I Leap Over the Wall

By Monica Baldwin

Book Overview

First published in 1949, one woman's memoir of nearly three decades in a convent, and her readjustment to the contemporary world

At the age of 21, Monica Baldwin entered one of the oldest and most strictly enclosed contemplative orders of the Roman Catholic Church. At the age of 48, and after struggling with her vocation for many years, she obtained a special rescript from Rome and left the convent. But the world Monica had known and forsaken in 1914 was very different to the world into which she emerged at the height of World War II. This is the fascinating account of one woman's two very different lives, with revealing descriptions of the world of a novice, the duties of a nun's day, and the spiritual aspects of convent life. Interwoven with these are the trials and tribulations of coping with a new and alien world, as the author is confronted with fashions, interventions, politics, and art totally unfamiliar to her. Written in the post-war years, this reissue is as fresh and engaging today as it ever was. Humour, intelligence, an endearing humility, and a searing honesty all characterize this remarkable classic, giving readers both a glimpse into a hidden world and a unique view on one more familiar.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0719816432
• ISBN13: 9780719816437
• Release Date: February 2015
• Publisher: Robert Hale & Company
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Unforgettable and truly interesting

An amazing story of expectations and choices. Was she called to be a nun or was the life simply pressed upon her? Baldwin takes you behind the convent walls and into the hearts, lives, and true humanity of these nuns. They aren't perfect, and it takes a certain type of person to live the cloistered life. It is interesting to compare it with Memoirs of a Geisha. While Memoirs defends the virtues of a lifestyle, Called and Chosen lays open the faults of a lifestyle--both of which have been somewhat misunderstood. Yet, both authors weave their stories with such honesty and passion that you can't help but appreciate their renderings. I would recommend it to anyone interested in a candid look at convent life from the last century.