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Ask of Old Paths: Medieval Virtues and Vices for a Whole and Holy Life
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Traditional Christian virtue and vices like abstinence, gluttony, and sloth make many of us bored or uncomfortable. At their best, these words sound dead or confusing, like incomplete fossils that belong to a distant past awkwardly enshrined in a museum. At worst, they signify a prejudiced past, when these words were wielded like weapons.
Yet in medieval writing, the language of the virtues and vices was powerful, lively, and delightfully weird. Patience is described as a peppercorn. Unicorns preach chastity. Knightly virtues fend off devious vices by throwing roses at them. In medieval books, words like avarice and meekness meant different things and carried different weight than they do today. And great medieval preachers and poets taught the virtues as crucial to what it meant to live a life of holiness, right alongside the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed.
Ask of Old Paths, by Grace Hamman meditates upon those strange and wonderful word-pictures and explanations of virtues and vices found in medieval traditions of poetry, sermons, and treatises long confined to dusty corners of the library. It focuses on the ancient tradition of virtue language called the Seven Capital Vices and their Virtue pride and humility, envy and love, wrath and meekness, avarice and mercy, sloth and fortitude, gluttony and abstinence, lust and chastity.
In accessible and thoughtful chapters, scholar and writer Grace Hamman shows how learning about these pairs of medieval virtues and vices can help us reevaluate our own washed out and insipid moral vocabulary in modernity. Our imaginations for the good life are expanded; our longing for sanctification sharpens. Old ideas can give us new fire in our practice of the virtues--and in that practice, we imitate Jesus and become more human.
Reference art can be found in the audiobook companion PDF download.
Traditional Christian virtue and vices like abstinence, gluttony, and sloth make many of us bored or uncomfortable. At their best, these words sound dead or confusing, like incomplete fossils that belong to a distant past awkwardly enshrined in a museum. At worst, they signify a prejudiced past, when these words were wielded like weapons.
Yet in medieval writing, the language of the virtues and vices was powerful, lively, and delightfully weird. Patience is described as a peppercorn. Unicorns preach chastity. Knightly virtues fend off devious vices by throwing roses at them. In medieval books, words like avarice and meekness meant different things and carried different weight than they do today. And great medieval preachers and poets taught the virtues as crucial to what it meant to live a life of holiness, right alongside the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed.
Ask of Old Paths, by Grace Hamman meditates upon those strange and wonderful word-pictures and explanations of virtues and vices found in medieval traditions of poetry, sermons, and treatises long confined to dusty corners of the library. It focuses on the ancient tradition of virtue language called the Seven Capital Vices and their Virtue pride and humility, envy and love, wrath and meekness, avarice and mercy, sloth and fortitude, gluttony and abstinence, lust and chastity.
In accessible and thoughtful chapters, scholar and writer Grace Hamman shows how learning about these pairs of medieval virtues and vices can help us reevaluate our own washed out and insipid moral vocabulary in modernity. Our imaginations for the good life are expanded; our longing for sanctification sharpens. Old ideas can give us new fire in our practice of the virtues--and in that practice, we imitate Jesus and become more human.
Reference art can be found in the audiobook companion PDF download.
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First published September 1, 2025
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September 20, 2025The opening didn't really draw me, but about halfway through the book I fell into the rhythm, and now I want to quit my job and study medieval art.
December 28, 2025
"every virtue is just love in disguise"
breaking my no-star rule for my reviews in order to give this book ALL THE STARS. glad i saved them for the occasion
luckily for me while reading this i was mostly literally walking old paths, because the chapter on Sloth/Fortitude made me weep several times. i've been having A Year, and it very nearly broke me: this chapter patched me up and gave me the strength to keep going--or at least gave me the why of how i had scraped myself up and kept going
shout out to the chapter on Avarice/Mercy (right judgement) and to the one on Lust/Chastity, which were both huge reminders to see rightly/judge rightly every day and to every person, and to not be using people as things, but treating them as people, and told me to keep doing it
there was so much here that was good, but there are other reviews that will do the job of enumerating them far better than i can. i think this is a book that every Christian should read.
