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Margery Kempe
A Mixed Life
Series: Medieval Lives
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Check link for latest rating. ( 13 ratings, 5 reviews)
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Format: Hardback
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Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, religious studies, women's lives in the Middle Ages, and early autobiographical literature.
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See moreA new account of the late fourteenth-century mystic, pilgrim and author Margery Kempe.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
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Description
This is a new account of the late 14th-century mystic and pilgrim, Margery Kempe. Kempe, who had 14 children, travelled all over Europe and recorded a series of unusual events and religious visions in her work, The Book of Margery Kempe, which is often called the first autobiography in the English language.
Anthony Bale charts her life and tells her story through the places, relationships, objects, and experiences that influenced her. Extensive quotations from Kempe's book, along with generous illustrations, provide fascinating insight into the life of a medieval woman.
Margery Kempe is situated within the religious controversies of her time, and her religious visions and later years are put in context. Lastly, there is the story of the rediscovery, in the 1930s, of the unique manuscript of her autobiography.
Series: Medieval Lives
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised for its erudition and sympathetic portrayal, this study presents Margery Kempe as a complex, fiercely independent woman navigating doubts and challenges. Scholars commend Bale's blend of rigorous research and vivid, poetic storytelling, which situates Kempe within the European cities of her life and offers insightful analysis of her autobiography's trials and triumphs.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781789144703
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 11 October 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Illustration: 29 illustrations, 22 in colour
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 138.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 248
About the Author
Anthony Bale is Professor of Medieval Studies at Birkbeck, University of London. He has published many articles and books on medieval literature and culture including a translation of The Book of Margery Kempe (2016). He lives in London.
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