Genre

Religious Vision, Classic, Nonfiction

Audience

Adult

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2021

Themes

love, saint writing, the nature of God, sin, Trinity, visions

 

Reviewed by

Dr. Lisa Theus

“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” Although I have known this quotation for a while, I never knew anything else about Julian of Norwich or read her works. An anchoress in Norwich, England who lived from around 1343-1416, she’s most famous for her record of divine visions recorded in Revelations of Divine Love, the first book written by a woman in English.

The book recounts her visions which occurred during a severe illness when she was thirty. The visions explore God’s role as creator, the meaning of sin, Christ’s suffering, and the nature of love. There isn’t much historical context given in the book. Near the end, she mentions the reverent reaction of someone taking care of her in her illness. Otherwise, we are mostly given a description of the visions and nothing else. 

In 1993, Sr. Wendy Beckett recorded this abridged audio version for the BBC. Somewhat famous in her own right, Sr. Wendy was hailed as “becoming the most unlikely and famous art critic in the history of television” by The New York Times. This version of Julian’s work has now been remastered and published by Donna K. Triggs. I include the background because it’s new to me. I don’t know anything about Sr. Wendy, but her reputation may appeal to other listeners.

For me, I approached it without any prior knowledge. I didn’t even know that this version was abridged. Whoever edited the text did a good job, as it didn’t seem to be missing anything. The central point of the work remained clear: God is love. Each vision defines some aspect of that love. Sr. Wendy’s British accent and inflection felt authentic, like I was listening to Julian herself.

I only wish the tracks were separated at different points. I found it difficult to listen to the audiobook in pieces or to remember what happened in each chapter, because it wasn’t split according to vision, theme, or any other obvious factor. She sometimes seems mid-thought when the track changes. For listeners like me who can have trouble focusing on audio alone, the lack of clear breaks poses a small challenge.

On the other hand, this abridged version only lasts around one hour, so it isn’t too hard to commit to finishing it in one sitting. But it’s still a dense hour, as I suspect they tried to cover all the major events of the much longer original. (For context, an unabridged audio version runs about five hours).

As with any writings of a visionary mystic, it isn’t straightforward in content, either. Every listener will likely find one or two statements that are difficult to understand. In this genre, it’s important to remember that even though the visionaries share their experiences, God often speaks to them in a way that makes sense to them. Listeners may have questions and should feel free to take those items to prayer and discussion.

Julian of Norwich is an early enough figure that certain Protestants may respect and enjoy listening to this glimpse of the past. The best audience is any Christian – Protestant or Catholic – who wants an introduction to Julian’s visions. I think many will be curious to read or hear the full version afterwards. It would also be a great, short work for a book group.

The Doha Experiment by Gary Wasserman

For a Catholic reader, the Doha Experiment offers a unique opportunity to understand both the Jewish mind and the Qatari culture.

Saving Cinderella: What Feminists Get Wrong About Disney Princesses And How To Set It Right by Faith Moore

Love the Disney movies you grew up with but don’t know how to defend them in the face of the modern critics? This book is for you.

Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

In a post-apocolyptic world a small Catholic monastery fights to preserve civilization for the next age.

Girl Arise by By Claire Swinarski

A Catholic take on feminism, going beyond the political talking points and approaching women on a personal level.

Murder in the Vatican by Ann Margaret Lewis

Sherlock Holmes teams up with Pope Leo XXIII to solve crimes in the Holy City.

Consecration to St. Joseph by Donald H. Calloway, MIC

Fatherly protection of St. Joseph, first with the Holy Family and then in the Universal Church, is needed now more then ever to protect and lead us.

Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation By Fr. Josh Johnson

Fr. Josh addresses some of the common misconceptions people have about God and what getting to actually know him actually means.

Best of 2020

Yes some good things DID happen this year- Catholic creators have not let turmoil stop their mission.

The Science of God: The Convergence of Scientific and Biblical Wisdom by Gerald L. Schroeder

Essential reading for anyone involved in the debate between religion and science.

Freedom & Responsibility in “Citizen of the Galaxy” by Robert Heinlein

One of the masters of science fiction delivers a story exploring the limits of freedom and the ongoing battle against fallen human nature.

Broken Brain; Fortified Faith: Lessons of Hope Through a Child’s Mental Illness

When her daughter is stricken insane her mother finds the grace to do what she must to save her and bring her back to sanity.

Abolishing Abortion by Fr. Frank Pavone

An invaluable handbook for pro-life religious non-profits that want to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—without risking their tax-exempt status.

Heavenly Rescues and Answered Prayers: True Stories of Faith and Miracles from a First Responder by Andrew Jo Rodgers

A book that’s great to have on hand when one needs a reminder that there are good people out there and that God’s hand is in everything.

Transgender Ideology & Gender Dysphoria: A Catholic response by Dr. Jake Thibault

A pastoral, academic overview of one of today’s most controversial issues: transgenderism.

When We Were Eve: Uncovering the Woman God Created You to be By Colleen C. Mitchell

Remember Eve before the fall, remember the good inside you. A book for those who have forgotten, or are tempted to forget.

Image of God, Personhood & the Embryo by Calum MacKeller

Abortion is not the only danger to the human embryo. Defend humanity from experimentation in the USA.

The Catholic Origins of Dracula & Women’s Suffrage 

Did you know that Bram Stoker’s wife was a Catholic & he considered converting himself at one time?

Help from Heaven by Andrea Jo Rodgers

In this year of tragedy, Rodgers reminds us of the miracle of human kindness.

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson

Discover the far deeper, more salvific tale that Disney turned into romantic fluff.

August & September New Book Releases

Step into Fall with a Good Book