The Private Lives of the Saints

Posted on 08 April 2017 by Janina Ramirez

Skulduggery, power struggles and politics, The Private Lives of the Saints offers an original and fascinating re examination of life in Anglo Saxon England Taking them from their heavenly status to the human level, Oxford art historian and BBC presenter Dr Janina Ramirez explores the real lives of over a dozen seminal saints.This landmark book provides a unique and captivating lens through which to explore the rich history of the Dark Ages. Read The Private Lives of the Saints – kino-fada.fr Dr Janina Ramirez, now quite well acknowledged as a Television historian and broadcaster over the past decade or so, crafts a history of the most well known Anglo Saxon and Celtic Christian Saints, starting from the fourth century right up until the eleventh century AD, in a period commonly known as the Dark Ages , due to a lack of written records of this time, a confusing era of British history with very limited sources apart from the venerable Bede, and without him we would have less source Dr Janina Ramirez, now quite well acknowledged as a Television historian and broadcaster over the past decade or so, crafts a history of the most well known Anglo Saxon and Celtic Christian Saints, starting from the fourth century right up until the eleventh century AD, in a period commonly known as the Dark Ages , due to a lack of written records of this time, a confusing era of British history with very limited sources apart from the venerable Bede, and without him we would have less sources to go on Starting with Saint Alban and his martyrdom being an early Christian at a time when Rome was still reveling in its Pagan debauchery , the history covers the main pivotal religious events and saintly characters over the next 600 years or so, or until the Norman Conquest of 1066 starts to suppress the cults that had grown up with these Saints, in England at the very least Dr Ramirez analyses ten main characters during this period who became pr...It has to be said that Dr Janina Ramirez s books has a slightly misleading title but it is fascinating and informative read nonetheless.This book primarily focuses on ten saints spanning between the fourth and tenth centuries and placing them within the context of their environments Focusing on events that influenced them or that they I turn influenced It also highlights what a diverse and complex history the British Isles has As she states in the last chapter there is no history of th...An interesting book in places, but vague in others It would have been helpful to clarify that the author was using saint to refer to those venerated as such by their contemporaries and immediate successors, rather than the officially canonised saints we recognise today, at the start of the book rather than the end starting the chapter on Bede by explaining that he is not generally viewed as a saint gives the appearance that the author has forgotten the topic on which they re writing.There An interesting book in places, but vague in others It would have been helpful to clarify that the author was using saint to refer to those venerated as such by their contemporaries and immediate successors, rather than the officially canonised saints we recognise today, at the start of the book rather than the en...This is an interesting way of tackling Anglo Saxon history Ramirez puts the saints in the cultural and religious context of their time to show the development of Christianity and its influence on politics, the ...It took me longer than I expected to read this because it is very badly written, in the customary humanities style of today, i.e., too much verbiage, in terms of, in the context of, poorly constructed sentences, and several clich s on every page The bad writing is not only a distraction from the content it often obscures it Sometimes she expresses herself so poorly that I don t know what the hell she is trying to say other times she will enunciate the same thought often a banality up t It took me longer than I expected to read this because it is very badly written, in the customary humanities style of today, i.e., too much verbiage, in terms of, in the context of, poorly constructed sentences, and several clich s on every page The bad writing is not only a distraction from the content it often obscures it Sometimes she expresses herself so poorly that I don t know what the hell she is trying to say other times s...Dr J does it againIt will be a chilly day in the afterlife, when Dr J writes a book I don t love, and The Private Lives of Saints has maintained that status quo.I did find the book a slow and heavy read, but it was also fascinating and informative and brought to life names of saints I d been aware of since childhood and illuminated the rise of monastic life in the early mediaeval period.Overall this is a fascinating book, suitable for scholars and not, which touches on an important but often ign Dr J does it againIt will be a chilly day in the afterlife, when Dr J writes a book I don t love, and The Private Lives of Saints has maintained that status quo.I did find the book a slow and heavy read, but it was also fascinating and informative and brought to life names of saints I d been aware of since childhood and illuminated the rise of monastic life in the early mediaeval period.Overall this is a...Found it really hard going Didn t hold my attention which is unusual as anything to do with Anglo Saxon history normally does Seems to wander off the title topic somewhat Chapters about certain saints would on...A really interesting look at this historical period.

08 April 2017

Janina Ramirez