Marvellous to Behold

Book excerpt: Beautifully illustrated with over 120 illuminations from manuscripts in the British Library, this book examines medieval depictions of miracles. It's structure is not chronological, but thematic, with different types of miracle treated together. It is made all the more interesting by the inclusion of manuscripts from Judaism and Islam, enabling comparison of episodes common to the three great monotheistic religions, such as Abraham in the fire of the Chaldeans or Jonah and the whale. The text looks at the social context of the illustrations and looks at parallels and differences in belief and spirituality across the centuries and religions.