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Helena P. Schrader

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Born

The United States

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http://www.HelenaPSchrader.com

Genre

Historical Fiction, History, Biography

Member Since

May 2012

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Dr. Helena P. Schrader is a highly acclaimed author with a remarkable portfolio of six critically acclaimed non-fiction history books and twenty historical novels. A testament to her storytelling prowess, twelve of her novels have earned one or more prestigious literary awards, with three titles achieving Amazon best-selling status.

Helena's deep historical insight stems from her PhD in history from the University of Hamburg, where her ground-breaking biography of a leader of the German Resistance to Hitler earned her doctorate. Her rich experiences also include a distinguished career as an American diplomat in Europe and Africa.

Her expertise spans critical historical periods and subjects, including:

Aviation

The Second World War

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I have been meaning to ask this question for a while. I recently came across an article on 'Bustle' that suggests women, particularly Medieval women, were not allowed to be educated and if they were, they had to sit behind a screen so as not to offend male pupils. Hildegard is mentioned only in passing, the article said that she was only allowed to be educated as a nun. Is there any truth to this?

Helena P. Schrader The short answer is an emphatic NO. Without seeing the article, of course, I can't know if the statement was more narrowly defined in a way to make it…moreThe short answer is an emphatic NO. Without seeing the article, of course, I can't know if the statement was more narrowly defined in a way to make it valid for some portion of the female population in a specific place, time or context.

Speaking generally, women in the Middle Ages could be highly educated, literate and numerate, the higher the class and social standing, the higher their education -- just as for males. Queens (e.g. Maria Comnena, Eleanor of Aquitaine, to name just two I'm personally familiar with) could read and write in multiple languages and usually had a very extensive education in the classics and theology. (A good biography of almost any queen will record the meticulous and very extensive education they received, and document their ability to correspond with other rulers and churchmen.)

Noblewomen needed to manage their estates and were likewise highly literate and numerate. (See for example: Jennifer Ward's "English Noblewomen in the Middle Ages.") Keep in mind, too, that the great works of chivalry by Chretien de Troyes or Wolfram von Eschenbach were often commissioned by noblewomen such as Marie de Champagne -- who owned and read these books.

There are many examples of women running religious institutions and corresponding with the great thinkers of their age (Hildegard von Bingen comes to mind, the Abbess of Fontevrault was another). They too had to be good administrators as well as being intellectually sophisticated.

The wives of guild masters and merchants usually ran the office-aspects of their husband's business and were literate and numerate, although less likely to have had a classical education including theology, philosophy and literature. A good book that talks about all the professions that medieval women could and did pursue is Toni Mount's "The Medieval Housewife & Other Women in the Middle Ages."

There is clear evidence that women could be apothecaries and surgeons as well. (See Toni Mount: Medieval Medicine.)

In short, "women" most certainly were educated, often highly educated, in the Middle Ages. It is, however, probably correct to suggest that women were educated privately, at home by (often extremely qualified) tutors, or during an apprenticeship in a trade, by rather than attending public/religious schools.

I hope you will spread the word. It is ridiculous to suggest that Western/Christian "women" generally were uneducated during the Middle Ages.(less)

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Helena P. Schrader I'm not sure what is meant by "writer's block."

I generally suffer from insufficient time to write. I'm not someone who can write if I only have a hal…moreI'm not sure what is meant by "writer's block."

I generally suffer from insufficient time to write. I'm not someone who can write if I only have a half hour here or there. I need time to get back into the time period and the story. So I generally set aside my weekends for writing. Then, when the weekend finally comes, I usually re-read the previous scene/section even chapter before I start work on the next, and I use the workweek to think ahead to what exactly I want to write on the coming weekend.

I have never sat down to write without knowing what I want to write. The worst that happens is I'm not sure what perspective to take or how to approach a certain scene and I may write several versions of the same scene before I feel satisfied.

But I honestly can't remember ever just staring at a blank screen without a clue about what to write. Maybe that comes from writing only on weekends and so having lots of time to think about what I want to write before I actually sit down. I hope that answers your question.(less)

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Helena P. Schrader’s books

Average rating: 4.45 · 1,619 ratings · 313 reviews · 38 distinct works • Similar authors

	Leonidas of Sparta: A Boy of the Agoge (Leonidas of Sparta Trilogy, #1) 4.35 avg rating — 237 ratings — published 2010 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Leonidas of Sparta: A Heroic King (Leonidas of Sparta Trilogy, #3) 4.47 avg rating — 171 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Leonidas of Sparta: A Peerless Peer (Leonidas of Sparta Trilogy, #2) 4.48 avg rating — 161 ratings — published 2011 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Where Eagles Never Flew 4.53 avg rating — 148 ratings — published 2007 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Balian d'Ibelin: Knight of Jerusalem 4.29 avg rating — 143 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Defender of Jerusalem 4.65 avg rating — 77 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Envoy of Jerusalem 4.67 avg rating — 72 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Last Crusader Kingdom: Dawn of a Dynasty in Twelfth-Century Cyprus 4.77 avg rating — 47 ratings — published 2017 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cold Peace 4.70 avg rating — 46 ratings — published 2023 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moral Fibre: A Bomber Pilot's Story 4.60 avg rating — 43 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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The Historic Traveler -- A Community for Lovers of Historical Fiction

Settings inspire and inform readers no less than novelists. Historical sites are thus an ideal venue for connecting books to readers. On the one hand, many readers will consciously seek out the venue of a favorite book. On the other hand, many travelers look for books about the places they are seeing. That's the idea behind "The Historic Traveler." The founder, Jackie Lapin, explains in a short in

