5/30/2023 0 Comments Illuminations![]() ![]() ![]() Von Bingen composed sacred music, wrote nine books on subjects as diverse as theology, medicine and human sexuality. Even so, Illuminations is riveting, following von Bingen through a harsh childhood to becoming basically imprisoned as a young nun to emerge as one of the significant voices of the 12th century. There are no bodices to be ripped here: no kings or dukes and nary a white horse in sight. One could not anticipate this majesty and drama. “I was both moved and surprised by Mary Sharratt’s novel of Benedictine abbess, Hildegard von Bingen, an extraordinary woman of the Middle Ages. Eloquently and beautifully written, Illuminations brings Hildegard, her sisters, and her world alive for the modern reader.” -Beverly Lomer, Journal of the International Alliance for Women in Music Two themes that run consistently through the account, and which should make it of special interest to women and to musicians alike, have to do with the significance Hildegard attached to music and her positive view of Woman as the epitome of God’s creation. From the opening pages, one gets a sense of Hildegard’s own voice and powerful personality. it is obvious that knowledge of Hildegard’s biography, books, and music is extensive. “Narrated by Hildegard, Illuminations tells the story of her extraordinary life as a mystic, theological writer, healer, and composer. I’m rooting for her all the way.” -People Magazine Expected to live in quiet submission as a bride of Christ under Benedictine rule, she ended up being a fierce advocate for women and the downtrodden. “Who wouldn’t want to read about a ballsy 12th-century nun whose divine visions could make the most powerful evil monk shiver in his tunic? Sharratt offers up a mesmerizing reimagining of the true story of Hildegard von Bingen, probably the most famous nun of the Middle Ages. Selected by Kirkus, January Magazine, and PBS WGBH Greater Boston as a Book of the Year 2012. Winner of the 2013 Nautilus Gold Award: Better Books for a Better World. Praise for Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen ![]() Interview in Encounter: A Journal of Theological Scholarship 77.2, 19-47 It was also selected by the Book of the Month Club and One Spirit Book Club.Īmazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Indiebound | Powell’s ILLUMINATIONS was released in October 2012 to celebrate Hildegard’s long awaited elevation to Doctor of the Church. Her courage and originality of thought continue to inspire people today. An outspoken critic of political and ecclesiastical corruption, she courted controversy and nearly died an excommunicant. Her prophecies earned her the title Sibyl of the Rhine. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), Benedictine abbess and polymath, composed an entire corpus of sacred music and wrote nine books on subjects as diverse as theology, natural science, medicine, and human sexuality-a prodigious intellectual outpouring that put many of her male contemporaries to shame. Combining fiction, history, and Hildegardian philosophy, ILLUMINATIONS presents an arresting portrait of a woman of faith and power-a visionary in every sense of the word. Now available in paperback, ILLUMINATIONS: A NOVEL OF HILDEGARD VON BINGEN reveals the unforgettable story of how Hildegard, offered as a tithe to the Church at the age of eight, triumphed against impossible odds to become the greatest woman of her age. ![]()
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