Known as the earliest autobiography written in the English language, The Book of Margery Kempe (c.1436-8) describes the dramatic transformation of its heroine from failed business woman and lustful young wife to devout and chaste pilgrim.

Kempe vividly describes her prayers and visions, as well as the temptations in daily life to which she succumbed before dedicating herself to her spiritual calling. She travelled to the most holy sites of the medieval world, including Rome, Jerusalem and Canterbury.

In her life and boisterous devotion, Kempe antagonized many of those around her; yet she garnered friends and supporters who helped record her experiences. Her book opens a window on to the medieval world, and provides a fascinating portrait of one woman’s life, aspirations, spiritual doubts, and prayers.

You are warmly invited to join Canon Emma online each Tuesday evening via Zoom, to reflect and discuss this extraordinary account of a medieval wife, mother and mystic.

Together, over ten weeks, we shall read and discuss the complete text - focussing on specific chapters each week.

We will be reading the Oxford World’s Classic version, translated by the Birkbeck scholar Anthony Bale.

Whether you can join us for just a few or all of the gatherings, you are most welcome to read together this engaging and colourful work by a forceful and deeply spiritual lady of the fourteenth century.