Reviews

"As a comparative study, this is a valuable contribution to the literature; it reminds readers that one should be aware of the persistent influence that certain cultural phenomena may have. . . . Recommended."—Choice, October 1, 2011

"Rethinking Chivalry and Courtly Love thoughtfully explores two important aspects of medieval ideology, the meaning of which people all too often assume they know but all too infrequently examine. This highly readable book draws on some of the latest research in the field, yet wears its scholarship lightly. With an overview informed by a wealth of precise local detail, it offers a reliable, wide-ranging and accessible introduction to the theory and practice of these medieval manifestations of violence and love. General readers and scholars alike will find much to intrigue and delight them here; the curious will learn, through the tracing of chivalry, courtly love, and the relations between them, how many aspects of the modern world—and modern thinking—build on medieval foundations, while the specialist will be impressed, not only by the interdisciplinary range and depth of knowledge Wollock brings to bear on the subject, but by the new connections she makes across time and space, which generously open up the whole area for further research and inquiry."—Catherine Batt, Senior Lecturer, School of English, University of Leeds