A Wandering Scholar of Beasts and Saints: Helen Waddell (1889–1965)

Born in Japan, Helen Waddell was an Irish writer and scholar who began her studies at Oxford at the age of 31. After two years in Paris as a fellow at the American University Women’s Club, she became a literary sensation in the late 1920s and 1930s. Waddell first gained acclaim with The Wandering Scholars (1927), an exploration of 12th- and 13th-century goliards, followed by the widely praised Beasts and Saints (1934) and The Desert Fathers (1936). Her fascination with the medieval scholar Peter Abelard and his tragic love story with Héloise inspired her only novel, the celebrated Peter Abelard (1933).Though her life was tragically cut short by Alzheimer’s disease, Waddell’s contributions to literature and medieval studies continue to be rediscovered and celebrated.More on Helen Waddell: reidhall.globalcenters.columbia.edu/content/helen-waddell-1889-1965The Reid Hall History Project continues to grow, enriched by the contributions of numerous collaborators. The website is regularly updated with new insights and information: reidhall.globalcenters.columbia.edu/ Find us elsewhere:Website - globalcenters.columbia.edu/parisGet our newsletter - globalcenters.columbia.edu/content/paris-newslettersInstagram - instagram.com/cgcparisX (formerly Twitter) - x.com/cgcpariscenterLinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/cgcparis/Facebook - facebook.com/cgcparisYouTube - youtube.com/@CGCParisHosts: Brunhilde Biebuyck and Marie DoezemaProduction: James Allen, Brunhilde Biebuyck, Marie Doezema, Krista Faurie, Charlotte Force, and Anthony ValetteEditing: Theo AlbaricMusic: Lili Boulanger’s Nocturne performed by Magdalena Baczewska and Sasha HeWith thanks to the Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Centre in ParisThe Columbia Global Paris Center is part of a network of 11 global centers of Columbia University in the City of New York, one of the world's leading academic institutions. The centers serve as knowledge hubs that aim to educate and inspire through research, dialogue, and action. They advance understanding, facilitate partnerships, and build the bridges necessary to tackle our changing world.Columbia Global brings together the Columbia Global Centers, Columbia World Projects, the Committee on Global Thought, and the Institute for Ideas and Imagination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.