History and Memory in the Carolingian World. By Rosamond McKitterick. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2004. Pp. xvi+337. $70.00 (hardback), $27.99 (paperback). ISBN 0-521-82717-5. The Reform of the Frankish Church: Chrodegang of Metz and the Regula canonicorum in the Eighth Century. By M. A. Claussen. Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought, Fourth Series, 61. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. 2005. Pp. xii+342. $80 (hardback). ISBN 0-521-83931-9.
Hans Hummer
One of Rosamond McKitterick's laudable contributions to medieval studies has been the attention she focused on importance manuscript evidence as a fundamental and fruitful source for doing history. Another imagination, creativity, enthusiasm brought that evidence, most famously in her provocative work literacy. In this manifesto, McKitterick turns interest another topic received much last decade half, memory, joined it larger issue writing reading history Carolingian times. Here again we see daring get behind critical editions by going manuscripts themselves thus introducing us vibrancy historical culture too often cloaked published sources. It is underlying contention particular emphasis chronology, means which Christian, Frankish, Roman, local histories were united into synthesis, contributed fundamentally development European identity.
Central European History