Brother William's Year: A Monk at Westminster Abbey

Brother William is a monk-gardener at Westminster Abbey in the 14th century. Based on the monk-gardener who would have lived and worked in the garden at that time, he's responsible for providing the other monks with food all year. He does almost all the work himself, except at busy times such as harvest-time, and he only has one day off all year — his "O" Day, when he's excused from some of the services. The Rule of St. Benedict, which all the brothers followed at that time, stated that everyone should work, whether rich or poor. Packed with bright illustrations and information about life in the 14th century, Brother William's Year shows why practical work like Brother William's — gardening, keeping animals, building a barn, or illustrating a manuscript — was thought to be as important as praying, writing sermons, or singing psalms.