Probable Truth

• Book History, Manuscript Studies & Palaeography
• Middle English language & literature

"Ces études constituent un sérieux ouvrage de référence, à lire lentement, à consulter fréquemment. Les avis, non toujours concordants mais solidement motivés, s'appuient toujours sur des cas concrets, détaillés, et des expériences éditoriales vécues." (Guy Bourquin, dans: Le Moyen Âge, tome CXX, 2/2014, p. 570-572)

"All of the essays assembled by Gillespie and Hudson in this volume testify to the mysterious and, for some scholars, compelling mixture of science and art that according to Housman is the discipline of the textual editor. Collectively and individually, the twenty-nine essays in Probable Truth demonstrate the need for editors of medieval texts to be adventurous, cautious, deft, imaginative, intuitive, logical, rational, and of course self-aware. That is, this book makes a case for the discipline of editing as a sophisticated variety of academic research, one that, given the amount of medieval material that requires editing and reediting, ought to stimulate the interest of more scholars and ought to command the respect of more university doctoral and promotions committees." (Michael P. Kuczynski, in: The Medieval Review, 15.06.31)

"The reader of Probable Truth will find herself with a multiplicity of answers, alongside helpful insights, useful references, and, of course, further questions. It is certainly worth clearing space for Probable Truth on any scholarly bookshelf, as it is packed with the perpetual problems of editing that persist." (Pamela Greig, in: Nottingham Medieval Studies 59, 2015, p. 195-199)

"Generally speaking, each contribution is of a high standard and, with some exceptions, connected more or less closely with the common theme: editing texts from medieval Britain." (Nicholas A. Sparks, in: Parergon 32.2, 2015, p. 382-383)

"The volume is a treasure-trove of information on current editorial theory and editorial practices. It asks several crucial questions about the state of editing, some of them linked to electronic editing in particular, and the digitalization of the humanities in general. It also offers specific case studies that offer honest accounts of the difficulties facing the most accomplished editor with his mss. Anyone interested in medieval English editing and medieval English culture will profit immensely from these excellent contributions." (D. Renevey, in: Scriptorium 2015/01, nr. 225)

"Nel complesso, la miscellanea rivela un quadro piacevolmente vivace dell’editoria scientifica dei testi della Britannia medievale" (Marina Buzzoni, in: Studi Medievali Ser. 3, 57, 1, 2016, p.  321-326)

“The large number of contributions results in excellent breadth of coverage in terms of editorial topics, with a handful of essays destined to become classics. (…) this is a landmark volume that no serious scholar of textual history should miss.” (Elaine Treharne, in Review of English Studies, Vol. 67/279, April 2016, p. 374-375)

“The editors of this volume (…) have produced an outstanding collection, remarkable for its consistently high quality across thirty essays. There is hardly a piece in the collection that one would not gladly see twice as long, or that is not worth careful discussion and genuine praise.” (R. M. Liuzza, in Speculum, 91/3, 2016, p. 785)