Julia Langbein's new novel *Dear Monica Lewinsky*, published by Doubleday, follows translator Jean Dornan as she revisits a traumatic relationship with a professor from her youth, set against the backdrop of the 1998 Monica Lewinsky scandal. The story interweaves medieval art, particularly the 13th-century *Golden Legend*, with Lewinsky's public shaming, as Jean prays to Lewinsky for guidance and is visited by a haloed version of her. Langbein, an art historian with a PhD from the University of Chicago, draws on her expertise to explore themes of humiliation, self-estrangement, and collective experience.
The novel matters because it uses medieval art history as a lens to reframe a modern cultural trauma, challenging how women's shame is perpetuated and understood. By merging the martyr narratives of the *Golden Legend* with Lewinsky's story, Langbein offers a fresh, critical perspective on public shaming and personal redemption, bridging academic art history with contemporary fiction. The book also highlights the emotional limitations of art history as a discipline, pushing for a more visceral engagement with art and history.