MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE MANUSCRIPTS

WINNER OF THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE AND THE DUFF COOPER PRIZE FOR NON FICTION Endlessly fascinating and enjoyable Neil MacGregor A marvellous book David Attenborough Full of delights Tom Stoppard An extraordinary exploration of the medieval world the most beguiling history book of the year This is a book about why medieval manuscripts matter Coming face to face with an important illuminated manuscript in the original is like meeting a very famous person We may all pretend that a well known celebrity is no different from anyone else and yet there is an undeniable thrill in actually meeting and talking to a person of world stature The idea for the book which is entirely new is to invite the reader into intimate conversations with twelve of the most famous manuscripts in existence and to explore with the author what they tell us about nearly a thousand years of medieval history and sometimes about the modern world too Christopher de Hamel introduces us to kings queens saints scribes artists librarians thieves dealers collectors and the international community of manuscript scholars showing us how he and his fellows piece together evidence to reach unexpected conclusions He traces the elaborate journeys which these exceptionally precious ar