For the lives of those we give the title Saint, and other historically noteworthy Christian men and women, written by their contemporaries, their own writings and stories about them painstakingly put together by modern day writers.

Archive - Book Titles reviewed - S

A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

- Includes Audio Excerpts CD

by William Law

William Law lived 1686-1761 and the title of his book is spot on. It is a Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life.
Although the Bible teaches us that we are saved by grace, the Bible also teaches us that the evidence that we are saved is the life we then live. As the apostle James says “faith without works is dead”. The book concentrates exclusively on this. First published in 1728 this edition has been carefully updated into modern English.
The author places a great deal of emphasis on our duties and responsibilities. He looks in detail at how we spend our time and money. There are specific chapters for the rich (which by his definition includes most of us), fathers, mothers, and on private devotions. One unusual feature is that he uses fictional people to illustrate what he is saying. This helps to apply his teaching to our own situations.
The book would be more rounded if there was more emphasis on the helps God gives us in our Christian walk such as the part the Holy Spirit plays in our sanctification.
John Wesley, George Whitefield and William Wilberforce all said that reading this book was a major turning point in their lives. That is quite a recommendation! Having read the book I can understand why. A classic.

Review by Alan Hill (20/07/10)

Paperback
Price: £8.50
Publisher: Bridge-Logos from Trust Media Distribution
Published: 2008
ISBN: 978-0-882-70453-1

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Saint Clare of Assisi

- Her Legend and selected writings

by Christopher Stace

St Francis and St Clare are linked in the imagination, because it was to Francis and his order that Clare turned when she became convinced that she had to enter the religious life, which she did in about 1212. They were closely associated till Francis’ death in 1226 and she continued working hard for her Rule to be allowed by the Pope for the next twenty-seven years, only receiving confirmation of that Rule on her deathbed in 1253. Christopher Stace has given us a very readable translation of The Legend of St Clare, written shortly after her death, perhaps by Thomas of Celano who had composed The First Life of St Francis. Also The Form of Life of St Clare written for her community the Poor Ladies (later the Poor Clares) These and letters to her sister have helped modern scholars realise that she was a figure of historical importance in her own right. In this book we are privileged to share that understanding.

Review by Mary Bartholomew (18/07/01)

Paperback
Price: £7.99
Publisher: Triangle imprint of SPCK
Published: Spring 2001
ISBN: 0-281-05294-8

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Saint Francis of Assisi

by G.K.Chesterton

Written soon after he became a Catholic, G.K.Chesterton's personal reflections on the life of St Francis remain an important contribution to Franciscan studies, despite the scholarship of the last eighty years. He is 'here addressing the ordinary modern man, sympathetic but skeptical...' (p. 3). His starting point is Francis' unconditional and absolute love of Christ, one that many, indeed favourable, commentators could not fully comprehend, since '...they will not believe that a heavenly love can be as real as an earthly love.' (p. 88). A publisher's note at the end of the book informs us that 'This edition...is gently edited and updated from the original [USA 1924] edition'. The reader will have already spotted one American spelling! Chesterton's prose style, long sentences and lengthy paragraphs do not get in the way of the book's content, though there are many allusions with which the contemporary reader may be unfamiliar. There is a brief, anonymous ‘Preface’, which is a sketchy biography of Chesterton. The opportunity could have been taken to include a Franciscan bibliography, or just an outline of principal dates and events in Francis' life.
This is a book which deserves its reputation, and gives us many insights into the character and ideas of Chesterton himself. Highly recommended!

Review by J.Nicholas Latham (17/12/08)

Hardback
Price: £8.99
Publisher: Hendrickson from Alban Books
Published: October 2008
ISBN: 978-1-598-56282-8

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Saint Jeanne Jugan

by Éloi Leclerc

I came to know of Jeanne Jugan from previous DLT books, so was delighted to hear of her canonisation. This short book gives a précis of her life and how she started the work of The Little Sisters of the Poor that continues worldwide. Her banishment to oblivion so soon after her work began was turned by her into a blessing for all the Novices she was to spend the following years influencing. By her humility and love for them she ‘enabled the luminous work of God to be seen in her, in all its purity and radiance’ and the Novices carried that vision out into the world and their work. A lovely lady who I pray will become better known through this slim book.

