Book excerpt: Praised by reviewers as highly recommended, indispensable, and thorough, comprehensive, usable, and unquestionably useful, theChaucer Name Dictionary is the ultimate A-Z guide to the writer who stands at the head of the English curriculum. It provides full information on all the hundreds of proper names mentioned throughout Chaucer and essential to an understanding of his works. Each entry provides historical and/or literary definition, references to occurrences in Chaucer's works with explanations of the context, a list of related words, etymology, and a bibliography of primary and secondary works. Special Features The only reference source that identifies the hundreds of historical, literary, and mythological names mentioned in Chaucer, Provides reliable background information essential to understanding Chaucer's text, Alphabetical arrangement and clear format allow quick answers to reference questions, Includes an important Glossary of Astronomical and Astrological Terms, along with six astrological maps Suitable for courses in:Chaucer, Medieval English Poetry, Medieval Literature in Translation, Old and Middle English Literature, Glossary Also includes maps.