i already loved "Jesus Through Medieval Eyes" and thought it beautiful and needful; Ask of Old Paths outstripped that already excellent book in my estimation. i will re-read it often, and will also spring for the hardback
read on audio
breaking my no-star rule for my reviews in order to give this book ALL THE STARS. glad i saved them for the occasion
luckily for me while reading this i was mostly literally walking old paths, because the chapter on Sloth/Fortitude made me weep several times. i've been having A Year, and it very nearly broke me: this chapter patched me up and gave me the strength to keep going--or at least gave me the why of how i had scraped myself up and kept going
shout out to the chapter on Avarice/Mercy (right judgement) and to the one on Lust/Chastity, which were both huge reminders to see rightly/judge rightly every day and to every person, and to not be using people as things, but treating them as people, and told me to keep doing it
there was so much here that was good, but there are other reviews that will do the job of enumerating them far better than i can. i think this is a book that every Christian should read.
i already loved "Jesus Through Medieval Eyes" and thought it beautiful and needful; Ask of Old Paths outstripped that already excellent book in my estimation. i will re-read it often, and will also spring for the hardback
read on audio
November 29, 2025
Enriching, edifying, stirring! So much food for thought. I’ll definitely be keeping this handy to reread as my knowledge and practice of the virtues grows, by God’s grace.
December 30, 2025
I started 2025 with Grace Hamman's wonderful devotional, JESUS THROUGH MEDIEVAL EYES. It feels fitting that I ended the year with ASK OF OLD PATHS, her exploration of the seven medieval vices and their corresponding virtues, which is even better.
If anything, I'm astonished this book wasn't written sooner. If there's something medieval people loved it was lists, categories and classifications. The Seven Wonders of the World. The Seven Planets. The Nine Worthies (and Nine Worthy Ladies). The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin. It's no wonder that the theologians and mystics of the Middle Ages also catalogued the vices and virtues, with painstaking attention to exactly what each vice entailed and how each was to be remedied, sometimes in surprising ways. On the other hand, it makes sense that we had to wait this long for this book: talk of virtues and vice has fallen out of fashion these days, and the true meaning of the words has been flattened and lost. Sloth, once known as that form of cowardice that holds us back from confession, repentance, and true love, is today reduced to mere laziness. Meekness, the virtue that fends off sinful wrath by counselling us to stop and think before reacting, is today ridiculed as unmanly and effeminate (if you are a man) or downtrodden and antifeminist (if you are a woman).
This flattening process, as Hamman shows, was in progress already by the late middle ages. Astoundingly rich, by turns convicting, and encouraging, ASK OF OLD PATHS retrieves these medieval categories for the 21st-century Christian in all their original richness. Simply put, I have never read such an excellent devotional. Each chapter expanded my thinking. Consider the fact that the sin of Avarice, for instance, is opposed to the virtue of Mercy - Avarice, which insists on getting something for everything it gives, opposed to Mercy, which by its very nature can never be earned, only freely given and received. Each chapter, too, made me weep. Sometimes this was merely because of the marvellous richness of the virtues or the terrifying dangers of the vices; often, it was because I saw, suddenly in myself, that actions I had agonised over were not vicious but virtuous. Take greatheartedness, for instance: that which sets out on some enterprise with confidence, wise plans, and reasonable hope for success. I had been in the habit of calling that pride, when I thought of it at all. Learning that it is, rather, a form of the virtue of Fortitude - who in the medieval iconography is a woman - hit me like a lightning-strike. It's virtuous for me to have ambitions, and to seek them?
I want to buy my own physical copy of this, and perhaps half a dozen spares to give away.
If anything, I'm astonished this book wasn't written sooner. If there's something medieval people loved it was lists, categories and classifications. The Seven Wonders of the World. The Seven Planets. The Nine Worthies (and Nine Worthy Ladies). The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin. It's no wonder that the theologians and mystics of the Middle Ages also catalogued the vices and virtues, with painstaking attention to exactly what each vice entailed and how each was to be remedied, sometimes in surprising ways. On the other hand, it makes sense that we had to wait this long for this book: talk of virtues and vice has fallen out of fashion these days, and the true meaning of the words has been flattened and lost. Sloth, once known as that form of cowardice that holds us back from confession, repentance, and true love, is today reduced to mere laziness. Meekness, the virtue that fends off sinful wrath by counselling us to stop and think before reacting, is today ridiculed as unmanly and effeminate (if you are a man) or downtrodden and antifeminist (if you are a woman).
