Middle English Romance and the Craft of Memory

Published in 2015 by D.S. Brewer, an imprint of Boydell & Brewer specializing in medieval studies, this scholarly monograph explores the intersection of mnemonic techniques and narrative structure in Middle English romance. The work emerged from a growing academic interest in how medieval authors leveraged internal memory systems—such as the medieval art of memory or ars memoriae—to organize complex, often sprawling stories for both oral recitation and written preservation.

Author Jamie McKinstry examines how the structural characteristics of romance, including repetition, episodic sequences, and recognizable topoi, functioned as cognitive tools for the medieval mind. By analyzing texts like the King Horn and the romance of Havelok the Dane, McKinstry argues that these literary devices were not merely stylistic choices but essential components of the 'craft of memory,' allowing audiences to engage with and recall lengthy narratives in a pre-print culture. The book is recognized in academic circles for its contribution to the study of medieval cognitive history and literary theory.