O lucky me!

Tonight I was the recipient of two thoughtful and very much appreciated gifts:

The Penguin Classics edition of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in the original Middle English. This will pair excellently with the unabridged translation by Burton Raffel that I picked up last year. [The latter book is now apparently out of print, though still available new from booksellers. Search by the ISBN to find a copy: 9780679643555. It’s a beautiful hardcover edition.]

And…

The Baronius Press edition of the Catena Aurea by St Thomas Aquinas. This is a beautiful (and hefty!) four volume set of hardcovers, leather bound. Each volume has two registers (ribbon markers) and gilt pages. (The set is much more handsome than in the publisher’s picture.) If you’re not familiar with the Catena Aurea, it is a collection of excerpts from numerous patristic writers commenting on passages in the four Gospels. The excerpts are in order of the Gospel text, so no matter what liturgical tradition you belong to, you can find a short commentary on your lectionary’s reading of the day, or, simply read through for the fun of it. The Catena Aurea was compiled by St Thomas Aquinas, and is a true wonder.

Both of these were on my list of books to buy. I am very happy to have both!

Thank you very much, my generous friend!