This flattening process, as Hamman shows, was in progress already by the late middle ages. Astoundingly rich, by turns convicting, and encouraging, ASK OF OLD PATHS retrieves these medieval categories for the 21st-century Christian in all their original richness. Simply put, I have never read such an excellent devotional. Each chapter expanded my thinking. Consider the fact that the sin of Avarice, for instance, is opposed to the virtue of Mercy - Avarice, which insists on getting something for everything it gives, opposed to Mercy, which by its very nature can never be earned, only freely given and received. Each chapter, too, made me weep. Sometimes this was merely because of the marvellous richness of the virtues or the terrifying dangers of the vices; often, it was because I saw, suddenly in myself, that actions I had agonised over were not vicious but virtuous. Take greatheartedness, for instance: that which sets out on some enterprise with confidence, wise plans, and reasonable hope for success. I had been in the habit of calling that pride, when I thought of it at all. Learning that it is, rather, a form of the virtue of Fortitude - who in the medieval iconography is a woman - hit me like a lightning-strike. It's virtuous for me to have ambitions, and to seek them?
I want to buy my own physical copy of this, and perhaps half a dozen spares to give away.
December 17, 2025
Ask of Old Paths was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. I even wheedled a copy off the author so I could get my hands on it before release, which was after I moved overseas! I read as much of it as I could at the cathedral ruins in St Andrews, to immerse myself not only in the natural world but also in the medieval mindset (though medieval folk, enviably, had this cathedral before it was ruined).
Hamman opens the door wide to let the wind of the Spirit into the dusty, cobwebby room of how we have spoken about virtues. She peels each one back to its delicious core, showing how desirable virtue is. I also appreciated, so much, how she refused to let vice be the same old thing, either. Gluttony and abstinence--applied to things other than food, including online consumption? Whew. Now that I live in Scotland, where the national animal is the unicorn, I am never not going to think of it in the christological terms Hamman presented in the final chapter. The last two chapters, in particular, are paradigm-shifters. Not a term I use often, especially for more than one instance!
Ask of Old Paths is beautifully produced, with a lovely title page for each chapter, wonderfully reproduced images of medieval manuscripts, and footnotes (my delight). I am so glad to see Hamman's work getting the publishing treatment it deserves. (If only it were in color, but maybe her third book will be?) I needed the messages in this book and encourage you to give it a try.
As I thought and prayed about this season of life, where I'm beginning my doctoral studies, I felt convicted that I needed to intentionally cultivate my spiritual life, particularly virtue, in these years. In grad school, working as a doctoral enrollment counselor, and supporting my husband through his PhD, I saw way too many people who genuinely became worse during their studies. They were prideful, angry, unpleasant to be around, self-centered, whiny. (Obviously not all of them--or even most! Definitely not my husband, who became an even more virtuous person despite having an advisor worthy of being in R. F. Kuang's Katabasis. But I saw this so much, still.) I decided that I wanted to push myself in a different direction, to chase after virtue rather than vice. So I've chosen Ask of Old Paths as a guardrail, to keep me thinking about vice and virtue. I printed "The Heart as House" (52) to hang at my desk (also St Martha, dragon slayer, because reasons). I'll be reading Ask of Old Paths again during my studies and marking passages to return to. I wrote "Wolt thou be maad hool?" on a sticky note and put it at my desk to remind me that every day I can choose to me made whole through my studies rather than made more fragmented.
Hamman opens the door wide to let the wind of the Spirit into the dusty, cobwebby room of how we have spoken about virtues. She peels each one back to its delicious core, showing how desirable virtue is. I also appreciated, so much, how she refused to let vice be the same old thing, either. Gluttony and abstinence--applied to things other than food, including online consumption? Whew. Now that I live in Scotland, where the national animal is the unicorn, I am never not going to think of it in the christological terms Hamman presented in the final chapter. The last two chapters, in particular, are paradigm-shifters. Not a term I use often, especially for more than one instance!
