Customer Reviews

Hartmann Schedel: Nuremberg Chronicle (Jumbo)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wow. This is a stunning book. I'm a real book-o-holic but this is the first book I feel priviliged to own. If you're interested in the medieval period this should really be in your bookcase. Or maybe even in a display case.

The book is a reprint of a 1493 chronicle. The entire history up until then is covered through their eyes, including, of course, the bible. Since Columbus hadn't returned yet, the discovery of the Americas isn't even covered yet, a fact that really made me feel in touch with just how old this chronicle really is.

I especially like the way the chronicle reflects the renaissance spirit, neatly weaving the long-known stories of the bible, the rediscovered Greek and Roman sagas (Illias etc) and 'modern' history into one coherent chronicle.

A slight warning, however: if you want an easy-to-read history book, you'd better shop around some more. The letters are gothic, and the chronicle itself is in middle-German. The introduction is in English however, and the woodcarvings are beautiful enough to warrant buying this book even if you can't make out exactly what it says.

If you ever want to buy someone who loves (medieval) history a special gift, get him/her this book. You'll make a friend for life :-)

If you're here, and know what the heck this book is, then I can readily recommend that you snap it up without reservation. Seriously now, how often do things like this get reprinted? The Liber chronicarum isn't exactly mass market, now is it? ;) There really are only two drawbacks to this edition. First, the cover is an artificial suede that is -really- suceptiable to damage. Be careful with it, and consider making or purchasing some sort of cover for it. The second drawback is merely personal preference - this edition reproduces a hand-colored version of the text. This book is absolutely beautiful in it's reproduction, but I've never been a big fan of colored woodcuts. If you like your woodcuts chromatically enabled, all the better.

It isn't necessary to be familiar with old German to appreciate the beauty of this book. It is a wonderful object just to look at.

The one drawback for me is the colouring of the woodcuts. I enjoy coloured woodcuts, but unfortunately the job of colouring these was given to someone unusually inept, a genuine 15th Century donut, who performed the task with neither ability nor care.

But you have to go with what you can get - and this book is still worth it.

I am a confirmed "bookaholic."...With my purchase of Taschen's edition of Schadel's Weltchronik...I may never buy another book...I became aware of the availability of the book at Taschen's website and was delighted to learn Amazon.com actually had it in stock (as well as Taschen's edition of Luther's Bible...my next acquisition).

This is a very substantial book. Attractively bound. And, the reproductions are wonderful. It is an enjoyable window into printing and woodcuts and world of 16th Century thought. I found my (mediocre) skills in German enhanced my appreciation of the work, but I think that even without understanding the text, the book-as-art stands up well by itself.

Füssel's commentary was interesting and informative and a substantial addition to an already fine volume. Lacking specific background, I could not read it critically but I enjoyed it very much.

Finally, the book, it seems to me, is an incredible bargain at the price.

Unfortunately for members of academia who could use this book for research, or avid historical students, there has been a bubble economy created around this book. This Book, currently listed for between 700 and 900 dollars, was purchased for 60 dollars from the publisher when originally released in 2002. It seems that many bookstores bought multiple copies essentially buying out the market and then were able to make their own price. While this book does have a limited supply, and any English translations of the Chronicle are rare, it is highway robbery to have over a 1000% markup. Of course, there is demand for this book, it was extremely rare for so long, and as long as people pay whatever price is asked the invisible hand stays at bay. The problem I have is that the people buying this book are for the most part people who collect books or want a "cool" book to show off to friends and the book will just lay around pointlessly for decades. Meanwhile, students whose college library does not, or avid historians whose local Libraries do not, have a copy are either forced to pay the exorbitant rate, or unable to make use of an essential read to understand the cannon of pre-American European history.


I would be interested to know what otis_mike_wilber or internationalbooks paid for the book they are selling for $700 and $981.99 respectively.

I cannot reconcile this "old German" facsimile with the original Nuremberg Chronicle which was written in Latin. There was a "pirated" version produced in 1496 in German in which the pages were smaller.

Is there a simple explanation for this?

Yvonne van Wensveen (myblackhen).