All Things Medieval: An Encyclopedia of the Medieval World

摘要

All Things Medieval is the latest in the "All Things" series published by Greenwood Press. Earlier publications have focused on individuals and their work, e.g. All Things Austen: An Encyclopedia of Austen's World (Olsen, 2005) (RR 2006/080); similarly for works on Chaucer, Darwin and Shakespeare. There is also an All Things in the Bible: An Encyclopedia of the Biblical World (Tischler, 2006). In All Things Medieval the author, Ruth Johnston, has a much wider field to cover and many more years. The Middle Ages are generally considered to cover just under 1,000 years from 550-1450. The focus of this encyclopaedia is Europe, including Scandinavia, Spain, England, France, Germany, Italy and the Byzantine Empire which overlapped south-eastern Europe and Asia. In the style of the "All Things" series, this work begins with an introductory essay and then is arranged alphabetically by topic (or "thing"). There is a 15-page bibliography followed by a useful index, which includes terms within the encyclopaedia's list of topics.