A "common woman" in medieval England was a prostitute, distinguished as such less for taking money for sex than for belonging to all men in common. Karras's book tells the story of these women, their experiences, relations, and treatment under the law, and concludes that prostitution was central to the medieval understanding of feminity.
Readership: General/students of the history of sexuality.
Ruth Mazo Karras, Associate Professor of History, Temple University
"Karras s style is approachable and pleasingly uncluttered by theoretical vocabulary; her conclusions are both sensible and sensitive." - Corinne Saunders, Medium Aevum.
"a useful and perceptive addition to the ever growing collection of works on medieval sexuality." - Corinne Saunders, Medium Aevum.
"this is an admirable academic study, the product of careful research over years." - The Literary Review
