Stephanie Kirk Convent Life in Colonial Mexico

Annotation

"A valuable and logical step in the progression of critical studies on convent writing. . . . We have moved from seeing women writers as working at the margins to seeing them as writing subjects."-Latin American Research Review"Consider[s] nuns not as merely secular or religious writers, but through the lens of interdisciplinary study, as multifaceted historical agents. . . . The importance of the kind of innovative theoretical work undertaken by this text . . . cannot be over-emphasized, and will offer a both provocative and illuminating read to scholars in a broad range of disciplines."-Journal of International Women's Studies"Kirk reconstructs aspects of the lives of colonial nuns through close-up readings of select manuscripts and, additionally, of published primary sources. . . . A lively and provocative addition to the literature on colonial Mexico that offers new insights into the dynamics of religious community."-Bulletin of Latin American Research"A thought-provoking contribution to our understanding of community-building among colonial Latin American women."-A Contracorriente"A timely scholarly contribution to the field of gender and religion. . . . Presents a fresh look at convent literature by specifically analyzing alliances, friendships, and communities."-Colonial Latin American Historical Review"An interesting and ambitious study of the discourses associated with convent life in Mexico."-Catholic Historical Review