John Gower, Poetry and Propaganda in Fourteenth-Century England

David Carlson has written a book that contributes enormously to our knowledge of the dynamics of late-medieval literary patronage in general and to our understanding of John Gower’s relationship to Richard II and Henry IV in particular. In its detailed exposition of difficult verse texts it stands as a model for literary scholars, and in its nuanced elucidation of contemporary responses to political events (especially the Lancastrian usurpation), it offers some valuable lessons for the historian as well. ― SPECULUM

An important book for everyone interested in political writing – argued, as one would expect from Carson, on the basis of a wealth of detail which is submitted to skeptical scrutiny. ― MEDIUM AEVUM

A crucial addition to the history of ways in which literary production and politics were interconnected in fourteenth-century England. ― PARERGON

A game-changing study. … An outstanding inquiry, blending source study, political criticism, and sensitive analyses. … Highly recommended. ― CHOICE