The Cloister and the Hearth: A Tale of the Middle Ages

706 pp. Gilt decor on spine and front board. Top page ridge gilt. Color frontispiece and plates by Evelyn Paul. "The Cloister and The Hearth (1861) is a novel by the English author Charles Reade. Set in the 15th century, it relates the story revolving about the travels of a young scribe and illuminator, Gerard Eliassoen, through several European countries. Often describing the events, people and their practices in minute detail, The Cloister and The Hearth may certainly be considered a fine historical novel. Its main theme is the struggle between man's obligations to family and to Church." -- Wikipedia