Saint Therese of Lisieux

By: Kathryn Harrison

Narrated by: Kate Reading

St. Therese of Lisieux, largely unknown when she died in a Carmelite convent at the age of twenty-four, became - through her posthumously published autobiography - one of the world's most influential religious figures. No less a luminary than Andre Gide modeled one of his characters after her in his novel STRAIT IS THE GATE. Originally the pampered daughter of successful and highly religious tradespeople, Therese appealed personally to the Pope to let her enter the convent at the age of fifteen. There, Therese embraced sacrifice and self-renunciation in a single-minded pursuit of the "nothingness" she felt would bring her closer to God. Her ascetic practices enabled her to undergo even the scourge of tuberculosis, which only deepened her spiritual intensity even as it would take her life.©2003 Kathryn Harrison; (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc.

Memoir of a Child Saint

I found the book startling to begin with--the dedication to Earl Harrison jolted me so I had to do a google on Kathryn Harrison! Truely, Earl was a child of the Light.

I wish the book had been read by the author, but perhaps her french accent is lousy....

Harrison's forays into Therese's psyche were a bit overdone...as if any of us can know what someone else is thinking or feeling...but still, she pulled together (evidently) much of Therese's writings, etc. A good listen....helped me pass the time while walking.