The Envy of Angels: Cathedral Schools and Social Ideals in Medieval Europe, 950-1200 Book

Jaeger argues that the "cultus virtutum", in European medieval education, shifted from being incarnate to textual from the 10th to the 12th century. In other words, the cult of virtue moved from teachers to texts across western Europe during this time. Jaeger presents this valuing of the virtue found in texts as if the phenomena were medicinal, treating the corruption of individuals' virtues.

Jaeger quotes an extensive amount of primary sources, which helps to make his book the excellent historical analysis it is. He appears meandering at times, but then has the remarkable ability to collapse his observations into a forceful conclusion. I think the final chapter, on "court society", is difficult. While interesting, it does not seem to fit the rest of the book, rather, it seems to be a general extension of the thesis. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading this.