vatican and sacred hearts

In: Catholocism| Cultural History| Historical Fiction| Sacred Hearts| Sarah Dunant| Women's Studies

28 Jul 2009

Dear Anne Muirhead …… woke up to your comment in Kansas City.   The aim to somehow recreate the experiences of these women so many centuries ago, both psychological and religious,  made this the toughest book I had ever written, so if in some way it rang true to you then i am utterly delighted. And oh yes, I have been following the story of the Vatican’s move to curb the activities of American nuns with great interest and talk about it wherever I go. One does not write history in order to comment on the present ( it is hard enough to write to get the past right), but when it happens its as if a light bulb goes on…. please lets talk more about it.  I will be at the Adelaide festival in February and then on tour. It would  be great to meet,   but also to start a debate on line. Or perhaps there already is one. In which case please point me at it..

as to the postulate!  I will send my web master ( great terms isn”t it) a  message today.

9 Responses to vatican and sacred hearts

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Amanda Houck

August 3rd, 2009 at 6:27 pm

Sarah -

What a gift to experience your journey. Last summer we watched as you finished “Sacred Hearts.” Wednesday, we had the opportunity to hear the story at Politics + Prose in DC.

Yet again, the depth of knowledge that you take into your writing and out makes for brilliant reading. I’ve just finished “Sacred Hearts.” I was entranced through-out, and when I reached the end, my heart stood still.

Thank you, Sarah.

Amanda

Divinity marked every chapter in your characters and in my heart. My admiration for you as a writer and a woman runs deep. You are in a league of your own.

I wish you a fabulous finish to your US tour.

XO, Amanda

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anthony melgrave

August 24th, 2009 at 2:17 pm

Sarah, I am a London born 82 yr old who has lived in Calgary some 52 years;ret’t anesthetist. Have read of Venice/courtesans;Lucrezia Borgia’s long wagon train trouseau going to marry Ercole Duke of Ferrara; Cesare;Renaissance Florence;the Medici;The Prince.;Leonardo….. Your ‘Sacred Hearts’ is FABULOUS/SUPERB. I have read Part 1 so far.Your descriptions of emotions, thoughts and incidents give a wonderful picture,and it is beautifully written. I googled ‘parlatorio’:the nuns could actually stand next to, and talk to, their friends,relatives??Please tell me. Galileo’s daughter could ONLY talk to her father thru a grille:I recently reread her story:they were very close,but I never could see why he chose the Poor Clares for her. Do you know?.She worked the dispensary like S.Zuana. Best Wishes Tony M /MB,BS Lon;FRCP(C)

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Margaret Cooper

October 9th, 2009 at 1:45 pm

I just wish to pay you a big compliment Sarah regarding Sacred Hearts. I thoroughly enjoyed it not only for the fictitious story which was magnificent but also for the detailed historical content which was a revelation to me, very interesting indeed. It is very obvious that you must have carried out an enormous amount of research in order to create this wonderful book. I was engrossed from the first page to the last. I could hardly wait to find out what happened at the end but on the other hand I didn’t want to come to the end of the book because it was so enthralling and beautifully written.
I read lots of books most of which I enjoy but rarely does a book come along that I remember long after I have read it but Sacred Hearts will not be forgotten. It has made a big impact on me thanks to your fantastic talent as a writer. You truly are in a league of your own.
This was the first of your books that I have read……. now for the others. I can hardly wait.
Best wishes
Margaret.

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Linda Cox

March 27th, 2010 at 5:10 pm

Just wanted to say how very much I have enjoyed reading Sacred Hearts. A beautiful book, so well written, hugely enjoyable.

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Baher

April 1st, 2010 at 8:49 pm

Hi Sara
I have a question about the art work on the hard copy edition of your book ‘Sacred Hearts’. Who is the artist who painted the portrait on the front cover of the book ? I contacted the publisher but they didn’t know and they recommended that I contact you. Please let me know, thanks

Baher

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Sarah Dunant

April 10th, 2010 at 4:46 pm

Hi Baher. Are you talking about the English edition or the American? The English is a re-shoot based on a painting by Antonio Da Messina “The Sicilian Madonna.” A glorious work. The American cover is a not original ( and I think somewhat less successful – they would not go with the English because they thought the veil was too like a burkah . Hope that helps. Get back to me if you want more. Sarah

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Mardi Stewart

May 2nd, 2010 at 5:27 pm

Re twitter message about Sacred Hearts and Diderot’s The Nun.

I really thought that you must have thought of Diderot during your research. Sacred Hearts has a much happier, if slightly unbelievable , outcome but the allusions between the two books struck me thrroughout.
1. The singing and its ability to make the unhappy nuns forget their unhappiness.
2. The idea during the first unsuccessful escape that once released the nun would fit uneasily into the real world and, that there was a chance that prostitution would be her fate.
3. The dreadful cruelty and jealousy of other nuns towards their sisters

Those were my first thoughts if you want to reply to my comments.

Loved the book.

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Sarah Dunant

May 5th, 2010 at 10:30 am

Hi Mardi,

Lots to say. His convent is much later than mine, when the Tidentine reforms had bitten deep and convent life,I believe, was more rigid and offered less chance for creativity. Also I didn’t like what felt like male fantasies about nuns running throughout it. That doesn’t mean that there wasn’t sexuality within convents, I am certain that there was ( though I could only find one strange reference to gay nuns, where, when discovered, the two woman talk of how the other turned into the angel Gabriel at the point when the contact becomes sexual), but it was more complex and nuanced then he suggests. As I think was the relationships between the nuns, though of course there was cruelty as well as kindness.

But if there is one thing we know about history, it is that each age writes its own version of the past. His, of course, was more polemic. Mine has grown from new research to try and get to a hidden place.

Great twitter though. Thank you.

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Mardi Stewart

May 10th, 2010 at 4:06 pm

Thanks for your reply Sarah. I do agree about the sometimes slightly nasty allusions from the male ppoint of view in The Nun. Also , as it was a hoax one can’t really separate the story from the author at times. I like to think that your nuns had a slightly more humane experience. Thank you so much for replying to me

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