiedThat I should snarl and bite, play the dog.'Henry VI, Part 3Christopher Marlowe – rockstar of Elizabethan theatre and notorious spy for the Crown – danger and seduction combined. William Shakespeare – jobbing actor and promising young playwright – dazzled by Marlowe, but with ambitions of his own.When the pair meet in the backroom of a pub to collaborate on a cycle...

Hunting was a major economic and leisure activity throughout the later European Middle Ages, but while aristocratic practices have featured in studies of romantic and narrative literature, hunting in its wider sense across the social spectrum and with attendant male and female roles - has largely been ignored by modern medieval historians. Richard Almond's study brings vividly to life the universality and centrality of hunting to medieval societies, both as an economic nec...