French Books of Hours : Cambridge University Press : 9781107460065 : 1107460069 : 11 Jun 2014 : "The book of hours is one of the most familiar relics of medieval and early modern Europe. Libraries, museums, and private collectors around the world own thousands of them. That number represents but a fraction of all the books of hours created between 1250 and 1600. Many were destroyed over the intervening centuries of war, natural disaster, and religious change, not to mention the mundane ravages of time. Still, the survival of so many examples and the diversity of their contents make the book of hours an ideal source for exploring the history of art, religion, and the book. Scholars have lavished attention on books of hours. Art historians write about the books' fabrication, illustration, and patronage. Literary scholars and historians shed light on texts, prayers, and readership. Abundant scholarship on the book of hours has helped to make it the best known artifact of medieval and earl