John Stratton Hawley

Professor Diana Eck at Harvard once said this was a great book for high schoolers and freshmen, as it combines short, clear biographies and historical information on the Saints with selections of their poetry. She's right, which leads to the obvious comment that it's a shame that virtually no one reads this in American high school. Beyond its value as an accessible introductory history of a fairly esoteric topic, this book has come under some criticism for Hawley and Juergensmeyer's translations, which are often viewed as fairly weak. Perhaps because I read this version of these incredible works of poetry first, Hawley and Juergensmeyer's versions have stuck fast in my brain. I love them despite their flaws and love this book.… (mer)