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Rating: 
Summary: a classic from the mystical Julian
Review: A review below summed it up well; I'd add mainly that many modern visionaries do suffer experiences of immense gore and anguish, and they could very well find validation of their sanity in reading about the experiences of a genuine mystic.
Rating: 
Summary: Julian is #1
Review: I enjoyed reading this book. It is an account of 16 visions which appeared to Mother Julian (1342-1416) along with her meditations of the experience. She was a recluse who lived in Norwich in what is now the British Isles. I had not considered the LORD my God as my lover until I learned this from Julian. In her natural style, she explained to me the love God has for each of us. This statement of hers has meant a great deal to me, " Some of us believe that God is almighty, and may do everything; and that he is all wise and can do everything; but that he is all love, and >>will<< do everything - there we draw back. And as I see it, this ignorance is the greatest of all hindrances to God's lovers." I feel that this is a message from which many may benefit, regardless of creed. In addition, I learned a bit about the solitary religious life which was popular in the Middle Ages. If you are interested in learning of the love God has for you, or in the religion of the Middle Ages, this book will be interesting to you.
Rating:
Summary: Julian is #1
Review: I really liked her book. She made me feel good inside and she made me smile. I like to smile. My mom says everyone should read her book. Mommy's also helping me write this letter. I like her book and I wish everyone could read it.Kristy
Rating: 
Summary: Wordy and Obtuse
Review: Julian of Norwich, an anchoress from 14th century England who is best known for this theological tract, sets out an interesting belief system in which she concentrates on the womanly nature of Christ and God. Julian had sixteen visions which she referred to as "showings" while she was suffering an illness. These showings revealed divine messages from God that Julian then set to paper through scribes. In my opinion, most of her revelations are tiresome to slog through, and she is a master of reptition. Also, her descriptions of the crucifixition are pretty gory and unsettling, which might bother some readers. This book is probably best read in very short bursts so that it's easier to absorb the material and ponder what Julian is trying to say. There are certainly good things to say about this book. Her parable about man falling in sin is excellent and fun to read. I'll probably read this section again and again. I'm also glad I read this as part of a class on the Middle Ages. The background I learned in this class makes some of the text a bit clearer. It's important to understand that Europe was being rocked by the Black Death and that the Church was wrapped up in a schism while Julian was pondering her visions. The upsetting descriptions of Christ's suffering and his motherly attention to man makes more sense when the reader understands that half of Europe was dying and faith was being seriously challenged. Be sure and look at the appendices, because there is a reprint of a brief selection of the Revelations written in Middle English. It's neat to read it as it was written and try and make sense of the words. I won't read the whole book again, but I would say that it should be read once, especially for those studying European history or theological systems.
Rating:
Summary: Profound and inspiring
Review: Julian's utter devotion to God amazes me. Sure, the medieval imagery, symbols, and style of writing take a little getting used to--but her intense desire for intimacy with her Lord is inspiring. As a devout (mostly Protestant) Christian, I highly recommend this work. Read it and you'll understand why people have been drawn closer to Him through Julian's writing.
Rating:
Summary: Medieval mystic with a modern message
Review: Juliana of Norwich is very much in vogue these days, the subject of countless weekend retreats, seminars, classes, etc. She was a medieval hermit who experienced a series of visions which she had written down as she was convinced that their message was not just for her but for all mankind. That would make her no different from thousands of other deluded individuals except that 1) these have an unmistakable ring of authentic experience which most of this literature lacks, and 2) her explanations of her visions have some extraordinarily modern ideas about christianity. She talks about God being all love and not judging or blaming anyone but leaving them to their mistakes until they turn back to Him and are received warmly without any lectures, judging, sermons, or finger pointing. She talks about God being a "Mother" and possessing all of the tenderness of a mother. She talks about how God will bring all things to perfection one day, in her famous saying that "all shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well". Despite her frequent appeals to her fidelity to the teachings of "mother church", it is pretty obvious that she just escaped being charged with heresy only through some oversight of the authorities at the time as they were burning people at the stake for less radical teachings than the ones she taught. There is a good deal here that is gory - meditative visualizations on the very bloody crucifixion of Christ was a popular, and unwholesome, meditation at the time- and the reader has to figuratively wade through blood and guts to get to the good, useful stuff - so this may only be for those who are reading through all of the mystics. Frankly, I found only about 30 pages of intriguing material in the 150 or so in this book. A better choice for the reader may be the series entitled "Daily readings" of Juliana. This contains the most relevant material from her visions for modern readers. Why am I giving this 3 stars? Because it is important historically without being essential or enjoyable reading.
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