Beginning about 1230, the University of Paris would hold special disputations in which leading theologians would respond to questions from a broad audience de quolilbet, about anything. Over the next century, hundreds of these sessions were recorded on parchment. In the first of two volumes examining the texts (rather than the physical documents) historians and philosophers discuss those by such figures as Thomas Aquinas, William de la Mare, Giles of Rome, Franciscans, and Godfrey of Fontaines. They also look a topics across texts, such as politics and economics. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)