Ask of Old Paths is beautifully produced, with a lovely title page for each chapter, wonderfully reproduced images of medieval manuscripts, and footnotes (my delight). I am so glad to see Hamman's work getting the publishing treatment it deserves. (If only it were in color, but maybe her third book will be?) I needed the messages in this book and encourage you to give it a try.
As I thought and prayed about this season of life, where I'm beginning my doctoral studies, I felt convicted that I needed to intentionally cultivate my spiritual life, particularly virtue, in these years. In grad school, working as a doctoral enrollment counselor, and supporting my husband through his PhD, I saw way too many people who genuinely became worse during their studies. They were prideful, angry, unpleasant to be around, self-centered, whiny. (Obviously not all of them--or even most! Definitely not my husband, who became an even more virtuous person despite having an advisor worthy of being in R. F. Kuang's Katabasis. But I saw this so much, still.) I decided that I wanted to push myself in a different direction, to chase after virtue rather than vice. So I've chosen Ask of Old Paths as a guardrail, to keep me thinking about vice and virtue. I printed "The Heart as House" (52) to hang at my desk (also St Martha, dragon slayer, because reasons). I'll be reading Ask of Old Paths again during my studies and marking passages to return to. I wrote "Wolt thou be maad hool?" on a sticky note and put it at my desk to remind me that every day I can choose to me made whole through my studies rather than made more fragmented.
September 11, 2025
A wonderfully written book reminding us that the Christian life is not about rules to follow but about the people we become by growing in sacred virtues each and every day.
Also a reminder that the Middle Ages was a wildly weird time.
Also a reminder that the Middle Ages was a wildly weird time.
December 14, 2025
I loved this so much! What a profound little tome that shares the history of medieval virtue and so delightfully translates it into a modern day practice and reflection. I’ll be getting a physical copy asap.
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January 10, 2026I didn't have the same reaction to this as many other readers, which was disappointing. As a medieval historian, both of Hamman's titles have intrigued me and I was looking forward to seeing how she discusses medieval devotional and penitential literature here. The audiobook is a really pleasant experience -- Hamman is an excellent speaker and ASK OF OLD PATHS goes down smoothly; I particularly liked listening to her read the Middle English quotations. The genres she deals with are not especially familiar to me, so most of the images and word-pictures she engages with felt new and fresh. Each chapter highlights a different vice/virtue pairing, such as Sloth & Fortitude and Gluttony & Abstinence, and I deeply appreciated the way Hamman opens her readers' eyes to the original expansiveness of these concepts in medieval thought. Sloth, for instance, is not merely lying around on a couch; it has much to do with spiritual apathy and neglect of responsibility. Wrath is not just about losing one's temper, but can be found in a resentful spirit. Gluttony and Avarice are not just about eating until you're sick or hoarding money like Silas Marner, but about consuming beyond your allotted share and trusting in material goods rather than in the provision of God. These discussions frequently gave me a lot to think about (I think I benefited most from the earlier chapters, especially the one on Wrath & Meekness, whereas the later ones felt more diffuse than helpful).
Yet I also had strong reservations throughout. As one other reviewer mentioned, there isn't much here about the empowerment of the Spirit or His role in the believer's life, individually or corporately; this means that the several explicit comments about God inviting us to participate in our own sanctification very much sound like that sanctification is entirely our own work. I totally agree that we have responsibilities in the Christian life and that we aren't meant to kick back and twiddle our thumbs, but the theology here made me raise an eyebrow. Though I haven't been able to determine Hamman's confession, ASK OF OLD PATHS seems to be based on Catholic assumptions that foreground the interaction of divine grace and human effort. (My thought that the background to this is Catholic seemed reinforced by references to various saints, to Mary as our mother, and to traditions of the church like the liturgical calendar. Any of these could also stem from a different High Church denomination, though.)
