Synopses & Reviews
Visionary, rebel, mystic, pilgrim: prior to this book, Margery Kempe has been best known for dictating what is recognized as the first English-language autobiography. This polarizing, illiterate mother of fourteen children was repeatedly arrested for heresy at the behest of the Catholic Church, but somehow had the pluck and determination to barely escape being burnt alive at the stake by the very same men who had Joan of Arc burnt to death.
Born around 1373, her story is set in the early years of the fifteenth century and encompasses events such as the Hundred Years' War, the Black Death, the Great Schism and the Peasants Revolt. During her era, she had a following of religious supporters; today she is followed by a world-wide body of academics and historians, most trying to understand the enigma: a woman with deep ambition to be a saint, but so outspoken and outrageous she is chased out of town after town.
MacDonald tells Kempes story in a straightforward, journalistic fashion. At the same time, the book reads like a novel, with adventure, romance, intrigue, deception, and more at its very core. This is a story of passion and conviction, the life of a saint of the Anglican Church and a model for all of a deep dedication to a life centered in Jesus Christ.
Review
"Elizabeth MacDonald vividly brings to life both the world of medieval England and even more impressively, the heroic Margery Kempe, whose insights and courage speak to the modern world. This book will absorb and enlighten you."
—Steve Forbes, editor, Forbes magazine
Review
“One of the best historical narratives I’ve read in a long time. Elizabeth MacDonald has skillfully delivered a gripping, bold new take on a captivating historical figure, Margery Kempe, a story that shows what was happening in Catholic England before Joan of Arc was executed.”
—Larry Kudlow, anchor, CNBC
Review
“Elizabeth MacDonald is a gifted reporter—her ability to weave passion and truth together shines in
Skirting Heresy. MacDonald’s account of Margery Kempe’s life is a compelling must-read story for religious readers and history buffs alike.”
—Greta Van Susteren, host of On the Record with Greta Van Susteren
Review
“Elizabeth MacDonald likely would hate being compared to a saint, but her writing here proves once again, her own inherent goodness. Few journalists reach such an understanding in life. Then again, few journalists come close to what my friend 'Lizzy' has done in life, and the subjects she tackles routinely in life.... Quite a book. Quite a subject. Quite an author.”
—Neil Cavuto, host of Cavuto and Your World With Neil Cavuto
Review
“Elizabeth MacDonald’s story about Margery Kempe is an amazing histor-ical perspective of a fascinating character that reads like a mystery you can’t put down, full of passion and intrigue. I loved learning more about Margery—a strong medieval woman of faith taking a stand for what she believed in against all odds.”
—Gretchen Carlson, host of The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson
Review
"MacDonald’s prose is elegant and clear throughout in this engaging examination of the historical figure Margery Kempe." Kirkus Reviews
Review
“A fascinating work. The trials, pilgrimages, weeping, and relentless uproar that surrounded Kempe are all very much brought to life by MacDonald, a gifted writer and story-teller. All very believable, and even inspiring. If you want a very different summer read, quick and engaging, about someone important, about something important, you should pick up Skirting Heresy.” National Review
Review
“A work of scholarship and the imagination.” Bloomberg News
Review
“Elizabeth MacDonald has done us a genuine service in recovering and translating into a modern, page-turning narrative this very unusual story of a world which was rent by conflicts very like those we face today.” Aleteia
Synopsis
It was perhaps England’s darkest hour. The roots of the Protestant Reformation were in place, although it would be another century before Martin Luther and King Henry VIII upended Catholicism. It was a time when unauthorized preaching was against the law, and there was a death penalty in place to stop heresy; even Catholic priests were being burned alive.
Margery Kempe was born into this world. She dared to follow her truth, and the calling she knew came from Jesus Christ himself. But she paid mightily for it, and she was repeatedly arrested, put on trial, even threatened with death. Kempe’s only lifeline was her wit, determination, and a few influential friends who believed in her cause.
You will be riveted by this tale of a woman who is credited with dictating the first autobiography in English, The Book of Margery Kempe. It is an account of a rare and courageous woman, a saint of the Anglican church, who dared stand up for what she believed in.
About the Author
Elizabeth MacDonald is an editor and on-air personality at the FOX Business Network as well as on FOX News and has won more than a dozen journalism awards. She has covered business news for two-and-a-half decades, including at the Wall Street Journal and as an editor at Forbes magazine, where she created the World’s Most Powerful Women annual ranking. MacDonald has spent time working with Mother Teresa’s community in Calcutta, volunteering at an AIDS clinic in Harlem, and engaged in other ministries of outreach in the New York metropolitan area.