Series by Helena P. Schrader

Leonidas of Sparta Trilogy (3 books)
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Helena P. Schrader (Goodreads Author)

4.42 avg rating — 569 ratings

Balian D'Ibelin (3 books)
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Helena P. Schrader (Goodreads Author)

4.48 avg rating — 292 ratings

Templar Tales (2 books)
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Helena P. Schrader (Goodreads Author)

4.46 avg rating — 41 ratings

Series (2 books)
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Helena P. Schrader (Goodreads Author)

4.38 avg rating — 40 ratings

Tales from the Languedoc (2 books)
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Helena P. Schrader (Goodreads Author)

4.63 avg rating — 24 ratings

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A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice

by Rebecca Connolly (Goodreads Author)

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Dec 21, 2025 10:10AM

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You'll See Wonders: A memoir of the sea (Memoirs of the Sea, #2)

by Harry Nicholson (Goodreads Author)

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Bouncer's Blenheim: A Mediterranean WWII Adventure (Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers Book 2)

by Tony Rea (Goodreads Author)

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Helena Schrader rated a book did not like it No Time to Mourn by Karla M. Jay (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
While this book started well with a chapter depicting the first air raid on Malta in June 1940, it fell apart with the very next chapter that introduced the RAF character. The chapter, dated June 9, 1940, allegedly depicts an RAF squadron at Northolt ...more
Dec 23, 2025 07:40AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of No Time to Mourn by Karla M. Jay. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — No Time to Mourn by Karla M. Jay <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Helena Schrader is currently reading A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 21, 2025 10:10AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Helena Schrader rated a book really liked it Bouncer's Battle: A Battle of Britain adventure (Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers Book 1) by Tony Rea (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Accurate History, Good Story This is a well researched book that gets not only the facts but the atmosphere and social environment right. It has an original plot and likeable characters. However, it moves at a place that doesn't allow for emotional en ...more
Dec 10, 2025 10:17AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Bouncer's Battle by Tony Rea. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Bouncer's Battle by Tony Rea <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Helena Schrader rated a book liked it All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This book is a shell without a living core; it is 'sound and fury' signifying nothing. Yes, it is expertly constructed with suspense, mystery, and even a hint of magic. The tension is brilliantly set up by starting with the assault on St Malo and intr ...more
Dec 06, 2025 05:16AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Helena Schrader rated a book liked it Of Sea and Soul: The Kerrigan Chronicles, Book III by Annie Daylon (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
On one hand, this is a beautifully written, sensitive novel about trauma, guilt and forgiveness. On the other hand, it is an excruciatingly slow-paced, single-focused novel that gets increasingly tedious until I just wanted it to end. I could not war ...more
Nov 25, 2025 11:00PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Of Sea and Soul by Annie Daylon. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Of Sea and Soul by Annie Daylon <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Helena Schrader rated a book it was ok The Greatcoat: A Ghost Story by Helen Dunmore	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This was a very disappointing read. Although it touches on some potentially fascinating concepts about existing in parallel times, spiritual co-existance/possession, and identity, the book singularly failed to deliver any emotional richness, much les ...more
Nov 25, 2025 10:50PM · 1 like · like · see review
Helena Schrader is currently reading You'll See Wonders: A memoir of the sea (Memoirs of the Sea, #2) by Harry Nicholson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Helena Schrader is currently reading Bouncer's Battle: A Battle of Britain adventure (Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers Book 1) by Tony Rea (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 25, 2025 10:09AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Bouncer's Battle by Tony Rea. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Bouncer's Battle by Tony Rea <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Helena Schrader is currently reading Bouncer's Blenheim: A Mediterranean WWII Adventure (Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers Book 2) by Tony Rea (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by Helena P. Schrader (?)

“All men are sinners, Eleanor. The greater the man, the greater the sins.”
― Helena P. Schrader, St. Louis' Knight

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
THE WORLD WAR TWO...: Women in the Armed Services	37	100	Nov 19, 2013 01:07PM
Goodreads Librari...: Add the missing cover, please	29	49	May 26, 2016 06:09PM
Goodreads Librari...: Please add cover	157	156	Apr 29, 2017 03:08AM
Goodreads Librari...: titles need cover images	6	29	Aug 22, 2019 03:16PM
Historical Fictio...: September 2020 Nominations	63	302	Aug 05, 2020 06:44AM
Goodreads Librari...: Book Excellence Awards	1	17	Apr 15, 2021 08:58AM
THE JAMES MASON C...: PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO YOUR FELLOW JAMES MASON MEMBERS!	7100	5491	Jun 16, 2021 12:03PM
THE JAMES MASON C...: * BOOKS AND WRITINGS BY MEMBERS	4001	2179	Oct 21, 2021 03:43AM
Gigi's Company: Title Game	6447	1420	Jul 08, 2023 03:26PM

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message 3: by Helena

Oct 03, 2014 08:28AM

Marquise wrote: "Thank you for recommending the novel on Balian d'Ibelin, Ms Schrader! I had become interested in him after reading Sharon Kay Penman's 'Lionheart' recently, and was wondering if there'd be good nov..."

"Knight of Jerusalem" was released in Kindle format today. If you're interested go to: http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Jerusale...

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message 2: by Helena

Sep 19, 2014 02:23AM

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message 1: by Marquise

Sep 18, 2014 06:03AM

Thank you for recommending the novel on Balian d'Ibelin, Ms Schrader! I had become interested in him after reading Sharon Kay Penman's 'Lionheart' recently, and was wondering if there'd be good novels about d'Ibelin.

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