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-1889-1965

The 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/ 

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Music: Lili Boulanger’s Nocturne performed by Magdalena Baczewska and Sasha He

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