Poet, mystic, widow, wife : the extraordinary lives of medieval women / Hetta Howes.

"What was life really like for women in the medieval period? What did they think about sex, death and God? Could they live independent lives? And how can we hear their stories? During the Middle Ages, few women had the luxury of writing down their thoughts and feelings. But remarkably, we know of at least four women who did. Marie de France, a poet; Julian of Norwich, a mystic; Christine de Pizan, a widow and court writer; and Margery Kempe, a no-good wife. These four women, writing hudnreds of years ago, all found their own way to push back against misogyny - leaving us incredible insights into medieval life. Hetta Howers has spent her life uncovering the overlooked stories of medieval women wherever they can be found, from court documents to bawdy songs and great works of literature. Women did earn money, they could live independent lives, and they thought, loved, fought and suffered just as we do today. Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife is the story of the lives and triumphs of women who defied the expectations of their time. From everyday sexism to the societal pressure to have children, Hetta Howes reveals how many of the struggles women encounter today stem from the challenges that these medieval women faced - and overcame"--Publisher's description.