In addition to having issues with the theological underpinning, I found myself disappointed by the lack of engagement with actual biblical teaching on the vices or virtues. Bible passages are mentioned, but more as additional supports to conclusions already reached by other means. I understand that this is primarily a book inspired by medieval writing, but it's (I think) aimed at believers and is trying to encourage action, so it seems to me imperative that the discussion be grounded in what the Bible actually says and teaches and models. I'm not saying I disagreed with everything Hamman said, but just that even when I did agree, I wondered how much of it was rooted in biblical teaching and how much was rooted in philosophical assumptions that I just happen to share. For example, is it really possible to have a chapter on Sloth and not engage with the teaching in Proverbs on "the sluggard"? Or is it really true that we find fasting in the Bible presented as a spiritual exercise that heightens our dependence on God and ability to say "no" to over-consumption? (I haven't made a study of fasting, but where it appears in the Bible, it seems to be a response to calamitous situations rather than a practice meant to enhance the person's virtue.) These instances are symptomatic of problems that kept popping up for me.
There was also the fact that I very much felt this was all coming from one specific perspective, and that's social action. Much is made of examples like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr. (never mind the fact that the latter doesn't seem to have demonstrated private virtue, whatever his public virtue may have been!). What about virtue throughout the Scripture (beyond Mary and Jesus)? What about Paul's injunction for us to live quiet, productive lives? This links up with another question: who is the intended audience, and how and where, primarily, do we practice virtue? I think Hamman assumes her readers will be Christian, but since what makes us Christian is never defined and boundaries are not set, I felt like everything was too porous; very little distinction is made between the body of believers and the world-at-large. Can non-Christians live a virtuous life? If not, what makes Christians' virtue distinct? Is practicing virtue just about being whole in ourselves, or is there a bigger goal? If so, what is it? I suppose I felt that the discussions of the vices and virtues, interesting as they were on their own, lacked sufficient context. I wanted a more robust foundation, and I didn't find it.
Yet I also had strong reservations throughout. As one other reviewer mentioned, there isn't much here about the empowerment of the Spirit or His role in the believer's life, individually or corporately; this means that the several explicit comments about God inviting us to participate in our own sanctification very much sound like that sanctification is entirely our own work. I totally agree that we have responsibilities in the Christian life and that we aren't meant to kick back and twiddle our thumbs, but the theology here made me raise an eyebrow. Though I haven't been able to determine Hamman's confession, ASK OF OLD PATHS seems to be based on Catholic assumptions that foreground the interaction of divine grace and human effort. (My thought that the background to this is Catholic seemed reinforced by references to various saints, to Mary as our mother, and to traditions of the church like the liturgical calendar. Any of these could also stem from a different High Church denomination, though.)
In addition to having issues with the theological underpinning, I found myself disappointed by the lack of engagement with actual biblical teaching on the vices or virtues. Bible passages are mentioned, but more as additional supports to conclusions already reached by other means. I understand that this is primarily a book inspired by medieval writing, but it's (I think) aimed at believers and is trying to encourage action, so it seems to me imperative that the discussion be grounded in what the Bible actually says and teaches and models. I'm not saying I disagreed with everything Hamman said, but just that even when I did agree, I wondered how much of it was rooted in biblical teaching and how much was rooted in philosophical assumptions that I just happen to share. For example, is it really possible to have a chapter on Sloth and not engage with the teaching in Proverbs on "the sluggard"? Or is it really true that we find fasting in the Bible presented as a spiritual exercise that heightens our dependence on God and ability to say "no" to over-consumption? (I haven't made a study of fasting, but where it appears in the Bible, it seems to be a response to calamitous situations rather than a practice meant to enhance the person's virtue.) These instances are symptomatic of problems that kept popping up for me.
