The Private Lives of the Saints: Power, Passion and Politics in Anglo-Saxon England - Couverture rigide

Ramirez, Janina

3,96

324 �valuations de Goodreads

9780753555606: The Private Lives of the Saints: Power, Passion and Politics in Anglo-Saxon England

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0753555603 ISBN 13 : 9780753555606

Editeur : WH Allen, 2015

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Pr�sentation de l'�diteur :

The word ‘saint’ conjures a variety of associations in our modern minds. Some might connect it with suffering, charity and devotion to Christian values; others with miracles, martyrdom and heavenly gifts like the stigmata, while others still associate them with superstition, fanaticism and the power of the Papacy.

But far from the one-dimensional pious figures we imagine, the saints were the power players, king makers and politicians of the day, and by re-examining their lives – the art and literature that inspired them, the landscape and buildings that surrounded them, the issues that preoccupied them and the symbolic world that mattered to them – this landmark book provides a unique and fascinating lens through which to explore the rich history of the Dark Ages.

Drawing on a wide range of evidence, from art and literature to archaeology, theology and historical data, Oxford art historian and BBC presenter, Dr Janina Ramirez examines the real lives of over a dozen seminal individuals, from the infamous to the obscure, whose effect was felt throughout the Anglo-Saxon world and can still be felt today.

Re-evaluating the role of the saints, taking them from their heavenly status to the human level, and examining their desire for adulation, power, wealth and legacy, Janina offers a unique and discerning study of life in Anglo-Saxon England.

Revue de presse :

"What a wonderful book this is. Like the interlace stonework on an Anglo-Saxon cross, Janina Ramirez's themes are interwoven with a consummate skill." (Tom Holland)

"Those who were recast as saints achieved a superhuman status, their real lives often obscured by hagiographies rich with legends of miracle-working from beyond the grave. Janina Ramirez's book portrays them historically – as living, breathing personalities within the world they knew, the places we have inherited. Her enthusiasm and instinct for relevance should welcome a broad new audience to medieval Church history." (Jonathan Foyle)

"Ramirez blasts a powerful spotlight into the so-called Dark Ages and reveals a vibrant world, awash with colour and character." (Dan Snow)

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