For many centuries it was accepted almost without discussion that the priesthood, and pastoral work more generally, was exclusively a male domain. Her story first appeared in chronicles in the th century and subsequently spread throughout europe. Knowledge of angels by jill paton walsh and twilight by stephenie meyer and pilots wife by anita shreve and girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier were all big hits with our bbc book club. The story is captivating and there are actually quite a few things to discuss. For a thousand years, her existence has been denied. Pope joan is a spellbinding tale of a woman who gave up everything, even her very name, for the sake of knowledge.
Some are recent releases and best sellers, others are older classics. Shattered by the cumulative effect of so much horror and death, joan was again afflicted by a crisis of faith. 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. Cross is personally available to groups via speakerphone chats to discuss our questions, our thinking and the many mysteries of pope joan. Shop and save on gifts for everyone on your list sections show more follow today setting up a book club for your children will no. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Have the author join the conversation when your book or school group discusses the novel. Start a book club discussion and challenge your group to deepen their analysis of the reading material with this set of sample book club questions. A longstanding tradition has insisted that there was a female pope in the ninth century. How important is it that pope joan actually existed.
Cross has done a superb job bringing the tale of pope joan to life in this riveting, epic pageturner. Rare book dealers in rome pull ancient tarot cards from their shelves. The owner, christina, has given massive support to me since the beginning of my opening pope joan design studio. In this account the nameless pontiff was a clever scribe who became a papal notary and later was elected pope.
The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield is a rich story about secrets, ghosts, winter, books and family. Pope joan has recently become one of my most favorite books. I was reminded of this by a recent novel, pope joan, by donna woolford cross. Pope joan donna woolfolk cross, 1996 crown publishing 448 pp. Openended questions help ignite discussions involving the whole group. Pope joan oct stony plain library thursday book club. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors.
Also provides information on starting or joining a book club, sample, discussion questions, and tips. 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. Browse through thousands of study guides on classic and modern literature. From the midth century onward, the legend was widely disseminated and believed. In this book oliver hayes looks at the legends of a female pope and uncovers the startline truth that lies behind them. Sep 30, 2010 i highly recommend pope joan for book clubs who enjoy historical fiction books. Book club discussions are great conversations based on a common book that everyone has read.
Heres your opportunity to ask questions of the horses mouth. Now this compelling novel animates the legend with a portrait of an unforgettable woman who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept. The vaticans official records state that all of the more than 260 catholic popes have been men, but according to a medieval legend, a lady pontiff may have. Reading groups for children and parents can bring families closer. They may be checked out for 8 weeks with no renewal. The book club, which will meet in the womens center, room 103, oshaughnessy educational center, will discuss pope joan by donna woolfolk cross. One way to include all members is to write questions on an index card for e. To think, i bought it months ago, and its sat on my shelf all that time. One thousand white women by jim fergus and pope joan by donna woolfolk cross were also favorites with excellent discussions. Donna woolfolk cross, quote from pope joan it was a childs awareness, never spoken or even fully acknowledged, but deeply felt.
The female pope whose gender was revealed when she. Pope joan is a perennial pick for book clubs, and you are involved in book group discussions sometimes up to four times a week. Pope joan was an actual historical some dispute this though female pope. 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. What is needed for good book group discussion is a subject that leads to lively, engrossing, deeply engaged conversation. Pope joan 45 collins street, melbourne enter via sofitel driveway. Pope joan pope joan audiobook, by donna woolfolk cross. I was reading a book in french and came across a reference to a pope named. A new growing crop of podcast conversation clubs on and offline can connect you with other eager fans, book clubstyle. Pope joan by donna cross reading guidebook club discussion. Pope joan ioannes anglicus, 855857 was, according to legend, a woman who reigned as pope for a couple of years during the middle ages. Dec 04, 2015 pope joan is a sweeping historical drama set against the turbulent events of the 9th century the saracen sack of st. I can say this with certainty since my club had a wonderful time talking about the role of women throughout history. The authors version of that story imagines joan as the daughter of a village canon.
Cant wait to debrief after listening to the latest episode of your favorite audio series. She eventually had to resign because she was pregnant. And now, in the era of donald trump, its important to consider whether or not the books you read are working to dismantle structures of inequalit. To ask other readers questions about pope joan, please sign up. Pope joan is a sweeping historical drama set against the turbulent events of the 9th century the saracen sack of st. Sep 01, 2020 thanks to many members of a variety of book clubs who completed a recent survey i fielded ive assembled a listing of 100 titles which these readers identified as having prompted the most discussion within their group. Pope joan is a 1996 novel by american writer donna woolfolk cross. Joan was used as an exemplum in dominican preaching. 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. I did get a lot more insight when our reading club learned that ms. Her journey is fascinating, her destination is incredible, and her story makes excellent fodder for book clubs. Pope joan by donna woolfolk cross the queens fool by philippa gregory.
