Tag: Margery Kempe

Book Review: “Julian of Norwich: A Very Brief History” by Janina Ramirez

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think about the most impactful women authors, we often think about writers like Agatha Christie, Mary Shelley, and Jane Austen. However, when it comes to religious texts, we have to go back in time centuries. We think about nuns like Bridget of Sweden and a mother of 14 children named Margery Kempe. Yet, we must include an anchorite who stayed in her cell for almost thirty years. Her book, Revelations of Divine Love, is considered the first great work of English prose, but many people are not familiar with the author until now. Janina Ramirez tells the story of Julian of Norwich and how impactful her book was in her book, “Julian of Norwich: A Very Brief History.”

I have heard the name Julian of Norwich before in books about the 14th century and church history, but I didn’t know much about her life. I saw this book when I was preordering the latest book by Janina Ramirez, and so I decided to give it a try.

Since this is a short book, I will try to keep this review brief. Ramirez divided this biography into sections: the history and the legacy. In history, we as readers learn about Julian’s life from the limited sources that we have about her, as well as learning about how England and Europe changed during her lifetime. It was a chaotic period in the past with the Bubonic plague, the Hundred Years’ War, the Great Western Schism, the Peasants’ Revolt, and John Wycliffe. Let’s be honest, it’s a lot to deal with, but Julian was positive in her anchorite cell. Ramirez shows how complex yet hopeful and full of love Revelations of Divine Love is while showing the theological arguments Julian of Norwich makes in her work of prose. Finally, we get to see how Julian of Norwich’s story and her writing survived for centuries.

This was a delightful little nugget of a book that was extremely well researched, that shone a light on an obscure medieval woman writer. Reading this book gave me a new appreciation for medieval female authors. If you want to learn more about this remarkable woman, I suggest you read “Julian of Norwich: A Very Brief History” by Janina Ramirez.

Book Review: “Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It” by Janina Ramirez

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

feminaWhen we think of the phrase “middle ages,” we think of a time of bloody battles and deadly plagues, full of warriors and kings, and a more patriarchal society where women sat on the sidelines. Only the highly pious women or women who tore down barriers genuinely stood out in the history books. At least, that is what we have been told for centuries, but what does archeological research tell us? How about the newly discovered historical records? In her latest book, “Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It,” Janina Ramirez tells the story of the Middle Ages innovatively; through the stories of women who, until recently, were hidden voices from the past.

I am always looking for books that present the middle ages in a new light. When I saw Janina Ramirez talking about this book on Twitter and hearing endorsements from other prominent historians, I knew this would be a must-read book.

Ramirez begins her dive into the middle ages by examining the connection between medieval women and the Suffragettes. I am not one who typically studies the lives of the Suffragettes, so this is an intriguing start. We see how medieval women were perceived in art, books, and political movements that the Suffragettes would understand and follow in the footsteps of medieval women like Joan of Arc. New archeological research has breathed new life into what it meant to be a medieval woman and has given us new heroines who impacted the past.

Each chapter in this book begins with the story of how an artifact or a document was discovered, and then we go deeper into what these artifacts tell us about the past. Ramirez’s deep dive begins in the seventh century with the story of the Loftus Princess. We then move into eighth-century Mercia, where we are introduced to Queen Cynethetryth and Lady Aethelflaed. We get to see warrior women like the Viking woman from Birka and polymath mystics who radically changed how we viewed educated medieval women, like Hildegard of Bingen. We are introduced to the artists and the art subject of the Bayeux Tapestry, the women of the Cathars, Jadwiga, the female king of Poland, and the writings of Margery Kempe, who gives her audience a view of life in the town of King’s Lynn in England.

Janina Ramirez has written not just a love letter to the women who lived in the middle ages but to those willing to reveal these stories to the world, no matter the cost. This is one of the best books about medieval women I have ever read, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the Middle Ages. A gorgeously written nonfiction book that will give readers a better appreciation for medievalists and medieval women alike, “Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It” by Janina Ramirez is a masterpiece.

Book Review: “Revelations” by Mary Sharratt

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

53968576._SY475_Margery Kempe, the only daughter of the mayor of Bishop’s Lynn, England has made a tough decision in 1413. She has decided to leave her home, her husband, and her fourteen children to go on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem as a way to honor her late father’s dying wishes. As she begins her journey, she meets the famous anchoress Julian of Norwich, who entrusts Margery with an important mission. She gives Margery her book Revelations of Divine Love and tells her to spread her message throughout the world in secret. Margery’s pilgrimage, her connection to Julian of Norwich, and the aftermath of her journey are intricately woven together in Mary Sharratt’s stunning novel, “Revelations”.

I would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. When I read the description of this novel, I was intrigued. I have heard the names Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich floating around in recent years, but I sadly knew nothing about their life stories. I hoped that this novel would shed some light on both women and why they are remembered in such high regard today.

Sharratt’s novel is based on the research of historians, such as Dr. Janina Ramirez, who have argued that Margery Kempe knew Julian of Norwich and that Julian gave Margery her precious book Revelations of Divine Love. Margery is no ordinary woman as she has visions that will guide her to the path in which she believes God has chosen for her.

We begin with Margery as a young maiden, who has no desire to marry the man that her family has told her to marry. Reluctantly, she does marry John Kempe and they have fourteen children together. It is during the birth of her fourteenth child, Margery almost dies and so she decided to make a vow of celibacy, which her husband reluctantly agrees to. It was not until her father’s death that Margery chooses to fulfill his dream for her, to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Since John chose not to go on pilgrimage with his wife, she decides to don the clothes of a bride of Christ, which means to dress all in white as a virgin.

Many believe that Margery’s visions, her sudden bursts of tears, and her choice to leave her family make her an evil woman. Except for Julian of Norwich, the famed anchoress, and someone who understood Margery’s struggles. Since Julian could not walk away from her duty as an anchoress to explore the world, she gave Margery the treacherous task of carrying her book throughout the world, giving it only those scholars who could be trusted with the knowledge of this scandalous text.

Margery’s journey to discover who she was meant to be is deep and riveting. It showed how even in the early 1400s, there was a struggle between different views of Christianity. From women accused of preaching in the streets to those accused of Lollardy, there was a real sense of danger and death for those who did not follow the status quo. Sharratt shows the dangers that a woman faced when she traveled on pilgrimage alone, but she also showed how deep Margery’s faith was and how willing she was to make sure that her message was heard. If I did have a small concern, it would be that I wish Sharratt delved into the writing of Margery Kempe’s autobiography, The Book of Margery Kempe.

As someone who has never read anything about Julian of Norwich or Margery Kempe, I found this novel enchanting. This was the first novel that I have read by Mary Sharratt and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a delightful escape into the past and the life of a friendship and a pilgrimage that would change the life of Margery Kempe forever. If this sounds intriguing to you, check out “Revelations” by Mary Sharratt.