The Restoration of the Monastery of Saint Martin [Paperback]

This translation penetrates the surface of Herman's account to illuminate some of his hidden meanings. In carefully constructed subtexts, Herman depicts the strife that surrounded the monastic restoration and affords the careful reader an intimate look at the values, attitudes, and social tensions of his time. The translator's introduction provides a context for readers who may be less familiar with the place or period, while a series of appendices offers more extended historical background for some of the central issues in Herman's account. Insightful explanatory notes provide useful background information regarding medieval customs and practices and identify the work's many characters. In addition, genealogical charts trace the often complication familial relationships of the persons involved.Herman of Tournai's account of the 11th-century refounding of the monastery is full of details of monastic life, here translated with extensive notes by Lynn Nelson.