There was also the fact that I very much felt this was all coming from one specific perspective, and that's social action. Much is made of examples like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr. (never mind the fact that the latter doesn't seem to have demonstrated private virtue, whatever his public virtue may have been!). What about virtue throughout the Scripture (beyond Mary and Jesus)? What about Paul's injunction for us to live quiet, productive lives? This links up with another question: who is the intended audience, and how and where, primarily, do we practice virtue? I think Hamman assumes her readers will be Christian, but since what makes us Christian is never defined and boundaries are not set, I felt like everything was too porous; very little distinction is made between the body of believers and the world-at-large. Can non-Christians live a virtuous life? If not, what makes Christians' virtue distinct? Is practicing virtue just about being whole in ourselves, or is there a bigger goal? If so, what is it? I suppose I felt that the discussions of the vices and virtues, interesting as they were on their own, lacked sufficient context. I wanted a more robust foundation, and I didn't find it.
October 31, 2025
Beautiful
November 14, 2025
Grace is one of my favorite contemporary medievalists and this latest book is absolutely beautiful. As always, her words are rich with history yet fresh and relevant for the modern age in which she writes. In a book that could easily swing toward moralistic truisms, Ask of Old Paths is instead a spiritual refresher that takes to task our modern (and not-so-modern) misconceptions of vices and virtues. Another luminous addition to my library!
October 27, 2025
I absolutely ADORED this book, a spiritual look at vices and their remedies, virtues. I wish this book was longer, I was educated, informed and inspired by this read. What does it mean to live a whole and holy life as a Christian? I loved the vivid medieval imagery paired with the virtues. I left each chapter with things to ponder and appreciated how the author invited us to apply the virtues.
January 9, 2026
An ultimately delightful exploration of how medievals perceived the vices and virtues, peppered with examples not only from the writings of philosophers but from medieval art (the slightly strange kind that usually gets made fun of online.) The chapter on pride and humility was fairly straightforward but by the time envy and love (basilisk and blossom) came on the scene I was hooked. It's very easy to sit in judgement over the past, and the Middle Ages in particular are easily scoffed by those with modern sensibilities. This book is one of several that point to the good that we are missing out on when we dismiss it as merely an age of diseases, feudalism, and superstition. Ultimately, they had a more complex and nuanced understanding of the life of the soul than we seem to have today.
January 10, 2026
A fun and informative read full of Hamman’s characteristic wit and style. I laughed and I learned and I cannot wait to dive deeper into the concepts that she has presented in this book.
Hamman sets out to untangle much modern misunderstanding around the virtues and vices and breathe life into them again. She does an excellent job of introducing each vice and its remedy (the virtues) to a modern audience, setting the ground work for further study. She also does a great job at bringing the Middle Ages to beautiful life in its glories while also pumping the breaks on its flaws. A worthy read.
Hamman sets out to untangle much modern misunderstanding around the virtues and vices and breathe life into them again. She does an excellent job of introducing each vice and its remedy (the virtues) to a modern audience, setting the ground work for further study. She also does a great job at bringing the Middle Ages to beautiful life in its glories while also pumping the breaks on its flaws. A worthy read.
October 25, 2025
4.5 stars.
What does it look like, practically, to live a life that is whole? To answer this question, author Grace Hamman delves deep into medieval language of vice and virtue to offer an old perspective on the moral life, complemented by her own new insights. Her writing style is succinct and refined to a beautiful clarity, and the vivid medieval imagery will last with me for a long time. A short book, but each chapter has plenty to ponder, and I enjoyed taking my time with this one. Both convicting and encouraging in the best ways.
What does it look like, practically, to live a life that is whole? To answer this question, author Grace Hamman delves deep into medieval language of vice and virtue to offer an old perspective on the moral life, complemented by her own new insights. Her writing style is succinct and refined to a beautiful clarity, and the vivid medieval imagery will last with me for a long time. A short book, but each chapter has plenty to ponder, and I enjoyed taking my time with this one. Both convicting and encouraging in the best ways.
January 24, 2026
Obviously, highly recommended.
An exemplary performance of academic research on the virtues, made not just relevant for a general audience but, with a combination of winsome writing and the kind of penetrating personal wisdom that is hard-won, brought to life in the pages in a way that can come to life in the lives of readers. A devotional with footnotes! If that scares you, ignore the footnotes. The point is just: the water's fine. It's clear, calm . . . and deep. Come in.
