Emily Maguire
"Rapture" - 2024
#6Degrees of Separation:
from Rapture (Goodreads) to Mercy And Grace
The starter book this month is "Rapture" by Emily Maguire. As so often, I have not read this book.
This is the description of this novel:
"The motherless child of an English priest living in ninth-century Mainz, Agnes is a wild and brilliant girl with a deep, visceral love of God. At eighteen, to avoid a future as a wife or nun, Agnes enlists the help of a lovesick Benedictine monk to disguise herself as a man and secure a place at the revered Fulda monastery."
I have some other books about orphans or children that have been given to the church or stories that are mainly about church members.
Rhoides, Emmanuel (Emmanuel Roidis) "The Curious History of Pope Joan" (GR: Πάπισσα Ιωάννα/Papissa Ioanna) - 1866
There might have been a female pope, I can well believe that but the story itself wasn't too exciting. However, there is some information about life in the 9th century.
Woolfolk Cross, Donna "Pope Joan" - 1996
Same subject, a historical romance type of book with an interesting twist, whether you believe if Pope Joan existed or not.
Same subject, a historical romance type of book with an interesting twist, whether you believe if Pope Joan existed or not.
Sobel, Dava "Galileo's Daughter" - 2000
The life Galileo led is portrayed very well. He was a brilliant mind - and so was his daughter. The book describes the time and the difficulties scientists had to deal with as well as the different circumstances in which people lived at the time.
The life Galileo led is portrayed very well. He was a brilliant mind - and so was his daughter. The book describes the time and the difficulties scientists had to deal with as well as the different circumstances in which people lived at the time.
Hesse, Hermann "Narcissus and Goldmund" (GE: Narziss und Goldmund) - 1930
This is a much acclaimed book and supposedly one of Hesse's best. Narcissus and Goldmund is the story of two diametrically opposite men: one, an ascetic monk firm in his religious commitment, and the other, a romantic youth hungry for worldly experience.
Ilibagiza, Immaculée "Left to Tell" - 2006
An earth-shattering tale as Immaculée Ilibagiza doesn't just tell how she survived (cramped with seven other women into a tiny bathroom for 91 days with hardly any food and having to be absolutely quiet the whole time, how they learned to communicate without speaking), she also tells about losing all her family and friends.
An earth-shattering tale as Immaculée Ilibagiza doesn't just tell how she survived (cramped with seven other women into a tiny bathroom for 91 days with hardly any food and having to be absolutely quiet the whole time, how they learned to communicate without speaking), she also tells about losing all her family and friends.
Booth, Cathleen "Mercy & Grace on the Camino de Santiago" - 2020
A great book about eleven people who walked the Camino de Santiago. A brilliant account beginning with the idea until the arrival in Santiago.
A great book about eleven people who walked the Camino de Santiago. A brilliant account beginning with the idea until the arrival in Santiago.
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The connection between the first and the last degree is not as obvious this month. But they all have to do with overcoming obstacles through faith.
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I like the sound of the Herman Hesse novel!
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DeleteThanks, Anon, it is a very good one.
Interesting chain. I think I heard about the Pope Joan theory, but I have my doubts. Still... you never know!
ReplyDeleteThat's it, Davida. Who knows where women have disguised as a man. I wouldn't be too sure about this one, though.
DeleteI loved Left To Tell! What a story. And I'm curious about Pope Joan. :D
ReplyDeleteIt is such a great and terrible story, Lark. How can people do that? Something I ask myself every time I read about wars. And Pope Joan, would have been nice but who knows ...
DeleteI've not heard of the Pope Joan theory, I will look up more about it
ReplyDeleteI hadn't either, Becky, before I read the first book about her by Donna Woolfolk Cross. It's an interesting theory. Would have been nice. As I said to Davida ^^, I'm sure there were several women in history who disguised as a man.
DeleteI so, so, so want Pope Joan to have been real.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you, Sarah, show those pompous a***es what's what.
DeleteYES!! There's a million reasons why she probably didn't exist, but it is way more fun to look at how it was possible, even wth the embellishments to the story. And given the Catholic Church and its ability to hide things REALLY well, it doesn't necessarily matter that dates don't match up where she would have been in the line.
DeleteSo true, Sarah. It would be a great story. One can always dream.
DeleteI like your church theme this month. Galileo's Daughter sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Helen. I like to find links through the titles, it always leads to completely different books. But I had nothing with Rapture, so I went this way. Glad you liked it. And I can heartily recommend Galileo's Daughter.
DeleteI think of Left to Tell quite often. What a heartbreaking story.
ReplyDeleteLate to the party but finally got my chain up.
Rapture
Oh, lovely. Thanks, Anne. Yes, it is heartbreaking and definitely worth telling and reading. See you on your page.
DeleteThis book on the Camino sounds great!
ReplyDeleteIt definitely is, Emma. I know the author but I don't think I'm biased because she is a great writer. And you have the feeling that you walk along with them.
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