Getting to the truth of blood libel
In winning Phi Beta Kappa’s 2016 Ralph Waldo Emerson Award for “The Murder of William of Norwich,” E.M. Rose found recognition by illuminating the real history behind an imaginary event. Rose, currently a visiting scholar in the program in medieval studies, was honored by the society for her “model of thoroughgoing historical scholarship.” “I’m bowled over,” said the former TV journalist, whose book analyzed the earliest known blood libel in medieval England and its impact on future accusations around Europe. “Most people previously writing on the topic wanted to know ‘Did they or didn’t they?’ I came at it asking, ‘Why did people believe such a strange and pernicious accusation? What were the circumstances?’ I thought it had been done to death, but I kept finding such interesting research.” Rose’s gripping tale gets to the heart of a terrible slander — that Jews tortured children in mockery of Christ and the Crucifixion, and...