The Book of Margery Kempe

Here is an illuminating modern English translation of The Book of Margery Kempe. With its comprehensive endnotes and indices, this volume takes account of the most recent findings in the field of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century affective devotion. While there are a number of articles and chapters in books, theses, and dissertations on various aspects of Margery Kempe's spirituality, this translation presents a synthesis of Margery's many diverse spiritual practices, contextualizing these in time to such inspirational early thirteenth-century texts as the Ancrene Wisse, as well as transnationally to her contemporary mulieres religiosae, who often formed their identities as they remained in the world, living as devout laywomen across Europe. Luke Penkett's introduction provides a scholarly yet accessible way to The Book of Margery Kempe. Luke Penkett is a prolific writer with over ten books published, in addition to many articles, and innumerable reviews in several international academic journals. He is currently the honorary secretary of the Margery Kempe Society, curator of the Margery Kempe Collection at King's Lynn Minster (known in Margery's day as St. Margaret's), and book reviews editor for the journal Medieval Mystical Theology. †