Ranging from fifth-century north Africa to twelfth-century Latin Europe, the three texts translated in this book reveal the religious and social importance of beards and baldness in the Middle Ages, as well as the personal anxieties associated with them-but always with a healthy dose of humor. These playful and learned works-In Praise of Baldness, On Bald Men, and A Defense of Beards-enrich our understanding of the history and culture of the Middle Ages, and each is a valuable work of literature in its own right.