In the High Peaks
















Sunday, August 7, 2022

Classics Club Spin!

     Rumer Godden devoted five years to writing In This House of Brede, a story of life in Brede Abbey, a fictional, though based on fact, Benedictine monastery. Prior to writing, Godden spent years researching and thinking about writing it. Published in 1968, it is considered to be the most complex and contemplative of all Godden’s books, and many monastic critics have deemed it to be the most accurate depiction of the monastic life in fiction.

     Godden was drawn to a Benedictine monastery, Stanbrook Abbey, which at that time was located in Worcestershire (today it's in Yorkshire). Her interest in the Benedictines began with her friendship with a woman affiliated with the order. Over the years, the women of the order gave her unprecedented access to their religious celebrations and to contact with individual members.  

     As Godden learned more about the religious life at Stanbrook, she became disturbed by how inaccurately she portrayed the religious lives of the nuns and the convent in Black Narcissus (1939), her first best-selling book. (By the way, I was fascinated to learn that this book had dismal sales in the UK, but was a huge best-seller in the U.S.)

     Godden converted to Roman Catholicism in 1968, the same year that In This House of Brede was published.

     I was astonished by just how much I appreciated and enjoyed this novel. I was so sorry to leave the characters and Brede Abbey when I turned the last page and felt bereft for several days after. What most impressed me was the way Godden created such human characters, especially considering that most women in the religious life, in monasteries and convents, are so stereotyped by society and in literature. But in Brede, each character is a distinct, complex individual, each with strengths and faults, who participates in a monastic society that is also extraordinarly complex.

     I was raised a Roman Catholic, though I am no longer observant. Yet I appreciated the way Godden made the liturgical seasons, feast days, and the passing of the religious calendar as beautiful. The setting is endlessly fascinating as well, because of the Abbey’s centuries-long history and the beautiful grounds and gardens. Reading this book made me feel that I was a member of this Benedictine monastery. I was there. I could breathe there. And I learned so much.

11 comments:

  1. Judith, this sounds like something I would enjoy. I love books about a cloistered life. Like you I was raised Roman Catholic but haven't practiced in about 35 years now....several reasons.

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    1. Hi Diane,
      This book was such a refreshing departure from the books I usually read. I'm so glad the Spin fell on this one. Made an indelible impression on me, and it's a book I will not forget. How interesting that you grew up RC, too. I was profoundly religious my senior year of high school, made my confirmation (nobody came despite my ardent faith), and then during my freshman year in college it all fell away from me. In adult life, I became involved in Unitarian/Universalism and felt very settled and happy with it. But the nearest UU congregation is 60 miles away--so I'm detached from that now as well.

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  2. I hadn't heard of this book, Judith, but it sounds like one for my list!

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    1. It's a long read but beautiful. I highly recommend it! Very absorbing.

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  3. There is so much Catholic bashing and nun bashing, thus refreshing to hear about a book that is not. I am still a practicing Catholic although do not make it to Mass every weekend. I did review Black Narcissus a couple years ago and have read a fair amount of Godden but not this one yet.

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    1. Based on what you've mentioned, I think you would really love In This House of Brede.

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  4. I read this one in the mid 1970s and remember that I loved it despite the setting not appealing to me at all to begin with. I was not brought up RC because my g.grandmother who was a widow with four wee girls, kicked a priest downstairs when he came to her door asking for money for the poor - and she could smell whisky on his breath! Nobody was poorer than she was. She was of course ex-communicated!

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    1. Oh my gosh! I can surely believe it. BUT what I loved about Brede, is that it was all women--run by women, with men having NO say whatsoever. That's part of what made it so great to me. Forget those damn priests!

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    2. Sorry I missed this post when it was first posted. This book appeals to me a lot also, based on your review. You are right, it is very long, and that is a drawback. But I think it would be worth it. I like to learn about all religions through fiction, but especially in a monastery setting.

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    3. Tracy,
      Especially because you are interested in monastery settings, I believe you would really enjoy reading this one. It gives a very complete view of all aspects of life there.

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  5. In case you didn't see this (re Rumer Godden):
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/08/books/review/karen-armstrong-by-the-book-interview.html?action=click&algo=bandit-all-surfaces-variants-shadow-lda-unique-time-cutoff-30&alpha=0.05&block=trending_recirc&fellback=false&imp_id=188484357&impression_id=f889d6f8-30aa-11ed-b5b7-0184adeaa1be&index=0&pgtype=Article&pool=pool%2F91fcf81c-4fb0-49ff-bd57-a24647c85ea1&region=footer&req_id=180763746&shadow_vec_sim=0.5979883010453704&surface=eos-most-popular-story&variant=0_bandit-eng30s-shadow-lda-unique

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