Bestsellers and masterpieces

This book offers a fascinating investigation into the gap between medieval popularity and modern academic prestige, examining why the texts we now consider canonical were often obscure in their own time while the real bestsellers have been largely forgotten. Blurton provides a compelling cross-cultural analysis that spans European and Middle Eastern literary traditions, challenging our fundamental assumptions about what constitutes a medieval masterpiece. The work digs into the manuscript record to reveal what people were actually reading versus what scholars later decided was important, creating a vital correction to our historical perspective on medieval literature.

What makes this study particularly valuable is its refusal to treat the medieval canon as a natural formation, instead revealing it as a constructed entity shaped by later scholarly priorities and cultural biases. Students of literary history and critical theory will find rich material here about how cultural value is assigned and transmitted across centuries. By placing European and Middle Eastern traditions in conversation, Blurton creates a more global understanding of medieval textual circulation that transcends traditional academic boundaries. This is essential reading for anyone interested in the politics of canon formation and the often-surprising disconnect between medieval reading habits and modern scholarly attention.