Book excerpt: This updated version of Humanism and the Northern Renaissance now includes over 60 documents exploring humanist and Renaissance ideals, the zeal of religion, and the wealth of the new world. Together, the sources illuminate the chaos and brilliance of the historical period—as well as its failures and inconsistencies. The reader has been thoroughly revised to meet the needs of the undergraduate classroom. Over 30 historical documents have been added, including material by Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, William Shakespeare, Christopher Columbus, Miguel de Cervantes, and Galileo Galilei. In the introduction, Bartlett and McGlynn identify humanism as the central expression of the European Renaissance and explain how this idea migrated from Italy to northern Europe. The editors also emphasize the role of the church and Christianity in northern Europe and detail the events leading up to the Reformation. A short essay on how to read historical documents is included. Each reading is preceded by a short introduction and ancillary materials can be found on UTP's History Matters website (www.utphistorymatters.com).