Classen Albrecht (ed.). Erotic Tales of Medieval Germany

Tempe, Arizona: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2009. — 186 p. — (Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies 328).A good collection of underestimated material. The Europe of the Middle Ages, before the Reformation took hold and forced everyone into a personal "strait and narrow" and before the rise of capitalism and mercantilism was a very lively time. Slavery had been abolished at the start of the Middle Ages and in keeping with the traditions of the Celts and Germanic peoples, women played full and virtually equal roles with men in social and political life. As usual by Classen, a solidly translated series of tales from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Most of these are the only English translations we have. Classen is very clear in his introduction as to why he made the stylistic choices he made, and as a researcher I always appreciate that. While meant for academics, this text is quite readable, and a reader not acquainted with the genre would enjoy them.