Desert Fathers and Mothers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings — Annotated & Explained will be available by late August. In the meantime it is available for pre-ordering at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and SkyLight Paths.
When you pre-order your copy, I have a special gift for you: a retreat and reflection guide to accompany your reading. Just forward me your online receipt for pre-order and I will send that to you as a thank you for your support. Or if you have a copy of the actual book, you can just send me a photo of you holding the book up (I would love to see your face in the photo too!)
This gift offer expires August 31, 2012.
Praise for the book:
“In Desert Fathers and Mothers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings—Annotated & Explained, Christine Valters Paintner offers insight into the austere and wondrous spirituality of the desert, the colorful and perceptive women and men who dwelt there in ancient times, and why their pithy teachings remain so essential for the study and practice of Christian spirituality today. Her commentary makes the wisdom of the desert come alive. This book is a splendid introduction to one of the most essential periods of the western contemplative tradition.”
—Carl McColman, author of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Answering the Contemplative Call“As beckoning as the wide expanse of the desert and as clear as the night sky strewn with stars, Christine Valters Painter’s work offers the reader a good drink from the clear stream of desert wisdom. She honors the tradition while making it entirely relevant to our times.” —Mary C. Earle, writer and Episcopal priest, whose work includes The Desert Mothers: Spiritual Practices from the Women of the Wilderness and Celtic Christian Spirituality: Essential Writings–Annotated and Explained
“Desert Mother and Fathers provides not only a wonderful introduction to a fascinating world (the opening chapter alone is worth the price of the book), but an invitation to seek our own “word” from the abbas and ammas of Christian antiquity. A scholar who practices what she teaches, Christine Valters Paintner offers one of the best guidebooks I’ve seen for those who’ve been called to the contemplative life.”
–Paula Huston, author of The Holy Way and Simplifying the Soul
