There are also some wonderful metaphors as when, during a vision, Julian sees God liken the world's fragility to an unshelled walnut and goes on to turn this observation into an assurance of love. Or, what has become one of Julian's greatest hits that many people quote without realising its origin:Īll shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well. In fact over and over again Julian (and by extension, Professor Windeatt) prove that the simplest statements hold the deepest truths.įor instance When we do not see Gold, then we need to pray because of what we are lacking… But no kind of prayer makes God compliant to the soul, because God's love is always the same. On the contrary, not only is Julian of Norwich's unique voice captured, the translator's deft touch ensures it's engaging and understandable. However this isn't a high-falluting book that only the degree-awarded will find value.

His background is useful for the level of skill and insight with which it endows him. Now, Barry Windeatt brings us a new translation and set of accompanying notes, bringing Julian to a new audience as well as satisfying those who regularly dip into her works.īarry is a Cambridge academic but not in an off-putting way. Her interpretation and meditations based on these visions have assured Julian's place in history as a profound thinker and theological philosopher. During this illness she felt she experienced or received a series of visions. Julian of Norwich would probably have remained as anonymous as other anchoresses of her time if it wasn't for a serious illness that hit her in 1373. Not the most cheery existence but a devout and peaceful one for those who felt they were called to it. Julian of Norwich was a 14th century anchoress a nun whose life existed around her small bricked-off cell within a church, dispensing counsel to those who sought it, contemplating God and digging her own grave. This excellent new translation ensures they remain easy to read and understand, whether an existing Julian of Norwich enthusiast or encountering her writings for the first time.

Summary: A fascinating set of meditations on Christianity that, although written in the 14th century, have modern day relevance.

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