Review by Mary Bartholomew (28/10/09)

Paperback
Price: £5.95
Publisher: DLT (Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd)
Published: October 2009
ISBN: 978-0-232-52778-0

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Saint Patrick

by Thomas O’Loughlin

“All that can really be known of Patrick comes from his authentic writings – the Confessio and the Epistola. Thomas O’Loughlin’s engaging yet scholarly reflections on these fifth-century texts lead us into a greater understanding of the mind of Patrick, the man, believer and missionary. Explanatory notes woven through the translations illuminate a very different world and time; it is not long before we realise, however, that Patrick’s theology is no less relevant to our own.” I had thought out what I wanted to say about this book, then found it written better than I could have done, on it’s back cover. If you thought you knew about Patrick, spend time reading this book. I enjoyed it so much.

Review by Mary Bartholomew (11/03/01)

Paperback
Price: £4.99
Publisher: Triangle imprint of SPCK
ISBN: 0-281-05211-5

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Saint Wilfrid

by John Nankivell

The picture of St Wilfrid that emerges from this book, is of a churchman with his Christianity rooted in monastic life, love of which influenced his behaviour throughout his adult life. The biography written by a contemporary of his, Eddius, for Wilfrid’s successors at Hexham and Ripon, extolled his virtues as seen by his supporters through the turbulent, complex and often violent politics of the day. Eddius was writing for monastic communities, and had no need to explain the day to day duties of a faithful monk. John Nankivell has given us a far broader view, stressing Wilfrid’s commitment as a monk, above all his other duties, explaining the politics of the time, and giving us a Wilfrid with whom we can sympathise.

Review by Mary Bartholomew (20/07/02)

Paperback
Price: £7.99
Publisher: SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge)
Published: 19 July 2002
ISBN: 0-281-05445-2

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Saints by Scot Bower
ISBN: 978-0-745-95347-2 Price: £9.99	Published: 2009
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Saints and Heroes - Inspiring Politics by Frank Field
ISBN: 978-0-281-06187-7 Price: £12.99	Published: 18 March 2010
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Saints and Sinners of the Marches by Michael Tavinor with illustrations by Sandy Elliott
ISBN: 978-1-906-66361-2 Price: £20.00	Published: Spring 2012
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Samuel Ryder - The Man Behind the Ryder Cup – Revised edition by Peter Fry
ISBN: 978-0-953-90871-4	Published: August 2010
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Select Letters of John Newton Edited by Publisher
ISBN: 978-1-848-71140-2 Price: £6.00	Published: 2011
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Selections from Wise Counsel - John Newton's Letters to John Ryland Jr
ISBN: 978-1-848-71089-4 Price: £3.25	Published: 2010
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Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge
ISBN: 978-0-745-95338-0 Price: £9.99	Published: 20 February 2009
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Spiritual Masters for all Seasons by Michael Ford
ISBN: 978-1-587-68055-7 Price: £12.99	Published: 2009
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St Francis of Assisi by G K Chesterton
ISBN: 0-826-48582-0 Price: £8.99	Published: March 2005
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St George - Patron Saint of England by Christopher Stace
ISBN: 0-281-05415-0 Price: £7.99	Published: 22 March 2002
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St Mary Magdalen in Provence - The Coffin and the Cave by Michael Donley
ISBN: 978-0-852-44177-0 Price: £12.99	Published: 26 June 2008
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St Thomas of Hereford by Gabriel Alington
ISBN: 0-852-44525-3 Price: £7.99	Published: 15 March 2001
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Stars in God’s Sky - Short Biographies of ‘Extraordinary Ordinary Christians’ by Faith Cook
ISBN: 978-0-852-34696-9 Price: £8.95	Published: Autumn 2009
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Studying the Life of St Francis of Assisi - A Beginner’s Workbook (2nd Edition) by William R. Hugo, O.F.M. Cap.
ISBN: 978-1-565-48397-2 Price: £14.95	Published: 2011
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Swami Abishiktananda by Shirley Du Boulay
ISBN: 978-1-570-75695-5 Price: £9.99	Published: May 2007
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The Select Practical Writings of John Knox by John Knox
ISBN: 978-1-848-71102-0 Price: £16.00	Published: July 2011
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The SPCK Introduction to Bonhoeffer by Keith Clements
ISBN: 978-0-281-06086-3 Price: £12.99	Published: 18 February 2009
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The SPCK Introduction to Karl Barth by D.Densil Morgan
ISBN: 978-0-281-06045-0 Price: £12.99	Published: 15 April 2010
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The SPCK Introduction to Kierkegaard by Peter Vardy
ISBN: 978-0-281-05986-7 Price: £9.99	Published: 18 September 2008
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The SPCK Introduction to Nietzsche by Lucy Huskinson
ISBN: 978-0-281-06042-9 Price: £12.99	Published: 17 September 2009
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All books reviewed in this section, indexed by title:-
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