We've concentrated on the unique character of the medieval book, and the influence on the book of the patron who requested that it be made. The book is a very large topic, and you'll find much information in the New Catholic Encyclopedia and other sources. Use this link to supplement what our narrative says.
Coordinate the information in this module with the other sources by doing a quick anaysis of their structure: How is the article The Book divided up? What are the main divisions of the subject? Who wrote the article? What other topics are you referred to by the author and editors in the "see also" section: that is, what are the connections you are supposed to make between this article on the book and other topics in the source?
It is very important to get information from more than one source whenever you can. Every author, no matter how careful, works with biases and prejudices that cause certain points to be emphasized and others to be overlooked. Make it a point, whenever you can, of checking the NEC or the Dictionary of the Middle Ages when you are introduced to a major topic in this course.
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