Donna Woolfolk Cross is best known for Pope Joan, a historical novel built around the medieval legend of a woman who allegedly disguised herself as a man and rose to become pope. The novel imagines Joan's childhood, education, religious life and movement through a society where formal learning and church authority are largely closed to women. Cross uses the disputed legend as the basis for fiction rather than presenting Joan's papacy as settled historical fact, and the book combines travel, religious politics and personal relationships with questions about gender and education. Her published work also includes nonfiction, but Pope Joan dominates her readership. The novel fits medieval historical fiction, religious historical fiction and stories about women navigating male institutions. Readers should approach it as a fictional reconstruction inspired by a long-standing legend, especially if they are also interested in the historical debate over whether Pope Joan ever existed. Read more Less
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