Religious communities & monasticism – The Bell Bookshop

Cloistered

Emma — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

‘Evocative’ Sarah Perry
‘Immersive’ Katherine May
‘Profoundly moving’ Mark Haddon

Discover Catherine Coldstream’s compelling account of life as a nun in the 1990s, and the dramatic events which led to her flight from the monastery.

After the shock of her father’s death, and with the rest of her family scattered, Catherine was left grieving and alone at twenty-four. A search for meaning led her to the nuns of Akenside Priory.

Here she found a tight-knit community of dedicated women and peace in an ancient way of life. But as she surrenders to her final vows, all is not as it seems behind the Priory’s closed doors.

Catherine comes to realise that divine authority is mediated through flawed and all-too-human channels. She is faced with a dilemma: should she protect the serenity she has found, or speak out?

‘Gripping? A rich memoir’ Daily Telegraph

‘Absorbing and beautifully written’ Financial Times

Cloistered

Emma — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

‘A profoundly moving memoir which gripped me’ Mark Haddon

Discover Catherine Coldstream’s evocative account of life as a nun in the 1990s, and the dramatic events which led to her flight from the monastery.

After the shock of her father’s death, twenty-four-year-old Catherine was left grieving and alone. A search for meaning led her to Roman Catholicism and the nuns of Akenside Priory.

Here she found a tight-knit community of dedicated women and peace in an ancient way of life. But as she surrenders to her final vows, all is not as it seems behind the Priory’s closed doors. Power struggles erupt – with far-reaching consequences for those within.

Catherine comes to realise that divine authority is mediated through flawed and all-too-human channels. She is faced with a dilemma: should she protect the serenity she has found, or speak out?

A love song to a lost community and an honest account of her twelve years in the Order, Cloistered is also a cautionary tale about what can happen when good people cut themselves off from the wider world.

‘Immersive, beautifully observed’ Katherine May

‘I admired [Cloistered] enormously’ Sarah Perry

‘An intense and often theatrical read’ Financial Times

I may be wrong

Emma — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

‘This book really, really will stay with me forever. It’s not only laced with the most incredible wisdom, but it’s also gentle and beautiful and eloquent. It brought me so much joy and so much comfort’ FEARNE COTTON‘Phenomenal. Steeped in wisdom. Best book I’ve read in a long time‘ ELLA MILLS, FOUNDER OF DELICIOUSLY ELLAThe Sunday Times bestselling book of comfort and timeless wisdom from former forest monk, Björn Natthiko LindebladWe like to think we can determine the path our life takes, but events rarely unfold the way we plan for or expect. In this international bestseller, former forest monk Björn Natthiko Lindeblad draws on his humbling journey towards navigating uncertainty – helping you, with kindness and good humour, to:- Let go of the small stuff – Accept the things you cannot control – Manage difficult emotions- Find stillness at busy times- Face yourself – and others – without judgment Infusing the everyday with heart and grace, this is a wise and soothing handbook for dealing with life’s challenges.

I May Be Wrong

Emma — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

‘This book really, really will stay with me forever. It’s not only laced with the most incredible wisdom, but it’s also gentle and beautiful and eloquent. It brought me so much joy and so much comfort’ FEARNE COTTONThe Sunday Times bestselling book of comfort and timeless wisdom from former forest monk, Björn Natthiko Lindeblad___________ Let me tell you what this book is not. It’s not about religion. It’s not about telling you how to live your life. It’s not about taking on a new set of beliefs. Plain and simple, it’s about how to relate to your own thoughts and emotions in a way that makes your life more enjoyable, more free, brighter, clearer and wiser. We like to think we understand what’s happening around us; that we can determine the path our life takes. But often, things don’t go that way – in fact, they rarely do. What helps us respond to life as it unfolds? To live freely, stay humble and find comfort in difficult times? In the Swedish sensation I May Be Wrong, former forest monk Björn Natthiko Lindeblad shares his advice on how to face the uncertainty and doubt that is a natural part of life. We don’t choose our thoughts. We don’t control the shape they take, or what pops into our minds. We can only choose whether or not to believe them. Infusing the everyday with heart, grace and gentle humour, this is a book to help us all navigate the realities of modern life.___________‘I read it, turning down the corners of pages I wished to refer back to, and marking certain passages with a pencil. By the end, almost every page was folded and marked‘ TELEGRAPH‘A book of some brilliance’ DAILY MAIL ‘Genuinely stays with you . . . Will encourage you to let go of the small stuff, accept the things you cannot control and open your heart and mind to a more happy and peaceful life’ WOMAN & HOME‘With our potential to maintain a peaceful state of mind, it is possible to remain optimistic in the face of difficulties. Björn Natthiko Lindeblad, a former forest monk in Thailand, relates his experience of training to properly direct his thoughts which can benefit all’ HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA

The Dissolution of the Monasteries

Emma — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The first account of the dissolution of the monasteries for fifty years-exploring its profound impact on the people of Tudor England

“This is a book about people, though, not ideas, and as a detailed account of an extraordinary human drama with a cast of thousands, it is an exceptional piece of historical writing.”-Lucy Wooding, Times Literary Supplement

Shortly before Easter, 1540 saw the end of almost a millennium of monastic life in England. Until then religious houses had acted as a focus for education, literary, and artistic expression and even the creation of regional and national identity. Their closure, carried out in just four years between 1536 and 1540, caused a dislocation of people and a disruption of life not seen in England since the Norman Conquest.

Drawing on the records of national and regional archives as well as archaeological remains, James Clark explores the little-known lives of the last men and women who lived in England’s monasteries before the Reformation. Clark challenges received wisdom, showing that buildings were not immediately demolished and Henry VIII’s subjects were so attached to the religious houses that they kept fixtures and fittings as souvenirs. This rich, vivid history brings back into focus the prominent place of abbeys, priories, and friaries in the lives of the English people.

Reading Abbey and the Abbey Quarter

Emma — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Reading’s Abbey, founded in 1121 by King Henry I of England, was huge and wealthy. Throughout its 400-year life the royal Abbey was visited regularly by Kings and Queens, hosted Parliaments and royal weddings and was a famous destination for medieval pilgrims. But Henry VIII ordered its dissolution in 1539 and although the monastic buildings were used for a time as a royal palace, the stone proved useful for, among other things, shoring up the defences of the town during the Civil War. By the 18th century, one of the most impressive Abbeys in England had been reduced to a picturesque ruin.

· Discover how the Abbey and its associated buildings were originally laid out on a promontory between the Thames and Kennet.

· Read features on monastic life, royal burials, and Abbot Hugh Cook Faringdon who was executed.

· Find out about the famous 19th century architects who rejuvenated the Abbey Quarter.

· Learn about the technicalities of the 21st century conservation work.

· Walk the Abbey Quarter using the guide and map to discover the hidden gems history has left behind and find out where some of the Abbey stone has ended up.

This book connects you directly with the past, inspires you to be part of a future that values the Abbey’s legacy, and demonstrates just how important a landmark we still have at the centre of modern Reading.