This is an invaluable reference for any Medievalist - it was actually a required book for at least one of my courses. I used it extensively in my art history and literature classes at college to understand the symbolism of each animal. ( )

This volume, compiled and translated by T.H. White (Author of The Once and Future King, among other works) is a gem. The text is entertaining in many regards: it presents colorful traveler's tales and depictions of fantastic beasts, all illustrated in a beautiful, characteristically medieval style. However, a modern reader must keep in mind that the bestiary was intended as a work of serious scholarship in the science of zoology. While one can laugh at tales of castrated beavers and bishop-fish, White's extensive notes provide a broader historical context for all of these misassumptions: for the student of medieval history, these are invaluable, for the layperson, they are both instructive and entertaining, providing us with a much broader picture of the medieval world than the Bestiary alone could provide. The text is also interesting as a resource on medieval catholicism. Almost every animal's behavior is examined in context of Christian allegory and symbolism: these parables are well written and entertaining but also illuminate the mindset and beliefs characteristic of this period. This volume is indispensible for anyone interested in Renaissance or Medieval history both as a history guide, art reference and dictionary of symbolism and as an entertaining, beautiful masterpiece in and of itself. ( )

A fascinating translation of a 12th century bestiary. ( )