Hidden Hands: The Lives of Manuscripts and Their Makers
This wonderful book takes the reader on a riveting journey unravelling how, where, and why the earliest written books in Old English, Middle English and Latin came into being; who the writers, and the limners who illustrated them so splendidly, were, what sort of lives they led, and what happened to the books and their begetters. Time, unfortunately, did a lot of damage. Many of the authors and painters’ names, particularly of women, like Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe got lost (no surprise there); or the vellum and leather which the authors used suffered from fire, damp, insects, and neglect. Some books found themselves proscribed during the Reformation.
Wellesley has approached her task with gusto. She has done some superb detective work on the writers and limners with a keen eye for the tiniest clue and what it might signify, and they spring back to life. She is also, clearly, a born teacher: I particularly appreciated her clear glossary, which explained words we might not know, as well as her timeline. She has written an absolutely gripping book whilst remaining 100 per cent professional; the writing is lively and engrossing, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
