A study of life inside medieval monasteries that explores monastic spirituality, daily routines, contact with the outside world, and the historical impact of these foundational institutions on the Western world.How did the Western monastic tradition begin? What was monastic life typically like for a monk or nun? How was the institution of the monastery formative to Western culture from antiquity through the Middle Ages? This book covers the entire span of monastic history in the late-ancient and medieval periods and provides an in-depth look at several monasteries across Europe. Each chapter introduces the reader to the surviving evidence for the houses studied, such as its monastic rules, plans, records of visitation, chronicles, and biographical accounts; and aims to give an "insider" view-not only of monks' and nuns' daily activities, but what these dedicated individuals' values, ambitions, and aspirations might have been.Surveys the history of the monastery, describing its origins, purpose, geographic spread, and impact on the larger societyProvides a glimpse of the rich and often idiosyncratic evidence that survives for medieval monasteriesEmphasizes the pervasiveness of monasticism in medieval Europe, the versatility of the monastic tradition, and its remarkable survivalBrings to life the interior experience of a typical monk or nun, allowing readers to understand what draws some individuals to the monastic life