Recommended lives of the fathers

[Shawn Lazar]

Hi,

I'm looking to read a truly inspiring collection of saints' lives, and hoping to avoid those collections that are... well, a bit dry and formulaic (if you know what I mean). For instance, Russia's Catacomb Saints (Saint Herman, 1982) was heart-pounding, as was the first book on Fr. Arseny. On the other hand, I found the recently printed book retelling the lives of the Georgian Saints (Saint Herman, 2006) somewhat dry.

Can anyone recommend other volumes that are also especially good?

Cheers,
Shawn

[Olga]

A sisterly aside for you, Shawn: A written work may be dispassionate, but still entirely capable of being inspiring. For example, the very best icons fall into this category.

[Andreas Moran]

I can recommend 'The Northern Thebaid'. Also the various books on British saints by Baring-Gould.

[Anthony Stokes]

Can anyone recommend other volumes that are also especially good?
Cheers,
Shawn


Shawn,
I would definitely recommend the Optina Elders to you. There are two different series.

One of them is published by St. Herman's Press. The first three volumes are wonderful, Elder Leonid, Elder Anthony, and Elder Macarius. They have 7 volumes available, but I have only read the first three so far. You can order them from here - http://www.stherman.com/catalog/chapter_six/index.htm

The other series is published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery. They have two volumes available, Elder Joseph and Elder Moses. My wife read the Elder Joseph volume and really liked it. They can be ordered here - http://www.thehtm.org/catalog/index.php?cPath=75_105&osCsid=ab734cb5f9e0f07d2d614546507be381

Subdeacon Anthony

[Antonios]

Dear Shawn,

I would also recommend the Evergetinos series, which can be found here (http://www.ctosonline.org/patristic/EvCT.html). Not your typical series on the lives of saints, but full of saints and divine wisdom.

In Christ,
Antonios

[Moses Ibrahim]

Lives of the Jura Fathers (http://www.cistercianpublications.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=087907678X)

Lives of the Desert Fathers (http://www.cistercianpublications.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=0879079347)

Sayings of the Desert Fathers (http://www.cistercianpublications.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=0879079592)

The Spiritual Meadow (http://www.cistercianpublications.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=0879075392)

The Spiritually Beneficial Tales of Paul, Bishop of Monembasia (http://www.cistercianpublications.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=0879075597)

Taken from http://www.cistercianpublications.org/

These are all spiritual gold mines!!!

[John Litster]

Yes, I've also noticed the "dryness" of recent works of hagiography. Part of the problem is, in my opinion, the tendency of authors to pad (maybe stuff would be a better word) the Lives with endlessly flowery language which really adds nothing to the narrative.

All this aside, my recommemdation would be Butler's Lives of the Saints - an excellent reference for anyone interested in the early Roman martyrs, as well as any of the pre-Schism Western Orthodox saints. Baring-Gould's works are a good choice as well, but not very easy to find nowadays.

[Andreas Moran]

Baring-Gould's works are a good choice as well, but not very easy to find nowadays.

Obtainable from Llanerch Press - see: www.llanerchpress.com click 'Lives of Saints' on the left.

[Ken McRae]

The Lausiac History of Palladius: OPTION ONE (http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/palladius_lausiac_02_text.htm) and OPTION TWO (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/palladius-lausiac.html)