It is a thousand years since the death at Canterbury of the great medieval Archbishop and thinker Anselm. This meticulously researched and immensely engaging book brings to life the man and his times, the depth of Anselm’s thought, and his career in the arena of politics in Church and State. It explores his place among the saints, in his life and after his death, especially in the light of his profound understanding of heaven, which was a central theme throughout his life from childhood onwards.

Accounts from Anselm’s friends and enemies, and his letters, prayers and meditations, are combined with the author’s in-depth knowledge of the times to present a rounded picture of a unique Christian figure who speaks to us today, challenging many of our assumptions about his world and ours.

Benedicta Ward is a sister of the Community of the Sisters of the Love of God, based in Oxford. She is Reader in the History of Christian Spirituality at the University of Oxford and an honorary lecturer at Harris Manchester College. She has written a number of books on early monasticism and on the Middle Ages, and is one of the world’s most knowledgeable writers on the legacy of the Desert Fathers and Mothers.