Angela of Foligno's Memorial (Library of Medieval Women) [Paperback]

Cristina Mazzoni (Author), John Cirignano (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 2000 | Series: Library of Medieval Women

Angela of Foligno is considered by many as the greatest mystical voice among Italian medieval women. She devoted herself to a relentless pursuit of God when as a middle-aged woman she lost her mother, husband and children; illiterate herself, she dictated her experiences to her confessor, who transcribed her words into Latin as the Memorial. In a direct and vigorous style, it tells of her suffering, visions, joy, identification with Christ, and finally her mystical union with God. However, her book has always been viewed with suspicion, indeed even bordering on heresy; her spirituality goes beyond conventional language as well as beyond accepted doctrines and modes of prayer. This annotated selection from the Memorial is preceded by a biographical introduction which places Angela's text in its historical, cultural, and spiritual context; the accompanying interpretive essay which follows compares Angela's experience with that of twentieth-century Christian feminist theologians. The volume is completed with an annotated bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr CRISTINA MAZZONIteaches in the Department of Romance Languages at the University of Vermont.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: D.S.Brewer; annotated edition edition (January 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 085991562X
• ISBN-13: 978-0859915625
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excerpts and Essays on an Exceptional Ecstatic, July 23, 2010

By 

William B. Jones - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Angela of Foligno's Memorial (Library of Medieval Women) (Paperback)

Angela of Foligno fascinates at every turn -- in the nature of the ecstatic visions she experiences; in the life she leads before and after her prayer to be stripped free of all encumbrances to follow God; even in the means by which her conversation is recorded. Cristina Mazzoni's edition of Angela's "Memorial" consists of excerpts of the majority of this text attributed to the 13th century Franciscan woman in conversation with her male confessor/scribe.

The strength of Mazzoni's concise edition is in it's introduction and interpretive essay. Although students of Angela will ultimately need to turn to Paul LaChance's Paulist edition for the full text (and later, additional "Instructions" attributed to Angela), those with LaChance will also do well to turn to Mazzoni for the insights she offers here.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I rather liked this book, April 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Angela of Foligno's Memorial (Library of Medieval Women) (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book. I felt it was very informative about women in medieval ages. You can only learn so much about a time period from second hand sources. This is a very good first hand source. It, along with other women writers of the time, should be given more than the attention given to them now. This book certainly deserves more.