NPR's Book of the Day A new book looks to the writings of Renaissance-era nuns for advice on life today
Dec 1, 2025
Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita, academics and co-authors of Convent Wisdom, delve into the invaluable lessons from Renaissance-era nuns. They discuss how these nuns carved out spaces for women's writing and community, presenting a counterpoint to modern loneliness. Carmen shares how studying their lives helped her navigate personal challenges, while Ana cleverly ties Sor Juana's rhetorical strategies to crafting assertive emails today. Their insights highlight how centuries-old wisdom can address contemporary dilemmas and foster personal growth.
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Convents As Rare Literary Spaces For Women
- Convents offered rare public voices for women in the 16th and 17th centuries who couldn't safely marry or publish elsewhere.
- Recovering these writings restores a female archive that still speaks to modern dilemmas and community life.
Possession Reframed As Self-Reflection
- Carmen encountered a nun's autobiography about possession that reframed demons as facets of personality rather than purely external forces.
- That reading showed her a different, self-owned language for grappling with inner turmoil.
Write Assertive Emails With A Sandwich
- Use praise first, then a humble self-deprecation, then state your real request subtly, and finish with praise to make firm asks politely.
- This approach helps assertiveness without triggering defensiveness in recipients.
