Biography is one of the oldest, most popular and most tenacious of literary forms. Perhaps the best attested narrative form of the Middle Ages, it continues to draw modern historians of the medieval period to its peculiar challenge to explicate the general through the particular: the biographer's decisions to impose or to resist the imposition of order on biographical remnants raise issues which go to the heart of historical method. This collection, compiled in honour of a distinguished modern exponent of the art of biography, contains sixteen essays by leading scholars which examine the...

This study examines all forms of penitential practice in the Holy Roman Empire under the Ottonian and Salian Reich, c.900 - c.1050. This crucial period in the history of penance, falling between the Carolingians' codification of public and private penance, and the promotion of the practice of confession in the thirteenth century, has largely been ignored by historians. Tracing the varieties of penitential practice recorded in church law, the liturgy, monastic practice, narrative and documentary sources, Dr Hamilton's book argues that many of the changes previously attributed to the twelfth...

Writing workshops like Critique Cafe' provide a place where writers can get out and talk to people who have the same passion they do for the written word, and hear their own words read out loud. There are published and unpublished writers, inspirational fiction writers, non-fiction writers, mystery writers, opinion writers, fan-fiction writers, bloggers and poets at the Critique Cafe'. Some drive for a few blocks, some for more than thirty miles to be there each week. The selections in this book are from the writers who are current members, as well as the winners of the Summer Writing Contest...

During the middle ages, belief in God was the single more important principle for every person, and the all-powerful church was the most important institution. It is impossible to understand the medieval world without understanding the religious vision of the time, and this new textbook offers an approach which explores the meaning of this in day-to-day life, as well as the theory behind it.

Church and People in the Medieval West gets to the root of belief in the Middle Ages, covering topics including pastoral reform, popular religion, monasticism, heresy and much more,...

Professional card-makers teach you ten fabulous projects to try at home
Take a peek into the studios of international card makers, see how they ply their craft, and get ten of the best step-by-step projects for creating your own cards in a variety of styles. The designers all open up about their process, from keeping a sketchbook to collating ideas and turning them into beautiful reality. They cover different printing techniques in detail, including letterpress and screenprinting, as well as working with your own photographs and illustrations. Budding professionals will also learn...