Fairacres, Oxford: SLG Press, 1997 (reprinted 1999). 20 pages. List price: £3.00. ISBN: 0-7283-0145-8

Review by: M.C. Steenberg , August 2003

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This small booklet contains 153 of the 'sayings' (apothegmata) of St Isaac the Syrian, collected and translated by the noted scholar of Syrian Christianity, Dr Sebastian Brock of the University of Oxford. Published by Fairacres Press at the extremely affordable price of £3.00 GBP, it represents a helpful and accessible collection of the Syrian's thought, valuable both to newcomers and long-standing readers of St Isaac's works.

Brock's work on the writings of St Isaac has been extensive and fruitful, and his translations of the apothegmata in the present volume bear the marks of one deeply aware of the author's language and style. The collection also includes several sayings from the 'Second Part' of Isaac's writings, far more recently discovered than the first, offering the reader the opportunity to encounter portions of the Syrian's work less widely known than those found in other volumes.

A brief introduction, also by Dr Brock, begins the volume and lays out in broad stroke the life history and bibliography of St Isaac. A brief but helpful subject index is found on the last page, allowing the reader easily to locate texts on a specific theme (e.g. 'Answers to prayer', 'The value of suffering'). In short, this brief volume provides all that could be wanted in a booklet of its sort: beautiful and accurate translation, a helpful introduction, and a concise index. A welcome collection to the patristic library of anyone interested in the thought of the Syrian desert tradition.

The present text is available online through the following e-retailers:

• Amazon.co.uk (£3.00)
• Amazon.com (special order)

The reviewer of the present text recommends the following works as those which may be of interest to readers of this title:

• [None offered]