A Burned Medieval Monk's Book Reveals His Secret Magic Rituals

An Exegesis of the Visionary Autobiography of a Fourteenth-Century French Monk

Claire Fanger's 'Rewriting Magic' uncovers the story of John of Morigny, a 14th-century monk whose visionary autobiography, 'The Flowers of Heavenly Teaching,' was condemned and burned as heretical in 1323. The book, recently rediscovered, blends prayers, rituals, and personal visions to offer a unique window into medieval monastic life, magic, and the process of composing a sacred text under divine guidance.