Latin Psalter Manuscripts in Trinity College Dublin and the Chester Beatty Library

Book excerpt: The book of Psalms was at the core of devotional practice in western Christianity throughout the Middle Ages. The study of medieval Latin Psalters provides evidence for the owners, users, and makers of each of these unique books. This volume examines Psalter manuscripts as objects, exploring how they were designed and the changes that have been made to them over time. The choices made about text, decoration, size, and layout in these manuscripts reveal a diverse range of engagements with the Psalms, as they were sung, read, and scrutinized. The book thus sheds new light on some of the treasures of Trinity College Dublin and the Chester Beatty Library. *** Slim in format and heavy in insights, this book is a peculiar hybrid. It is not a robust academic catalogue or a glossy exhibition catalogue or a coffee-table book, but it manages to combine some of the most appealing features of all three. Elegantly designed and richly illustrated in (almost) full colour, it is a pleasure to hold, look at and leaf through. ...a publication that invites an intimate study of Dublin's treasures.Ã?Â?Ã?Â?-- Stella Panayotova, Times Literary Supplement, February 2016 [Subject: History, Irish Studies, Medieval Studies, Religious Studies]