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The Description of Britain: A Modern Rendering
A fascinating insight into Britain in the Middle Ages and a vivid account of Britain's history from the perspective of the later Middle Ages
William Caxton, perhaps best known as the man who brought the printing industry to England, was also an astute publisher: it was he who made The Description of Britain available to the British public in 1480. Basing his version on a fourteenth-century Middle English translation of the Latin Polychronicon - or universal history - Caxton decided to focus on the chapters describing Britain. He extracted and rearranged these sections, updating the language where necessary. The result is The Description of Britain, which became an immediate bestseller.
Now, for the first time ever, his text has been modernized and made available to a twentieth-century audience. It provides a fascinating insight into Britain in the Middle Ages and a vivid account of Britain's history from the perspective of the later Middle Ages. We learn of her many and various marvels and wonders, customs and traditions, ancient cities and towns, kingdoms and bishoprics, languages and manners. Gloriously illustrated, with woodcuts, engravings and illuminated manuscripts dating from Caxton's days and before, as well as recent photographs, and aerial views of contemporary Britain, this beautiful book will appeal to all those who love the British Isles and are intrigued by their history.
William Caxton, perhaps best known as the man who brought the printing industry to England, was also an astute publisher: it was he who made The Description of Britain available to the British public in 1480. Basing his version on a fourteenth-century Middle English translation of the Latin Polychronicon - or universal history - Caxton decided to focus on the chapters describing Britain. He extracted and rearranged these sections, updating the language where necessary. The result is The Description of Britain, which became an immediate bestseller.
Now, for the first time ever, his text has been modernized and made available to a twentieth-century audience. It provides a fascinating insight into Britain in the Middle Ages and a vivid account of Britain's history from the perspective of the later Middle Ages. We learn of her many and various marvels and wonders, customs and traditions, ancient cities and towns, kingdoms and bishoprics, languages and manners. Gloriously illustrated, with woodcuts, engravings and illuminated manuscripts dating from Caxton's days and before, as well as recent photographs, and aerial views of contemporary Britain, this beautiful book will appeal to all those who love the British Isles and are intrigued by their history.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1480
113 people want to read
About the author
William Caxton
254 books10 followersborn perhaps 1422
died 1491
William Caxton printed and published Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye , the first book in English, circa 1475.
William Caxton published Le Morte d'Arthur , a collection of romances, of Sir Thomas Malory, in 1485.
William Caxton, a merchant and diplomat, wrote. This person introduced a press in 1476 and retailed books, people think.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...
died 1491
William Caxton printed and published Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye , the first book in English, circa 1475.
William Caxton published Le Morte d'Arthur , a collection of romances, of Sir Thomas Malory, in 1485.
William Caxton, a merchant and diplomat, wrote. This person introduced a press in 1476 and retailed books, people think.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 9, 2017
Imagine a nonsense rhyme, with various, amusing absurdities set within a whimsical context. Now imagine a nonsense rhyme, but without the rhyming. Or the whimsy. And everyone takes the absurdities as generally true and valid. And make it all about the fifteen hundred year history of the place where you live, and copied from a work that was written by a man 100 plus years dead and gone (Ranulf Higden in his "Polychronicon"), and you now have a good idea of what this book is like. But with the degree of difficulty that sprinkled throughout are some valid, interesting, and actual historical facts presented too.
I do have to admire Marie Collins for her efforts in producing a modern presentation of this work. It does offer some insight into 15th century England, and some insight into England's past, albeit viewed through the double-biasing lenses of the original 14th century text and the 15th century translation. So credit where credit is due, as bringing this work into a 20th century vernacular was undoubtedly a somewhat daunting task. The inclusion of footnotes is very helpful in filling in missing context, and the only criticism in that regard is there could and should have been more. The addition of copious illustrations to augment the text is the real salvation for the modern reader, as the pictures are illuminating, and many of them honestly spectacular.
As an individual work, this is a curiosity, and it is clearly the illustrations that make it worth the time. As a part of a study of medieval and renaissance England however, it is another enlightening piece in the overall puzzle.
I do have to admire Marie Collins for her efforts in producing a modern presentation of this work. It does offer some insight into 15th century England, and some insight into England's past, albeit viewed through the double-biasing lenses of the original 14th century text and the 15th century translation. So credit where credit is due, as bringing this work into a 20th century vernacular was undoubtedly a somewhat daunting task. The inclusion of footnotes is very helpful in filling in missing context, and the only criticism in that regard is there could and should have been more. The addition of copious illustrations to augment the text is the real salvation for the modern reader, as the pictures are illuminating, and many of them honestly spectacular.
As an individual work, this is a curiosity, and it is clearly the illustrations that make it worth the time. As a part of a study of medieval and renaissance England however, it is another enlightening piece in the overall puzzle.
Displaying 1 of 1 review