Anne of Geierstein (Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels) [Hardcover]

Walter Scott (Author), John H. Alexander (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 5, 2000 | Series: Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels

Anne of Geierstein (1829) is set in Central Europe in the fifteenth century. The novel illustrates the darkening of Scott's historical vision in the final part of his career.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The volumes have been carefully and critically edited from the original manuscripts and now the texts, which in each case capture large numbers of readings never before printed and clear away elements of corruption in existing editions, are as close to what Scott originally wrote as the skills of the editorial team can make them. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the appearance of two more volumes in the new critical Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels ! both volumes are truly impressive jobs of scholarly editing, and they are handsomely designed and printed. The best and most thoroughly pioneering textual editing project in the history of Scottish literary scholarship ! In the Edinburgh Edition, the specifics of the various transmissional layers are dealt with in an 'Essay on the Text', particular to each novel, and each essay would make for an excellent primer in modern, rigorously empirical practices of textual editing. These essays uncover the archaeology of Scott's compositional practice based upon an exhaustive trawl through letters to and by Scott, James Ballantyne, Robert Cadell and others. They also make as much sense as possible of the transition between manuscript and first edition and between the significant printed editions of each text. Along with emendation lists much more extensive than any before in editions of Scott, this extensive apparati represents many hundreds of hours of work by the volume editor, by research assistants and by the general editor!It is the transparency, consistency and boldness of the Edinburgh edition in creating a kind of hyper-socialised text (where so much which was manifestly designed for inclusion and demonstrably lost through error first time around is recovered) which makes it such a courageous example of empirical text editing ! these volumes continue the process of the Edinburgh Edition in providing the best textual and annotational maps of Scott-land The Edinburgh Edition respects Scott the artist by 'restoring' versions of the novels that are not quite what his first readers saw. Indeed, it returns to manuscripts that the printers never handled, as Scott's fiction before 1827 was transcribed before it reached the printshop. Each volume of the Edinburgh edition presents an uncluttered text of one work, followed by an Essay on the Text by the editor of the work, a list of the emendations that have been made to the first edition, explanatory notes and a glossar y! The editorial essays are histories of the respective texts. Some of them are almost 100 pages long; when they are put together they constitute a fascinating and lucid account of Scott's methods of compostion and his financial manoeuvres. This edition is for anyone who takes Scott seriously The foremost Scott textual scholar and authority J H Alexander has produced the definitive edition of the novel. It is part of the monumental on-going Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels! Sensibly priced, pleasantly printed with reasonable margins and firmly bound with gilt lettering on the spine, J H Alexander's definitive edition of Scott's unjustly neglected late Anne of Geierstein is a must for all libraries collecting the works of the great master of the novel. It is also a must for libraries with collections in European history and culture. Strongly recommended. -- Professor William Baker, Northern Illinois University The volumes have been carefully and critically edited from the original manuscripts and now the texts, which in each case capture large numbers of readings never before printed and clear away elements of corruption in existing editions, are as close to what Scott originally wrote as the skills of the editorial team can make them. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the appearance of two more volumes in the new critical Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels ! both volumes are truly impressive jobs of scholarly editing, and they are handsomely designed and printed. The best and most thoroughly pioneering textual editing project in the history of Scottish literary scholarship ! In the Edinburgh Edition, the specifics of the various transmissional layers are dealt with in an 'Essay on the Text', particular to each novel, and each essay would make for an excellent primer in modern, rigorously empirical practices of textual editing. These essays uncover the archaeology of Scott's compositional practice based upon an exhaustive trawl through letters to and by Scott, James Ballantyne, Robert Cadell and others. They also make as much sense as possible of the transition between manuscript and first edition and between the significant printed editions of each text. Along with emendation lists much more extensive than any before in editions of Scott, this extensive apparati represents many hundreds of hours of work by the volume editor, by research assistants and by the general editor!It is the transparency, consistency and boldness of the Edinburgh edition in creating a kind of hyper-socialised text (where so much which was manifestly designed for inclusion and demonstrably lost through error first time around is recovered) which makes it such a courageous example of empirical text editing ! these volumes continue the process of the Edinburgh Edition in providing the best textual and annotational maps of Scott-land The Edinburgh Edition respects Scott the artist by 'restoring' versions of the novels that are not quite what his first readers saw. Indeed, it returns to manuscripts that the printers never handled, as Scott's fiction before 1827 was transcribed before it reached the printshop. Each volume of the Edinburgh edition presents an uncluttered text of one work, followed by an Essay on the Text by the editor of the work, a list of the emendations that have been made to the first edition, explanatory notes and a glossar y! The editorial essays are histories of the respective texts. Some of them are almost 100 pages long; when they are put together they constitute a fascinating and lucid account of Scott's methods of compostion and his financial manoeuvres. This edition is for anyone who takes Scott seriously The foremost Scott textual scholar and authority J H Alexander has produced the definitive edition of the novel. It is part of the monumental on-going Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels! Sensibly priced, pleasantly printed with reasonable margins and firmly bound with gilt lettering on the spine, J H Alexander's definitive edition of Scott's unjustly neglected late Anne of Geierstein is a must for all libraries collecting the works of the great master of the novel. It is also a must for libraries with collections in European history and culture. Strongly recommended.

About the Author

J. H. Alexander is reader in English at the University of Aberdeen.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 580 pages
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press (July 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074860586X
• ISBN-13: 978-0748605866
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,515,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lesser Scott, August 6, 2004

By 

Mr Peter G George (Ellon, Aberdeenshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Anne of Geierstein (Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels) (Hardcover)

Anne of Geirstein is not one of Walter Scott's more famous novels. It was written towards the end of his life, when his talents were supposedly in decline. It is unlikely that anyone would rank Anne as among Scott's ten best novels. Indeed it might struggle to make the top twenty. Anne of Geirstein however was quite a popular work when it was first published and it is easy to see why. It is well written with some very strong elements. The plot is generally exciting with good romantic episodes and some genuinely eerie moments.

The story is set in the 15th century and begins with two exiled Englishmen struggling along a mountain path in Switzerland. They get into difficulties and are rescued by Anne a beautiful young Swiss. The two Englishmen are Lancastrians on a secret mission to the court of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. They hope to gain his help in regaining the English crown from the Yorkist Edward IV. Anne's family are involved in the politics of the newly independent Swiss Confederation and likewise intend to visit Charles with complaints about his conduct towards the Swiss nation. The two groups decide to travel together. This gives the young Lancastrian Arthur a chance to court Anne. But much stands in the way of their union, including politics, war and a rival known as the Young Bear of Berne.

When Scott focuses on Switzerland and the romance between Anne and Arthur, the story goes very well. He delves into Anne's unusual family history, which apparently involves supernatural elements and magic skills which may have been passed onto Anne from her grandmother, enabling her to perform feats which defy explanation. Scott also involves his characters with a shadowy organization known as the Vehmgericht or Secret Tribunal, which deals with people who have evaded justice by kidnapping them trying them and executing them if necessary. When Scott is concerned with these aspects of the story, the novel flows and is a great read. Unfortunately in the second half of the novel, Scott's title character Anne retreats into the background and the romantic elements of the plot give way to the politics of the court of Charles the Bold. There follows a long account of the various schemes and intrigues of the period, which eventually becomes rather tedious. Moreover Scott goes into so much detail regarding the power politics of the 15th century that he does not allow himself enough time for the novel's conclusion. The resolution of many of the plot elements is hurried and unsatisfying.

There is much to enjoy in Anne of Geirstein. It shows that even Scott's lesser novels are well written and worth reading. It may not be one of the great Waverley novels, but fans of Scott will still find much here to enjoy.