It gives me great pleasure to announce that this year’s winner of the Bolchazy Pedagogy Book Award is Ken Kitchell’s The Other Middle Ages: A Medieval Latin Reader, published by Bolchazy-Carducci. As someone who has taught Medieval Latin to undergraduate students, I can tell you that the choice of Medieval Latin textbooks is limited. And so Ken’s book, directed to intermediate Latin students, is a welcome addition.
The book is attractively arranged by theme. Each Latin selection is preceded by a title, a short introduction to the content of the piece, and is accompanied by notes and vocabulary. As one of my committee members observed, “What makes this text so appealing for teachers and students [alike] is that the texts are accessible, entertaining, and real, and … [the readings are] level-appropriate.” This comment reflects one of the aims of the textbook: to provide “readings… [that are] enjoyable in and of themselves.” Ken has achieved this goal by making reading Medieval Latin fun.
I know that Lou himself was particularly interested in “Post-Antique Latin.” I am confident that he would be pleased that a Medieval Latin textbook was being recognized for its excellence and that his very own press published this work.
Respectfully submitted,
Helena Dettmer