Online since 1997 Pope Joan: A NovelClick on a title to get information such as reviews, price comparisons, and availability or to purchase. Search Again-Enter Keyword, Title, or ISBN: |
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Pope Joan: A Novel |
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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54 EAN: 9780345416261 ISBN: 0345416260 Label: Ballantine Books Manufacturer: Ballantine Books Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 422 Publication Date: 1996 Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: August 19, 1997 Studio: Ballantine Books |
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| Customer Reviews | ||
  - good buyi cant believe i got this great book in super shape.for such a great price Rating: - Move over, Dan Brown!Donna Woolfolk Cross has researched and written a wonderful book, "Pope Joan", about the potentially true, and amazing legend of the one woman who became Pope of Rome in the 9th century. Disguised as a boy, this highly intelligent and determined young girl was given an education, impossible for any girls in those dark times, and went on, disguised as a man, to take the throne of St. Peter. This historical adventure/romance, written in an immensely readable style, and with marvelously descriptive images of medieval life and times, will entertain and inspire the reader, and will encourage girls and women to strive to attain and realize their true potential. Buy 2; one for you & one for someone else who may need to be inspired! This grand novel is a keeper! POPE JOAN is now an epic feature film, co-starring John Goodman and David Wenham! Adapted from the internationally best-selling novel by Donna Woolfolk Cross, the film is a sweeping historical drama based on the incredible life story of one of the most fascinating, extraordinary women in Western history--Pope Joan, a controversial figure of historical record who, boldly disguised as a man, rose to rule Christianity in the 9th century as the first and only woman to sit on the throne of St. Peter. The film will be featured at the 2010 Moondance International Film Festival, September 25, in Boulder, Colorado, and Ms. Cross will be in attendance to give a book-signing and a workshop on adapting the novel to the screen. Rating: - Pope Joan - Very GoodPope Joan was not only a compelling read, but the author gave very interesting details about the time period in which the legend (or fact!) of Pope Joan took place, and there were interesting notes and a photo at the end. Rating:  - Papal Bull?One of the great unsolved mysteries of the past 2000 years: was there a pope who was actually a woman posing as a man? This novel plays with the idea that there was, indeed, such a person. The story takes place in the 9th Century, which was no picnic. If you've noticed, when people address the hypothetical question, "If you could travel in a time machine, where would you go?" no one EVER says, "Oh, the 9th Century!" Because, duh, it was War-Famine-Pestilence 24/7. If you managed to survive the Viking raids--and their attendant raping and pillaging--you still might succumb to your neighbors' suspicions that you were a witch. If you survived THAT torture and trial-by-ordeal, you might have some dermatologic breakout that would get you branded a leper, in which case you would be banished as a "living dead" to starve. It's kind of amazing that everyone reading this review is a descendant of someone who SURVIVED the 9th Century long enough to procreate! The best element of this book is that it really brings that era to life. Anyway, "Joan" is a precociously bright child who, against all odds, not only becomes literate but also obtains a true education. This is only possible because she represents herself as a boy, enters a monastic community, and later--as a "man"--becomes a priest in Rome and rises through the ranks. She eventually is elected Pope. Unfortunately, in order to sustain the reader's interest, the author then weaves in a lot of salacious details about Joan. I won't slip in any plot spoilers, except to say that if ANY of that were true, Joan's identity as a woman would have been discovered early in the story. For a while, I thought, "Okaaay.....this is a little over the top!" And then, as it went on, I got really irritated. The soap-opera element really detracted from the meat of the story. Because all of that was melded in, the book is kind of a lightweight. That's too bad, because the author goes into some of her research, as an afterword. She's not alone in believing "Joan" may be an historical figure. Consider: 1. The Catholic Church currently claims there was no such person, and that Protestants floated the idea to discredit the insitution of the papacy. Actually, stories about Pope Joan pre-dated the Reformation. 2. Pope Joan was known as Pope John. (I know: if she had gone by Pope Joan that would have REALLY raised eyebrows.) When Pope John XX (I think he served during the 13th Century) looked into the "legend," he was satisfied that such a person did exist, so much so that he changed his title from John XX to John XXI. 3. At some point AFTER the papacy with its electoral traditions was established, and AFTER "Joan" was discovered to be female, the Church required that the Pope-elect submit to a physical examination to ensure he was a male. Why would this just randomly become necessary? 4. History is rife with women who choose career paths that are closed to them because of their gender, and so assume the identity of males. In many cases, they get away with this charade for years, often until it's discovered post-mortem. It probably wouldn't be too hard to live this way in an institution that had so many restrictions already in place regarding modesty. We'll never know for sure--any physical evidence has long since deteriorated--but crazy things do happen. As any student of the papacy knows, many of the popes had, shall we say, "complicated" lives. Pope Joan's gender situation pales in comparison to some of the other drama that surrounded people who occupied St. Peter's chair. Rating: - Legend? Myth? Reality? FASCINATING.Did You Know There Was a Female Pope? When a book is recommended to you over and over again, it's definitely a good idea to take the recommendation. Such was the case with the amazing Pope Joan. It's been sitting on my nightstand for . . . years! What finally motivated me to pick it up and dive in? Very simply, it was next on my long "to-read" list. Pope Joan relates the fascinating story of the little known female Pope, who reigned as Pope John VIII in the ninth century between Popes Leo IV and Benedict III. It was sometime around 853. The author calls this period the "darkest of the dark ages," a time of widespread illiteracy. Record-keeping was not only incomplete, but also, her rise to the papacy was ultimately so scandalous, that the Catholic Church took great strides to expunge any account of her existence. And her existence continues to be controversial. Some consider it myth or legend . . . but the author makes a strong argument, citing an impressive slate of historical evidence--and especially because she writes such a riveting story of Joan's life. Pope Joan is extremely well written. It's full of history and color. It's brutal, it's romantic, it's shocking, it's triumphant. How Joan manages to survive each stage of her life--until her ultimate demise--will keep you turning pages. I give this book my highest recommendation. |
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