Author: E. Jane Mall
Recommended Age: 12-14
Date Published: 1959
Genre: Historical Fiction
Summary: Katharine von Bora is a Catholic nun with Protestant beliefs. When she and eleven other nuns attempt to escape the Nimbschem convent, they are punished for heresy. Desperate to escape, the women write to the Reformer, Doctor Martin Luther, with the request that he help them run away from the convent to discover the truth about God’s Word and their own lives. Will he help the nuns?
Notes from The Radical Reader:
- Noble Characters: She is almost always known as the wife of the great Reformer, Martin Luther. But Katharine’s own story is one of courage and faith. From the confining walls of the convent where she grew up, to the overwhelming responsibilities of the Black Cloister, to caring and loving the man who was hated by so many, Kitty, My Rib, is the incredible story of Katharine Luther’s life.
- Captivating Plots: A daring escape from the convent in a herring barrel. The loss of two children and the pressures of maintaining a busy household and ministry while married to Martin Luther. Experience the world of the 16th century through the eyes of a Catholic nun turned Reformer’s wife, Katharine Luther, who played a key role in the foundation of the Protestant Reformation.
- Elaborate Worlds: From the walls of the Nimbschem convent to life in hostile Wittenberg, explore the life of the great Christian Reformer, Martin Luther, and his family through the eyes of Katharine Luther.
Noteworthy Elements:
- Sexual Tension: A few weeks after the Luthers are married, rumors circulate throughout Wittenberg that Katharine has secretly given birth to a baby conceived out of wedlock. The rumors are proven false and no explicit details are given.
