Customer Reviews
One disadvantage: too many references - By: Catfish, 06 Jul 2006 
Of course this is a wonderful edition containing all of Chaucer's works, accompanied by detailed notes & a thorough glossary. However, for those hoping that the annotations will provide you with a full social & historical context, I'd just like to mention that the Riverside Chaucer tends to "send you off" to other academic books about Chaucer or about lifein medieval England. I found this very unhelpful, expecting notes to give me certain insight into Chaucer's life & thought as well as historic contexts, but most of the help comesin the form of "For Chaucer's view of women, see [insert title of book & year of publication]" sending you off to very academic books that not everyone has access to. Of course, this is brilliant if you're looking for a list of books to read for your dissertation, but if you're reading Chaucer just out of interest then you will find very few explanations of themes or social contexts. Personally, I prefer the individual Oxford Student Texts, the notes tell you everything you need to know & explain the text wonderfully; sadly though, the OST have only published some of the Canterbury Tales, & of those that have been published there is just a handful.
A fantastic edition - By: B. Tovey, 15 Apr 2003 
Let's get the bad points over & done with: it's heavy. In fact, that's the only bad thing about this otherwise simply fantastic edition. And, let's face it, it's not a text you'll just want to slip into your back pocket for a wait at the doctor's surgery, is it? The texts are given illuminating introductions, which are worth reading before starting the poems themselves as they provide a great "way-in" to the texts. The notes & glossary are invaluable. Chaucer is really not difficult to read once you're used to the langauge, & even the best translations don't do him justice. If you must buy a translation, buy prose ones - avoid those such as Coghill's which attempt to reproduce rhyme & metre as they add too much extraneous matter to the original texts. This edition fully justifies Chaucer's reputation as a seminal English poet - hopefully it will introduce readers to the whole range of his works as well as the justly famous Canterbury Tales.
An excellent 'complete works' of Chaucer in one book. - By: , 31 May 2001 This includes the majority of texts written by Chuacer himself. It has clear & concise notes & footnotes throughout. It is excellent for academic usage & also can be a very useful thing for the avid Chaucer reader. It is a definite must for any Chaucer reader's bookshelf!
Absolutely superb - By: rsf26@cam.ac.uk, 13 Feb 2001 You don't do just as well with a translation. Buy this. You'll use it for years. In terms of value for money it must be unsurpassed. Utterly incredible.
The ideal Chaucer study text. - By: , 01 Feb 2001 The Riverside Chaucer has become the scholar's standard, & rightly so. Chaucer's texts are supported by brief individual introductions, detailed explanatory & textual notes & a glossary - giving those new to Chaucer a wealth of useful information. The general introduction outlines & explains Chaucer's language & style. It is easy to use & the text isn't crowded by too much detail - it's there if you want it, but not forced onto the reader. Yes, it is heavy - but what else do you expect from a complete works?!
