First appearing as an anonymous serial in "Harper's Magazine" in 1895, "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc" was Mark Twain's final novel and was published as a complete work under his name in 1896. The novel is a stark departure from Twain's usual comic and satirical writings, which is why Twain insisted it initially be published anonymously so that the public would take it seriously. The work is told from the perspective of a fictionalized version...

Most books about the saints are thin on women, especially contemporary women. Even Butler's LIVES OF THE SAINTS, the 'bible' of this category, lists far more men than women. No book about the saints could ignore such beloved early martyrs as Agnes of Rome and Lucy of Syracuse but this new book will introduce readers to many new women who have been canonized or beatified by Pope John Paul II. Of the more than 377 women mentioned in the book, 159 have...

In this edgy, honest, and often audacious book of Catholic spirituality Maria Morera Johnson explores the qualities of 24 holy women who lived lives of virtue in unexpected and often difficult circumstances. Johnson shares her experience as an educator of at-risk college students, and caregiver for a husband with Lou Gehrig's disease. Through humorous, empowering, and touching portraits of 24 spiritual mentors who inspired her, Johnson shows how their...

"While visiting Siena, Italy, Mary Lea Carroll grew fascinated with the remarkable story of St. Catherine of Siena and made a resolution: Whenever she was lucky enough to travel, if a shrine dedicated to a female saint was nearby, she'd visit it and learn about her. What started as a hobby grew into a journey she never expected, one rich with challenges and cappuccinos, doubts and inspiration, glasses of wine with strangers and moments of transcendence....

"David Elliott explores how Joan of Arc changed the course of history and remains a figure of fascination centuries after her extraordinary life and death in a fiery, evocative novel-in-verse."--Provided by publisher.

In My Sisters the Saints, author Colleen Carroll Campbell blends her personal narrative of spiritual seeking, trials, stumbles, and breakthroughs with the stories of six women saints who profoundly changed her life: Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux, Faustina of Poland, Edith Stein of Germany, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Mary of Nazareth. Drawing upon the rich writings and examples of these extraordinary women, the author reveals Christianity's...

"The author of Saint Everywhere is answering the call from fans for more reports from her quest to learn from some quietly extraordinary women-and a man or two-who have changed the world. Mary Lea Carroll travels to shrines and hometowns to learn about such amazing people as Saint Marie of Quebec, who founded the first girls' school in the New World; philanthropist-turned-saint Katherine Drexel of Philadelphia; Saint Brigid, a patron saint of Ireland;...

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was, one of the most remarkable and influential women of her time. Blessed with an astonishing array of talents, she was at once a mystic, theologian, scientist, doctor, nutritionist, composer, writer, linguist, and artist. Born to a noble family in Mainz, Germany, Hildegard entered a Benedictine monastery and went on to become abbess of a thriving community near Bingen. From a young age, she received extraordinary...

"Clare is shown as a figure of true heroism, tenacity, beatitude and grit who plotted her improbable course in the context of the raucous and explosive period of the Middle Ages"--