This is one in a series of new editions of spiritual classics. Together they herald the continuing relevance of early Christian texts. Each paperback contains a preface essay by a noted contemporary writer.
In The Desert Fathers M. Basil Pennington, a Cistercian monk and teacher of contemplative prayer, salutes the courage and integrity of the fourth century desert fathers and mothers who practiced the virtuous life apart from the rest of the world. Their ascetic practice comes vividly across in the various stories in this collection.