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MOSER, Th.C., A Cosmos of Desire. The Medieval Latin Erotic Lyric in English Manuscripts. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, 2007. 4th impr. XVI,485p. Original burgundy gilt titled cloth. ‘Thomas C. Moser’s ‘Cosmos of Desire’ offers a much needed exploration of the medieval Latin erotic lyric poetry found in English manuscripts of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. This study comprises an introduction, followed by six chapters, evenly divided into three parts: the priest covers the Continental background to the writing of erotic Latin lyric, the second looks at the socio-historical and cultural context for the writing of lyrics in the Anglo-Norman world, and the third discusses the sophistication and success of erotic lyrics written during this period. As stated in the introduction, the study is, in many ways, ‘an effort at intellectual archaeology’, (p.1), which led Moser to cover both twelfth-century Neoplatonic debates in the French schools, which promoted a model of the ‘ideal man’ and hence a humanistic educational programme, and the emergence of knighthood as an institution, accompanied by the trouvères creation of courtly entertainment, which would create a competition to the clerics’ erotic lyrics. Moser’s choice to limit his investigation to the erotic, rather than love lyric, led him to provide clear and helpful definitions of the genre, in particular avoiding the greater problem or theological discourse on the nature of love.’ (RALUCA RADULESCU in ‘Mediaevistik, 2009, p.440). From the library of Professor Carl Deroux. € 69.50 (Antiquarian) ISBN: 9780472113798