An exemplary performance of academic research on the virtues, made not just relevant for a general audience but, with a combination of winsome writing and the kind of penetrating personal wisdom that is hard-won, brought to life in the pages in a way that can come to life in the lives of readers. A devotional with footnotes! If that scares you, ignore the footnotes. The point is just: the water's fine. It's clear, calm . . . and deep. Come in.
January 10, 2026
I listened to this book on Audible. I would love to have a physical copy for reference! So many great truth nuggets throughout this book! I do recommend the audio version narrated by the author. It is so helpful to hear her read and pronounce the words in Middle English.
August 24, 2025
For the church historian in me, this is a fascinating read—beautifully written and I’ll give it high praise for familiarity with these medieval sources. But devoid of a gospel-centered framework, it would be easy to come away from this with a moralistic framework. As with reading many of the medieval writers, there is a lot of wise meat but you got to make sure to spit out the bones.
September 19, 2025
Ask of Old Paths was full of interesting information on the medieval period—a unique time indeed. I was educated and informed, especially regarding the virtues and vices. However, I came away from this book feeling rather dry. I missed any extended meditation on the empowerment of the Spirit (upon whom I am totally dependent) or on the complete sufficiency of Christ for my very merit, He having accomplished all these virtues for me.
December 30, 2025
2 stars because I’m happy to see a book about classical virtues. Otherwise, it’s as though the virtues were simply a stepping off point to be critical of the American evangelical church; an ancient example of the importance of niceness. The true richness of the virtues felt diminished by 21st century platitudes, strongly undergirded by the failings of modern Christians. The premise is great, but I feel it could have been so much more.
January 24, 2026
I wish I could like this book
This book is one of those you try to get over the small “woke” but eventually you notice that all the ideas are compromised. From calling St Augustine “African” to judging the medieval people for the Crusades, this book just reads as yet another propaganda piece. For once I wish I could read a book where the author tried to understand the “Medieval Imagination” instead of interpreting it through modern sensibilities. A shame.
This book is one of those you try to get over the small “woke” but eventually you notice that all the ideas are compromised. From calling St Augustine “African” to judging the medieval people for the Crusades, this book just reads as yet another propaganda piece. For once I wish I could read a book where the author tried to understand the “Medieval Imagination” instead of interpreting it through modern sensibilities. A shame.
September 29, 2025
I have followed medievalist Hamman on Substack for awhile now and this – her second book – incorporates healing the vices through the virtues with a medieval lens. Loved getting to read a bit at a time (toothbrush book) and contemplate throughout the day. My heart-takeaway will always be the hedgehog bringing apples home in their spikes.
November 18, 2025
This has to be one of the best Christian books I’ve read in a long time. So many books on the Christian life seem stale and cliched. By reaching back into the past Grace Hannam is able to discover a new perspective that seems more contemporary and original than spiritual guides written in the past couple years.
January 24, 2026
In this author's second book, I found a tremendous connection to the Medieval past in her treatment of vices and virtues as represented in literature, poetry, works of the saints, and art. It's a wonderful summary of the period and more. It's well-documented and contains great reference material. I kept stopping to make note of more things to read. So. Much. Fun.
November 29, 2025
I really liked this book. The medieval imagery sparked something in me, and now I want to learn more. I listened to the audiobook, and I think I will get a physical copy as well, as it would make a good devotional book. Very thought provoking.
December 8, 2025
This was such a beautiful book that I have started to reread it. I loved the way Grace has brought back up the wisdom of the Middle Ages and showed us how applicable these truths are for us today. I learned much and so many of the citations she included have worked their beauty on my heart.
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January 1, 2026I was surprised at how much I liked this book. I especially liked how she explained how each virtue was understood as the remedy and cure for a certain vice. The medieval perspective that this book offers revitalizes the washed out and cliche language of the virtues and vices in our culture today.
September 23, 2025
Maybe the best book I've ever read!
October 20, 2025
This is a lovely little book!
October 22, 2025
A delightful and inviting intro to the medieval virtues and vices. Amazingly well-researched.
Video review here: https://youtu.be/-sTtiX5_9RM
Video review here: https://youtu.be/-sTtiX5_9RM
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews