The Medieval Moon: A History of Haunting and Blessing
By Ayoush Lazikani
Yale University Press
ISBN: 978-0-300-27828-6
People across the medieval world looked up at the moon and found all kinds of meaning in it—scientific learning, literature, art, faith, and folklore. This book explores how the moon shaped society in all these ways, and why it mattered so much to people at the time.
Excerpt:
In this book of moons, I am writing for people for whom the medieval world and its literatures and arts may be unfamiliar. I hope that in telling the stories of medieval moons, I also introduce these readers to the wonderful, mesmerising realm of medieval texts and images. But I also hope that this book may be useful to those with greater familiarity with medieval languages, literatures, and arts.
Who is this book for?
The moon is an ideal subject for exploring cross-cultural approaches in the Middle Ages. So omnipresent in society, it appears in places you might not expect. Both general readers and medieval scholars should find this an enjoyable read.
“Yet The Medieval Moon delivers far more than just a thematic overview of the moon that bridges disciplinary siloes. Lazikani refreshingly challenges the conventional periodisation of the Middle Ages by taking the story forward to 1600 (on the basis that astronomical perceptions of the moon did not change significantly until the 17th century) and, more importantly, offers a genuinely global vision of the period, taking in Japanese, Polynesian, and Mayan culture.” ~ review by Francis Young in History Today
“As this varied selection of stories suggests, Lazikani’s approach is a sweeping one: her aim is to offer a ‘multi-glance’ (that is, ‘a look across many regions, traditions and cultures’), to which end she has identified Moon-literature from across the world, dating from as early as the seventh and as late as the 17th century. In practice, the limitations of the sources mean that much of the world is merely glimpsed; large areas remain entirely dark to us, and only England is fully illuminated. At times, although Lazikani hopes that The Medieval Moon will appeal to those unfamiliar with the medieval world , the book’s structure feels overly academic.” ~review by Katherine Harvey in Engelsberg Ideas
The Author
Ayoush Lazikani is a Stipendiary Lecturer at the University of Oxford. She specializes in the Global Middle Ages, the history of emotions, and the natural world. You can also follow her on Instagram.
The Medieval Moon: A History of Haunting and Blessing
By Ayoush Lazikani
Yale University Press
ISBN: 978-0-300-27828-6
People across the medieval world looked up at the moon and found all kinds of meaning in it—scientific learning, literature, art, faith, and folklore. This book explores how the moon shaped society in all these ways, and why it mattered so much to people at the time.
Excerpt:
In this book of moons, I am writing for people for whom the medieval world and its literatures and arts may be unfamiliar. I hope that in telling the stories of medieval moons, I also introduce these readers to the wonderful, mesmerising realm of medieval texts and images. But I also hope that this book may be useful to those with greater familiarity with medieval languages, literatures, and arts.
Who is this book for?
The moon is an ideal subject for exploring cross-cultural approaches in the Middle Ages. So omnipresent in society, it appears in places you might not expect. Both general readers and medieval scholars should find this an enjoyable read.
“Yet The Medieval Moon delivers far more than just a thematic overview of the moon that bridges disciplinary siloes. Lazikani refreshingly challenges the conventional periodisation of the Middle Ages by taking the story forward to 1600 (on the basis that astronomical perceptions of the moon did not change significantly until the 17th century) and, more importantly, offers a genuinely global vision of the period, taking in Japanese, Polynesian, and Mayan culture.” ~ review by Francis Young in History Today
“As this varied selection of stories suggests, Lazikani’s approach is a sweeping one: her aim is to offer a ‘multi-glance’ (that is, ‘a look across many regions, traditions and cultures’), to which end she has identified Moon-literature from across the world, dating from as early as the seventh and as late as the 17th century. In practice, the limitations of the sources mean that much of the world is merely glimpsed; large areas remain entirely dark to us, and only England is fully illuminated. At times, although Lazikani hopes that The Medieval Moon will appeal to those unfamiliar with the medieval world , the book’s structure feels overly academic.” ~review by Katherine Harvey in Engelsberg Ideas
The Author
Ayoush Lazikani is a Stipendiary Lecturer at the University of Oxford. She specializes in the Global Middle Ages, the history of emotions, and the natural world. You can also follow her on Instagram.
Check out her article Medieval Goddesses of the Moon: Chang’e and Diana
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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