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Queens of a fallen world : the lost women of Augustine's Confessions / Kate Cooper.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: New York : Basic Books, 2023Edition: First editionDescription: ix, 290 pages : illustrations, maps : 24 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781541646018
  • 1541646010
  • 9781399807968
  • 139980796X
Subject(s): Summary: "While many know of the great Christian bishop St. Augustine of Hippo, few consider the deeply influential women in his life. Drawing upon their depictions in his startlingly intimate memoir, the Confessions, it becomes clear that Augustine's canonical Western text goes beyond autobiography to reveal a history of the Classical World as seen through the eyes of women. More than an iconic figurehead, Augustine was also a young man torn between the pangs of love and the pull of ambition. Queens of a Fallen World tells the story of Augustine and four prominent women in his life: his mother, Monnica of Thagaste; his lover and the mother of his child; the fiancée from whom he broke his engagement; and Justina, the troubled empress of ancient Rome. Parsing the Confessions, historian Kate Cooper corrects misreadings and uses the stories of these four women to interrogate and illuminate women's role in the late Roman Empire, and more broadly in Antiquity. Pulling each of these threads into a tapestry of their lives, she paints a portrait of the world they and Augustine moved through, ultimately making the case that Augustine did not end his engagement because he was called by God, but rather that he considered that potential marriage to be an unconscionable betrayal of his lover. Drawing on extensive new research and brilliantly told, Queens of a Fallen World is essential reading for those looking for a new understanding of not only Augustine, but of the women who shaped his life"-- Provided by publisher.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 189.2 C777 Available 33111011264724
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

FINALIST: THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2023

The vibrant and surprising lives of the women in Augustine's Confessions



While many know of Saint Augustine and his Confessions , few are aware of how his life and thought were influenced by women.



Queens of a Fallen World tells a story of betrayal, love, and ambition in the ancient world as seen through a woman's eyes. Historian Kate Cooper introduces us to four women whose hopes and plans collided in Augustine's early adulthood: his mother, Monnica of Thagaste; his lover; his fiancée; and Justina, the troubled empress of ancient Rome. Drawing upon their depictions in the Confessions , Cooper skilfully reconstructs their lives against the backdrop of their fourth-century society. Though they came from different walks of life, each found her own way of prevailing in a world ruled by men.



A refreshingly complex and compelling portrait of Augustine, Queens of a Fallen World is the riveting story of four remarkable women who set him on course to change history.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"While many know of the great Christian bishop St. Augustine of Hippo, few consider the deeply influential women in his life. Drawing upon their depictions in his startlingly intimate memoir, the Confessions, it becomes clear that Augustine's canonical Western text goes beyond autobiography to reveal a history of the Classical World as seen through the eyes of women. More than an iconic figurehead, Augustine was also a young man torn between the pangs of love and the pull of ambition. Queens of a Fallen World tells the story of Augustine and four prominent women in his life: his mother, Monnica of Thagaste; his lover and the mother of his child; the fiancée from whom he broke his engagement; and Justina, the troubled empress of ancient Rome. Parsing the Confessions, historian Kate Cooper corrects misreadings and uses the stories of these four women to interrogate and illuminate women's role in the late Roman Empire, and more broadly in Antiquity. Pulling each of these threads into a tapestry of their lives, she paints a portrait of the world they and Augustine moved through, ultimately making the case that Augustine did not end his engagement because he was called by God, but rather that he considered that potential marriage to be an unconscionable betrayal of his lover. Drawing on extensive new research and brilliantly told, Queens of a Fallen World is essential reading for those looking for a new understanding of not only Augustine, but of the women who shaped his life"-- Provided by publisher.

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