Pope joan by donna woolfolk cross for a thousand years men have denied her existence pope joan, the woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to rule christianity for two years. Use these book club discussion questions on the thirteenth tale to delve into diane setterfields magical world. Which characters and events in the novel are real, and which are fictional. I was asked to speak at jillians book club, and of course i said yes. After finishing donna cross novelization of joan s life, one may want her to be a real person, only because it is so gratifying to read about those rare heroes whose strength of vision enables them to ignore the almost overpowering messages of their own historical periods. See interesting new york times article, 5282001, about how cross has been reaching out to book clubs on her own bypassing publishers to talk about pope joan. Theres no better way to introduce yourself and others to new books than through a book club.
Reading guide for pope joan by donna woolfolk cross bookbrowse. Pope joan by donna woolfolk cross book club discussion. Pope joan book charlotte mecklenburg library bibliocommons. Pope joan is the story of joan, living in the 800s, who broke the rules to make her life what she wanted it to be. Lavishly plotted, the book brims with fairs, weddings and stupendous banquets, famine, plague and brutal. The novel pope joan by donna cross is a major best seller in germany and is selling well here too. When i first joined the national organization for women, in the early seventies, i also joined that chapters book club. Donna woolfolk cross wrote the story of pope joan as a work of fiction. 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. Discussion forum for bookclub readers to exchange information, and opinions. General book club questions for study and discussion. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Introduction pope joan has all the elements one wants in a historical drama love, sex, violence, duplicity, and longburied secrets. Bartolomeo platina, the scholar who was prefect of the vatican library, wrote his vit.
A captivating historical novel, pope joan is an international bestseller. Tutored first by her older brother and then a greek scholar, joan eventually secures a place at the schola in dorstadt. The story was widely believed for centuries, but most modern scholars regard it as fictional. A masterwork of suspense and passion that has as its center an unforgettable woman, the 9th century pope joan. Founders day march 29, 2007 supreme knight pledges new. Pope joan has all the elements one wants in a historical drama love, sex, violence, duplicity, and longburied secrets.
Brilliant and talented, young joan rebels against the medieval social strictures forbidding women to learn to read and write. A remarkable woman uses her considerable intellectand more than a little luckto rise from humble origins to become the only female pope, in this breakneck adventure from newcomer cross. No one knows for sure if pope joan, or pope john anglicus as she called herself, really existed. Pope joan has all the elements one wants in a historical dramalove, sex, violence, duplicity, and longburied secrets. 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. Register your book club for free or read about other clubs in canada. Pope joan is a recommended book by reading group choices. Get detailed summaries and analysis, character descriptions, themes, and quotes. The renaissance poet giovanni boccaccio, best known for writing the decameron, also wrote a book on 100 famous women. Pope joan by donna woolfolk cross pope joan by donna. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. Pope joan by donna woolfolk book club discussion questions.
A woman from frankish lands with saxon and english heritage in the 9th century going out there and doing it for herself. It is a fascinating look at the life of a girl named johanna joan who lived during the 6th century. Men and women readers will appreciate the historic setting. She has days as frazzled as my daughters, riding range over her small crazy boys. Now in this riveting novel, donna woolfolk cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept. Publicity compares it to the davinci code, which is true in that each one is a load of dingoess kidneys. Todays book is the historical fiction novel pope joan by donna woolfolk cross. Contents foreword chapter 1 the legend of the female pope chapter 2 the legend under scrutiny chapter 3 the real female pope. 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. Earlier this month, my book club read and discussed pope joan by donna woolfolk cross.
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. This mostrecent ecommerce site with 100 products was created for a local spa, skintopia. Book club bags are available at the check out desk on a first come first serve basis. Denied the priesthood by societys rules, young joan seizes her. With the endless supply of literature both online and in shops, it comes as no surprise that finding the perfect book can be a big challenge and thats one of the reasons why book clubs are so great. Book club recommendations that feature women of another era. I wanted to hustle for her to try and create a stream of income since she cannot service her. Mar 06, 2020 buy a cheap copy of pope joan book by donna woolfolk cross. For a thousand years her existence has been denied. In may, the supreme knights book club will feature a new biography of st. Oct 22, 2020 pope joan gives birth during a church procession, artist giovanni boccaccio circa 1450. We are a group of women in our 60s and 70s living in tucson, az who have been together for three years as a book club. I wanted to hustle for her to try and create a stream of income since she cannot service her clients as an esthetician.
Set in the brutal dark ages, a time when women were viewed as the root of sin, this novel tells the remarkable tale of one of historys greatest controversies. How to find your local book club in the uk, because sometimes you need to discuss that ending. I guess now is the time when i needed to read the book. The infant joan of ingleheim is born in the year 814 to a saxon woman named gudrun and her english husband, the canon of ingleheim. Apr 05, 2007 the pope, joan of arc and catholic fatherhood featured in upcoming book clubs next online discussion april 25, 4. These titles range from classic to controversial, from easy to challenging, and are sure to encourage discussion. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on pope joan by donna cross. Donna woolfolk crosss debut historical novel, pope joan 1996, is a fictionalized account of the ninthcentury woman who disguised herself as a man, later becoming the first female pope.
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