Drawing on sources as diverse as archaeology, canon law, and social theory, Roy Flechner shifts our perspective on Patrick by situating him firmly within the broader context of the late Roman Empire, post-Roman Britain, and early medieval Europe. Flechner's probing exploration of Patrick's own writings within this framework sheds new light on the figure of Ireland's national saint.
Catherine McKenna, ... Read moreHarvard University In recent years, many new sources about Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, have been excavated and new theories formulated, so the time is ripe for a reevaluation of Patrick's life and work. Roy Flechner, a rising star in early medieval Irish history, is the right person for this task. This engaging book will no doubt become a bestseller among Patrick's fans throughout the world, as well as those interested in early medieval Ireland, its culture, and its saints.
Yitzhak Hen, author of Roman Barbarians This superb and stylishly executed work does a splendid job of surveying the life of Patrick, ending with a helpful overview of later developments of the saint in popular culture. Filling a gap, this impressive work will be gratefully received by historians of late antiquity and early medieval Britain and Ireland, and Celticists, not to mention a large body of general readers.
Mark Williams, author of Ireland's Immortals Show Less