As the first release in the 'Textual Cultures: Theory and Praxis' series, which was created as a complement to the journal Textual Cultures (2006- ), this volume connects medieval studies to postmodernism as it theorizes textual scholarship. Greetham (CUNY Graduate School; founder, Society for Textual Scholarship) is known for his expertise in scholarly editing, and this book is particularly impressive in its engaging style and wide-ranging scope. The author theorizes the complexities and joys of textual scholarship informed by awareness of open-ended influences, allusions, transpositions, and palimpsests--textual connections that Greetham labels 'contamination.' Divided into three parts (the evidence, text, and voice of the subtitle), the book unpacks many of the challenges and possibilities open to textual scholars when their work is understood as critical and interpretive rather than objective. In each of the 12 chapters, Greetham moves beyond disciplinary boundaries, astutely connecting textual scholarship to diverse fields such as music, biology, television, film, law, and politics. He thus not only discusses but also enacts 'the pleasures of contamination' as he brings various discourses together. The writing throughout is smart and fun. Summing Up: Highly recommended.

Graduate students, researchers, faculty. --Choice L. McMillan, Marywood University, July 2011--L. McMillan, Marywood University (01/01/2011).