The Beowulf Manuscript: Complete Texts and The Flight at Finnsburg (Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library)

I’ve been on an updating binge for my media collections recently, from DVD to blu-ray, etc; uniformity among book titles and things like that. I bought this copy to replace an older version of Beowulf but this one has extras of which I was unaware, see Judith and The wonders of the East. The crux of this review is to make note of the unfortunate quality of the binding of the book. As the picture shows, some of the pages peel apart rather easily, and I’ve barely had this book a day or two. The reason, i believe, is that the bookmaker endeavored to do a combination of sewing and glue for the binding, something I’ve seen in the past with other books with the same result. The smythe sewn books I have don’t have this problem.Either sew the pages together with signatures or glue the whole textblock, but don’t do both.

The content of the book is fantastic. But it's hard to understand how I bought a "brand new" item that arrived like this.

This is a gem of a book. Somewhat in the style of the Loeb and Oxford Classic texts, the Dumbarton-Oaks series brings forth heretofore rare translations of medieval works. In "The Beowulf Manuscript" we have R.D. Fulk's lucid translation of the Old English classic along with a number of wide ranging lesser known works. Of particular interest to me was the fascinating "Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle"; if only it included Aristotle's (presumed) reproachful reply.The binding of the volume, with full maroon cloth boards, black dyed contrast panels and just enough gilt to draw the eye is superlative and very fitting for such an important work. Larger than LCL, the 5 1/2" x 8" dimensions are a nice compromise in terms of readability and portability. The paper stock feels substantial and the font style coupled with the intensely black ink provides a nice contrast to many of the translation texts currently in print. Highly recommended.

As other reviewers stated, this is the complete Beowulf manuscript (Cotton Vitellius A. vx) with the Fight at Finnsburg fragment. I'm including a picture of the table of contents and an example of the side-by-side translation. As other readers have stated, the paper and font are aesthetically pleasing, and the book is a convenient 8.25" x 5.5" when closed. I have enjoyed this book as a helpful tool when learning Anglo-Saxon, and if you are a student like myself, I recommend this text as a complement to Klaeber's Beowulf and Kiernan's ebeowulf.uky.edu

This is one of the inaugural volumes of the new Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, a major publishing enterprise which aims to fill the gap between Loeb Classics and I Tatti Renaissance Library.If this book is any indication, the series will soon play an essential role in promoting the study of important medieval texts in facing-page editions/translations. This volume brings together all of the texts of the Beowulf Manuscript, Cotton Vitellius A.XV, and provides a lucid prose English translation.On an aesthetic note: absolutely gorgeous, a pleasure to read, lovely font, high-quality paper and binding: these books will instruct and delight for many, many years!

Absolutely wonderful content and volume. Seller stated new, was not. Long tear to jacket (packaging did not have any tearing), and oddly small puncture through front pages but not covers...shrug. Not worth the trouble to return and order another copy.

Part of the new series 'Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library' that will present editions of the text in the original language with facing pace translations, this volume makes the ENTIRE Beowulf manuscript available to readers, including not only the Fight at Finnsburg but Alexander the Great's Letter to Aristotle, teh Wonders of the East, fragments of St. Christopher and Judith. The volume is well produced, a convenient size with clear type. Watch for the other Old English texts that will appear in this series!

This is a beautiful, high quality book. The main content presents Beowulf manuscript together with the other manuscripts that are bound together in the British Library volume. The original text is printed on one side ( not facsimile), and a translation mirrors on the opposite. Among my favorite.