The story of nuns and postulants in the closed Benedictine Order in the Abbey of Brede. Through the events of the novel Philippa Talbot, an ex-civil servant, learns how to come to terms with the tragedy from her past and even gain serenity. "The River" is another book by the same author.
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The story of nuns and postulants in the closed Benedictine Order in the Abbey of Brede. Through the events of the novel Philippa Talbot, an ex-civil servant, learns how to come to terms with the tragedy from her past and even gain serenity. "The River" is another book by the same author.
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I am always a little nervous about ordering soft-cover books, fearing that the description by the shop owner may not reflect its true condition. No problems here! The book was exactly as described -- it looked like it had never been read, which I actually think was what the owner said. It arrived very quickly, packaged wonderfully. I would definitely order from this shop again!
BlueZinnia
Dec 16, 2013
I was there. She got it right.
I used to be a cloistered nun, and I can tell you that Rumer Godden got that life pitch-perfect. This is a terrific book; if you want to know what real, non-Hollywood, non-stereotyped nuns are like when they're not around layfolk or the hierarchy, or if you just want a great, inspiring read, this is for you.
Karenfern
Jan 7, 2010
Wonderful read
With the book under my belt years ago, I spent four days as a guest in a cloistered Benedictine house. It was excellent background with regard to the Divine Office, which was sung in its full Latin glory.
My complaint about the one I got from Loyola Press, was that the copy editing was horrendously bad. It's as if they had turned the book over to an inept college freshman and it spoiled some of the pleasure for me.
While Philippa Talbot was the protagonist, my favorite character was Abbess Catherine Ismay. The way she grew into leadership from her election to the end of the book was a case study in how to be a good chief executive of any organization, whether a monastery or a corporation. I learned more about being a leader from her than I have learned from textbooks on business administration.
I had no problem finding my way through the multiple characters in the book. Indeed, I had a lot of fun doing it. I know it has been a problem for some reviewers, though. The author did a fairly good job of writing thumbnail sketches of some of the characters but they do, as Sister Hilary remarks, get one lost in the wimples and veils. The description of the clothing of one of the nuns is beautiful and moving especially in light of her problems with her family.
I had no illusion about the humanity of nuns. I went to graduate school with some of them and I was impressed by their intellect and how different they were from each other. The common life does not erase differences and result in a homogenized human being but rather refines each of the people who are called to it and can handle it. I couldn't.
In short, I loved the book and look forward to getting a copy that isn't chopped up and mauled.
