"Hermits and the New Monasticism: A Study of Religious Communities in Western Europe 1000-1150" by Henrietta Leyser

This is a concise survey of the literature-on a critical slice of Western religious history. The eremitism of the eleventh and twelfth centuries is usually a sub-topic in the history of monasticism; it has never before been the topic of an entire book in English.

The author's principal theme is the organic relationship between the original eremitical impulse and the many new monastic communities founded in this period.
It is a most instructive approach. After an introductory review of the earlier, especially Egyptian, eremitism, she presents the hermits of the eleventh century as a departure from their forerunners, sketches their chronology and geography and deals successively with their organisauon, observances, etc…

Contents
Contents
Acknowledgernents
Map: Principal Eremetical Communities 1000-1150
INTRODUCTION
2 THE SHAPING OF TRADITION
The Flight to the Desert, 250-550
Monks and Hermits, 550-1150
3 THE NEW HERMITS
4 THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOVEMENT: A GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
5 PROBLEMS OF ORGANISATION
The Beginnings of a Community
The Leader
The Laity
Women
6 OBSERVANCES
The Poor Men of Christ
Manual Labour
Hospitality and Alms-giving
Liturgy and Private Devotions
Food and Clothing
7 HERMITS, REFORM AND PREACHING
8 REACTIONS TO HERMITS
9 THE ADOPTION OF AN ORDER AND CUSTOMS
10 THE END OF THE HERMITAGES
Appendix I: The Sources
Appendix II: List of Religious Houses with Eremitical Origins
Abbreviations
Bibliography
References
Index