“A valuable contribution to Christine studies and medieval scholarship in general. For the first time in English, it categorizes and describes all of Christine’s texts, allowing us to understand the place that her most popular texts occupy in her overall production. . . . Deserves a place on any medievalist’s bookshelf and in any undergraduate university library.”—Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching
 
"An impressive book by an authoritative interpreter of Christine de Pizan, written with brilliance and wry humor."--Lori J. Walters, Harry F. Williams Professor of French, Florida State University

"An impressive piece of scholarship: a nuanced and erudite account of Christine’s complete literary corpus skillfully set within its relevant textual, cultural, social, historical, political, and religious contexts. Margolis’s landmark contribution should become standard reading."--Susan J. Dudash, Fordham University

Christine de Pizan (1364/5-1430?) was arguably the first woman to support herself and her family as a professional writer and public intellectual. In recent decades, recognition of her importance for women’s studies, political thought, art history, and literary criticism has prompted a boom in "Christine studies." Despite this proliferation of scholarly output, no manageable introduction to this important figure has appeared in more than a generation.

Designed as an introduction for students as well as a convenient, one-volume resource for medievalists and specialists in related fields, this authoritative work is both concise and comprehensive. It includes a complete account of Christine de Pizan’s life and times, summaries and commentary on all of her many works, and analyses of her sources and influences. This exhaustive yet accessible book is an essential reference for anyone interested in Christine studies, women’s history, and late-medieval France.

Nadia Margolis, visiting professor in French and medieval studies at Mount Holyoke College, is coeditor of Women in the Middle Ages.

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An extremely welcome contribution to Christine studies and to medieval studies in general.
--Medium Aevum

Provides specialists with the chance to stand back from their particular interests, take stock, and reassess not only the extraordinary diversity of the corpus as a whole but also its rich cultural context; and new readers will find in Margolis an authoritative and witty guide to lead them through even the most challenging aspects of Christine's work. . . . Margolis has got the series off to a flying start.
--Modern Language Review

Offers excellent scholarly tools in approaching specific poems by Christine.
--Mediaevistik

A valuable contribution to Christine studies and medieval scholarship in general. For the first time in English, it categorizes and describes all of Christine’s texts, allowing us to understand the place that her most popular texts occupy in her overall production. . . . Deserves a place on any medievalist’s bookshelf and in any undergraduate university library.
--Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching