Dark Age Bodies: Gender and Monastic Practice in the Early Medieval West. By LYNDA L. COON.
Carolinne White
This beautifully presented book offers the reader seven chapters on various figures and products of Carolingian monastic culture, focusing particularly life achievements Hrabanus Maurus his predecessors as abbot Fulda, pictures versus intexti in Maurus’ series carmina figurata entitled In honour Holy Cross, architecture monastery at wonderfully detailed Plan St Gall. These subjects are set against background Benedictine Rule particular rich ninth-century commentaries by Smaragdus Saint-Mihiel Hildemar Corbie. Through these Coon sprinkles an assortment interesting facts (as well illustrations) which may inspire to explore further such topics hagiography poetry, memory mandalas, Roman rhetoric attitudes dining, Judaic tradition, architecture, day-to-day practices life. All this is marred only odd error, implication that Dante preceded Vincent Beauvais Thomas Aquinas (p. 13) or Fulda possessed relics of, among others, Antony, Athanasius, Benedict, Bede 50). The epilogue followed very full endnotes a generous multilingual bibliography giving useful information Latin editions texts discussed secondary sources wide variety subjects.
The Journal of Theological Studies