Books of Hours (Phaidon Press)

Fabulously popular in Medieval times (the first such on record dates from ~1230), "a Book of Hours is a glittering compendium of different devotional texts."  The name "derives from the practice of reading certain prayers and devotions at the different 'hours' of the day," an 'hour' being "the inexact space of time to be allotted either to religious or to business duties."  A Book of Hours allowed laymen to follow a pattern of daily devotion similar to that observed by monastic orders, which observed rituals eight times a day [Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, Compline].

An example page from a Book of Hours

Books of Hours, by Phaidon press, is a wonderful little volume that gives example pages from different Books of Hours throughout Medieval times.  It presents them based on the medium's typical structure, which varied, but in general featured:
- A calendar listing saints' days, with pictures each month showing typical activities for that season
- Short readings of the four gospels
- Prayers to the Virgin
- Hours of the Virgin (a "series of prayers and psalms" to honor Christ's mother eight times a day)
- Hours of the Cross and Holy Spirit (which "consist of a hymn, an antiphon, and a prayer")
- Penitential Psalms ("a passionate outpouring of grief, consciousness of sin and hope of pardon")
- Litany (a cry for help)
- Office of the Dead (which could be read over a coffin at a funeral)
- Suffrages/Invocation of the Saints (prayers to the Trinity and different saints)
Several examples of each section are presented, giving the reader a nice overview of the beauty and variety the books contained, as well as an understanding of the layout and how people would have used them.  Overall, this is a nice afternoon read for lovers of antiquity.

A typical Book of Hours- note the small size

Rating: A