Pope joan book notes

To think, i bought it months ago, and its sat on my shelf all that time. Aug 19, 2015 ninety percent of me thinks there was a pope joan, says mary malone, a former nun who wrote a history of women and christianity. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Cross has done a superb job bringing the tale of pope joan to life in this riveting, epic pageturner. Born in 9thcentury frankland, joan demonstrates her brilliance early but must hide her learning from her missionary father, who considers the education of women sacrilegious and dangerous. A masterwork of suspense and passion that has as its center an unforgettable woman, the 9th century pope joan. Pope joan is a spellbinding tale of a woman who gave up everything, even her very name, for the sake of knowledge.

I do appreciate that the author concluded with an informative authors note, which supports her belief that pope joan did exist, between the. Now this compelling novel animates the legend with a. I could go on and on about the storyline and the characters, but suffice it to say that i thought they were terrific. Pope joan book johnson county library bibliocommons. Putting her brilliant mind to good use, she excels as a scholar and healer. Now in this riveting novel, donna woolfolk cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept. Pope joan introduction since 1970 the british public has been treated to several books, a radio drama and a london stage play, asserting that at one time a woman reigned as pope. Pope joan book king county library system bibliocommons. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. In order to gain an education, joan disguises herself as a. Pope joan is a 1996 novel by american writer donna woolfolk cross.

Joan is here strutting away from the old saint peters basilica, which, best i. The infant joan of ingleheim is born in the year 814 to a saxon woman named. She is the legend that will not diethe woman who disguised herself as a man and sat for two years on the papal throne. Sep 19, 2018 that might be why, to date, more than 500 historical texts have been compiled on joans life, donna cross, author of the 1996 novel pope joan, tells abc news. Pope joan by donna woolfolk cross book club discussion. Todays book is the historical fiction novel pope joan by donna woolfolk cross. Pope joan is a best book club book for discussion about the woman who, disguised as a man, rose to rule christianity as the only woman to sit on the throne of st. Pope joan has recently become one of my most favorite books. Peters, the famous fire in the borgo that destroyed over threequarters of the vatican, the battle of fontenoy, arguably the bloodiest and most terrible of medieval conflicts. Our book on the legend of pope joan was published in hardback by crucible thorsons in 1988, and has been out of print for many years. I found it quite plausible that there was indeed a female pope, notes from the author at the book s end further support this theory. A synopsis of pope joan for a thousand years, her existence has been denied.

Joan of arc joan of arc by nancy wilson ross in nineteenhundred and fiftythree and published by random house. Pope joan quotes showing 125 of 25 as for will, woman should be considered superior to man for eve ate of the apple for love of knowledge and learning, but adam ate of it merely because she asked him. Pope joan by donna cross reading guidebook club discussion. For the most part this novel is the story of a young woman, whose desire to gain more knowledge compels her to dress up as a man, who due to events beyond her control eventually rises to become the pope. Equally informative is the authors note that answers the question was there a pope joan. The first complete documentation of the facts behind the legend. Pope joan, legendary female pontiff who supposedly reigned for more than 25 months, from 855 to 858, under the title of john viii. It is a fascinating look at the life of a girl named johanna joan who lived during the 6th century. Denied the priesthood by societys rules, young joan seizes her opportunity to join a monastery when she assumes her murdered brothers identity and takes the name john anglicus. Earlier this month, my book club read and discussed pope joan by donna. Tutored first by her older brother and then a greek scholar, joan eventually secures a place at the schola in dorstadt. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors.

Available in hardcover and e book formats in january. In medieval europe, a pious young woman becomes a scholar of theology, disguises herself as a man, rises through the catholic church hierarchy and is elected pope. Pope joan is a sweeping historical drama set against the turbulent events of the 9th century the saracen sack of st. For a thousand years her existence has been denied. One of the most controversial women of history is brought to brilliant life in donn woolfolk crosss tale of pope joan, a girl whose origins should have kept her in squalid domesticity.

Wall street journal senior reporter ellen joan pollock tracks the elusive, multimillionaire financier martin frankel in her new book, the pretender. This film when shown in america was called the devils imposture. After having done some extensive research on the subject of a previous female pope, i have come to the conclusion that the character pope joan did exist. She is the legend that will not diepope joan, a controversial figure of historical. This study guide consists of approximately 37 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of pope joan. Pope joan book charlotte mecklenburg library bibliocommons. Joan eventually finds her way to rome, where the lures of passion and politics threaten to.

The life of a 9th century englishwoman who, disguised as a man, rose to become the only woman to sit on the throne of st. Abandoned by its previous publisher, pope joan, labor of my heart, the product of seven years research and writing, should by all rights have had a shelf life somewhere between lettuce and yogurt. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of pope joan by donna woolfolk cross. Joans father was a member of the clergy during the period in time when it was common for them to be married and have children. The idea of a female pope, or really any woman disguising herself as a man, makes for a very interesting book you have to admit that you are curious about how she pulled it off. Best feature film at ojai and moondance film festivals. Rebelling against the strictures of her agewhich forbade women to learn to read and writejoan took the identity of her dead brother and entered a monastery. Pope joan is a fictional account based on the legend of a woman who served as pope under the guise of a man in the midninth century. A full length film in 1972, entitled pope joan, also presented her as its central character.

When i think of the book pope joan, written by the amazing writer donna cross, i am filled with awe and pride. She is the legend that will not diepope joan, the ninthcentury woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of st. Pope joan donna woolfolk cross, 1996 crown publishing 448 pp. I guess now is the time when i needed to read the book. Donna cross, a novelist who spent seven years researching the. Notes from the author to the bookclub has any author has ever owed so much to her readers as i. With liv ullmann, jeremy kemp, natasa nicolescu, sharon winter. Pope joan book columbus metropolitan library bibliocommons.

Donna woolfolk crosss debut historical novel, pope joan 1996, is a fictionalized. Pope joan has all the elements one wants in a historical dramalove, sex. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. It has subsequently been proved that a gap of only a few weeks fell between pope leo iv and pope benedict iii and that the story is entirely apocryphal.

Pope joan supposedly reigned, under the title of john viii, for slightly more than 25 months, from 855 to 858, between the pontificates of leo iv 847855 and benedict iii 855858. She is the legend that will not diepope joan, a controversial figure of historical record who, disguised as a man, rose to rule christianity in the 9th century as the first and only woman to sit on the throne of st. Although it is questionable that pope joan really did exist, this movie presents her existence as fact, and portrays her relationships with other notables of the time. Cross makes an excellent, entertaining case in her work of historical fiction. Pope joan by donna woolfolk book club discussion questions.

Pope joan is a sweeping historical drama set against the turbulent events of the ninth century the saracen sacking of st. The woman history refers to as pope joan was believed by some to have been a female pontiff who reigned over the roman catholic church for a short time in the mid800s. Jun 01, 2009 pope joan has all the elements one wants. The book follows joans entire life, from birth until death, and in a way serves as a tour of the early middle ages from a distinctly feminist point of view. This movie is based on the medieval legend of pope joan, who was made pope for a brief period around 855 a. However, her existence has been dismissed by the church as purely a myth. I was reading a book in french and came across a reference to a pope named jeanne. Joan s father was a member of the clergy during the period in time when it was common for them to be married and have children. Why the legend of medieval pope joan persists smart news. Now in this riveting novel, cross paints a sweeping portrait of an. In july 2019, a theatric show was held at mdina ditch featuring pope joan as the main character. Pope joan is referenced in the video game persona 5, as the inspiration for johanna, one of the titular personas cognitive beings used by humans to battle demons belonging to makoto niijima.