If anyone is looking for a book about espionage in World War 2, I have to highly recommend "A Women of No Importance" by Sonia Purnell. Its about Virginia Hall who has to be one of the most unsung heroines of the War, and possibly the 20th century. Sorry for the histrionics, but I read it for the book club I run for a support group I'm part of that helps people with disabilities live a healthy, active life. Ms. Hall is a dashing debonair, who helped kickstart the resistance in France (although I would be open to contradictory opinion of course). Her story reads like a spy novel, so its all the more impressive that its a true story. The discrimination and sexism she faced is all the more shameful. Also, this book is all the more incredible considering the quality of research Sonia Purnell went through, the sources she got hold of are downright incredible. She got files from the CIA, tracked down family members of the late Ms.Hall, tracked down the last living members of Dianne's Regulars (her resistance cell), and got some stunning archival photographs. I would love to hear some commentary from this excellent community!

Finished reading Corpus Christi: The Eucharist in Late Medieval Culture, by Miri Rubin. Controversies surrounding the theology of the consecrated host in the 11th century produced bodies of work that seek to explain the mystery of the Eucharist. The development of new Eucharistic theology, in turn, created the need to communicate to the laity the significance of the Eucharist, and thus the liturgy became more elaborate as it greatly increased focus and veneration on the consecrated bread and wine.

The Feast of the Corpus Christi is one of the developments that sprang from this need to exalt the symbol of the Eucharist as a central aspect of Christianity. But aside from this feast, other similar developments were explored in the book, like: tales of eucharistic miracles, called exempla; music and drama relating to the consecrated host; art, especially symbolic styles like arma Christi and the Man of Sorrows; and many others.

Meanwhile, I just started reading Age of Reform, 1250 - 1550, by Steven Ozment. It will argue that the persistence of - as opposed to supposed rejection of - "Scholastic synthesis of faith and reason" beyond the 13th century is the source of "intellectual and ecclesiopolitical conflicts" of the later centuries, leading up to Reformation. We'll see how it goes.

Apologies if this is overly broad, but for any experts here, what are the best regarded popular or widely available books in your field, or that you recommend? As someone who doesn't have access to an academic library, and has a somewhat limited book buying budget, I am mostly only able to read works that have a very wide availability, or are more towards popular history than academic history. I tend to prefer more academic history, but my local library system only has a small selection of those available, and I am more looking to branch out into more widely available, or popular, history while avoiding the minefield of poorly sourced, or methodologically poor, works.

Thanks in advance, and my interests are really any field or time period, as I love reading history, and have exhausted the available books that I know are well regarded.

Hi! Looking for suggestions on the syncretic practices associating political figures and religious ones, especially in late XIX and early XX Century "popular religion", as well as at folklore level (local narrations, anecdotes). More specifically, the informal inclusion of political figures, especially those associated with the concept of "martyrdom", within more traditional expressions: "cult of the saints", "cult of the dead".

Thanks!

Hello! I'm looking for books about the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Do you have any recommendations?

Any recommendations about the Council of Trent?

One of my favorite shows growing up was Black Sheep Squadron. I would love to find a book about these daredevils, and another book about their fearless leader Pappy Boyington. I hope its not against the rules to ask for two different subjects in one post.