Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway

Thomas Nevin's first book about St. Therese, Therese of Lisieux: God's Gentle Warrior, drawing on previously unused material, was a major breakthrough in studies of St. Therese in English.  I am happy to announce that his long-awaited second book about St. Therese, The Last Years of Saint Therese: Doubt and Darkness, 1895-1897, will be published by Oxford University Press on July 15, 2013.  Pre-order it here ($29.66 and free shpping).  A big pre-order helps to launch a book successfully, so, if you plan to purchase the book, you can help it achieve a wider distribution by ordering it now. 

The editorial description:

For over a century, the Carmelite Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873-1897) has been revered as Catholicism's foremost folk saint of modern times. Universally known as "the Little Flower," she has been a source of consolation and uplift, an example of everyday sainthood by "the Little Way." This book puts aside that piety and addresses the torment of doubt within the life and writing of a saint best known for the strength of her conviction.

Nevin examines the dynamics of Christian doubt, and argues that it is integral to the journey toward selfless love which Thérèse was compelled to take. Thérèse's metaphors for doubt were "tunnel," "fog," and "vault," each one suggesting darkness, dimness, and enclosure. What, Nevin asks, did doubt mean to her? What was its source and nature? What was its object? He gives close attention to her reading and interpretations of the Old and New Testaments as pathways through her inner wilderness. Her Carmel of spiritual sisters becomes a vivid setting for this drama, with other women challenging Thérèse by their own trials of faith. One of Thérèse's indispensable lessons, Nevin concludes, is the acceptance of helplessness.

If you have not read Therese of Lisieux, God's Gentle Warrior, learn more about it here.