The Tenth Muse

By Fanchon Royer,

Book cover of The Tenth Muse: Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz

Book description

The Tenth Muse: Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz is a biography written by Fanchon Royer about the life of Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz, a 17th-century Mexican nun, poet, and scholar. The book delves into the life of Sor Juana, who was known for her intelligence and passion…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Tenth Muse as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Royer adores Sor Juana, as do I. There are some wonderful surprises here, such as a long list of authors that Sor Juana likely read. The images that he presents, such as the church where la Vicereine Leonore was buried, are personal rather than scholarly. Yes, he does still speak from a purely male perspective, but it feels gentler than most.

Sor Juana was dubbed “The Tenth Muse” by an admiring priest in Spain upon publication of her poetry, and the sobriquet has remained with her throughout the centuries.

From MaryAnn's list on the mystical Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz.

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