About Self-Help from the Middle Ages
What can a 12th-century monk teach us about burnout, envy or despair? In this illuminating conversation historian Peter Jones explores the surprising relevance of medieval thinking to modern life, based on his new book Self-Help from the Middle Ages: A Journey into the Medieval Mind.
Far from being a simple catalogue of vices, the Seven Deadly Sins were once understood as a map of the human mind – a practical guide to living well. Through poems, paintings, confessions, literature and unpublished manuscripts, Peter reveals a rich and humane moral psychology that speaks powerfully to contemporary concerns.
This promises to be a thought-provoking evening of history and insight, revealing that some of the most enduring answers to modern anxieties may have existed in the Medieval mind.
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Peter Jones
Author of Self-Help from the Middle Ages: A Journey into the Medieval Mind.
Credit: Jairo Vargas Martin More
After growing up in London Peter Jones moved to New York in his early twenties and received a PhD in Medieval History from NYU. Over his career he has taught at the University of Toronto, University College London, and Complutense University of Madrid. Peter also spent several years working at the School of Advanced Studies in Tyumen, Siberia, and his experiences there – especially the class he taught on the Seven Deadly Sins – inspired his book.
Venue and bar opening times
This is an in-person only event in the British Library Knowledge Centre.
The Knowledge Centre and bar open from 18.00.
Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of this event. If you have specific access requirements please email customer@bl.uk
Concessions
There are a range of concessions available. These include discounts for British Library Members, Young Persons (16–25s), and visitors on Universal/Pension Credit and free entry for carers.
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