Women’s Libraries in Late Medieval Bourbonnais, Burgundy, and France

A Family Affair

S C Kaplan author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Liverpool University Press

Published:1st Oct '24

£29.99

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Women’s Libraries in Late Medieval Bourbonnais, Burgundy, and France cover

How were the libraries of aristocratic women in the late French-speaking Middle Ages developed? Which reading trends and topics were embraced by female readers of the fifteenth century? What substantial gaps in evidence and data loss impede our knowledge of medieval women’s libraries? Combining literary, historical, and cultural studies, Women’s Libraries in Late Medieval Bourbonnais, Burgundy, and France: A Family Affair addresses these questions in its examination of the wide cultural, literary, and familial webs influencing fifteenth-century high- and mid-level female aristocrats’ acquisition of books. It explores the roles of gifting and borrowing and reading trends in the formation of several generations of women’s libraries to demonstrate the integrally connected nature of literary culture at the various French-speaking courts. The book’s analysis clarifies the powerful role that women played in the formation of important intellectual edifices in French-speaking regions, demonstrating the impact of women on female and male literary culture.

‘Kaplan’s case studies shine a detailed spotlight on female book owners and their interactions with books… [and] allows us to rethink and understand part of the nobility and their cultural practices.’

Translated from German: ‘Kaplans Fallstudien die weiblichen Buchbesitzerinnen und ihren Umgang mit Büchern detailliert ins Rampenlicht rücken… [und] der es uns erlaubt, einen Teil des Adels und seine kulturellen Praktiken neu zu überdenken und zu begreifen.’ Vanina Kopp, Francia Recensio


'Its impeccable organization and painstaking attention to citational detail make it an invaluable resource for studying French-language literary culture in the late medieval period.' Kavita Mudan Finn, Sixteenth Century Journal, Volume 54, Number 1-2


'The book is a distillation of information painstakingly and collaboratively accumulated; along with the 'Books of Duchesses' website, it is also a model for future exploration of major medieval libraries.' Jane H. M. Taylor, Durham University, Journal of the Early Book Society, 2023


'S.C. Kaplan successfully contributes to the field by providing powerful evidence and compelling arguments to support the thesis that women in the medieval era were integral to the transmission of knowledge and culture. The highly informative book provides a helpful understanding of both the topic and the issues at stake. The publication stands out as one of the rare comprehensive evaluations of the literary culture of aristocratic women who spoke French across many courts, covering almost a century in the late Middle Ages.' Jenny Davis Barnett, University of Queensland. Ceræ, Volume 10 (2023)

ISBN: 9781835538401

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

384 pages