PAST CONVICTIONS: The Penance of Louis the Pious and the Decline of the Carolingians.

First edition, first printing. Original green cloth with gilt lettering to the spine, in dustwrapper. A very near fine copy, the binding square and firm, with the merest bumping to spine tips. The contents, except for a previous owner's name and a date written neatly in ink to the upper corner of the front pastedown, the same owners initials in tiny script to the centre of the rear pastedown, and a couple of tiny ink ticks beside a few entries in the bibliography, are clean throughout. In the fine, unclipped dustwrapper.

"The book makes two impressive contributions to medieval history. First, Booker's careful analysis of a thousand-year-long historiographical tradition sounds a warning about the dangers of relying on reified traditions. Second, he cleverly recovers stifled voices from the ninth century, ones well worth remembering for their power in deposing an emperor. [...] An important read for anyone interested in historiography or Carolingian history." (Religious Studies Review)